As of a while ago we can correctly say that the sixth generation of gaming consoles is now perfectly emulated (when used on midrange PCs, at least). Most games for Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Gamecube (as well as Wii given the architectural similarities), can be played perfectly on desktop machines. Nowadays, steps are being taken to offer this experience on mobile devices, with several emulators for mobiles already out there that offer unequal results but remain in the constant evolution.
Playstation 2
Emulating the Sony console has always been a headache and the only ones who’ve muddled through the hassle have been the creators of PCSX2, although it’s limited to desktop PCs and depends too heavily on machines with Intel arquitecture. While no one has worked yet on a version for Android, its existence is totally feasible as made clear by the PSP emulator PPSSPP, which works perfectly even on midrange devices.
Play! (that’s what the emulator is called) is independent of the aforementioned projects, and while it hasn’t been under development for very long, can already run paid titles like Gradius V or Final Fantasy, as shown in videos published by the developer. The app APK is available and you can try it out yourself if you want, although at the moment it’s still very green.
Dreamcast
Dreamcast became the first of all these platforms to offer workable results on mobile several years ago, and in fact Reicast for Android has already become a classic amongst those of us who move in this scene. It currently works perfectly with practically any game, including the Shenmue titles, the Dreamcast institution that everyone’s talking about after the announcement of its third installment.
Gamecube
One word only: Dolphin. This marvel of an emulator has brought us the Gamecube and Wii catalogue with enormous depth and customization capacity, besides offering a more than respectable speed and graphics with a few retouches that in some cases outshine the original consoles. The preview of the port for Android does work, although for some games the experience might be rather insufferable. If Reicast is a 9 and Play! is a 2, Dolphin for Android can scrape a 5.
The good thing in this case is that its development is fully active, as seen on its official webpage, which announces the withdrawal of support for ARMv7 processors to focus on devices that can actually offer a proper gaming experience.
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