Fans of Pokémon Around the world they number in the millions. Since the appearance of this saga in the mid-90s, many have enjoyed playing through the different Nintendo portable consoles. Now we can also do the same from the computer using emulators: to relive past experiences or discover the latest titles released for Nintendo Switch. In this post we are going to see what they are the best emulators to play Pokémon on your PC.
To be able to play these and other games on a PC, two things are necessary: on the one hand, a emulador; on the other, a version of the game adapted for use in the emulator known as rom. At this point it is important to note the following: emulators are perfectly legal elements that we can download and use. On the other hand, the inappropriate use of roma it could be illegal.
So, when we are downloading roma from some specialized page to then play through an emulator, we are committing a crime (illegal download). In any case, when it comes to old titles that are already out of print, this type of download is usually persecuted. If we talk about recent titles, the situation is more delicate.
These are some of the best emulators to play Pokémon on PC. Each of them is more or less suitable depending on the game we want to emulate:
Citra
We start with Citra, the most popular and used emulator to play games on PC Nintendo 3DS Pokémon. Among its strong points we must mention its excellent optimization, thanks to numerous functions to improve the quality of the graphics.
The emulator allows us to simulate the console's double screen: we can operate one with the mouse and the other with keyboard commands or with an external controller connected by USB. There are plenty of titles available.
Download link: Citra
DeSmuME
In the opinion of many fans, the best Pokémon emulator for PC that we can find if it comes to playing with split screen. DeSmuME It is free and open source. In addition, it has a clear and simple interface through which all kinds of configurations can be enabled.
With this emulator you can save and record games, as well as take screenshots. Probably the best option to emulate Nintendo DS games.
Download link: DeSmuME
mGBA
Do you want to play Game Boy Advance games on your computer? In that case, the best emulator is mGBA. It is also the most practical or simplest option, which requires very few hardware requirements (it barely consumes resources) and offers a very simple interface. Furthermore, we will find roma Compatible for the fourth and fifth generation Pokémon games: Platinum, Diamond and Pearl, Oo Heartgold, Soulsilver, White, Black…
Among its main functions we must highlight saving, multi-window viewing, customization of controls and the option to speed up the action of the games. There is even the possibility of generating GIFs from a video capture.
Download link: mGBA
playguy
playguy It is the best emulator that we can use for the original Game Boy and also for the Game Boy Color, with all the games available. Among other things, it allows us to take screenshots, as well as customize and configure all the controls. The quality of game graphics can also be improved thanks to a series of filters, which all in all means an optimal gaming experience.
The PlayGuy emulator supports up to three different screen size modes. It also shows the FPS in the title bar.
Download link: playguy
Dual TGB
To emulate Pokémon Gold, Silver or Crystal games, the best resource is Dual TGB. It allows us to load two roma different at the same time using a virtual link cable. This is very interesting, since it makes it possible to exchange Pokémon between two different games, that is, two people can play two different games on the same computer and with the same keyboard.
The configuration options are a bit complex, which may be confusing for some users. Of course, once we become familiar with how it works, the experience is very pleasant.
Download link: Dual TGB
Yuzu
Our last proposal for the list of best Pokémon emulators for PC is Yuzu. The best option to emulate the Nintendo Switch console, with very high quality graphics. It must be said that it is a quite demanding emulator that needs a powerful PC (a good CPU and an adequate graphics card) to work well.
If we have a team up to the task, Yuzu is a five-star emulator: easy to use and configure, with all the games available from the seventh generation of the saga: Let's Go Pikachu!, Let's Go Evee!, Sword and Shield, Pokémon Legends: Arceus…
Download link: Yuzu