Emulating classic N64 titles comes with an array of benefits. With the most notable emulators being free and open source, the community is ever-growing. Players will often relay that playing on an emulator is best for them because of their lack of original console(s) or want the creativity of playing on various platforms. N64 games are popular emulating classics – Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 seemingly being the most prevalent. Once again, players often turn to emulators for Ocarina of Time’s beloved sequel, Majora’s Mask.
3. Mupen64plus
Released in 2001, Mupen64plus is a cross-platform plugin-based N64 emulator which is capable of accurately playing many games. This emulator is open source, free, and has comparable compatibility and capabilities as Project64. Because Mupen64plus’ similarities to Project64 make it arguably better, it’s considered one of the best N64 emulators out there. Mupen64plus is compatible with: Windows, macOS, Android, AROS, Linux, and FreeBSD. The flexibility of various operating systems is one of the driving reasons to download this emulator.
Why Mupen64plus Is Great:
- Open-source and free
- Cross-platform
- Playable on various operating systems besides PC
Mupen64plus download: http://www.mupen64plus.org
2. ParaLLEl (Libretro core)
This emulator is essentially a refined Mupen64Plus. It’s open-source, free, and cross-platform. Unlike Mupen64plus however, ParaLLel requires a Vulkan-compatible GPU. One of the most definitive features that make it a refined version of Mupen64plus is its pixel-perfect renderer. Because the emulator is still in development, ParaLLel is in active development. Because it is only available as a Libretro Core, getting a Phoenix Frontend or RetroArch would allow you to enjoy gaming.
Why ParaLLel (libretro core) Is Great:
- Excellent compatibility
- Open source
- Upscaled N64 graphics
ParaLLEl - Libretro download: https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/parallel/
1. CEN64
CEN64 is another open-source, free, and most importantly, aims to become a cycle-accurate emulator. The emulator itself is still in early development, and it looks very promising. CEN64 supports the following platforms: Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Why CEN64 Is Great:
- Open source
- Available on Linux, Windows, and macOS
- Promising developmental process
- Aims to be cycle-accurate
CEN64 download: http://www.emucr.com/2022/06/cen64-git-20220622.html
