The 3 Best SNES Emulators for Android of 2025

Use a Super Nintendo emulator to play your favorite classic games

By
Patrick Shawn Hearn
Patrick Hearn
Patrick Shawn Hearn
Writer
  • Columbus State University
Patrick Hearn has been a technology writer for 6+ years. He has written for CBSi, GameSpot, Xfinity, and many others.
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Updated on January 13, 2025
A young man plays a game on his Android phone.

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SNES games are not easy to come by for various reasons, but if you're looking for a dose of SNES nostalgia on the go, check out any of these SNES emulators for Android.

01
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Best for NES and SNES: John NESS

John NESS is one of the most popular Android SNES emulators on the market.

APK Pure 
What We Like

  • Two-for-one emulation.

  • There is a free version of the emulator.

What We Don't Like

  • You can only get rid of ads by paying a fee.

John NESS combines NES and SNES emulators from the well-known emulation company John Emulators. If you've ever tried emulation before, you might be familiar with some of their previous software options: John NES and John SNES. If so, you'll be pleased to know the same level of quality is present even with this two-for-one app.

John NESS includes advanced features like cloud saves, custom digital buttons, cheat codes, and fast forward and slow down buttons. Alongside RetroArch, John NESS is one of Android's most acclaimed emulation options.

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02
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Best Emulator With a Classic Feel: Snes9X EX+

SNES9x EX+ brings old-school gaming to Android devices on the go.

SNES9x EX+
What We Like

  • No in-app purchases.

  • Supports most emulation file types.

What We Don't Like

  • The on-screen game pad leaves something to be desired.

Snes9x EX+ has been around since the early days of emulation. Like RetroArch, it's open source and free to use. There are also no in-app purchases, so you don't have to worry about limited play time or weird microtransactions. It supports gamepads, and most major emulation file types and has decent on-screen controls.

That said, if you can connect a gamepad to it, the on-screen pad can take some getting used to. Snes9x EX+ also has a somewhat old-school look, so this emulator is an excellent option if you want something with a classic feel.

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03
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Best All-Around & Cross-Platform Emulator: RetroArch

RetroArch is the best option for SNES emulation on the Android.

RetroArch
What We Like

  • Cross-platform support.

  • Open-source.

  • Built-in streaming capabilities.

What We Don't Like

  • The emulator can be tough to learn due to its many options.

RetroArch is one of the biggest names in emulation, and for good reason. The platform is open source, which means dozens of enthusiasts and coders have worked to make its emulation as accurate as possible. It also has cross-platform support, so you can start playing a game at one place, stop and save, then pick up elsewhere.

There's built-in controller support, plus RetroArch can record and stream gameplay to services like Twitch and YouTube.

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