Top 5 Best Emulators for Pokémon Games in 2023

Can you play Pokémon on PC? Yes, of course you can play Pokémon on PC using ROMs and the Pokémon game emulators for your computer that includes RetroArch and DraStic DS.

Pokémon is one of the most iconic media franchises that has maintained relevance over the years. It consists of anime series, video games, films, soundtracks, manga, trading card games, etc. It has made a huge community and has influenced a lot of people.

Do you wish to relive the nostalgia of playing Pokémon games on your Windows PC? This article lists the best emulators for Pokémon games on Windows. In addition, the article introduces a unique method (via AirDroid Cast) to play Pokémon games on a PC without any emulator.

Part 1: Comparison Criteria of Emulators for Pokémon games

Each emulator has its memory requirements and a distinct user interface. Here is a short comparison of RAM requirements and the platform compatibility of each emulator. Moreover, you can analyze the performance and value for money of each emulator by viewing its rating.

Part 2: How Can You Use Pokémon Emulator?

Emulators have been around for a long time. They allow users to perform certain tasks that are otherwise impossible. For instance, Android emulators allow you to run Android software on Windows PCs. Similarly, Pokémon emulators allow the user to play Pokémon games on Windows computers. In addition to Windows, emulators for Android and Linux are also available. 

To use Pokémon emulators, you need to know about downloadable ROMs. It is a list of ISO files that the Pokémon emulator can detect. You can search ROM files for all Pokémon games on a quick Google search.

Part 3: Top 5 Best Pokémon Emulators for PC 

1Project 64 – N64 (HD Graphics)

The Project 64 - N64 emulator is one of the best emulators when it comes to playing retro Pokémon games. With this best emulator for Pokémon, you can play Nintendo 64 and 64DD games on Windows.

It offers many features including HD graphics, great compatibility, save states, and cheat codes. People rate Project 64 - N64 for its simplicity and ease of use. No matter what level of experience you have with this best Pokémon emulator for PC, you will enjoy using it.

Official Page: Project 64 – N64

Each option is clear, and everything is well-defined. This best emulator for Pokémon also boasts a fantastic retro gaming community. The developers and contributors keep adding new features to this emulator on a regular basis.

One of the main features of Project 64 is that it properly implements the C button. It is a useful feature for Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Snap.

2RetroArch (Run-Ahead)

RetroArch supports a variety of consoles. With a variety of cool and exciting features, it presents a complete gaming environment. RetroArch creates “Cores” that are designed for specific needs such as accuracy to speed. Play Pokémon games on your Windows PC using RetroArch using many cores.

It offers an easy interface to help you with the simple Pokémon game download. It offers a host of features such as shaders, net play, rewinding, next-frame response times, run-ahead, and much more. It is known as one of the best Emulators for Pokémon for its blind accessibility feature.

Official Page: RetroArch

The developers keep adding new features and improvements to RetroArch over time. If you want a solution with all the features, RetroArch is your best option. As a cross-platform best Pokémon emulator for PC, RetroArch makes it easy to play games on multiple devices. 

3DraStic DS (File Storage Synchronization)

The DraStic DS Emulator allows you to play numerous Nintendo DS Pokémon games on your smartphone. Nintendo DS is one of the most popular consoles on the market. 

This best Pokémon emulator for PC runs all games that are available for Nintendo DS. After the Pokémon game downloading, you can play the fine-quality game with maximum controls.

The DraStic DS Emulator enhances the gaming experience, and you can enjoy high-quality graphics. Unfortunately, developers have not created a dedicated page, website, or app store for ROMs. Therefore, it would be difficult to find ROM files for various Pokémon games on the internet.

Official Page: DraStic DS

In addition to high-resolution gaming, screen customization, backup & resume, and a battery-saving mode, DraStic DS Emulator offers multiple features. The File Storage Synchronization feature lets you resume the game from where you last saved it.

In addition, fast-forwarding allows you to skip boring segments of the game. It is not currently available on the Google Play Store; you need to download this from an APK hosting website.

4Dolphin(Simple User Interface)

Dolphin Emulator is another best Pokémon emulator for PC. It supports Wii and GameCube consoles, so you can play any game. When it comes to Pokémon games download, it offers Pokémon Puzzle League, Pokémon Battle Revolution, Pokémon Rumble, and Pokémon 2.

With Dolphin Emulator, you'll be able to play in 1080p or Full HD resolution, which is quite impressive. It is compatible with PC controllers, networked multiplayer, turbo speed, and more. This best emulator for Pokémon has a relatively simple user interface.

Official Page: Dolphin Emulator

Obviously, this new emulator comes with some caveats. You'll need a high-end CPU to play some solid games on Dolphin Emulator. It offers an excellent gaming experience, but most game’s only run at 30 frames per second. Dolphin Emulator for PC offers many customization options.

5DeSmuMe (Multiple Customization Options)

DeSmuMe is available for Windows and Mac computers. Both platforms run Nintendo DS games smoothly, but sometimes MacBook Air experience frame drops when playing games at maximum graphics.

The performance of your PC will ultimately depend on its configuration and memory. There are a lot of customization options available for graphics and emulator settings. Another useful feature is the cheat code manager, as well as USB controller support.

Official Page: DeSmuMe

In addition, the NDS emulator offers a save slot to enable you to continue the game. Despite its popularity among Nintendo DS fans, DeSmuMe has some problems. Developers rarely update the project, and the last stable update was released in 2015.

Besides that, the emulator does not support much Pokémon game downloads, but you can play them. In addition, it doesn’t support the emulation of Wi-Fi.

Part 4: Bonus Tip- AirDroid Cast: Play Pokémon Games on PC

With AirDroid Cast, you can stream apps from different devices on the PC screen without downloading emulators.It offers screen sharing across multiple platforms.

With its unique features and easy-to-use interface, AirDroid Cast has millions of daily users around the world. It allows users to play games and apps on a bigger screen by casting your device screen on your PC.

This free app enhances your gaming experience with 3D graphics. If you want to access advanced tools, you can also upgrade to the premium version. Moreover, it includes the option to control your mobile screen on a PC.

Follow these steps to enjoy playing android games on PC:

Part 5: How to Play Pokémon GO on PC without Emulators?

Video Tutorial: How to Play Pokémon GO on PC without Emulators

Part 6: Final Verdict

Many of us would wish to play Pokémon on our PC. Unfortunately, these games are not directly available on the windows play Store. However, you can play Pokémon games on a PC using an emulator.

These are a variety of Pokémon emulators offering multiple gaming features for users. The article listed the top 5 emulators to play Pokémon games on a PC. No matter how high-rated an android emulator may be, users may experience a few lags or loading errors.

One of the best ways to enjoy Stress-free Pokémon gaming on a PC without an emulator is through AirDroid Cast. With the least memory requirements and fast speed, this software is designed to enhance the user’s gaming experience.