Retro gaming on Android devices has never been easier. There are a ton of emulators available for consoles, spanning several generations of video gaming history. That’s all well and good, but having a bunch of different emulator apps on your device isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing. Fortunately, front-end apps are making the organization of your retro game collection easy and gorgeous to boot.
Daijisho is a relatively new front-end that combines an attractive customizable interface with some neat extras. Unfortunately, it’s not super intuitive and documentation is fairly sparse. In this guide, we walk you through how to get Daijisho up and running on your Android device in no time.
Content
- Install the Daijisho App
- Download Platforms
- Download Emulators
- Add ROMs
- Select ROM Path for Each Platform
- Build Game Library
- Customize With Wallpaper Packs
- Configure Widgets
- Frequently Asked Questions
Also read:How to Configure DIG Emulator Frontend for Android
What Is a Front-End?
In the realm of video game emulation, the term “front-end” refers to software that acts as a graphical user interface (GUI) for the organization and launching of various video game emulators and the ROMs associated with them. In layman’s terms, a front-end is an attractive way to display your ROM collection and provide an easy way to play them – all from a single app.

A front-end is not an emulator itself, nor does it download or provide ROMs for you to play. Instead, it is an appealing way to tie all of those things together. Therefore, you’ll need to provide your own ROM files as well as the emulators you want to use.
Install the Daijisho App
Head over to the Google Play Store and download the Daijisho app. The app is completely free; however, be aware that it is still being actively developed.

New features may be added in the future, and there is the possibility that you may encounter some bugs, but we did not experience any hiccups in our testing. Launch the Daijisho app once it has downloaded and been installed on your device.
Also read:Best iOS and Android Games With Controller Support
Download Platforms
FIrst, “install platforms” on Daijisho. In this case, “platforms” refer to the consoles you plan on running.
- Select “Settings” from the menu at the top.

- Tap on “Download platforms” to open a pop-up menu where virtually every console and computer you can think of is listed in alphabetical order.
- Scroll through this list and put a check in the box of every console you plan on running by tapping on it. When you’ve selected all of the consoles, press “Import” to finish.

- Once Daijisho has done its thing, you should see a notification pop up at the bottom of the screen informing you that it successfully downloaded the selected platforms.
- Go back to the main screen and tap on “Platforms” at the top. You should see all of the platforms you selected arranged in alphabetical order. Swipe left or right to scroll through them. If you wish to add more consoles to Daijisho in the future, repeat the steps above.

- Alternatively, you can tap “Download” in the bottom-right corner of the screen in “Platforms.” This is a shortcut that brings you straight to the platform download function.
Also read:Best Games You Can Play in Chrome for Android Right Now
Download Emulators
Since Daijisho is only a front-end, you’ll need to source emulators for your chosen platforms. Fortunately, there are many available Android emulators. Daijisho is not compatible with every emulator. However, since the app is in active development, emulator compatibility grows with each update.
- To see which emulators can be used, navigate to your “Platforms” within Daijisho.
- On the bottom right of the screen, you’ll see an icon that looks like a pencil. Tapping on that will allow you to edit the platform.

- Here, you can change a number of options, including the default aspect ratio and the scraper you’d like Daijisho to use to grab game metadata. Under the “Player settings” heading, you’ll see the default player for that platform. This is the emulator that Daijisho associates with that console.

- At this point, you have two options. The first is to leave the default and ensure that you download that emulator app to your device.
- Alternatively, tap on “Default player” to open a drop-down menu that lists all of the compatible Daijisho emulators. Scroll through to find the one you want to use, then tap on it to select it as the default player within Daijisho. Remember to download and install the emulator app on your device.
Add ROMs
Once you’ve downloaded your platforms, you’ll need to add some games. You can use your device’s internal storage or external storage like a microSD card or USB. We recommend using a microSD card if your device supports one. It doesn’t matter how you organize your games, but our advice is to place your ROMs in folders based on console to make it easier when you’re telling Daijisho where to find your ROMs.

If you’re already into video game emulation, you probably have ROMs you can load onto your device and use with Daijisho. However, if you’re jumping into video game emulation for the first time, you’ll need to source them from somewhere.
Also read:11 Best Nintendo Switch Apps (That Are Not Games)
Select ROM Path for Each Platform
Now that you have your ROMs on your device, you need to tell Daijisho where to find them.
- Navigate to your Platforms.
- Tap on the “Paths” button on the bottom right of the screen.

- A pop-up will appear labeled “Sync paths (Click to remove).” Tap on “Add More,” bringing you to your device’s file explorer. Navigate to where you have placed the ROMs for that console.

- Once you have selected the correct path, tap the “Select” button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. You should now see the correct directory displayed in the “Sync paths” pop-up.

- Tap “Finish.” You’ll need to repeat this process for each one of your ROMs’ platforms.
Note: you can tap “Add More” to select an additional directory if you have ROMs that correspond with that platform in more than one place on your device.
Build Game Library
Now that Daijisho knows where to look for your ROMs, you need to tell it to build the game library so that you can actually play the games.
- Navigate to your “Platforms.” At the bottom of the screen, tap on the button labeled “Sync.”

- Daijisho will scrape the ROMs, provided you have nominated the correct pathway as shown above. You will need to do this for each one of your platforms.
- The app is configured to grab metadata and box art for each game. The length of time it takes to scrape your ROMs will depend on how large your collection is. You will see the progress of the scraping process toward the bottom of the screen, as seen in the screenshot below.

- Tap on the “Library” button to see an alphabetical list of the available games for that platform, complete with box art and screenshots.

- To play a game, tap on a title to launch it within its nominated emulator. Alternatively, you can tap the “Play” button at the bottom of the screen to launch the game.
- There are a few other things you can do besides launch a game. For instance, if you don’t like the default list structure when viewing your games, you have the option of switching to a grid view by tapping on “Grid view” at the bottom of the screen.

- Furthermore, pressing the “Detail” button will provide you with information about the title, including the initial release date, the last time played, and a video preview.
Also read:5 of the Best GBA Emulators to Play GameBoy Advance Games
Customize With Wallpaper Packs
Out of the box, Daijisho looks pretty good. But if you want to customize the look by changing the default wallpapers for each platform, you’re in luck. Daijisho allows users to download wallpaper packs from within the app.
- Tap on “Settings” at the top of the screen.

- Scroll down to “Appearance” and tap on “Download platform wallpapers pack.”
- A pop-up menu will appear listing all of the available wallpaper packs. Tapping on one will prompt another pop-up that provides some details about the wallpaper pack. Hit the “Download Pack” button to install the new wallpaper pack.

- You can also tweak other appearance settings. For example, under “Appearance,” tap on “Theme colors” to choose a new default color for the Daijisho user interface. Furthermore, you can select “Dark theme” to switch from the default white background to black.

Daijisho has its own widgets, though they’re more of a novelty than anything. The widgets are totally optional, so feel free to skip this section. There are widgets for retro achievements, favorite games, and many more. To install widgets:
- Tap on “Widgets” at the top of the screen.
- Tap the button labeled “New widget” at the top right.

- This will display a drop-down menu where you can search for available widgets based on functionality. Every user’s mileage will vary, so you’ll have to play around with the widgets to see if they’re something you want to bother with.

Also read:7 of the Best Offline Shooting Games for Android and iOS
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Daijisho support Bluetooth controllers?
The Daijisho front-end app does support Bluetooth controllers. When playing a game, Bluetooth controller support will depend on the emulator you are using. Fortunately, most of the Android emulators we are familiar with have Bluetooth controller support. All of the emulators we tested recognized our Bluetooth controller with no additional tinkering necessary. Even so, if you want to remap your controller, you’ll need to do so within each individual emulator.
Can I emulate any video game console with Daijisho?
Daijisho is not an emulator and is merely a front-end for organizing all of your game ROMs. As we mentioned above, you’ll need to download and install the console emulator you want to run your ROMs. The consoles that you can emulate on your device depend on two things. First, is there an emulator available for the console? Second, is your device capable of running the emulator? How powerful your phone is will determine which emulators you can run. For example, if you want to play PlayStation 2 games using the AetherSX2 emulator, you’ll need a fairly beefy device.
How do I obtain ROMs?
ROMs are digital copies of games. You can get your hands on them in one of two ways: either “dump” the physical games you already own or download them. Since games are copyrighted material (even old ones that are no longer manufactured), downloading games is considered illegal virtually everywhere in the world. That being said, there are some ROMs that are free and legal to download.
All images and screenshots by Ryan Lynch.
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FAQs
How do I use RetroArch on Android? ›
It's pretty much a one-stop shop and the best part about it it's absolutely free to get started head
How do I put emulators on my Android? ›In the Android SDK Manager, select Tools | Manage AVDs. In the Android Virtual Device Manager, click the New button to create a new virtual device. In the Create new Android Virtual Device (AVD) dialog box, select an Android device to emulate, and enter the details describing the Android device you want to emulate.
How do you play Pokemon on RetroArch? ›Open RetroArch and tap “Load Core.” Press “Core Download” and scroll down the list to find the emulator you want. Head back to the main menu and click “Load Content.” Find the file with your games and select the ROM or ISO file of the game you would like to play.
How do I add emulators to RetroArch? ›- Download the RetroArch mobile app for the Apple Store or Google Play.
- Open RetroArch and tap Load Core.
- Tap Download a Core.
- Scroll through the list and select the emulator(s) you want.
- Return to the main menu of RetroArch and tap Load Content.
(Xbox One/Series) Retroarch - Tutorial - How To Enable The FPS Counter
What systems can RetroArch emulate on Android? ›The amazing complete list of consoles -with the emulator used in parenthesis- that RetroArch is able to emulate is the following: PlayStation 1 (PCSX ReARMed), Super Nintendo (SNES9x Next), Nintendo Entertainment System (FCEUmm / NEStopia), GameBoy / GameBoy Color (Gambatte), GameBoy Advance (VBA Next), Arcade (Final ...
How can I run Android apps instead of emulator? ›In the Android Studio toolbar, select your app from the run configurations drop-down menu. From the target device drop-down menu, select the device that you want to run your app on. Select Run ▷. This will launch the app on your connected device.
Can phones run emulators? ›Fortunately, emulation software enables Android devices to run classic games with interfaces designed for the best Android phones, so you can revisit some of your favorite games and consoles of years gone by.
What is the official IDE for Android application development? ›Android Studio is the official Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Android app development, based on IntelliJ IDEA .
How many GB is RetroArch? ›Storage: 500 MB available space.
Is RetroArch legal? ›
Running ROM's and game images via RetroArch is a legal grey area depending on how you obtain such content, but RetroArch itself is not illegal.
Can RetroArch play ISO files? ›I need to point out that not all of the above formats are compatible with RetroArch. ISO/MP3 is not supported at all. ISO/WAV will load, but the CD audio will run fast as if in fast forward.
What systems can RetroArch emulate? ›It can run on several PC operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux), home consoles (PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Wii U, etc.), handheld consoles (PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, etc.), on smartphones (Android, iOS, etc.), single-board computers (Raspberry Pi, ODROID, etc.)
Can RetroArch play ps2 games? ›PlayStation 2 (PS2) Emulator on RetroArch: PCSX2 Core (Install guide
Can RetroArch play 3DS games? ›Our first choice is RetroArch - an emulator for Android that lets you play Nintendo 3DS games. Open-source and ad-free, this emulator is ideal for gamers who love being immersed in their game. Is there any Nintendo 3DS emulator for PC? C'était Citra.
Is RetroArch laggy? ›"[With RetroArch], it is possible to get to the same input lag as the original hardware, which may be as little as whatever is left of the current frame. At 60fps (16ms) this could be anywhere from 0ms to 16ms, which averages out to about 8ms.
How do I get rid of lag on RetroArch? ›Reduce Input Lag and Latency with Run Ahead - RetroArch Tutorial ...
How do I lower input lag in RetroArch? ›Turn the option on in the latency portion of your RetroArch options, and your PC will go for as much frame delay as it can handle. If the frame rate starts to drop, it'll shrink the frame delay, giving you slightly more input lag but consistent performance.
How do I speed up RetroArch on Android? ›Rewind and Fast Forward on Handheld Devices (RetroArch)
Do I need BIOS for RetroArch? ›Some Cores need BIOS files in order to correctly emulate hardware and/or software as needed by the content. RetroArch and LibRetro do not share any copyrighted system files or game content. You must provide your own BIOS and content in accordance with your local laws as applicable.
What is the best 3DS emulator for Android? ›
- RetroArch.
- DraStic DS Emulator.
- NDS4droid.
- Citra 3DS Emulator for Android.
- Pretendo NDS Emulator.
- NDS Emulator.
- Ultimate x3DSx Gold.
- EmuBox.
Go to Settings > Storage > Menu > USB computer connection, and select Camera (PTP).
What is toast in Android? ›A toast provides simple feedback about an operation in a small popup. It only fills the amount of space required for the message and the current activity remains visible and interactive. Toasts automatically disappear after a timeout.
What is USB debugging? ›What is USB debugging? USB debugging is often used by developers or IT support people to connect and transfer data from an Android device to a computer. While this feature is useful, a device isn't as secure when connected to a computer. So that's why some organizations require you to turn this setting off.
Do emulators use CPU or GPU? ›The CPU is definitely the biggest factor in the ability of your PC to play games on emulators, as it does all or most of the simulation of the console hardware.
Is there PS3 emulator for Android? ›ESX-PS3. ESX-PS3 is an Android PS3 emulator that can run any PS3 game. Both light and heavy PS3 games can be played on it. This emulator holds the top place in the list due to its user-friendly interface.
What is the best all in one emulator for Android? ›ClassicBoy is an easy pick for those looking to find the best overall emulator for Android. The emulator includes support for many different gaming platforms, starting with the Atari 2600 VCS, and includes the SNES and even the PS1 / PSX. Just load up your ROMs and start playing away.
Which is the best IDE to develop Android apps? ›- IDE for Android — Visual Studio, Xamarin. ...
- IDE for Android Studio — Flutter. ...
- IDE for Android — AIDE. ...
- IDE for Android — DroidScript. ...
- IDE for Android — CppDroid. ...
- IDE for Android — Android Web Developer (AWD) ...
- IDE for Android — Python Suite. ...
- IDE for Android — Java Suite.
- Write Down your App Ideas. ...
- Conduct a Market Analysis for Your App Idea. ...
- Create a User Persona for Your App. ...
- Create a list of the Features in Your App. ...
- Identify the Monetization Strategy for Your App. ...
- Create Prototypes of Your App. ...
- Estimate the Cost of Building Your App.
C4droid is a user-friendly (but powerful) C/C++ IDE + C/C++ compiler for Android. Customizable GUI, choose where to place tabs and buttons by yourself, themes are also supported.
How can I play ROMs on Android? ›
- Downloading the Emulator for Android.
- Downloading Game ROMs for Android.
- Getting BIOS for the Emulator.
- Launching the Emulator.
- Launching the ROM games.
How to Play PSP Games on Android! PSP Games in Retroarch! - YouTube
How do I play DS games on RetroArch Android? ›Outdated [PC] Retroarch Nintendo DS Emulation Setup Guide - YouTube
Where do BIOS files go in RetroArch Android? ›The RetroArch folder will be there in the initial list of folders when you first open your phone. If you downloaded the BIOS files using your device's Internet browser, they'll all be in the “Downloads” folder. You'll need a file manager app to move them to RetroArch's folder. It doesn't matter which one you use.
What is the best phone emulator? ›- BlueStacks. A powerful Android emulator that brings Android games to your desktop. ...
- NoxPlayer. A free Android emulator that lets you sideload apps from outside Google Play. ...
- GameLoop. Official Call of Duty Android emulator. ...
- AndY. ...
- MEmu Play.
EmuPs3-Ps3 Emulator Project
Gets a high rating from users who have tried it on their Android phones, who see it as one of the best when it comes to emulating video games on this platform. It is one of the high-performance emulators, being able to play at least 90% of the console titles.
Cloud gaming platform LiquidSky has launched its revamped Android app, enabling mobile gamers to play their PC games anytime, anywhere on their mobile devices running the Android operating system.
Do I need BIOS for Ppsspp? ›Do I need a BIOS file to run PPSSPP, like with PSX and PS2 emulators? No. PPSSPP simulates the BIOS and the internal OS. It does not currently emulate enough of the hardware for the actual PSP operating system to run, so even if you have a copy of it, PPSSPP can't run it.
Do I need BIOS for RetroArch? ›Some Cores need BIOS files in order to correctly emulate hardware and/or software as needed by the content. RetroArch and LibRetro do not share any copyrighted system files or game content. You must provide your own BIOS and content in accordance with your local laws as applicable.
Can RetroArch play 3DS games on Android? ›Our first choice is RetroArch - an emulator for Android that lets you play Nintendo 3DS games. Open-source and ad-free, this emulator is ideal for gamers who love being immersed in their game. Is there any Nintendo 3DS emulator for PC? C'était Citra.
What is the best 3DS emulator for Android? ›
- RetroArch.
- DraStic DS Emulator.
- NDS4droid.
- Citra 3DS Emulator for Android.
- Pretendo NDS Emulator.
- NDS Emulator.
- Ultimate x3DSx Gold.
- EmuBox.
RetroArch — best multi-console emulator
RetroArch is an excellent multi-console emulator. The app acts as a frontend. You download “cores” from the official website and each core acts as an emulator. There are dozens to choose from and even multiple options for a few different consoles.
On the Quick Menu, navigate to the Options > Pointer Type > Touch. On the Quick Menu, navigate to the Options > Touch Mode > Mouse. Now try to resume your NDS games, by right you should now be able to navigate the game using touch screen like how it's intended on the original NDS handheld.
Where do BIOS files go in RetroArch? ›Location. Ensure that you have placed the BIOS file(s) in the correct location. Usually is the system folder, which can be located in RetroArch by going to: Settings->Directory->System/BIOS (look at the right column).
What is a BIOS for emulator? ›A BIOS(Basic Input Output System) file is a copy of the operating system of the system you are trying to emulate. Some emulators require the bios files of the original systems to be present to be able to run the games.
How do I add BIOS to RetroArch? ›BIOS and System files[edit]
retroarch.exe on Windows). If it doesn't find the BIOS, go to Settings → Directory → System/BIOS Dir (or find system_directory in the config file) and make sure it points to the system folder.