Last updated: November 2026
The short answer: for most people the best N64 emulator in 2026 is gopher64 on a PC or Android device with Vulkan, and Rosalie’s Mupen GUI (RMG) if you want more plugin choice or have older hardware. ares is the accuracy pick, the Mupen64Plus-Next core is the RetroArch and handheld default, and Project64 is still around on Windows but is no longer the automatic answer it was ten years ago.
This is a researched guide, built from each emulator’s official site, GitHub repository, wiki and release notes, linked inline. Versions and store listings were checked in November 2026. Settings move between releases, so if a menu name differs on your build, look for the closest match.
N64 emulation needs no BIOS. All you need are game dumps from cartridges you own.
Accuracy vs Performance in One Paragraph
N64 emulators split on how they draw graphics. High-level renderers like GLideN64 translate the console’s graphics commands into modern OpenGL calls: fast, easy to upscale, but with per-game glitches. Low-level renderers like paraLLEl-RDP emulate the N64’s graphics chip itself on your GPU through Vulkan: far more accurate, heavier, and in need of a Vulkan-capable GPU. Angrylion does the same on the CPU and is too slow for most devices. The newer emulators default to the low-level path because modern GPUs can afford it.
Quick Picks
| Emulator | Best for | Platforms | Renderer | Status (Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gopher64 | Best overall | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | paraLLEl-RDP (Vulkan) | Active, v1.1.42 |
| RMG | Plugin choice, older GPUs | Windows, Linux | GLideN64, paraLLEl-RDP, Angrylion | Active, v0.9.0 |
| ares | Accuracy, multi-system | Windows, macOS, Linux | paraLLEl-RDP (Vulkan) | Active, v148 |
| Mupen64Plus-Next (RetroArch) | RetroArch and handhelds | Every RetroArch platform | GLideN64 default, paraLLEl-RDP optional | Active |
| M64Plus FZ | Older Android devices | Android | GLideN64 | Last Play update April 2024 |
| Project64 | Windows legacy setups | Windows | Plugin based | Public release 3.0.1 (2021) |
| simple64 | Nothing new | Windows, Linux | paraLLEl-RDP | Archived |
gopher64: The New Default
Platforms: Windows, macOS (Apple silicon), Linux, Android Latest version: v1.1.42, October 15, 2026 (GitHub releases) Download: GitHub, itch.io, Flathub or Google Play
gopher64 comes from loganmc10, the developer of simple64, who archived simple64 to focus on it (simple64 README). It renders through a paraLLEl-RDP build, and the README lists netplay, upscaling, a CRT shader, emulated CPU overclocking, cheats, save states and RetroAchievements.
The system requirements are the catch: a Vulkan 1.1 GPU, an x86-64 CPU with AVX2 (roughly Intel Haswell or newer) or an ARMv8.2-A chip, and Windows 10+, macOS 15+, Android 13+ or Linux. On Android, Adreno 6xx GPUs are not supported, which rules out Snapdragon 865-class handhelds. The wiki also says Bandicam and Mirillis Action must be uninstalled on Windows.
Strengths: accurate low-level graphics by default, minimal setup, sensible controller defaults, cross-platform including Android. Weaknesses: hard hardware floor; fewer knobs than RMG for people who want to tune per game.
Rosalie’s Mupen GUI (RMG): Best for Tinkerers
Platforms: Windows, Linux Latest version: v0.9.0, June 2026 (GitHub releases) Download: GitHub (installer or portable) or Flathub
RMG is a modern front end for the mupen64plus core. It bundles three video plugins (GLideN64, paraLLEl-RDP and Angrylion-Plus), several RSP options, and raphnetraw input support for original N64 controllers through a Raphnet adapter (source). That makes it the one to reach for when a game misbehaves on one renderer: switch plugins per game instead of switching emulators. The simple64 README itself points people to RMG when gopher64 lacks a feature they need.
On the Steam Deck, EmuDeck installs RMG as a Flatpak with controls preconfigured (EmuDeck docs). Version 0.9.0 dropped the netplay servers that loganmc10 used to host, so netplay now needs a self-hosted server, as the README explains.
Strengths: plugin choice, runs on GPUs without Vulkan via GLideN64, good Steam Deck integration. Weaknesses: no macOS or Android build; more settings to understand.
ares: The Accuracy Pick
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux Latest version: v148, May 30, 2026 (GitHub releases) Download: ares-emu.net
ares is a multi-system emulator descended from higan and bsnes. Its README says it focuses on accuracy and preservation and openly trades speed for code clarity. Its N64 core renders through a bundled paraLLEl-RDP (source), and its accuracy focus matters for homebrew and odd edge cases more than for the well-known library.
Strengths: accuracy; one app for N64 plus many other systems. Weaknesses: heavier than gopher64 or RMG, fewer N64-specific conveniences.
RetroArch: Mupen64Plus-Next and ParaLLEl N64
Mupen64Plus-Next is the N64 core most RetroArch setups and Linux handheld firmwares use. Its core options let you pick the RDP Plugin (GLideN64 by default, with ParaLLEl-RDP and Angrylion where the build includes them), set an Analog Deadzone (percent), and enable Independent C-button Controls for pads with unusual layouts (core options source). GLideN64 is the right choice on weak ARM chips; ParaLLEl-RDP is the accurate one on devices with good Vulkan drivers.
ParaLLEl N64 is the older Libretro-specific core built around the paraLLEl renderers. Most people are better served by Mupen64Plus-Next. For RetroArch basics, see the RetroArch guide.
Android: M64Plus FZ vs gopher64
M64Plus FZ (Mupen64Plus-FZ) is the long-running Android port. The free Play Store version contains ads, a paid Pro version exists, and the listing shows its last update in April 2024; the GitHub repository has had no pushes since then either. It still works well with GLideN64 and runs on older chips, including the Snapdragon 865 devices gopher64 does not support.
On an Android 13+ device with a newer Adreno GPU, try gopher64 first. On older hardware, or if a game glitches, use M64Plus FZ or Mupen64Plus-Next in RetroArch. More context is in the Android emulation guide.
Project64 and simple64
Project64 is the name most people know. It is Windows only, its last public release is 3.0.1 from July 2021, and newer development builds go to Patreon supporters first (pj64-emu.com). Wikipedia notes that installers up to version 2.2 drew reports of bundled malware, removed in 2016, and that later versions show a support nag screen (Wikipedia). The code is open source and still active on GitHub. If you use it, download only from pj64-emu.com: lookalike “Project64 download” sites wrap it in adware installers.
simple64 was the accuracy-first pick a couple of years ago. Its developer archived it in early 2025, with v2024.12.1 (December 2024) as its last release. Move to gopher64.
Controller Mapping: Stick and C-Buttons on a Modern Pad
The N64 pad had one analog stick, a Z trigger underneath, and four yellow C-buttons that most 3D games use for the camera. On a modern dual-stick controller, the standard mapping is the one gopher64 applies by default to Xbox-style pads (gopher64 wiki):
| N64 control | Modern pad |
|---|---|
| Analog stick | Left stick |
| C-buttons | Right stick |
| D-pad | D-pad |
| Z trigger | Left trigger |
| L / R | Left / right bumper |
| A | Bottom face button |
| B | Left face button |
| Start | Start |
RMG and Mupen64Plus-Next use the same idea. Two tweaks fix most complaints:
- Stick range. Modern sticks reach their edge sooner than the N64’s, so movement can feel twitchy. Lower the sensitivity or raise the deadzone a little in the emulator’s input settings.
- C-buttons as buttons. Some games (Ocarina of Time’s item slots, for example) feel better with C-buttons on the face buttons. Mupen64Plus-Next’s Independent C-button Controls option and per-game remaps in RMG handle that.
Any dual-stick controller with analog triggers works. The 8BitDo Pro 2 is a common pick for PC and Android.
Best N64 Emulator by Platform
| Platform | Pick | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | gopher64 | RMG |
| macOS (Apple silicon) | gopher64 | ares |
| Linux | gopher64 or RMG | ares |
| Steam Deck | RMG via EmuDeck | gopher64 (Flathub) |
| Android 13+ with a newer Adreno GPU | gopher64 | M64Plus FZ |
| Older Android, Snapdragon 865 class | M64Plus FZ | Mupen64Plus-Next |
| Linux handheld firmware | Mupen64Plus-Next | ParaLLEl N64 |
Handhelds That Run N64 Emulators Well
N64 is where cheap handhelds start to struggle. A Vulkan-capable GPU opens up the accurate renderers, and gopher64 needs a newer Adreno than the 6xx series on Android. Device-by-device results are in the best handheld for N64 emulation ranking.
FAQ
What is the best N64 emulator in 2026? gopher64 on hardware with a Vulkan 1.1 GPU, and RMG if you want plugin choice or have an older GPU. ares is the most accuracy-focused.
Is Project64 still good? It works, but it is Windows only, the last public release is from 2021, and newer emulators are more accurate. Download it only from pj64-emu.com.
Do N64 emulators need a BIOS? No. Regular N64 games run without one. You only need game dumps from cartridges you own.
What happened to simple64? Its developer archived it in early 2025 to work on gopher64.
What is the best N64 emulator for Android? gopher64 on Android 13+ with a newer Adreno GPU; M64Plus FZ or Mupen64Plus-Next in RetroArch on older devices.
How do I map the C-buttons on an Xbox-style controller? Put them on the right stick, which is gopher64’s default. For games that use them as buttons, move them to the face buttons.
Last verified: November 2026