Welcome to the best PS1 emulators review in our page! If you are looking for some classic games, it is quite possible that you think about how expensive to get an old title you want to play again. This is the time when an emulation comes into play.
Historically, PlayStation Classic was released by Sony but only 20 of the best PS1 games are available. Moreover, it is not able to run anything beyond that choice. At one time, you probably want to replay a classic game that is not available on the list. Well, emulators make it accessible for you to visit the entire library of PlayStation Games and choose your desired game as well as play it. This way, most of the classic games run on Android or PC. However, you can also possibly use the emulator to play the classic games on Mac and Linux.
In our article, you will be directed to do the quick search to find a plenty of different PS1 emulators for your selection. This list will help you find them easily especially when it seems hard for you to provide time to search.
In this article, we have listed the 10 best emulators for playing PS1 games. Readout every detail of each emulator description so that you will find the most suitable emulator meeting your needs and preference.
10 Best Free PS1 Emulator for Android and PC
1. ePSXe
The first important thing to know about this emulator is the fact that it is available on PC, Mac, Linux, and Android. In history, ePSXe is one of the most popular and reliable PS1 emulators designed for Android.
Basically, this emulator is one-stop-shop for a quality PS1 emulator. Along with the customizable controls and controller support on all of the available platforms, any original PlayStation Games can be enjoyed using a PS3 or PS4 controller in order to get a natural experience.
ePSXe comes with OpenGL enhanced graphics support completed with a split-screen option for local multiplayer games. Similar to the other PS1 emulators, this one also offers to save and load states so that you can choose right where you left off.
This emulator is free to use on PC, Mac, and Linux. It can be easily downloaded from the official ePSXs website. However, you’ll still need to pay $3.75 on the Google Play Store to use it on your Android. Usually, you need to update ePSXe regularly but there hasn’t been any improvement on the emulator since 2016.
Though it is stagnant and final at this point, the emulator is a legal type that is available among the best PS1 emulators.
2. Mednafen
One thing to know before another is that Mednafen is an emulator available on PC only. Previously, it is known as Nintencer. It is now becoming a great all-around and stable emulator released in April. It largely supports PSX emulation, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Game Boy and many others including the long-forgotten platform like WonderSwan.
Mednafen supports PSX as the most advanced platform in handling the vast library. There are several things crucially to know before you use Mednafen for all the needs of your retro emulation. This way, you’ll need to download your own BIOS files in order that this emulator can properly work.
Thanks to the emulator’s capability of running through your CPU’s command line in the default setting. No worries, MedGUI Reborn and MetroMed can be downloaded to create a more approachable layout.
3. RetroArch
RetroArch is available mainly for PC, Mac, Linux and Android). Basically, this emulator is not technically an emulator. It is a “Fronted” that lets you keep a suite of emulators in one easy-to-use place. If you are facing a problem in using Mednafen, RetroArch can be a good option since the emulation cores of PSX are from Mednafen. Another reason is that Mednafen is a standalone product.
The great thing about RetroArch is its compatibility with NetPlay. This means that you can play your selected games online. Similar to Mednafen, BIOS files must be downloaded in order to play games on this emulator. Further, RetroArch is also compatible with most home consoles.
To use RetroArch, it is stated that you must hack your console. However, this is not recommended. If you are using this emulator on your Android, just download it from Google Play Store. Later, you can head over to the official RetroArch website.
4. BizHawk
Other PS1 emulators you can consider using is BizHawk. Though it is available only for PC, it is categorized as an emulator that works great for more relaxed gamers. Truly, you’ll need speed-running skills. In this case, BizHawk allows the speedrunners to make use of the tools altering the gameplay for running through the retro games. Along with the various preprogrammed assist abilities, BizHawk enables the gamers to modify the game based on their preference so that they can feel satisfied.
This emulators offer some features including rewinding (for practice purposes) and recording devices. Moreover, to support PlayStation, BizHawk is compatible with a big number of platforms. Now if you are searching for speedrun on your computer, BizHawk is highly recommended.
5. FPse
Are you using Android? If you are using Android while you want a PS1 emulator, FPse can be the more considerable option. Basically, FPse is a separate form of PC PlayStation emulator. It has certainly a different purpose.
FPse comes with the mobile-specific abilities to operate well with Android devices. This way, you don’t have to use up a bunch of storage data while developing the library because you can compress ROMs. Further, this emulator is compatible with the touchscreen controls that utilize the digital controller along with Android-compatible gamepads.
Other features offered by FPse are the unlimited personalization possibilities, save and load features as well as some convenient resolution. This emulator is even designed with a menu chock-full of cheat codes to help you along with the way.
Unfortunately, FPse is not completely free. You’ll be required to pay $3.63. However, this is not a bad price for all the good features offered to you.
6. XEBRA
XEBRA is an open-sourced emulator that is compatible with Android and Windows. Never misspell XEBRA for ZEBRA. It is more about spelling the next program in this list. Believe it or not, it is the best PS1 emulator, however!
Many players state that XEBRA has the highest compatibility of all the PS1 emulators on the internet. Though it is limited to Windows and Android devices and concentrating on reproducing your desirable games without making things complicated.
Unlike other PS1 emulators, EBRA will not spruce up any graphics or make things that seem to be polished to their lives. However, with this emulator, hold the record for the greatest compatibility list. Remember, XEBRA is the only emulator that is perfectly described to be the best PS1 emulator to load PocketStation ROMs.
7. PlayStation Now
Do you want to keep everything above board? Here we have PlayStation Now for your online subscription services.
It doesn’t actually comes at free. So the users cannot expect to grab this emulator from the internet. Nevertheless, it is the best and the official way of playing PlayStation games from PS1 to PS5 without any frame-rate drop, glitches or even ads.
Do you know one of the great things offered by this emulator? In fact, it is 100% legal tool that everyone can use to play the most desirable games. Further, it comes also with secure save states that cannot be annoyed around BIOS files. Thus, the subscription can be checked out easily. There are also hundreds of amazing titles for all of Sony’s home consoles along with the availability of different package prices depending on the length of the subscription.
PlayStation Now is considered the best bet. However, it can only be used on its own consoles and won’t work on any other devices.
8. PSCX-Reloaded
One more emulator to play PS1 games to consider is PSCX-Reloaded. It is an open-sourced emulator and compatible with Windows and MacOS.
PSCX-Reloaded is listed in this article as one of the most recommended emulator due to its clean and solid characteristics to deal with all the common tittles from Spyro to Crash Team Racing. This emulator is firstly dropped in 2000. Later, PSCX2 is created as the best PS2 emulator. The “Reloaded” PS1 program came onto the play in 2009 after being chosen by the game likers.
This emulator has a link to DualShock controllers. It also works with one of the best PS1 accessories that are ever made to be a winner in our list.
9. ClassicBoy Gold
The last but not least PS1 emulators you can pick up into consideration is ClassicBoy Gold. It is an all-in-one simulator that supports a variety of consoles such as PlayStation, Three Game Boy systems, Nintendo 64, NES, NeoGeo, and SEGA.
There are also a big number of features. Those include hardware controller support, customizable touch screen controls, some audio settings, and the usual load and save states. ClassicBoy Gold can be the perfect option for those who are looking for multiple emulators under a single roof. This way, this emulator needs a bit of work due to fact that it is a bit buggy. Otherwise, it works well.
10. EmuBox
EmuBox is a free PS1 emulator which is also a newer PlayStation emulator. Further, it is also an all-in-one emulator app. EmuBox includes some consoles such as SNES, Nintendo DS, NES and definitely PlayStation.
Based on our testing, the stability of EmuBox is decent. Like many other emulators for playing PS1, this kind of emulator is designed with the save and load states, fast forward mode, cheat code support and hardware controller support. These are actually the best of the basics that are included in the emulator.
Though EmuBox is not as configurable as something like FPse but the functions work well enough. One more thing to remember, this emulator is entirely free of any advertising.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the best PS1 emulators we have shared here in our article are all recommended to have for playing PlayStation games. Before you finally make the decision on which emulator to pick up, look over the detail of each emulator whether it is free or paid, and to what operating system the emulator will be compatible.
