This article shows you How to Install Emulators for Fire TV, such as SNES, N64, and Sega.
VIDEO: How to Install & Play Mario Kart 64 on Firestick & Fire TV
VIDEO: How to Sideload Kodi (or ANY app) to Firestick
You’ll need to use this video to Sideload ES File Explorer (the app) to your Firestick. This video actually shows you how to sideload KODI – but you can use this same process to sideload ES File Explorer instead.
WARNING FIRESTICK USERS |
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After you sideload ES File Explorer to your Fire TV, you can then follow the steps in the “Install Mario Kart 64” Video above. Cheers.
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What are Emulators?
You might be here for a few reasons. Maybe you heard the term ‘emulator’ and got curious as to what this means. Or, you are considering downloading one to access a new world of capabilities for your computer!
Before we start telling you the best emulators to use on your Fire TV, we should go over what exactly an emulator is.
An emulator is a software product that you can install on your computer, game system, or streaming stick in order to run an operating system completely different from the one you have. For example, if you have an emulator, you could run Windows OS on your Mac computer, and vice versa.
Emulators can come in handy for a variety of reasons. You might be wondering, why is it important to run a different operating system on my electronic device? Well, think about it—there are so many operating systems you can use to play specific games or access apps specific to Nintendo, Xbox, Mac OS, Android, and more systems.
It can be tragic when you have a game you really want to play but your current operating system doesn’t support it.
If you have a certain emulator, you can open up a whole new world of possibilities with your computer or Fire TV interface.
Notice: Hackers create fake WiFi hotspots to steal your passwords when you log in to public WiFi. Secure your data.
So, today we’re going to show you a list of the best emulators for FireStick and other Fire TV devices. Get ready to play all your favorite retro games and access content you wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise.
How to Install Emulators on Fire TV Stick
- iOS users try the Sideloader for Fire TV app on iTunes (which is cheaper than buying an Android phone to sideload your apps).
- Install RetroArch on your Android phone
- Alternatively, you can install individual emulators, such as:
- Mupen64Plus for Nintendo 64 games (see all emulators below)
- SNES9x for Super Nintendo games (see all emulators below)
- Alternatively, you can install individual emulators, such as:
- Install AGK Fire on your Android phone
- On your Android phone, open AGK Fire, enter your Firestick’s IP address into AGK Fire, and then click on RetroArch in your list of apps. Then press “Install on W.X.Y.Z”. This will sideload Retroarch (or other emulator) to your Fire TV.
- On your FireTV, go to Settings > Applications > Manage Downloaded Applications > RetroArch > Open.
- In RetroArch, go to “Load Content (Detect Core)”, then browse to the folder on your FireTV where your games are stored. RetroArch contains all the emulators for Fire TV you’ll ever need (Nintendo 64, SNES, Sega, PSP, PSX, etc – see full list of Emulators for Fire TV below.)
- Once your emulators are installed, check out our guide on Fire TV Game Controllers and grab a decent gamepad.
Looking for ROMs? We don’t have them here. But we can tell you that search engines are usually the best way to find things on the Internet. See google.com for that kind of thing.
Or better yet – you could buy the actual Super Mario Kart for SNES game cartridge from Amazon for $37.
Best Emulators for Fire TV
Now, we’re going to dive into a list we’ve compiled of the best emulators for FireStick devices. There are many great emulators you can use to play nostalgic games and more.
Without further ado, here’s the master list:
N64
If you’ve played Nintendo as a kid, chances are it was on a Nintendo 64. With those classic Mario and Zelda games, it can be frustrating when there seems to be no way to play them on modern devices.
Lucky for you, you can download an N64 emulator for FireStick with ease.
N64 Emulators
N64 Games
Starfox 64 | Mario Kart 64
Buy Console
SNES
Another Nintendo classic, the SNES was around before many of the other consoles on this list. It featured great, revolutionary games in the 90s that are now beloved by true Nintendo fans.
For this reason, you’ll want a great SNES emulator for FireStick so you can play them on your modern big-screen.
SNES Emulators
SNES ROMs
ALL known SNES ROMs are compatible with FireTV!
Buy Console
PS1
If you want to play retro games on FireStick, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are many PlayStation 1 emulators available for your system.
You can turn your Fire TV into a retro game haven with a good PS1 emulator, gaining access to games like Final Fantasy, Tekken, and Resident Evil.
PS1 Emulators
ePSXe | Download APK
PS1 Games
Buy Console
GBA
Something we get asked a lot is whether there is a good GBA emulator for FireStick. If you’re wondering the same thing, the answer is yes!
You can play any game you’d like to on the Gameboy Advance emulator for FireStick, such as titles like Mario Kart, endless Pokemon games, and The Legend of Zelda.
GBA Emulators
My Boy (Free Edition) | Download APK
GBA Games
All known GBA Games are compatible with Fire TV
Buy Console
NES
The NES system is one of the oldest ones on this list, debuting in 1985. In fact, these consoles (refurbished ones, at least) sell for thousands of dollars on eBay.
But, why pay all that money when you can download an NES emulator for FireStick? Access all kinds of retro classic games with the NES emulators we’ll list below.
NES Emulators
NES.emu | Download APK
NES Games
All known NES Games are compatible with FireStick and FireTV
Buy Console
MULTI
If you like a lot of retro games, there’s no reason you should have to choose just one system to rule them all!
There are a few multi-emulators for FireStick that you can download in order to play games across multiple systems. Below, we’ll get into the list.
Multi-Platform Emulators
Systems Emulated
NES, SNES, N64, PSX, PSP, GBA, MAME, and more.
MAME
One of the best classic game hosts is MAME, where you can play tons of retro staples like Ms. Pac-Man, Street Fighter, Donkey Kong, and many more.
MAME is a one-stop-shop for all your retro gaming, and you can download the emulator right on your FireStick!
MAME Emulators
MAME Games
Too many to list here. See MameDB.com for a list of MAME games for FireTV.
Dreamcast
The Dreamcast console is another nostalgic fan-favorite, debuting almost at the turn of the century. The late ‘90s and early 2000’s games are aplenty for this console.
Some of the most popular titles include Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, and Power Stone. These are all classics! There are a few Dreamcast emulators for FireStick as of this year.
Dreamcast Emulators
Dreamcast Games
Too many to list.
PSP
The Sony PSP emulator for FireStick will give you access to tons of more modern games. These games are still hard to access on modern devices, as this console was popularized back in the mid-’00s.
If you want a PSP emulator, you can choose from our list below.
PSP Emulators
PSP Games
Too many to list.
Sega
While many of these emulators are for Sony and Nintendo, we just couldn’t leave out the ever-popular SEGA. Does the name ‘Sonic’ ring a bell?
This console was popular way back when with many of its games seeing modern adaptations. However, there’s just something about playing the original versions! There are many great SEGA emulators for FireStick available today.
Sega Emulators
MD.emu | Download APK
Systems Emulated:
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega CD, and Master System/Mark III
Sega Games
Too many to list.
Fire TV Emulators and retro games with green dinosaurs work nicely together
This SNES Bluetooth controller would be pretty sweet with a side of Mario Kart, right?
Best ‘Other‘ Systems Emulated by FireStick
The Fire TV emulator info in this section was provided by atone. Thanks atone!
This is our list of the best “other” retro gaming consoles that FireStick / FireTV can emulate well. Check them out – download some APKs, and start gaming!
- NintendoDS
- Emu: nds4droid
- DrasticDS
- TurboGFX16
- PCE.emu
- C64.emu
- Amiga
- UAE4all2
- Ataroid2600
- Atari5200 jxd a5200
- Atari7800 jxd a7800
- Retroarch can run some SegaGenesis32x games like StarWarsArcade32x, too!
There are at least a few more interesting classic game emulators that work well on the FireStick / FireTV, but these are the best ones.
Best Emulators that are NOT playable or possible with a FireTV
- GamecubeDolphin
- PS2 (Playstation 2), PS3 (Playstation 3), PS4 (Playstation 4)
- Future pinball & VisualPinmame
- Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- ..and multiplayer capability in some emulators eg. AmigaUAE4all, Atari 5200, C64,a few others.
Do N64 Games Play on FireTV?
This is a 2-part answer: Most of them – No. Some of them – Yes.
Why Do Most N64 Games Not Play Well on FireStick?
The Nintendo 64 had some pretty decent graphics which are difficult to render at any acceptable speed on a FireStick. Therefore, some Nintendo 64 games work on FireTV and most do not. One of the games we tested that did work quite well (to our pleasant surprise) was Mario Kart 64. I was able to actually play the game with an OUYA Wireless Controller.
How to Improve FireStick Emulator Performance
Since the N64 actually had a decent graphics rendering platform, it’s tough to get FireStick to play some N64 games. You can do a thing or two to maximize the performance you get from your FireTV to make sure your games play as fast as they can. Keep reading to find out how.
The FireStick running N64 emulators will produce lots of heat. So you may want to use a USB mini fan to blow some of the heat away from the FireTV unit. If you don’t use a fan, your FireStick could constantly be overheating, which results in very poor performance and sometimes complete failure / resetting of the unit.
N64 Games that DO work with Emulators for Fire TV
We tested a few handfuls of N64 games on the FireTV stick using the RetroArch emulator. These are the ones that worked. Most notably, Mario Kart 64 worked!
- MarioKart64 (works well – audio stutters occasionally)
- This favorite will actually play using RetroArch on a FireStick.
- Starfox64 (works well – jitters occasionally)
- Duke Nukem 64 (audio jitters occasionally, but framerate is fast)
- Bomberman Hero (Seems slow, but works!)
- Yoshi’s Story (Audio jitters, but game is playable)
N64 Games that do NOT work with Emulators for Fire TV:
- Bomberman The Second Attack (Won’t start)
- Diddy Kong Racing (Won’t start)
- Mario Party (Too slow)
- Mario Party 2 (Too slow)
- Super Smash Bros (FPS too low)
- Goldeneye (FPS too low)
- Bomberman 64 (Does not start)
- Blast Corps – Exits the ROM using Mupen64plus
Need a Game Controller for Fire TV?
Check out our Fire TV Game Controller Compatibility Guide.
Honorable Mentions for Kodi FireTV Emulators
- MD.emu for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega CD, and Master System/Mark III
- Happy Chick Emulator for Nintendo DS
- GBC.emu for Gameboy Color
Additional Resources for Emulators for Fire TV
Wrap Up
This article covered all the different kinds of retro game emulators for FireStick that you can download today! We hope that you found your favorite classic console on the list. Remember to get some cool games for your emulator once you have it downloaded, and share your experiences with our readers!
If you have any questions about installing an emulator for FireStick or would like us to look for a different console not on the list, let us know down in the comments. We’re happy to help you!
Thanks for reading, and have a great time playing retro games on your FireStick!
I have all the emulators listed above plus a few more installed on my firetv 1st gen. They all work reasonably well!
The other emulators I have are mostly less popular systems – NintendoDS DrasticDS, TurboGFX16 PCE.emu, C64.emu, Amiga UAE4all2, Ataroid2600, Atari5200 jxd a5200, Atari7800 jxd a7800. And Retroarch can run some SegaGenesis32x games like StarWarsArcade32x.
There’s probably a few more interesting game emulators, but these are the best ones.
Best Emulators that are “not” playable or possible with a Firetv: GamecubeDolphin, PS2, Future pinball & VisualPinmame, and multiplayer capability in some emulators eg. AmigaUAE4all, Atari 5200, C64,a few others.
Thank you for the high quality input!
We will add these to our list here and check them out on our FireTVs as well.
Can you install RetroArch through ES File Explorer? If so how?
Hi Miked,
We haven’t tried yet, but we did make a page for you (and others) to try it with:
The URL is our Website domain + “/retro/”. So it’ll be https://www.kodifiretvstick.com/retro/
You can add that URL in ES File Explorer as a Favorite, then use the download button on that page to try downloading the RetroArch APK file directly to your FireTV / FireStick. There are some instructions on the retro page.
Hope this works – please let us know!
Thanks Miked!
Total noob and old man here, so I apologize in advance for my ignorance. I have successfully installed RetroArch and other emulators onto my Fire TV, but where I’m struggling is with the ROMS. I have many ROMS on my laptop but can’t figure out how to sideload them to the Fire TV or otherwise move them from the laptop to the Fire TV. Any help for the non-savvy?
Hello spiderdan,
I’ve had good results with using ES File Explorer’s ability to add a Dropbox account/folder. Then you just put your ROMs in your dropbox, open ES File Explorer’s dropbox area, and Download your ROMs from your Dropbox onto your Firestick. You may even be able to load (“Open”) the ROMs directly from the dropbox folder (if ES File Explorer maps it to a folder).
Another way I’ve easily transferred files to the Firestick is by using ADBLink (formerly ADBFire) if you have a PC (https://jocala.com/) or Mac. You basically connect your PC to the same WiFi network as your Firestick, open ADBLink and add your Firestick’s IP address as a new device, hit Connect, then use the “Push File” feature.
If you can sideload a WiFi file transfer app or a Bluetooth file transfer app onto the Firestick, that might work too.
Hope this helps! If not, let me know and we’ll figure it out!
Hello,
here ist my Guide to install the Commodore C64 Emulator App Frodo C64 on your Fire TV.
https://firestarter-base.de/anleitungen/c64-emulation-auf-dem-fire-tv/
(The Guide is in German, sorry, but you can translate with the Google Translator.)
With Frodo C64 App is it really Fun to play on your TV C64-Retro-Games, like Wintergames, Gianna Sister…!
Hallo Florian,
Sehr gut. Danke!
HI
I’ve got mupen64 on the fire tv and two tronsmart mars g01 controllers but how do enable multiplayer option ?
Many thanks
Is there any remedy for the input lag in retroarch and the snes30? I know of the Mario games has issues buy have noticed it in others.
Hi James! I haven’t tried those controllers yet, but I did get two of the Nyko Playpad Pro controllers to play multiplayer Mario Kart.
The multiplayer ability is definitely present in the Emulators (since I’ve done it myself), but is sometimes restricted by the controller.
So I’m not sure about those controllers… sorry, James! Thanks
Hi Markus,
I found the info below at https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/wiki/Getting-optimal-vsync-performance . Hope this helps! If it works or doesn’t work, please let me know either way. Thanks
RetroArch recently got an option to use a swap/fence sync method in OpenGL driver, which is reported to greatly lower input latency (thread). To enable it, set video_hard_sync = true in config or enable it from RGUI. To ensure that this sync method is actually used, make sure that you see this in the log:
RetroArch: Querying GL extension: ARB_sync => exists
RetroArch: [GL]: Using ARB_sync to reduce latency.
Do note that this sync method can greatly reduce performance, and can turn smooth 60 fps into crawling 30 fps if there was not enough headroom in the performance.
Hi- Great video. I downloaded the mupen64 and it opens and all. I just don’t understand how move my rom zip files from the cloud I connected in ES esxplorer to me download folder so Mupen can find them. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Pete,
You should be able to copy your rom zip files from your cloud storage to your Fire TV’s “download” folder using ES File Explorer. Then you can use Mupen64 to Load the rom zip file that you copied to your Fire TV’s “download” folder.
this app video is too good
Thanks Donald!
So does the ps4 dualshock only work with emulators and not amazon games on the Firestick?
It should work with both! Although I haven’t tested it personally.
Has anybody else gotten classic boy to work on 1st gen?
I’m trying to “turn on” any of the multi-player controllers in muppen64 but can’t figure out how every time I use my phone or the fire remote it just brings me into mapping and doesn’t let me turn it on, I have 4 N64 USB controllers that I want to use… any ideas?
Do you have the controllers plugged into a USB hub? Usually the controllers need to be plugged into their own individual USB ports, or use a “decent” USB hub. Also, the emulator you use matters. Some work better with multi controllers than others.