Contents (click your system to skip ahead)

Nintendo(DS, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Gamecube, N64, NES, SNES)

SEGA (Mega Drive, Game Gear, Master System, Dreamcast, Saturn)

SNK Playmore (Neo Geo, Neo Geo Pocket)

SONY (PSX, PSP)

OTHER (Amiga 1200, Atari 2600, Atari ST, C64, Lua-3D, MAME, MSX, PC-Games streaming, RetroArch, Scumm, Turbografx-16, x86)

So we are all grown-ups here, right? Ok maybe our age says so but we still love to play games from our youth. There is no gamer that didn’t go back to his childhood by playing one of his old favorite games. The problem? You either don’t have the console/system anymore or your new Windows doesn’t support DOS games…. (Shame on you MS btw).

However, no need to panic you can run emulators on your computer or now your OUYA and rejoice in old childhood memories how you’ve slain that one unbeatable Boss or how you’ve collected each and every Pokemon!

The OUYA has enough power to play almost every major video game from the last four decades. Our guide should help you to find the right emulator to play all those fabulous games from the Atari to Nintendo, from Sega to C64 and many more.

So when you’re done with this extensive list, what was your favorite console or game? Tell us in the comments, we love to share memories.

Nintendo

Game Boy (GB), Game Boy Color (GBC)

The first Game Boy was released in Japan on April 21st, 1989. The Game Boy was Nintendo’s second 8-bit handheld system and was originally bundled with the popular puzzle game Tetris.

Emulators

GambatteDroid (OUYA version announced)

VGB

GBC.emu (OUYA version in store)GBCoid

Must-Play: Tetris, Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Metroid II

Gameboy Advance (GBA)

The Game Boy Advance was a 32-bit handheld console, released in Japan on March 21st, 2001. It was backward compatible to the Game Boy and the Game Boy Color.

Emulators

VGBA

GBA.emu (OUYA version in store)GBAoid

Verse (OUYA)

Must-Play: Advance Wars, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past with Four Swords, Metroid Fusion, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Wario Ware Twisted, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

The NES was a 8-bit video game console released in July 15th, 1983 in Japan as Family Computer (Famicom). It startet in October 18th, 1985 in USA and was the best-selling gaming device of its time.

Emulators

NESDroid (OUYA port announced)

iNES

EMUya (Ouya version in store)

NES.emu (OUYA version in store)

Nesoid

RetroArch OUYA-, PS3- and XBOX controllets are supported. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick. Works flawless for me.

Must-Play: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Legend of Zelda, Contra

Nintendo 64 (N64)

Nintendo 64 is a 64-bit home video game console, released in Japan in June 1996. It was the last console to use ROM cartridges for game storage.

Emulators

Mupen64Plus (Ouya version in store) With a little tweaking and setting the resolution to 720p I had no problem with this one. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick. [For multiplayer you have to activate the other players in Settings->Input->Multi-Player. Use the touchpad to flip the switch for each player you want to use. Afterwards open controller for player one, open profiles menu (on top) and select your controller type (OUYA, N64 USB, PS3, XBOX 360 or Xperia Play) to load the right mapping. Do the same for every player and enjoy a nice Mario Kart match with your buddies.]

N64oid ($4.99)

Must-Play: Super Mario 64, GoldenEye 007, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Nintendo DS (DS)

The Nintendo DS is a dual-screen handheld gaming device. It was first released in USA on November 21st, 2004. The DS introduced a LCD and a touch screen. Later versions got a brighter screen and were designed lighter and slimmer. Download Play made it possible to play multiplayer games over Wi-Fi. It was backwards compatible to Game Boy Advance titles.

Emulators

NDS4Droid (not 100% compatible, OUYA version in store)

DraStic (Game compatibility list here!) Only in Google Play at the moment. To sideload the full version you have to get Google Play running on the OUYA.

Must-Play: Mario Cart DS, New Super Mario Bros., Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)

The Super Nintendo System is a 16-bit video game console which was first released in Japan on November 21st, 1990. In Japan it was called the Super Famicom as successor of the Famicom. The SNES was able to run the first 3D games on consoles at that time.

Emulators

SNESDroid (OUYA version announced)

SuperGNES lite

SuperGNES (OUYA version in store)

Snes9x EX+ (OUYA snes emulator in store) Worked perfectly out of the box for me. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick.

Snesoid (not free)

Animaonline SNES Emulator (not free)

SNES Pro (not free)

Must-Play: Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World, Chrono Trigger, Super Metroid, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Nintendo GameCube (NGC)

The GameCube is a IBM PowerPC system which was released in Japan on September 15th, 2001. It succeeded the Nintendo 64 and competed with the Sega Dreamcast and Sony’s Playstation 2. It used miniDVDs as storage media. The GameCube wasn’t quite as successful as its predecessors.

Emulators

Dolphin Emulator (sideload) On OUYA only software rendering is supported. So will never work! If someone has new information on this, please comment below.

Must-Play: Super Smash Bros. Melee, Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

SEGA

Game Gear (GG)

The Sega Game Gear was an 8-bit handheld device released in Japan October 6th,1990. It competed mainly with the Nintendo Game Boy.

Emulators

MG

Gearoid

Must-Play: Columns, Sonic Chaos, Sonic Triple Trouble, Shinobi,The Lion King, Shining Force: Sword of Hayja

Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis) (SMD)

The 16-bit Mega Drive was released in Japan October 29th, 1988. With the Power Base Converter it was backward compatible to the Sega Master System.

Emulators

GENPlusDroid Works sideloaded. (OUYA version announced)

MD.emu (OUYA version in store) Had no problems with this one. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick.

Gensoid

Must-Play: Sonic The Hedgehog 1-3, Gunstar Heroes, Streets of Rage 2, Mortal Kombat, Aladdin



Sega Master System I+II (SMS)

The Sega Master System was released in Japan October 20th, 1985. The device could play cartridges and Sega Cards and had several accessories like a light gun and 3D glasses.

Emulators

GENPlusDroid

Gearoid

MG

MD.emu (OUYA version in store) Had no problems with this one. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick.

Must-Play: Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Phantasy Star, Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Fantasy Zone

Sega Dreamcast (SDC)

The Sega Dreamcast was launched in Japan November 27th, 1998 as successor of the Sega Saturn. With the annoucement of the very popular PS2 the Dreamcast had lost lots of market share. It was the first device to render full frames in 640×480 and to have built in a modem for online play.

Emulators

nullDCe (Android version actually offline, because of leaked code.) Update: Obviously in development again.

Reincast Emulator (sideload) Didn’t test yet. Seems to be maintained regularly.

Must-Play: Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shenmue

Sega Saturn (SS)

Due to its complexity there most likely will be no emulator for the Sega Saturn System in the foreseeable future.

SNK Playmore

Neo Geo (AES)

The 16-bit Neo Geo initially only was available as rent to hotels, bars and other venues. It was released on January 31st, 1990. The Neo Geo did not use tilemap background layers, but based on drawing sprites to create the background.

Emulators

NEO.emu (OUYA version in store): Obtain neogeo.zip from an actual MAME version and upload it to your ROM folder.

NeoDroid (not free)

Must-Play: Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown, Top Hunter

Neo Geo Pocket

The Neo Geo Pocket was a monochrom handheld device first released in Japan in 1998 and later to other Asian markets. It never came to the western world.

Emulators

NGP.emu (OUYA version in store)

Must-Play: Samurai Shodown, King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown

SONY

Playstation 1 (PSX/PS1)

The PSX is a 32-bit game console first released in Japan on December 3rd, 1994 and still is the third bestselling console of all times (behind PS2 and Nintendo DS). It’s competitors were the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn. On July 7th, 2000 a smaller, redesigned version was released: the PSone. Amongst others Sony added protection against the popular modchips.

Emulators

Fpse (OUYA version in store) You still need a BIOS file to get the emulator to work. There are 3 versions: US, EU and J.** Worked flawless for the games I tested. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick.

PSX4Droid (http://www.zodttd.com)

ePSXe (not free)

Must-Play: Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night, Final Fantasy 8, Mega Man Legends 2, Soul Blade, Twisted Metal 2, Resident Evil



Playstation 2 (PS2)

The PS2 was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan, on October 26, 2000 in North America, and on November 24, 2000 in Europe. It is still the bestselling console of all times (Nintendo DS is close). There will devinitely be no Playstation 2 emulator for the OUYA. The TEGRA3 simply does not have sufficient reserves for that task. Perhaps the next OUYA console with a TEGRA4 (or TEGRA5) is powerfull enough to do the job.

Emulators

PCSX2 actually only for x86, perhaps for the OUYA 2

Playstation Portable (PSP)

The PSP is a handheld console released in Japan on December 12, 2004. It is the only handheld gaming device to use an optical storage device, the UMD.

Emulators

PPSSPP (OUYA version announced)

Must-Play: Resistance:Retribution, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, God of War: Chains of Olympus, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Metal Gear Solid: Protable Ops

Other

Amiga 1200

The Amiga 1200 is a 32-bit all-in-one computer and was first released on October 21th, 1992. The AGA chipset increased the on-screen colors to 256 and its graphics hardware featured improved sprite capacity. Until the end of Commodore it did not sell very well and almost disapeared from the market by 1994. In 1995 it was relaunched by Escom for a short time.

Emulators

Uae4all

Must-Play: Beneath a Steel Sky, Lemmings, The Secret of Monkey Island, Frontal Assault, Turrican, Alien Breed, Superfrog, UFO enemy unknown, Eye of the beholder

Atari 2600

The Atari 2600 is a 8-bit game console first released on September 11th, 1977 under the name Atari VCS. It was one of the most successful consoles of all times and inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Emulators

2600.emu (OUYA version in store) Just does like it should.

Droid2600

Must-Play: Pac-Man, Solaris, Midnight Magic, Ghostbusters, Real Sports Boxing, Commando, Double Dragon, Combat, Missile Command, Super Breakout, Space Invaders, Asteroids

Atari ST

The Atari ST based on the Motorola 68000 CPU and was sold between 1985 and the early 1990s. It was the first home computer with integrated MIDI support and had success as controller of musical intruments with musicians like Jean Michel Jarre, Eurythmics, Tangerine Dream and others.

Emulators

atabee (OUYA version in store)

SToid

Must-Play: Dungeon Master, Time Bandits, Sundog: The Frozen Legacy, Oids, Captain Blood, Elite, Star Glider, Xenon, SpeedBall 2, Gods, Rainbow Islands, Ultima V

Commodore 64 (C64)

The C64 is an 8-bit home computer first released on August 1982. Between 1983 and 1986 the Commodore dominated the market outselling the Apple, Atari and IBM PCs. Almost 10.000 software titles were produced for the C64.

Emulators

Frodo64

Mobile C64 (Lite)

VICE

C64.emu (OUYA version in store) Don’t forget you are in need of a BIOS file.** Download the Essentials and upload the folder to your OUYA at /sdcard0. Had just a few problems with asigning keys to the pad with some games. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick.

Must-Play: Archon, Elite, Impossible Mission, International Karate series, M.U.L.E., Maniac Mansion, Paradroid, Pirates, The Pawn, Giana Sisters, Ultima 4, Summer Games series, Winter Games

Lua-based 3D adventures

ResidualVM is a cross-platform 3D game interpreter which allows you to play Lua-based adventures by Lucas Arts. Initially started with the GrimE game engine for Grim Fandango, the virtual machine now supports multiple engines. Most titles are not fully playable in the Android version at the moment. This app is under heavy development.

Emulators

ResidualVM At the moment not usable on the OUYA.

Must-Play: Grim Fandango, Escape from Monkey Island, Myst III: Exile, The Longest Journey

MSX

The MSX was a standardized computer architecture,first announced by Microsoft on June 16th, 1983. MSX-based devices were popular in Japan, Brazil, CSSR and some European countries. Before the Famicom by Nintendo, the MSX was the platform, major game studios like Konami produced their software titles for.

Emulators

MSX.em (OUYA version in store) No probs with this one. Is able to load ROMs from USB stick.

fMSX Deluxe (not free)

Must-Play: Metal Gear series, Bomberman, Aleste, Zanac, Penguin Adventure, Puyo Puyo, Parodius, Vampire Killer, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Contra

Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME)

The Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator was first released on February 5th, 1997 by Nicola Salmoria. Mame now supports several thousand ROM images. Some creators of the original games have released their games to be used free with MAME for non-commercial use.

Emulators

MAME4droid (OUYA version in store)

MAME4droid Reloaded

Must-Play: Mortal Kombat Set, Street Fighter Set, Rygar, Pac-Man, Rastan, Tiger Road, Green Beret, Shinobi, Aliens, Alien vs Predator, Knights of the Round, The Simpsons

PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16

The TurboGrafx-16 is a game device by Hudson Soft and NEC, first released in Japan on October 30th, 1987 under the name PC Engine. It was equipped with an 8-bit CPU and a dual 16-bit GPU

Emulators

PCE.emu (OUYA version in store)

Must-Play: Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys, Bonk Series, Air Zonk, Bomberman, Military Madness, Blazing Lazers, Super Star Soldier series, Ninja Spirit, Alien Crush, Legendary Axe, Chew Man Fu, Gates of Thunder, Splatterhouse

PC-Games Remote Streaming

Kainy is a remote desktop oriented for gaming and performance. Stream your PC-games into your OUYA.

Emulators

Kainy (OUYA version in store): First install Kainy for Windows and open Settings->Network, before you install the OUYA app. Enter the Input Codes from the windows app, synchronize and play! Tested it with HL2 and had no problems.

Must-Play: Too much to mention. Watch the Demo video!

RetroArch

RetroArch supports quite a bunch of consoles and game cores. Following emulators and game cores are bundled with RetroArch.

PlayStation 1 (emulator: PCSX ReARMed)

Super Nintendo (emulator: SNES9x Next)

Nintendo Entertainment System (emulator: FCEUmm / NEStopia / QuickNES)

GameBoy / GameBoy Color (emulator: Gambatte)

GameBoy Advance (emulator: VBA Next) (*)

Arcade (emulator: Final Burn Alpha/MAME 2003 [0.78])

Neo Geo Pocket Color (emulator: Mednafen NGP)

Virtual Boy (emulator: Mednafen VB)

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive (emulator: Genesis Plus GX)

Sega Master System/Sega Game Gear (emulator: Genesis Plus GX)

Sega CD / Mega CD (emulator: Genesis Plus GX)

PC Engine / PC Engine CD (emulator: Mednafen PCE Fast)

WonderSwan Color / Crystal (emulator: Mednafen Wonderswan)

Cave Story (game engine: NX Engine)

Doom 1 / Doom 2 / Ultimate Doom / Final Doom (game engine: prBoom)

Quake 1 / Quake 1 Mission Packs 1 and 2 (game engine: Tyrquake)

Emulators

RetroArch OUYA version in store. Since v0.9.9 the OUYA pad is auto-detected.

Must-Play: You’re kidding, right?

ScummVM

ScummVM is a free virtual machine for the original SCUMM (Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion) designed by Ron Gilbert. It allows to play Scumm-engine games on systems they originally were not designed for. There are versions for modern Windows, Macintosh and Linux systems as well as most mobile platforms.

Emulators

ScummVM (OUYA version in process) Works perfectly sideloaded, but you should consider a Bluetooth or USB mouse for a more pleasant gameplay.

Must-Play: Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle (obviously), Indiana Jones series, Monkey Island series, Loom, The Dig, Sam & Max, Full Throttle, Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, Leisure Suit Larry series, Beneath a Steel Sky

x86

What to say about the IBM x86 PC? Everyone owned at least one of them over the years. To play all your favorite DOS games on Android you need the ConSoul emulator and a really powerful device. I’m not sure yet, if the OUYA hardware is strong enough. To be tested!

Emulators

ConSoul x86 PC emulator (already submitted to OUYA store)

Dosbox Turbo (OUYA version announced)

Must-Play: Pirates!, Command & Conquer: Red Alert, Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, X-Com: UFO Defense, Duke Nukem 3D, Populous, Sim City 2000, Dune 2, Doom, Civilisation

* x-ray photos by Reintji (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

** Don’t forget, you are only allowed to use BIOS files and ROMs, if you own the original console and games.

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