Emulate old game consoles without hardware with Delta
0 Facebook x.com Reddit
Your iPhone can play retro The game was originally released for Gameboy, Nintendo 64 and others thanks to the Delta application. Here's how to get started.
Delta is the spiritual successor to the GBA4iOS app, which began as a project by then-high school student Riley Testut. Apple never allowed emulation on iOS until regulations forced it, so now Delta is officially on the App Store.
The emulation software runs on the iPhone's processor and simulates the game console so that it can run game ROMs. These ROMs, permanent memory contained in cartridges and disks, can only be obtained legally by removing them from physical hardware.
This guide does not tell you how to obtain ROMs for various systems. AppleInsider is not Google and you can't search for them here.
If you have the ROM, launching Delta is fairly simple, but the app is filled with a lot of settings and menus. Here's what you need to know.
Subscribe to AppleInsider on YouTube Subscribe to AppleInsider on YouTube
We're about to get started. This is a rather categorical statement. We have several employees who use this and we all think it's a lot of fun. Delta is an incredibly simple and fun way to get started in emulation.
Adding ROM to Delta
There are two ways to add ROM to Delta. One is through direct adding from the Files app on iPhone, and the other is through Finder Sync on Mac.
You'll want to save your ROMs in the Files app. Adding a new ROM to Delta is most easily done from within the app by clicking on the “+” in the top right corner.
Select ROM from Delta's file picker
If for some reason your file is in .zip or other archive format, Delta should handle these files are no problem. If an error occurs, try unzipping the file. The Apple Files app can usually handle .zip files, but other archive types will require a third-party app.
The file you are looking for has an obvious extension. For example, this is .gbc for the Gameboy color or .n64 for the Nintendo 64.
Delta allows you to select multiple files to add at the same time. Select the ROMs you want to add, then click Open.
Games will be grouped into collections on separate pages depending on the console the ROM is intended for. Delta supports ROMs for NES, SNES, N64, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance and Nintendo DS.
Build your collection of ROMs for all generations of Nintendo consoles
The application has hidden beta support for Sega Genesis. Adding games for this console may fill the library, but Delta will not be able to run those games — more.
And if you add ROMs for unsupported systems, such as the original PlayStation, it may cause problems with the app's ability to load the library. Long pressing is the only way to uninstall a game, but this action also triggers a game launch preview in the window, causing the app to crash for unsupported games.
If you ever have trouble managing your Delta library, you can always manage your games from the Files app.
Mac users who have game files can also sync games with Delta using the File Sync feature. The connected iPhone will appear in Finder and Delta will become the target location there.
Obtaining and adding controller skins
There is a dedicated website for searching basic skins for the Delta emulator. Simply go to Skins4delta.com, select your console, and then select your skin.
Change the look of Delta for each console
The skin is loaded into the Files app. Open Delta and click “+” as if you were adding a new game. Select the downloaded controller skin and it will automatically populate the application without any confirmation.
To apply a default skin, tap the gear icon in the top left corner, select the controller you want under Controller Skins, then tap portrait or landscape. This will open a scrollable list of available skins for the console in that orientation.
Once a skin is selected, it will act as the default controller skin for that console unless a specific skin is installed for that particular game. This is a great option for games with a specific control style.
If you have Street Fighter and want a more fighting game friendly layout, but just for that game, long press the game and select Change Controller Skin. This skin will only apply to this game in the future.
There are some unusual skins that take advantage of the fact that the iPhone is a touch device and the buttons can be placed anywhere. The Nintendo DS is particularly interesting here, as different skins can prioritize different displays.
Remapping physical controller buttons
If you decide to use a physical controller, such as one from Backbone or GameSir, Delta also has options for you. Skins don't show up when you connect a controller, so you can't go back to touch except on the bottom DS screen.
Nintendo 64 games work best with a physical controller
This can be a problem if you're playing a game and the controller doesn't necessarily have a ” button Start”. Delta has some decent default configurations, but it's best to assign buttons to whatever suits your needs.
To map your physical controller, tap the gear icon in the top left corner of Delta and select the controller you want to edit. The first controller you connect should be in the “Player 1” section, then click “Customize Controls.”
You will first be presented with the NES button layout. This and most other console buttons should have the best configuration for your needs, but you'll definitely want to edit your Nintendo 64 console.
Click “NES” to open the drop-down menu, then click “N64.” To reassign a button, tap the button you want, then press the physical button on your controller to assign it.
Choose the best button configuration for each console
For example, the “Z” button is best set to the “L2” button for most controllers, since it matches that the location where the “Z” button is located in Zelda: Ocarina of Time when navigating through that game's options menu. The “A” and “B” buttons on the digital controller are misconfigured, so if you want them to match the real N64 controller, you'll need to map them to the bottom and left buttons respectively.
The top and right buttons are not used on the N64, so I assigned the top button as the Start button since Backbone One doesn't have a proper Start button.
Other Delta features
Delta has many other features that make it a powerful emulation tool. There is a built-in cheat tool for entering Game Shark codes, as well as multiplayer support.
For example, it supports up to four game controllers, so connect your USB-C iPhone to your TV and play Goldeneye on split screen the old-fashioned way. No peeking at the screen!
AirPlay on Apple TV
If you are unable to connect your iPhone directly to your TV or monitor, then AirPlay is your best choice. This mode is entirely dependent on your local network and may cause unwanted lag, but it works.
AirPlay on the top screen of the Nintendo DS emulator
Besides playing a Gameboy game on the big screen or playing multiplayer games, AirPlay has another function. target. The Nintendo DS emulator will only airplay the top screen via AirPlay and keep the bottom screen active on your iPhone.
This means you can keep your iPhone in the MagSafe dock and use a Bluetooth controller to play Pokemon: Soul Silver on the big screen. And if you want the bottom screen, reach up and tap it on your iPhone for a superior dual-screen experience.
Save states and in-game saves
One of the most annoying thing about old video games is saving anxiety. The worst feeling in the world is playing for too long, spending hours solving difficult problems only to have your battery run out and lose data because you forgot to manually save the game.
Create save states to relive your favorite moments in the game
Luckily, Delta solves this problem with modern features. Games run as if they were on the original console, so manual saves are saved along with the other save option – — save states.
Save states are like a screenshot of your game at the moment. Delta automatically creates save states periodically, and users can also save states manually.
If you want to relive a thrilling move from the game, create a new save state, then tap and hold to lock it. This way it will never be overwritten.
If you switch games in Delta, do not wait for the game to load and select your save data. Instead, tap the menu button, select Load State, and tap the previous save state to jump straight to where you left off.
Fast forward and hold button
There's a Zelda: Ocarina of Time moment at the beginning where the Great Deku Tree talks to Navi and she flies towards you. This cutscene seems to last for millennia, but Delta fortunately has a fast forward button that speeds up the game by 2x.
Use cheat codes, fast forward or hold buttons with Delta tools
Move and train your Pokemon twice as fast or cover long distances. cutscene that cannot be skipped using the fast forward option in the Delta Menu. This is a game changer.
There is also a handy “Hold Buttons” option for games that require you to hold down a button. If you always hold down the B button to run or control the kart, have Delta do that instead.
Delta Sync
Transferring data using emulation has always been difficult. Luckily, Delta has a game save sync option that solves exactly this problem.
Select a sync service to store ROMs and save states to the cloud
There is no iCloud support yet, but Delta currently uses Dropbox and Google Drive. Click the gear in the top left corner, scroll down to “Delta Sync” and click “Tools.”
Turn on synchronization and select the desired service. If you don't have either, either option will do, as the free storage tier is enough to store many games and saves in the cloud.
Once you sign in, your games and save states will be synced to Dropbox. It's a great backup solution, but more importantly a sync solution, as the name suggests.
Although Delta is only available on iPhone today, it will likely have versions for iPad and Apple Vision Pro over time. It's not yet clear whether a version for Apple TV is possible, and of course it depends on the developer.
The future of Delta and emulation
We already know that Delta will eventually support Sega Genesis games. Other consoles are possible, but Riley Testout hasn't made any specific announcements.
Play Gameboy Advance games using the Delta emulator
Modern iPhones are equipped with amazing chipsets that are many times more powerful than previous generations of consoles. There is a chance that even a Gamecube emulator will appear on iOS — as long as Apple considers it retro enough and does not require technologies prohibited by developer guidelines.
Other consoles will be supported by different developers. The developer of the PlayStation Portable emulator PPSSPP has already announced that it may appear on iOS.
Delta has always been an interesting development project to watch from afar, as Apple has not allowed it to officially exist in the App Store. At least now everyone can use it, and the developer has even more reasons to push the product further.
Follow AppleInsider on Google News.
