Sony PSP Emulator is Now Available on Apple App Store

The popular Sony PSP emulator, PPSSPP, can now be downloaded legally via the Apple App Store 12 years after it first launched.

PPSSPP developer Henrik Rydgård announced the arrival of the emulator on Wednesday, noting "some limitations" on the official release compared to previous versions.

One notable difference is that the emulator will require more processing power than it does in the unofficial versions due to the removal of several third-party extensions not allowed on Apple's platform.

Rydgård first hinted at plans to bring the Sony handheld console emulator to the App Store last April after the tech giant relaxed its policies on retro games emulators.

Several Nintendo emulators have already been released on the platform following the policy change, including the original console emulator for Gameboy Advance and N64, Delta.

It is worth noting that users would still need to download the ROMs, or the actual games themselves, on other sites as the platform policy still prohibits emulators from offering copyrighted content on their products.

Retro Game Emulators Available on Apple App Store

Aside from PPSSPP and Delta, several notable retro game emulators are currently available on the App Store.

Just a day before PPSSPP launched on the platform, NEC PC Engine and Neo Geo Pocket emulator Retro Arch arrived on the App Store, instantly snatching the second place for "Entertainment."

A Sony PlayStation 1 emulator, Gamma, and a Nintendo GameCube and Wii digital console, DolphiniOS, are also free to download on the site.

More importantly, many of these apps are compatible with the new Apple Vision Pro as proven by The Verge's Wes Davis.

@verge What’s it like to play Metroid Prime Hunters in an Apple-approved emulator for iOS — Delta, in this case — on a Vision Pro? #apple #visionpro #nintendo #vr #emulation ♬ original sound - The Verge

Oider Versions of iOS Emulators are Still Available

For those who are not comfortable with the changes in the emulators with their arrival on the App Store, players can still download the emulators on third-party sites and the developers' platforms.

For PPSSPP, the 1.17 iOS version is available on Rydgård's website.