Technically speaking, you're not supposed to be able to install emulators on an iPhone to play classic games. But that doesn't mean it's not possible. Here's how to install emulators on any iOS device, no jailbreak required.
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Emulation on iOS devices has been possible for a long time if you're jailbroken. It's still the preferable method because it's easy to install emulators, ROMs, and use controllers. That said, not everyone wants to jailbreak. You can still run emulators if you're willing to do a little work and keep your eyes peeled for rogue apps that make it into the App Store.
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Read more ReadSideloading Emulators from the Web
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The trick to get most emulators working with iOS is through a process called sideloading. This is when you install apps from your web browser instead of the official iTunes App Store. In the case of emulators this is usually done by registering the emulator as an enterprise app. Enterprise apps are supposed to be used for private companies to issue apps to their employees, but any developer can make one.
The other route to installing emulators is a bit more complicated and requires that you sign up as a iOS developer and install emulators on your own. For our purposes we'll stick to emulators you can sideload right from your browser.
We've talked about some emulators that you can sideload before. They tend to work fine, but they come with some caveats. Namely, there's no real guarantee of security and they're kind of a pain to use. When you sideload an app from the web, you're installing an unapproved app from an unknown developer. Theoretically, they could include malware. So, just like on Android, you'll want to install these at your own risk.
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GBA4iOS Emulates Gameboy Advance Games on iOS, No Jailbreak Required
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Read more ReadThe good news is that most emulators are open source and tend to also put their code on GitHub so everyone can make sure they don't include malware. For example, two of the more recent apps, GBA4iOS (Game Boy Advance/Game Boy) and NDS4iOS (Nintendo DS) have all their code on GitHub.
For other emulators, you need to go through a third-party site like iEmulators or Emu4iOS and install from there, which means you can't get a good look at the code. These are still usually built on open source software, but it's harder to know exactly what code you're installing.
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The other problem is that installation of these emulators is a bit tricky. Since they tend to use expired certificates for enterprise accounts, you usually need to change your device's date to install and use the app. Each emulator requires a different date that you'll usually find on the emulators web site, but the basic process of installation is pretty much the same across the board:
- Head into Settings > General > Date & Time
- Turn off 'Set Automatically'
- Change the date to the year the emulator you want to use suggests (it's usually 2012)
- Open up the emulator's web site in mobile Safari
- Install the emulator of your choice
Once you install the emulator, you need to switch the date back every time you want to open the app. It's cumbersome, but it's the only way the app will open. If you're installing from a site like iEmulators, you can only have one emulator installed at a time, so chose wisely.
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The Unofficial Apps that Sneak Into the App Store
Every once in a while, an emulator sneaks into the iTunes App Store. These are often hidden away inside other apps, but sometimes they're pretty blatant and just need workarounds to install games.
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Read more ReadThese apps usually hide the emulator behind a series of menus so they're not noticed during Apple's app review process, but they're often pulled as soon as they get any press. The general rule of thumb here is to download and install app with hidden emulators as soon as you can before Apple removes them. To keep up on apps that sneak into the store, forums on sites like TouchArcade or the iOS Gaming Subreddit are good places to start.
Once you get one of those apps, it's time to back it up. Since Apple will pull it from the App Store, it's good to back up the emulator so you can install it on future iOS devices. As long as you have a backup in iTunes on your computer you'll be able to install it on future devices.
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Read more ReadIf all else fails, at least the occasional web app is powerful enough to run everything from a GameBoy to a Nintendo.
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If you wish to enjoy retro games on your iPhone, give GBA4iOS a try. Follow through this up front guide to download and install GBA4iOS on your iPhone and iPad in order to make the most of your all-time favorite retro games.
Classic games like “Mario,” “Pokemon,” and “Day of the Tentacle” still have a huge fan following. Unfortunately, Apple’s App Store doesn’t support these classic games nor does it allow emulator apps. Despite the roadblock, you can play retro games on your iPhone or iPad by installing GBA4iOS in iOS 12, 11 or even 10.
What’s GBA4iOS and how does it let you download classic games on your iOS device? Well, it stands for Gameboy Advance Emulator that enables you to download Gameboy Advance games on your device. Even though the process does involve a bit of workaround, it’s not that complex.
Is GBA4iOS secure? That’s an important question, which many of you would be thinking. From what I’ve experienced after giving this emulator a long spin, I can say that it’s a safe bet.
Disclaimer:
- GBA4iOS is a Gameboy Advance Emulator which lets you enjoy Gameboy Advance games on your iPhone.
- During our test, we didn’t find anything wrong with how it functions. Having said that you should proceed ahead with the process at your own risk.
- “Emulators” allow you to play outdated video games like Super Nintendo or Atari on your smartphone or computer. These retro games are called ROMs (Read-Only-Memory) and are software copies of cartridges or CDs like the Sega Genesis cartridge or the Sony PlayStation CD.
- It’s illegal to download ROMs as they are protected by copyright.
- By no means, we encourage you to download ROMs.
How to Install GBA4iOS on iPhone and iPad Running iOS 12 or Earlier
Step #1.Launch Safari on your iOS device. Then, go to iemulators.com.
Step #2.Next, tap on “Apps” tab.
Step #3.Now, you have to scroll down and tap on GBA4iOS 2.1.
Step #4.Tap on “Download Page” option.
You need to scrolls down again until you find GBA4iOS icon.
Now, check out the two versions: If you are using iPhone 8 Plus or earlier, tap on the first option. And if you are using iPhone X or later, tap on the second option.
Step #5.A popup will appear again. You have to tap on the “Install” button → Tap on the “Install GBA4iOS” button.
Step #6.The installation process of GBA4iOS app will start. (You may have to tap on the Install button in the pop-up again.)
Now, let it install successfully. Once the process is completed, you will see GBA4iOS app on your Home screen.
Now, you have to trust a third-party profile to run GBA4iOS on your iPhone.Step #7.Open Settings → Tap on General → Profiles & Device Management.
- If you are using iPhone 8 Plus or earlier, you have to tap on profile named “Jiang Xi MicroBlog Technology Co., Ltd.” → Tap on trust “Jiang Xi MicroBlog Technology Co., Ltd.” → Tap on Trust to confirm.
- If you are using iPhone X or later, you have to tap on profile named “SAE Magnetics Dongguan Limited” → Tap on trust “SAE Magnetics Dongguan Limited” → Tap on Trust to confirm.
Please note that the Profile keeps changing from time to time. So, you may see the different name than “SAE Magnetics Dongguan Limited”.
That’s done! You have successfully installed GBA4iOS on your iOS device.
Now, go ahead and download your ROMS for your favorite games and play them to your heart’s content. You can also take the help of Google to find a ROM.
How to Download ROMs of Pokemon, The Legend Of Zelda, Metroid, Mario, Fire Emblem on iPhone
Step #1.Once you have successfully installed GBA4iOS app on your iOS device, launch it.
Step #2.Now, tap on the search button at the top right corner.
Step #3.Next, you have to choose game series to find ROM. Currently, there are 11 options available. (Developer says that GBA ROMs are coming soon.)
If you want to download other ROMs, search it on Google. In this test, I’m going to download the ROM of Pokemon. You can choose to go for your favorite game. The process is pretty same.
Step #4.Next up, select your preferred version → Tap on Download button.
Step #5.
Once you have download the ROM of your favorite game, launch it and get started.
How to Delete GBA4iOS App on iPhone
Step #1.If you ever want to delete GBA4iOS app, go to Settings
Step #2.
Step #3.
Step #4.Jiang Xi MicroBlog Technology Co., Ltd.a Delete App and confirm.
That’s pretty much it!
Wrapping up
Personally, I have found GBA4iOS pretty good. The app works reliably so you wouldn’t have any problem in cashing-in-on some of your favorite retro games.
Let us know your feedback about it in the comments down below.
Take a peek at these posts as well:
What are your top retro games and why? Share your thoughts about them down below, via Facebook, and Twitter. Also, don’t forget to download our app to read more such stories.
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