The best N64 emulator for PC in 2026 is RMG (Rosalie’s Mupen GUI), a free open source front end for Mupen64Plus that you download from GitHub. Gopher64, ares, and RetroArch are strong alternatives, and Project64 is mid-rewrite. On Android, M64Plus FZ from the Play Store is the safe pick.
The N64 emulation scene moved a lot recently, and most older “best N64 emulator” lists are now wrong. simple64, a common top pick, was archived in early 2025; its developer now builds Gopher64. Project64 has spent years rewriting itself for version 4.0. Here is what actually works today, verified July 2026, with official download sources only.
| Emulator | Platforms | Status (July 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RMG | Windows, Linux | Active | Most PC players |
| Gopher64 | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | Very active | Simple setup, frequent updates |
| ares | Windows, macOS, Linux | Active | Accuracy purists |
| RetroArch (Mupen64Plus-Next) | Nearly everything | Active | Multi-console setups |
| Project64 | Windows | 4.0 rewrite in progress | Legacy plugins, netplay habits |
| simple64 | Windows, Linux | Archived Feb 2025 | Nobody (use Gopher64) |
The best N64 emulators for PC in 2026
1. RMG (Rosalie’s Mupen GUI): best for most people
RMG wraps the accurate Mupen64Plus core in a clean, modern interface with sensible defaults, so you get accuracy without editing config files. It is free, open source (GPLv3), and runs on Windows and Linux, with Flatpak and AppImage builds on the Linux side. You choose between modern video plugins, set per-game options from the GUI, and controller setup just works. The latest tagged release is v0.9.0 and the project remains in development on GitHub. Download it only from the official releases page: github.com/Rosalie241/RMG/releases.
2. Gopher64: the successor to simple64
When simple64 was archived in February 2025, its developer started over in Rust and built Gopher64. It is the most actively updated N64 emulator right now, with releases landing almost weekly through 2026 (v1.1.34 shipped in July 2026) and RetroAchievements support added in April 2026. There are builds for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, and the design philosophy is the same as simple64: accurate emulation with almost nothing to configure. Get it from github.com/gopher64/gopher64/releases or the developer’s itch.io page.
3. ares: best for accuracy
ares is a multi-system emulator with a hard focus on accuracy, and its N64 core is among the most faithful available. The tradeoff is hardware: cycle-accurate emulation wants a strong modern CPU and a Vulkan capable GPU. Pick ares if you care that games behave exactly like real hardware and your PC can afford it. It is free, open source, actively maintained with several releases per year, and available for Windows, macOS, and Linux from ares-emu.net.
4. RetroArch with the Mupen64Plus-Next core
If N64 is just one shelf in a bigger retro library, run RetroArch and install the Mupen64Plus-Next core from its built-in downloader. You get the same emulation quality as a standalone Mupen64Plus setup, plus RetroArch’s shaders, save state management, and one interface across every console you emulate, the same way we set up the best DS emulators for PC. The learning curve is steeper than any standalone emulator here. Download RetroArch only from retroarch.com.
5. Project64: wait for 4.0 unless you need it
Project64 is the name everyone remembers, and it is still Windows-only and still around. The honest status: the last stable release, 3.0.1, dates back to 2021, and the team has been deep in a ground-up rewrite for version 4.0, publishing development builds through 2026. Those dev builds improve steadily but are explicitly work in progress. It remains fine for casual play and its plugin ecosystem is unmatched, but for a fresh setup today RMG or Gopher64 will give you better results with less fiddling. Official site: pj64-emu.com.
6. simple64: archived, do not start here
simple64 still works and still downloads from its official pages, but development stopped in February 2025 and it will not get fixes. Its author’s current project is Gopher64, which is the direct replacement. If a guide from 2023 or 2024 points you at simple64, mentally substitute Gopher64.
N64 emulators for Android
Since plenty of people search for N64 emulators for PC and Android together: on Android the mainline choice is Mupen64Plus AE, and the best maintained version of it on the Play Store is M64Plus FZ. The open source project also publishes builds on F-Droid and GitHub, with updates as recent as 2026. Gopher64 additionally ships an Android APK from its GitHub releases. Avoid random “N64 emulator” apps stuffed with ads; they are mostly old Mupen64Plus forks repackaged.
A quick word on ROMs
Emulators are legal software. Game ROMs are copyrighted, and downloading them from ROM sites is copyright infringement in most countries, which is why we do not link any. The legally clean route is dumping cartridges you own with your own hardware. Nintendo actively pursues ROM sites, so treat anything offering “free N64 ROMs” as both legally and technically risky.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular N64 emulator?
By name recognition, Project64. By what the emulation community actually recommends in 2026, RMG and Gopher64 for standalone use, Mupen64Plus-Next inside RetroArch for multi-system setups, and ares for accuracy-first players.
Is Project64 still safe?
Yes, if you download it from pj64-emu.com. The safety worry comes from history: some old 1.x and 2.x era installers bundled adware and toolbars. Current builds are open source and clean. Third party download portals are where you still risk bundled junk, for Project64 or any emulator.
Do these emulators need a powerful PC?
Mostly no. RMG, Gopher64, Project64, and Mupen64Plus-Next run well on modest hardware from the last decade. ares is the exception: its accuracy focus wants a recent CPU and Vulkan GPU. If your machine can handle a PS3 emulator, it will not even notice N64 emulation.
What about a Nintendo Switch Online alternative?
Nintendo’s own Switch Online Expansion Pack includes a rotating library of official N64 games. It is the fully legal subscription route, but the library is curated and you cannot use your own cartridges or save files with it.
Verdict
Install RMG if you want the best balance of accuracy and ease on Windows. Pick Gopher64 if you want the most actively developed option or need macOS or Android builds. Choose ares for maximum fidelity, or RetroArch if N64 joins a larger library. Whatever you pick, download from the official pages linked above, and browse our emulator hub for other consoles and Android emulators.
