For enthusiasts looking for an "all-in-one" solution, these platforms continued to dominate the retro scene.

: These two competitors saw rapid development. Yuzu introduced "Hades," a massive shader decompiler rewrite that significantly reduced stuttering, while Ryujinx gained acclaim for its high accuracy and early support for local wireless multiplayer.

Beyond gaming, 2021 saw the rise of "Deep Emulators" in scientific fields. These are machine-learning models trained to replicate complex physical simulations—such as atmospheric chemistry or climate models—at much higher speeds than traditional software. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

: Remained the gold standard for stability and performance. In 2021, it saw improved Netplay features and better support for specialized controllers.

Android emulators are widely used for gaming and mobile application testing on desktop environments.

: Not an emulator itself but a frontend for "cores." In 2021, RetroArch launched on Steam, making it more accessible to mainstream users and simplifying the management of dozens of retro systems from a single interface.