Apple to EXPLICITLY allow Retro Game Emulators on App Store.

[+Torq]

Obviously there have been various, official, big-name packages on iOS and iPad OS over the years that were based on retro gaming emulators (I still have official Atari and Vectrex ones, though most of the games within them are no longer re-downloadable, nor are the actual shells/emulators).

 

Apple made an update to their App Store guidelines today (under guideline 4.7), which now explicitly, and globally, permits Retro Game Emulators (emphasis mine):

 

Quote

Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these Guidelines and all applicable laws.

 

Hopefully this leads to good quality implementations of Atari 8-bit and 2600 emulators, and MAME options, beyond the limited, fleeting, official commercial offerings.

 

As a developer on multiple platforms, I may just take on porting something for 8-bit stuff myself.

[r_chase]

Thank fuck, they're re-allowing one kind of emulator at least. I wonder this'll also bring the ZX Spectrum back to the iPad at least.

[r_chase]

Forgive me for necrobumping this ting, but I feel like this is an underrated topic to talk about.

[Lord Helmet]

I put Delta on my iPhone yesterday. Really slick. The haptic feedback is a nice touch. Ran everything a threw at if wonderfully including some n64 stuff I’ve had trouble with on my retropie.

[+Torq]

This has been nagging at the back of my mind since I made the original post ...

 

I casually delved into the code for both Atari800MacX and Altirra, with a view to porting one of them to iOS/iPad OS before getting distracted.  From that, it is superficially apparent to me that a) it would take me MUCH less time to port Atari800MacX to iOS/iPad OS than it would Altirra (makes sense, as Altirra is a Windows application), and b) it'd be an easier (or more reliable) job with a bit more 8-bit hardware currency under my belt (it's been 40+ years since I wrote real, significant, code on/for Atari 8-bit machines).

 

Then I stopped to think about what I would want from an Atari 8-bit emulator on either my phone or tablet ...

 

Without a proper controller, I'm not going to play Atari 8-bit joystick or paddle games on them.  I've never gotten on with on-screen/tilt controls for classic games.  And that means a less-than-ideal mobile experience (I have a small Bluetooth game controller, but I'd probably just take my Switch, or one of my various open retro-platform/Analog Pocket units along before I carried that).

 

But what I would love to be able to do is be able to use my iPad to CODE for the Atari 8-bit platforms while I am traveling (I do a LOT of that).  This ideally really crystallized with the announcement of the new M4-based iPad Pros (my M2 Pro version is ridiculously powerful as it is ... and I code on it a lot when I am traveling light though doing so in a meaningful way mostly requires things like GitHub CodeSpaces and repl.it) - my plan is as follows:

 

First, I'm going to do an 8-bit Atari "port" or, more properly, a "reinterpretation" of "The Oregon Trail".  That'll get me back up to speed with the nuances of Atari programming and hardware behavior (see my DevLog, on my Atari Age blog if you're interested).

 

THEN, if no one else has done a solid port of Atari800MacX (or Altirra, but that seems less likely - even if it might be better from a development perspective), I'll start work on a combined "emulator port" and a development environment for the iPad.

 

[Razzie.P]

Kinda surprised to see the a PS1 emulator in there, allegedly 

 

 

https://www.ign.com/articles/gamma-a-free-ps1-emulator-launches-on-apples-app-store

 

 

[+Torq]

RetroArch (a multi-system emulator, including various Atari platforms, for those not already aware) just showed up on the App Store (for iOS, iPad OS, tvOS and Apple Vision).

 

Have not had a chance to try it yet (I’ve used it on other platforms); will comment more when I get a chance to.

[Velvis]

Things like this is why I left iOS a long time ago. 

[Tanooki]

i saw that, the PSP and PS emulators, that's solid and once the shock hit expected.  Retroarch was dual surprising and not for the same reason, LONG OVER DUE.

 

The one reason a decade ago I really dug into android a lot and a bit since even with bluestacks was largely emulation and the ability to run your own stuff on the side.  While outside the EU they're still being assholes about that which is pretty amazingly petty, I don't mind it much as I realize emulation was the one thing that tweaked me off.  I kept my proto-Switch aka: Nvidia Shield Tablet for years because I could run Final Burn Alpha for my Neo Geo arcade cart rom dumps on travels and a few other things.

 

That said, even with Delta which I'm both loving and in a ways not for tactile reasons alone, it's amazing to have this long overdue freedom spelled out in TOS by apple.

 

I at first added my carts i own for GB, GBC, GBA, NES, FC, SNES, SFC and Genesis to find Genesis was oddly grayed out, but it was the v1 release so maybe not enabled...boo.  But then I found using SNES/SFC/GBA quite frankly in almost all cases sucked, because explicitly of thumb drift on a touch panel was murder, and largely because it's so tight of a space on an iphone 13 I have, I kept hitting L and R when wanting to use the d-pad and like the face buttons (XY on SNES and BA on GBA.)  I was so over it and I removed all ROMs from my phone except for GB and GBC to take a new direction with it.

 

So far I'm enjoying it far more, but only to the same point of drift.  I keep losing the dpad, not the buttons B and A, just the thumb won't stay where it should and that I can not seemingly control at all.  I find it challenging to a fault to do basic moves in Super Mario Land like a running jump. :\  But if you have something less insane -- pinball, rpgs, simulation, even racing to a point, and a few other sorts.  Platformers are a nightmare unfortunately, fighting games equally out, and gradius and friends the shooters are really bad as well.

 

I saw some people now selling suction cup flat sticks that supposedly may keep you in place, not sure if it's a dumb gimmick that'll pop off or not or I'd grab it.

 

If I could get used to it I'd re-add the NES/Famicom stuff but for now...nope.