Nintendo Switch was launched at a time when mobile gaming was beginning to take a formidable shape.
Its predecessor, the Wii U, had an underwhelming reception, owing to a lack of impressive gaming titles and direct threat from the smartphone gaming sphere.
The console gaming giant looked to bounce game and re-establish itself in the handheld segment. Nintendo Switch had the right mix of specs to win back the gamers drifting away.
They offered a touch-screen with a moderately powered handheld console with a wide variety of videogame titles. That was something that the Wii U lacked for a long time.
Nintendo Switch is not available in several countries which makes it difficult for everyone to get it. Heavy taxes and costing makes it another reason for people to think before buying it.
In any case, if you cannot get your hands on a Switch, there is always the Nintendo Switch emulator that you can use to play Switch games on your Windows PC.
Additionally, you may also be looking for a Switch emulator for PC to get the benefits of being able to use a Keyboard and mouse which is easier for many users to use than Switch Joy-con.
Install it on your Windows 11, 10, and Linux PC/Laptops and start playing the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Astral Chain, Bayonetta r, and Super smash bros.
Table Of Contents
Best Nintendo Switch Emulators For PC
1. Yuzu
Update – Yuzu is officially discontinued, so it is only available through third-party sources.
Back in Autumn of last year, a Nintendo Switch emulator for Android sprouted on the horizon, based on Yuzu’s backend code. The experimental Switch emulator has made noticeable strides, given its open-source structure with no funding to back the developers.
Features
- Set multiple profiles for different users of the emulator. This way, you will never loose your game process again.
- Play against your friend on local multiplayer. The online multiplayer featured has been disabled for the time being.
- Take advantage of different user-interface themes- Dark, light, midnight blue, etc.
- Two graphics modes available – OpenGL and Vulkan(experimental).
- You can check the compatibility of Switch games on the emulator from here.
- Compatible with Windows, Linux, and Steam Deck
Some of the features offered on the beta through for Patrons have shown great improvement in the emulator.
Also Read – Nintendo 3DS Emulators for Android
2. Ryujinx
The first Nintendo Switch emulator with local wireless support, Ryujinx, is here to stay. Some games run better on Yuzu, while others work fine on Ryujinx.
The C# based Switch emulator is gearing for MacOS support while lacking Vulkan graphics support. With the broader shader’s support, it has undoubtedly sweetened the pot.
Features
- Standard display resolutions along with the option of custom scaling. Aspect ratios from 4:3 to 32:9 also available.
- Anisotropic filtering is enabled by default in auto mode.
- Sport your Nintendo game on Discord with the Discord Rich presence.
- Local online multiplayer with your friends is also possible. You can either use local wireless or the LAN mode to play locally.
- In-game videos, cut-scenes are supported with the help of the NVDEC emulation.
- Just like any other emulator, you can find the compatibility of the games from their compatibility page.
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, and Steam Deck
3. The Internet Arcade
Unlike others on the list, this is an unconventional Nintendo switch emulator hosted online. There is no need to download Switch ROM as it can be accessed through the browser.
You can play Switch games on a web browser through the Internet Archive’s library of retro games. Make sure to have a moderately fast internet connection to quickly load the Nintendo Switch games for playing.
Features
- No Switch games BIOS is required to play the games. Press the play button and start playing after loading it in the browser.
- Keyboard-based controls for playing Nintendo Switch games. The controls for each game are given in the description.
- Over 500 games for Switch in different genres, ranging from RPG, RTS to puzzles.
- Save the game for offline play by saving the webpage with all its contents.
- Explore new Switch games by their genre and gameplay type.
4. Skyline
Nintendo Switch emulation is making progress, and this is where Skyline is making headway. It is an experimental switch emulator for PC, developed by volunteers.
It is being developed for ARM x86 Android systems. Technically still in development, games are not perfectly playable right now.
Features
- It is being developed in collaboration with developers of Ryujinx and Yuzu. They share the code for the emulator and will be vital in making games playable on the Nintendo Switch emulator.
- You can request for games to be made compatible through their discussion thread.
- The Android version of Skyline can be played on a PC through an Android emulator.
- The source code is publically available through Mozilla Public License 2.0. Any developer can contribute to the development.
- Keep tabs on the latest development of the Nintendo Switch emulator through their Discord channel.
- Compatible with Android
5. SwitchDROID
SwitchDROID is one of the best Nintendo Switch emulators to play console games. The newly upgraded architecture works in close collaboration with Nvidia.
Directly install the switch emulator through an Android emulator. Start playing Switch games on PC and get more FPS by squeezing the available resources.
Features
- On-screen controls map to the keyboard with the option of three buttons.
- Load games directly through the auto-research, which scans the storage for Switch ROMS.
- Different rendering engines for graphics display – Vulkan and OpenGL.
- Connect up to two controllers and configure them through the controls menu.
- Over 1200 games are compatible and are playable with minor bugs.
6. CEMU
CEMU was launched back in 2015 as an emulator for Wii U on PC. It has received consistent updates, with most contributions by Exzap and Petergov.
The console was discontinued in 2017, but its emulator is carrying forward the legacy. Since Wii U was a predecessor of Nintendo switch, Cemu supports several switch games.
Features
- The emulator upscales game graphics to 4K for many titles. It can run many games at 60 FPS.
- It is backward compatible, meaning games of earlier generations will be playable.
- Over 50% of the games are playable, with many perfectly emulated.
- Additional graphics packs for fixing pixelation problems on games with lower resolution and details.
- Native support for Xbox and PS controllers by plugging them into the device.
- Compatible with Windows and Steam Deck
Nintendo Switch Emulator – FAQs
Why only a few Nintendo Switch emulators work?
Emulation is a resource-intensive work. Emulating console hardware requires a tremendous amount of computing power.
Optimizing it for everyday computers would require extensive work by the developers. As this a volunteer-based project, people can’t devote all their time into making it efficient.
Which switch emulator is better for low-end PC?
Yuzu and Ryujinx, running on the same game engine, would be your best to get started. They are great Switch emulators for low-end PCs.
How to download Nintendo Switch games?
Create a dump of your game’s discs and dump them into a ROM file. Citra has a detailed tutorial on doing the same using free software.
Many people download Nintendo switch games from online places including Rom Sites, torrent sites, Github etc. They can land you in trouble with the local authorities.
Over to You
Nintendo Switch is among the few modern consoles of recent times that have proper emulators. The updates are pushed out periodically, and the compatibility continues to get by the clock.
So far, there are only two working Nintendo Switch emulators for PC. There is a hardware-based Switch emulator in the market, but its reviews are based on hearsay.
You can continue to try your luck to play your favorite Switch game as the compatibility gets better.