Key Takeaways
- Apple App Store now allows emulators after years of forbidding them.
- Delta, the first Nintendo emulator on iOS, is only available on AltStore in the EU.
- Delta features haptic feedback, controller skins, and syncing options for users.
Near the start of the month, the smartphone world was hit with the bombshell that Apple would allow emulators on the iOS App Store. This came after years of emulators being strictly forbidden on Apple’s App Store, while many emulators have thrived on the Google Play Store.
After a rather tumultuous week of a rip-off Game Boy Advance emulator being added, and subsequently taken off the app store, the first legitimately developed emulator for Nintendo consoles has made its mark in the app store in the form of Delta. Aside from the Commodore 64 emulator, Emu64 XL, Delta is the only major emulator currently available on the iOS App Store. The app has quickly shot up to the No. 1 free app on the app store, but how and why should you use it?
How to get the Delta emulator
It’s simpler in the US, but it’s still available in the EU
With Delta being on the app store, obtaining it is as easy as searching for it and pressing “Get.” But that doesn’t quite hold true in the European Union. Apple’s decision to make emulators available on the iPhone, much like its vow to put RCS on the iPhone, stems from EU action against Apple.
As part of ongoing EU regulatory actions that have seen Apple’s aforementioned commitment to RCS as well as its move away from the lightening cable, the EU has also ruled that Apple must allow sideloaded app stores in the EU. This means you can install alternative app stores on your phone that aren’t just the default one from Apple. This also means these app stores can include apps Apple has not approved.
Apple’s move to allow emulators could be a way to keep users in the EU from flocking to alternative app stores such as AltStore. Regardless of why Apple did it, this all leads to why Delta is only available on AltStore in the EU. Riley Testut, the developer behind both Delta and the AltStore, explained on Mastodon that the Core Technology Fee in the EU is keeping Delta off the official Apple App Store in Europe.
The Core Technology Fee (CTF) is part of Apple’s new terms with EU developers. Any developer that did opt in to the new terms is beholden to paying the CTF, which rounds out to €0.50 per install, after the millionth installation of an app. For a free app that will make it to the top charts of an app store, like Delta, those installations can and will rack up.
If Testut were to put Delta on the app store in the EU, he would be beholden to the CTF for installs on both the iOS App Store and the AltStore. He went on to explain on Mastodon that, “we already agreed to the new terms in order to launch AltStore, and Apple doesn’t allow going back once you distribute an app on another store (which we already had by the time they changed the App Store rules).”
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How to use the Delta emulator
Easy to install, easy to use
Once you have Delta installed on your iPhone, you only have a few more steps to go through before playing any retro games on your phone. Delta allows users to emulate games from a range of classic Nintendo consoles:
- NES
- Super Nintendo
- Nintendo 64
- Game Boy Color
- Game Boy Advance
- Nintendo DS
Except for the Nintendo DS, emulating games from these consoles is as simple as loading a ROM into the app and launching it. Loading ROMs on Delta is easy.
- Open the Delta app.
- Press the plus button in the top right corner.
- Press “Files.”
- Navigate to your ROM in Files.
- Tap on each ROM you wish to load into Delta.
- Press “Open” in the top right corner.
With ROMs loaded into the app, launching them is as simple as tapping on the ROM in the corresponding console screen. Each ROM can also be given a custom name and thumbnail by long pressing on the ROM and selecting “Rename” or “Change Artwork.”
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How to emulate DS games on Delta
As mentioned earlier, the Nintendo DS functionality of the emulator requires a little more work to get going. That extra work comes in the form of obtaining the Nintendo DS’ BIOS files. You must obtain the BIOS from your own Nintendo DS console, and there are various ways to go about doing so.
Once you get ahold of the BIOS files from your own Nintendo DS, you’ll just need to get them installed in Delta. Much like loading ROMs into Delta, the process is very simple.
- Open the Delta app.
- Press the settings wheel in the top left corner.
- Scroll down to “CORE SETTINGS.”
- Tap “Nintendo DS.”
- Beneath “DS BIOS FILES,” tap a BIOS file name.
- In files, navigate to the corresponding BIOS file, and select it.
- Repeat steps five and six for the other two BIOS files.
With the BIOS files in place, you’ll be able to launch any Nintendo DS emulators you load into Delta, as well as be able to emulate the Nintendo DS home screen.
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How to obtain ROMs
Emulation is legal, piracy is not
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The only other question you may have about using Delta is where to get ROMs to play on the emulator. Obtaining ROMs can only legally be done by copying the game from your own pre-existing copy. The exact way to do so will vary by console, but in most cases, for Delta, games can be dumped using a device such as a Retrode 2, which allows you to dump ROMs from games for various cartridge-based consoles.
Copying ROMs from copies of your own game is perfectly legal in the US, so long as you don’t distribute the ROMs and have no plans to use both the original and the ROM simultaneously.
Copying ROMs from copies of your own game is perfectly legal in the US, so long as you don’t distribute the ROMs and have no plans to use both the original and the ROM simultaneously. Though there are other ways of obtaining ROMs that don’t involve already owning a copy of the game, these methods are all strictly illegal acts of software piracy.
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Controller skins, syncing, and more
Aside from just the game emulation, there are a few other standout features that make Delta a great app. For starters, the on-screen controller for each console emulated on Delta uses haptic feedback. Haptics make on-screen controls much more practical to use, as they give a response to each input kind of like an actual controller would.
For those that want to use an actual controller with Delta, Bluetooth controllers will work.
For those that want to use an actual controller with Delta, Bluetooth controllers will work. Any controller you can connect to your iPhone should work with Delta, but devices like the Backbone One are recommended for an even better experience.
On the subject of on-screen controllers, you can also download alternate skins for each controller to spice up the look of your Delta app. If you want your NES interface to look more like the classic Famicom controller from Japan or for the GBA interface to look more like the SP model, Delta skins make this possible. Skins for the Delta app can be found in a number of places, and there’s a direct link to some on the Delta emulator website.
Additionally, Delta also allows for syncing. With a Google Drive or Dropbox linked up, you can sync your ROMs, saves, and cheats between devices. With these features on-board, it’s easy to appreciate Delta aside from just being the only major emulator available on the iOS App Store.
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FAQ
Q: Are any other emulators coming to the iOS App Store?
As of April 2024, it seems there are plans for a PlayStation Portable emulator to be brought to the app store, as well as the Provenance emulator, which allows for emulation of a huge range of consoles, including the PlayStation 1 and the Atari 2600. Alternative Nintendo console emulators are also likely to come to the app store.
Q: Can I download Delta in the EU?
Yes, however, EU users will need to download Delta from the AltStore.
Q: How can I get ROMs to play on Delta?
You must dump ROMs from your own copies of the games you wish to play on Delta. Any other method is strictly illegal.
Q: How do I get the BIOS files for Nintendo DS emulation?
You must dump the Nintendo DS Bios files from your own Nintendo DS.
Q: Can I use Bluetooth controllers with Delta?
Yes, Bluetooth controllers will work with Delta. This includes devices like the Backbone One.
