The oldest and most popular video game franchise - Super Mario is a part of many people's childhood. If you are feeling nostalgic and want to play the old classic games again, but your console is no longer working, here is the solution for you.
Thanks to the power of emulation, you can replay your favorite Mario games right on your Android device.
Which Super Mario games are playable on Android?
Currently, every game from the main Super Mario series released on the NES to the Wii is playable on Android including:
You can also play games from various spinoff series, like Mario Kart and Mario Party, if you like. Of course, there are also other Mario games from Nintendo's handheld systems, like the Super Mario Land titles.
Neither the Wii U nor the Nintendo Switch can be emulated on Android, meaning games like Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Odyssey are unplayable.
What do you need to play Super Mario on Android?
There are two basic requirements you need to be able to play Super Mario on your device:
An emulator is a program that mimics an original game system. Emulators can have many features that the original console does not have. Most commonly, you will find that emulators allow you to use custom save states, allowing you to save at any point during gameplay and load that state later.
Some emulators have support for Netplay. This allows you to play multiplayer games locally and over the Internet, even on consoles that did not release with online play support.
ROM is a file that contains the entire game. It is the data that is usually stored on the console cartridge or disc.
Depending on the console you want to emulate, you may need a device with a powerful CPU. The newer the console, the harder it is to run games at full speed. While you can emulate the NES on low-end hardware with ease, you may need a phone with more powerful hardware to emulate GameCube games. Generally, you should have at least a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 to ensure that you don’t experience FPS drops while playing.
Some Mario games, like Super Mario Sunshine, have a complex control scheme. Using touchscreen controls will make the game uncomfortable to play, detracting from your experience.
Which emulator should you use to play Mario?
The emulator you use will depend on the original platform of the game you want to play. There are many options available on the Play Store, here are some representative emulators.
NES Games
Starting with the NES, the best standalone option available on the Play Store is NES.emu. It costs a few dollars, but doesn't contain any ads and is considered a very accurate emulation.
NES.emu has a simple user interface. It supports custom save states and also auto-saves the game when you exit. This allows you to continue playing the game even if you don't remember to save. There's also support for cheat codes if you want to have fun and fast forward up to 7x.
You can resize and customize the on-screen controls to your liking. The emulator also allows you to plug in any controller that works on Android for a more realistic experience.
SNES Games
For the SNES, the best standalone emulator is SNES9x EX+. It comes from the same developer as NES.emu and understandably shares many of the same features and interface elements.
You have the ability to use save states, cheats, and fast forward in-game up to 7 times. And just like on NES.emu, you can also resize and move the on-screen controls, as well as use an external controller.
It also comes with a bundled game called Bio Worm, in case you want to test the emulator's performance.
Nintendo 64 Games
There is only one worthy option on the Play Store for the N64: M64Plus FZ. This emulator comes with a ton of features, especially in the graphics department.
M64Plus lets you add texture packs to your games to enhance the graphics. But if you find those too taxing on your phone's CPU, you can try upping the game's resolution for enhanced visuals. You can also choose between prioritizing emulation accuracy or speed, depending on whether you value performance or an authentic experience.
The M64Plus comes with an 8BitDo controller, as well as an original N64 controller if you have the appropriate USB adapter.
With the Pro version of the app, you get the ability to back up your files to Google Drive, along with access to Netplay for playing local or online multiplayer games. If you plan on playing games like Mario Kart 64 with your friends, the $4 price tag for the Pro version is well worth it.
GameCube and Wii Games
The GameCube and Wii may seem like two different consoles, but due to their similar architecture, Dolphin can emulate both. Like many other emulators, Dolphin allows you to use save states and cheats.
Dolphin comes with a ton of options for tweaking graphics. You can run games at their native resolution or upscale them to 4K, add anti-aliasing, and force the display to a 16:9 aspect ratio. This last option may not work on some games.
Playing with Dolphin can be quite taxing on your phone's CPU, although there are some settings you can use to improve performance. We recommend playing at native resolution, keeping Shader Compilation on Synchronous and Shader Pre-Compilation enabled. Starting the game can take a few minutes if you have Shader Pre-Compilation enabled, but you'll get a big boost in FPS in return.
Dolphin does support Netplay, but unlike the PC version, you can only play local multiplayer games.
You can use any game controller that Android supports to play with Dolphin, and you can connect up to five controllers for multiplayer. With the right adapter, Dolphin will let you use original GameCube controllers and even Wii remotes. However, for the latter, you’ll need a third-party sensor bar to use it.
Where to download ROMs for Super Mario games?
It is important to know that while ROMs are available on the Internet, downloading ROMs of games that you do not own is copyright infringement.
The safest way to get ROMs is to only download ROMs of games that you already own a hard copy of, or manually rip them from the game disc.
Be careful when downloading ROMs, as you can download malware if you get them from an untrusted source. ROMs will often come in a ZIP, RAR, or 7Z file, although not always. You may download a ROM that comes in a special file format for your console, so do your research before downloading. If the ROM you downloaded comes as an APK or EXE, delete it immediately as it is a malicious file.
ROM sizes vary, but generally the newer the console, the larger the file size. For example, Super Mario Bros. 3 is only about 384KB, while Super Mario Sunshine is almost 1GB.
Turn your Android device into a childhood machine
Once you have the right emulator and ROM for your favorite Mario game, you're all set to relive your childhood memories, with the added benefit that you can play anywhere too.
And don't forget that there are plenty of other consoles besides Nintendo, like PlayStation, that you can emulate on Android.
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