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Best Android PS2 Emulator: What PS2 Emulator Should I use On Android?

PlayStation 2 emulation on Android was once considered the Holy Grail of portable emulation, and it’s finally possible. With the best Android PS2 emulator, you’ll be able to re-experience your favourite PlayStation games on the go. Well, if you have the power of course. 

But what is the best Android PS2 emulator? And how do you use it? Well, that’s what this entire article is about! So, strap in! 

Best Android PS2 Emulator: AetherSX2/ NetherSX2 

AetherSX2 is the best Android PS2 Emulator on the market, at least at the time of writing. Created by developer Tahlreth, this one application has reignited the fire beneath portable PlayStation 2 emulation on Android devices.

Unlike earlier PS2 emulators on Android (looking at you Damon) AetherSX2 is completely free.

AetherSX2 is a full package emulator, and absolute the best Android PS2 emulator. If your device has the horsepower, you can enjoy myriad games at full speed without issue. 

AetherSX2 also includes a host of amazing features. For example, widescreen patches for 4:3 games, save states, graphics upscaling, pet game settings, and more are included. Of course, controller support is as well. 

Unfortunately, development ceased on the AetherSX2 and it’s no longer available through Google Play. We’ve checked out at least one website claiming to be official, but are skeptical of how trustworthy it is. For that reason we’d recommend joining the AetherSX2 Community Discord. This has up to date links for archived versions of the emulator, along with a new and updated fork, NetherSX2.

Can My Phone Run AetherSX2 PS2 Emulator?

As we’ve said, you’ll need a pretty beefy phone or tablet to run AetherSX2. This isn’t a PSP, it’s a full home console, and you’ll need the power to run it. 

In the recommended specs, Tahlreth claimed that you’ll need at least a Snapdragon 845-equivalent device. The developer recommends you have a four-core SoC within your device. However, if you do intend to run the emulator on just two cores, you’ll have to disable multi-threaded VU. 

If your phone is equipped with a Mali or PowerVR GPU, it’s best not to waste your time. While you will be able to run the app, game performance will be abysmal. At least for now. 

The best part of the best Android PS2 emulator is that improvements are coming all the time. Sure, this software may not be playable on your device right now, but it might be semi-playable in the near future. 

What Are The Alternatives?

There are surprisingly a decent amount of alternatives for PlayStation 2 emulation on Android. However, none of them are anywhere near as good AetherSX2. 

If you don’t want to use the best Android PS2 Emulator for whatever reason, there are alternatives that you can look into. Just check a look below. 

“Play!” is absolutely the second-best PlayStation 2 Emulator on Android. While still in development, the free software offers very rudimentary emulation on Android. It’s far from finished, and most games are unplayable, but you can use it if you want. 

The next alternative is one we’d strongly recommend you avoid: DamonPS2. While it is the first emulator you’ll see on the Play Store, it’s also the worst. We strongly recommend you avoid it. 

Not only is DamonPS2 a poor-quality emulator, but there are many posts online about the developers using stolen code. While we can’t verify that, it certainly sounds sketchy, and AetherSX2 is much better anyway. 

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