PlayStation 2 (PS2) is one of the most successful gaming consoles that has been around for sometime now.
Some might even say it is the best gaming console they've ever had to play, and if you never had the chance to play a PS2 gaming console, then it means you've missed an amazing part of your gaming career.
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling video game console of all time — it had sold almost 158 million units across the world, with the European continent having a greater share in this sale statistics.
While people are getting more and more addicted to mobile devices, developers have made it possible for PS2 lovers to simulate PS2 games on their Android and iOS devices.
With that said, if you're looking to simulate a PS2 on your iOS device, then you've come to the right place.
To help you out, we've tested the most popular P2S emulators in the market and come out with a list of the best PS emulators for iOS devices (iPhone and iPad).
Table of Contents
What Is A PS2 Emulator For iOS?
A PS2 emulator for iOS is a device (call it app or IPA), that simulates a PS2 system including apps, games, features on an iOS device (can it iPhone or iPad).
PS2 emulators for iOS might differ from each others through their support most games.
For instance, you want to play an amazing PS2 game like Final Fantasy X on your iOS device, you'll need to install an emulator like PS2Smart on your iOS device to play the game.
Also Read: Best Android Emulators For iOS
What Are The Best PS2 Emulator For iOS?
While there are many PS2 emulators for iOS out there, there are, however, many factors to consider when making the best picks, some of which include; support for most iOS devices, graphical interface, power consumption, market price, and most of all whether it works without jailbreak.
Considering that, we've tested most emulators out there, and have compiled a list of the best PS2 emulators for iOS (iPhone and iPad) as follows:
- RetroArch.
- PS2Smart.
- Play! PS2 emulator for iOS.
- PPSSPP PS2 emulator for iOS.
- NewGamepad PS2 emulator for iOS.
1. RetroArch
RetroArch is one of the successful emulators on the market right now.
In a nutshell, RetroArch is an emulator that supports operating systems like Windows, Mac OS X and Linux — and it owes its uniqueness from its ability to support older version of Windows such as Windows 95.
In addition to its ability to run PS2 games and features on Android and iOS, it also allows users run game consoles such as PS3, PSP, PS Vita, Wii, Wii U, 2DS, 3DS, Switch, and many more.
In other words, RetroArch lets you run any platform on any other platform — making RetroArch the best PS2 emulator for iOS devices.
What I love the most about RetroArch are it's on-screen buttons (which are currated to look more like a PS2 joystick), user-interface and amazing graphics — which create a virtual connection between you and the game.
Again, RetroArch is a free emulator that is available for download from most store fronts including; Google Play, Samsung Galaxy Store, Amazon App Store, Steam, and Huaweri App Gallery.
Above all, you don't require to jailbreak your iOS device before using RetroArch.
RetroArch PS2 Emulator for iOS Features:
- Easy to use interface.
- Great graphics.
- Supports a variety of PS2 games.
- Supports many operating systems.
- Free to use.
- Does not require jailbreak.
Also Read: Best iOS Emulators For Android
2. PS2Smart
PS2Smart is another great PS2 emulator for iOS we have on our list.
PS2Smart is one of the emulators that have improved significantly with a goal of offering users the convenience they need when using their services.
With that said, PS2Smart has a built-in BIOS (which older versions of the emulator such as PCSX2 did not support) that makes it even more appealing for people to consider it over other emulators in the market which require you to download the BIOS seperately.
Besides that, PS2Smart makes it even easier for users to download PS2 games directly from their powerful database, thereby increasing the chances for game compatibility — so downloading PS2 games seperately isn't necessary when using PS2Smart.
What I enjoyed when testing PS2Smart was its crazy support for popular games such as Tekken 5, Final Fantasy X, Resident Evil 4, God of War 1 & 2, Devil May Cry 3, Kingdom Hearts, Okami, Ratchet & Clank without lag.
It's graphics and simulated PS2 control buttons gives the impression of playing a real PS2 gaming console.
PS2Smart PS2 Emulator for iOS Features:
- Easy to use interface.
- Great graphics.
- Built-in BIOS and game database.
- Supports a variety of PS2 games.
- Free to use.
- Does not require jailbreak.
Also Read: Best Android Emulator For Low End PC Without Graphics Card
3. Play! PS2 Emulator For iOS
Play! is another great PS2 emulator for iOS that's quite popular in the market right now.
Besides being a PS2 emulator for iOS, Play! also allows users simulate PlayStation 2 on other operating systems including Windows, macOS, UNIX, Android.
Play! distinguishes itself from other PS2 emulators for iOS on this list in that, it does not require a BIOS — thereby, raising some limitations faced when using other emulators without a BIOS.
Coupled to that, what excites me the most when using Play! is its amazing graphics and easy to use controls.
To help you better understand which game is supported by Play! the emulater features a cover view screen with compatibility status for different types of games.
Play! PS2 Emulator for iOS features:
- Easy to use interface.
- Does not require BIOS.
- Supported games are available on a cover view screen.
- Does not require jailbreak.
4. PPSSPP
PPSSPP is one of the oldest emulators in the market that allows both Android and iOS users simulate gaming consoles like PSP, PS2 without much hassle.
PPSSPP is an emulator that was purposely designed for emulating PSP games — however, some ported PS2 games such as Naruto games, Smackdown, Downhill, Kamen Rider, God of War have been found to work on iOS devices.
PPSSPP PS2 Emulator for iOS Features:
- Easy to use and classic interface.
- Supports a variety of PS2 games.
- Free to use.
- Does not consume much battery.
- Does not require jailbreak.
5. NewGamepad PS2 Emulator For iOS
If you're a Nintendo iOS gamer, then you must know what NewGamepad emulator is.
NewGamepad is a multi-emulator that lets you emulate almost all Nintendo console games such as GBA, NDS, NES, GBC, etc.
Besides being a Nintendo emulator for iOS, Newgamepad is yet another PS2 emulator for iOS we have on our list as we were able to emulate some PS2 games on iPad Air 2 such as Kingdom Hearts and Okami.
NewGamepad PS2 emulator for iOS is only available for download from third party sites through an IPA.
NewGamepad PS2 emulator for iOS Features:
- Easy to use interface.
- Supports some PS1 and PS2 games.
- Does not require jailbreak.
- Does not consume much battery.
Also Read: How To Get Free Internet For iOS (iPhone & iPad)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to play PS2 games on iOS?
Yes, with the latest iOS devices coming up with improved hardware specifications, it is very possible to play PS2 games on an iOS device through an emulator.
Can you run emulators on iOS?
Yes, you can run emulators on iOS. Some of the best emulators supported by most iOS devices include RetroArch and PS2Smart.
Can you play PlayStation 2 on iPad?
Yes, you can play PlayStation 2 games on iPad through a PS2 emulator for iOS. Some PS2 emulators that would work well with iPad include; RetroArch, PS2Smart, and even Play!
Does RetroArch support PS2 iOS?
Yes, RetroArch is a cross-platform emulator that supports PS2, iOS, and many other platforms and let you emulate one platform on another.
Does PPSSPP support PS2 games?
Yes, it does. While PPSSPP was mainly designed to support PSP games, after our research and tests, we discovered it supports some PS2 games as well.
Final Thoughts
With most iOS devices coming up with powerful hardware specifications (CPU, GPU, RAM), running PS2 games and features on iOS is even more easy.
This guide compiles the best PS2 emulators for iOS based on our research and tests.
It is important to keep in mind that this list might be updated if we find more convenient PS2 emulators for iOS either on our own, or from recommendations from readers like you.
With that said, share with us if you think there's something we passed by.