The release of the Delta emulator on iPhone is a big deal in many ways. But for users, it is also simply In fact Cold. Here is some great software that can emulate NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, GBA and Nintendo DS so you can play classic games on a device that will always be in your pocket. Even better: Although there's no Delta app for Apple TV (yet), it's still very easy to use to play games on your TV.
That's because Delta supports AirPlay so you can stream video and sound from your phone to another Apple device, like an Apple TV or computer. For Delta, this means the game itself plays on the larger screen while your phone becomes a touchscreen controller. Or, if you connect a Bluetooth controller to your iPhone, you can use it to play games.
I tested the setup using an iPhone, Apple TV, and the PS5's DualSense controller, and it was incredibly easy. (The longest part of the process was pairing the controller with my phone, which takes a few seconds.) In my experience, which included playing a handful of NES, SNES, and GBA games, it just worked. The games looked great and there were no noticeable lags in the controls. I also did a quick test on a MacBook Air and the process was equally easy once I had the correct permissions set.
For most games on these platforms, it's also a more natural way to play. In part this is because they were originally designed for a TV, but also because an actual controller is almost always preferable. The Delta's touchscreen controls do a useful job, but they're not the same as real buttons.
And that's it, really. That easy-to-overlook feature makes Delta much more useful than it first appears, opening up the possibilities of what you can do with the app, particularly when it comes to multiplayer. And considering how early we are in the life of iOS emulators, it's exciting how good things are already.
