When you look at the list of Android emulators, you’ll find a lot of recurring themes. There are many more NES and SNES emulators available than emulators like the PS1 or PS2. A lot of this had to do with differences in the graphics technology Sony was using at the time, even compared to other graphics-intensive consoles like the Dreamcast or N64.
So, when you are looking for the best Android emulator and looking for a suitable PS2 emulator, there are not many choices. This may be a bit surprising considering the PS2 was and continues to be popular with many people. Thankfully, if you’re determined to emulate some of your favorite PS2 games on your Android phone, you’re not entirely out of luck.
Nether SX2
AetherSX2 suddenly appeared in December 2021, the development team has stopped work on the project since then, and the project has been removed from the Google Play Store after its creators stopped work on the project. However, since its removal, modders have revived the reliable emulator with NetherSX2. While it’s also not available through the Google Play Store, there are other ways to find and install this reliable emulation tool.
You’ll need a fairly high-end Android device to run it at the best possible performance, as it recommends a Snapdragon 845 (or equivalent). Anything less will result in reduced performance – although this will vary from game to game. Developer Tahlreth also recommends devices using Adreno GPUs instead of devices using Mali or PowerVR GPUs.
NetherSX2 features settings that can be adjusted at every level of play, touchscreen and Bluetooth controller support, save states, widescreen patches and upgrades, and more. Even better, it uses the same code as PCSX2, another famous PS2 emulator built for PC, so it has a strong support base. Tahlreth has received permission to use this code, and it is licensed under the LGPL. As we’ll discuss later, that’s not the case with DamonPS2.
There’s no official way to install Aether or Nether, but there are plenty of great guides online that can help you get your favorite PS2 games running on your Android device in no time. This guide from EZonTheEyes helped me get NetherSX2 up and running with Katamari Damacy in no time!
Play!
Unlike PS1 emulators such as ePSXe, Play! won’t go the way of RetroArch by being compatible with a bunch of different consoles. Instead, the developers are solely focused on providing a solid emulation experience for those who want to play PS2 games on Android phones. Work towards that goal and have fun! It works without requiring you to download and use a BIOS.
The developers do provide a list of compatible (and incompatible) games on GitHub, so you can take a closer look at which games work and which don’t. Most importantly, play! Completely free to download and use, you don’t need to worry about any in-app purchases.
Instructions about Damon PS2
Why we recommend you stay away from Damon PS2
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DamonPS2 has been the default PS2 emulator on Android for years because there really wasn’t any other competitor. However, over the past few years, users have dug deeper into the company behind DamonPS2 and the information it collects on your device, making some pretty fishy discoveries.
Thanks to some research on the EmuGen Wiki and Reddit, there are a lot of privacy issues to be aware of. First off, DamonPS2 is closed source, which on the face of it isn’t surprising since there are plenty of applications that go this route rather than open source. However, with the version 3.0 update, DamonPS2 started requiring a constant internet connection and access to the user’s personal data, such as contacts and location data.
If that’s not enough, there’s also the question of whether the DamonPS2 team “stole” code from the PCSX2 developers. This is another PS2 emulator (and a very popular one) for PC users who want to play their favorite PS2 games. In a 2018 blog post, the developers released a statement about code they claimed was stolen by DamonPS2 developers. At that time, DamonPS2 was removed from the Play Store before the removal required by the DMCA could be completed, which would result in DamonPS2 being banned from the Play Store.
Finally, there is the issue of performance. DamonPS2 is only recommended for use with devices using at least a Snapdragon 835 chipset. This leaves a large number of potential users with poor performance, which is not a great experience, especially if you want to buy a “DamonPS2 Pro”.
The truth is, while Play! and NetherSX2 are still in active development, they’re really the only PS2 emulators we can honestly recommend. Nothing “interesting” seems to be happening, and since both are open source, it makes it easier for bugs to be ironed out and the development process to continue progressing.
Play the way you want
While you can easily play emulated PS2 games on Android without a controller, since Play! and NetherSX2 support touchscreen controls, these games are meant to be played by one person. Setting it up to work with your emulator of choice takes some work, but it’s well worth it. Luckily, the Gamesir X3 is very easy to set up.