iGC Emulation Guide · System-by-System · Honest Ratings · August 2026
R36S Emulation Guide 2026: Every System Explained
The R36S can emulate 20+ retro gaming systems. Some run perfectly. Some run well. Some are limited. And some it cannot run at all. This guide covers every system with honest compatibility ratings — no marketing, just facts.
20+
Systems Supported
100%
GBA / SNES / NES
97%
PS1 Compatibility
90%
N64 Compatibility
✅ Perfect Emulation — 100% Compatibility
Game Boy Advance (GBA)100%
Every GBA game tested runs at 100% speed with perfect audio. Pokemon FireRed, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Metroid Fusion, Castlevania, Fire Emblem, Golden Sun — all perfect. The R36S is one of the best GBA emulation devices ever made at any price.
Top games: Pokemon Emerald, Metroid Fusion, Fire Emblem, Golden Sun, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Super Nintendo (SNES)100%
All SNES games run at 100% with perfect audio and video. Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, Street Fighter II, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Zelda: A Link to the Past — all flawless.
Top games: Super Mario World, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Zelda: A Link to the Past, DKC
NES / Famicom100%
Every NES game runs perfectly. Super Mario Bros 1-3, Mega Man series, Contra, Castlevania, Metroid, Zelda — all at 100% with perfect audio.
Top games: Super Mario Bros 3, Mega Man 2, Contra, Castlevania, Metroid
Sega Genesis / Mega Drive100%
All Genesis games run at 100%. Sonic 1-3, Streets of Rage 1-3, Mortal Kombat, Earthworm Jim, Aladdin — all perfect.
Top games: Sonic 2, Streets of Rage 2, Mortal Kombat II, Earthworm Jim
Game Boy / Game Boy Color100%
All original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games run perfectly. Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow/Gold/Silver/Crystal, Tetris, Link's Awakening — all flawless.
Top games: Pokemon Gold/Silver, Tetris, Zelda: Link's Awakening, Metroid II
🟡 Excellent Emulation — 90-99% Compatibility
PlayStation 1 (PS1)97%
97% of PS1 games run at full speed. The R36S has dual analog sticks — critical for 3D PS1 games. Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, Metal Gear Solid, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Tekken 3, Gran Turismo — all excellent. 3% of games have minor slowdowns in heavy 3D scenes.
Top games: Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Tekken 3
Nintendo 64 (N64)90%
90% of N64 games run well. Mario 64, GoldenEye, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Mario Kart 64, Banjo-Kazooie — all playable with dual analog. 10% of games have slowdowns or graphical glitches in demanding scenes.
Top games: Mario 64, GoldenEye, Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, Banjo-Kazooie
🟠 Good Emulation — 70-89% Compatibility
PlayStation Portable (PSP)78%
78% of PSP games run at playable speed. God of War: Chains of Olympus, Crisis Core, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Persona 3 Portable — playable but may need settings tweaks. 22% of games run below full speed. For better PSP, consider the R36MAX (88%).
Top games: God of War: CoO, Crisis Core, Monster Hunter, Persona 3 Portable
Sega Saturn72%
72% of Saturn games run at playable speed. 2D games (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Radiant Silvergun) run well. 3D games are hit-or-miss. Nights into Dreams, Virtua Fighter 2 — playable.
Top games: Castlevania: SotN, Radiant Silvergun, Nights into Dreams
🔴 Limited Emulation — Below 70%
Nintendo DSLimited
DS games technically run but the dual-screen layout is squeezed onto the R36S's single 3.5" screen, making text very small. Performance is adequate but the display limitation makes DS gaming uncomfortable for extended sessions.
❌ Cannot Emulate — Hardware Limitation
| System | Why R36S Cannot Run It | Alternative Device |
|---|---|---|
| GameCube | RK3326 too weak for Dolphin | Retroid Pocket Flip 2 (~$219) |
| Wii | RK3326 too weak for Dolphin | Retroid Pocket Flip 2 (~$219) |
| PlayStation 2 | RK3326 too weak for PCSX2 | Retroid Pocket Flip 2 (~$219) |
| Xbox | No viable ARM emulator | PC required |
| PlayStation 3 | Far beyond RK3326 capability | PC required |
❓ R36S Emulation FAQ
What systems can the R36S emulate?
The R36S emulates 20+ systems. Perfect (100%): GBA, SNES, NES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy/GBC. Excellent: PS1 (97%), N64 (90%). Good: PSP (78%), Saturn (72%). Limited: DS (display issues). Cannot run: GameCube, Wii, PS2, PS3, Xbox.
Can the R36S emulate PS2 games?
No. The R36S cannot emulate PS2 games. The RK3326 processor is not powerful enough for PS2 emulation (PCSX2). For PS2 emulation on a handheld, you need the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 (~$219) which achieves ~60% PS2 compatibility.
How good is R36S N64 emulation?
R36S N64 emulation is 90% compatible. Mario 64, GoldenEye, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Mario Kart 64, and Banjo-Kazooie all run well. The R36S has dual analog sticks which are essential for proper N64 gaming. 10% of games have slowdowns in demanding scenes.
Is R36S good for PSP emulation?
The R36S runs 78% of PSP games at playable speed. God of War: Chains of Olympus, Crisis Core, and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite are playable. For better PSP performance (88%), the R36MAX is the upgrade. For the best PSP emulation on a handheld, the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 achieves 95%.
🎮 R36S — 20+ Systems · 15,000+ Games · $79.99
GBA 100% · PS1 97% · N64 90% · Dual analog · Zero setup
→ Shop R36S — $79.99 Full Games Guide📖 See also: What Games Can R36S Play · R36S Setup Guide · R36S 30-Day Review
