We all know that Sony’s PlayStation 2 is the best selling console of all time. Despite the arrival of updated versions like PS4 or PlayStation 5, PlayStation 2 is still pretty popular among gamers. But, Sony has decided to shut its manufacturing down quite a long time ago. Thus, if you’re looking forward to enjoying some PS2 games today, then you’ll have to rely on emulators. So, which is the best PS2 emulator in 2021? Can we use these emulators on both Android and PC?
Don’t worry, as we’ll not leave you hanging in between with these questions. All you’ve to do is to make sure that you read this article carefully until the end. We’re confident that by the end of it, you’ll be able to choose the best PS2 emulator to enjoy some retro games. Let’s get started:
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What are Emulators?
If you’re not sure about the working of emulators as well, then we’ve got you covered. We can describe emulators as a technology that allows you to run different medium’s games on your PC or Android mobile. For instance, games like “God of War: Ghost of Sparta” were not designed for PC or Android-based devices. However, thanks to our emulators, you can enjoy these games on your PC too.
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Thus, having an emulator is pretty similar to having a Blu-Ray player inside your PC, and you don’t have to insert any disc. Yes, all you’d need is a ROM file, and you’ll be ready to enjoy the game. So, all you’ve to do is choose an emulator according to your device’s OS, download the ROM file, and enjoy the game.
Now that you’re aware of the basic working of emulators, let’s find out which is the best PS2 emulator in 2021.
PCSX2 – Best PS2 Emulator in 2021 for PCs
When it comes to the best PS2 emulator in 2021 for PC, no emulator can beat the ultimate PCSX2. Moreover, for thousands of gamers, this emulator is their go-to emulator to enjoy retro PS2 games. So, if there’s any game left that you couldn’t play before, you can trust PCSX2 to run that game pretty smoothly.
Apart from this, some features make your overall gaming experience better than PS2 itself. Some of those features are as follows:
- Anti-aliasing so that you can eliminate those extra jaggies or glitches while gaming on PC.
- Texture filtering to display or reflect a 2D image on a 3D model without losing the original quality.
- Resolution up to 8192×8192 so that you can enjoy sharper images and don’t miss out on any type of details in the game.
Lastly, if you’re also looking forward to recording your gameplay, no other emulator is better than PCSX2. With the features mentioned above and the built-in HD recorder, you can share your gaming experience on any social media platform.
DamonPS2 – Best PS2 Emulator in 2021 for Android
If PCSX2 runs the PC’s emulator world, then undoubtedly, DamonPS2 is inevitable among the Android emulators. So, if you’re planning to enjoy some retro games on your Android device, then DamonPS2 is the best PS2 emulator you can get. Moreover, its manufacturer, Chinese DamonPlay Technology Co, also designed this emulator only for Android users.
Hence, if you’re choosing DamonPS2, then you won’t have to miss out on any specific feature of PS2 games. Moreover, this PS2 emulator also offers compatibility with more than 90% of PS2 games. Now, you might be wondering if this emulator is free or not? Luckily, DamonPS2 is a freemium emulator; hence it’s available in both free and paid variants.
The only difference between both DamonPS2 variants is that the paid version will offer you an ad-free experience and more memory slots. But, if you believe that you’ll not need those extra memory slots, then you can start enjoying the free version too.
NSX2 – Second best PS2 emulator in 2021 for PCs?
We’ve already mentioned that PCSX2 is one of the best PS2 emulators of all time. However, NSX2 or also known as NeutrinoSX2, is also not that far away. Hence, we’re ranking this emulator as the second-best PS2 emulator in 2021. Moreover, NSX2 is an open-source coding platform. Thus, it allows the users to dive into the coding world and set up the emulator according to their requirements. You don’t have to bother about the complex coding steps because NSX2 has some of the easiest and cleanest codes.
Now, you must be wondering why this PS2 emulator is only the second best? Unluckily, NSX2 has one slight disadvantage over PCSX2, making it only the second-best PS2 emulator for PCs. Currently, this emulator can support only a few limited PS2 games. Hence, it’s entirely possible that you might not be able to play your favourite retro game on this emulator.
Golden PS2 – Second best PS2 emulator in 2021 for Android
After DamonPS2, Golden PS2 is another reliable emulator for enjoying PS2 games on Android devices. Moreover, the emulator doesn’t require any BIOS file and supports a ton of PS2 games. However, there’s a reason why we have placed Golden PS2 as the second-best PS2 emulator only. Despite its attractive graphics, this emulator can offer some glitches while playing. If you’re using older Android devices, then you’re most likely to experience these glitches.
Apart from this, Golden PS2 holds another advantage which makes it a pretty special emulator. Luckily, this emulator can also support PSP games. So, if you’re looking for a PSP emulator as well, then Golden PS2 can become your best choice.
Some best PS2 or PSP games to enjoy on emulators:
It’s true indeed that PS2 or PSP consoles are now a part of gaming history. But, we’ve some evergreen games which you can enjoy even in 2021. Some of those PS2 and PSP-based games are as follows:
- Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2 console-based)
- Devil May Cry 3 (PS2 console-based)
- God of War II (PS2 console-based)
- Tekken 6 (PSP console-based)
- Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (PSP console-based)
- WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 (PSP console-based)
- Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai (PSP console-based)
Our Verdict on PS2 emulators
Lastly, we can say that there are plenty of PS2 emulators in the market to enjoy those retro games. Indeed, when it comes to the best PS2 emulator for PC, PCSX2 is the only right choice. Likewise, for Android devices, DamonPS2 is one of the best PS2 emulators in 2021.
But, if you’re looking for a different gaming experience, you can try other emulators such as Golden PS2, NSX2, etc. Moreover, many emulators like Golden PS2 also supports PSP-based games. But, if you’re using an older Android device, you might experience lag while playing these retro games.
All in all, we can say that these emulators are a great choice if you’re looking to enjoy some classic games. Also, we believe now you have understood the basics of gaming emulators and which one is the best for you. If we’ve missed your preferred PS2 emulator, then let us know about it and why it’s your favourite.
