Last week we covered the news that Retro Gaming emulators were going to be heading to an Apple iPhone near you (probably the one in your pocket or hand right now). Now, our favourite go-to Pokemon-playing program Delta is set to become a lot easier to download on Apple’s devices after being approved for third-party app store distribution.
The Alt Store has been a go-to hub for all things emulation for a while now, created by the developer of Delta after Apple originally denied the app a place on their own App Store back in 2019. Now, it seems like the tech giant is doing a U-turn and looking to Delta as the first emulator to receive their blessing after Delta creator Riley Testut posted the news on Mastadon.
Delta is already via the Alt Store, an app store users can download onto their Mac and PC and use as their default store for Apps on their phone. Still, with this approval from Apple and the fact that there is clearly a history between the two that goes back many years, they might well be the first to appear on the actual iPhone App Store in the new move. Delta is set to be ‘easier to download’, so we’re keeping everything crossed that this is the move in play!
Delta – The Alpha Of iPhone Retro Gaming
Delta has been a well-known name for a long time here at Retro Dodo, with many members of the community using it to play Pokemon on the go (not Pokemon Go) and reliving some of the best GBA moments in history. Currently, players can make everything from the NES through to the DS work on the system, and we’re very excited for more of you to experience more of your favourite retro games on Apple’s mighty device.
I’m a huge fan of the use of skins on the emulator too – turning a phone into a GBA or a SNES for gaming sessions really makes the whole thing more enjoyable, and with customisation options to tinker with the gameplay and hook up other controllers for a more comfortable gaming session, it’s a one-stop-shop for retro gaming fans.
So, Apple approves the Delta emulator, which means it’s keeping its promise to get retro gaming onto iPhone. Of course, the question of illegal ROMs still remains one that needs to be considered, but this is a great step in the right direction.
As always, stay tuned for more information as and when we get it, and keep dreaming of which console you’re going to emulate first on your iPhone when the official rollout happens!
Seb Santabarbara has bought every Nintendo console that has ever been released in his 34 years on Planet Earth. His favourite game franchise is Zelda, and he’s patiently waiting for Banjo-Kazooie to come back to the fold. When he’s not playing games, he’s travelling the world in his self-converted camper van.
