The Delta emulator is now officially accessible on the Apple App Store at no cost, except within the European Union, where it can be obtained through the third-party AltStore PAL app marketplace recently launched. This marks the debut of a significant and officially approved game emulator for the iPhone since Apple began permitting them, offering broad console emulation ranging from the original Nintendo Entertainment System to the Nintendo 64, and even the Sega Genesis.
Delta developer Riley Testut mentioned via email that the app is indistinguishable from the version premiering on AltStore PAL. It includes on-screen buttons that dynamically adjust their layout and appearance to match the system being emulated. The app supports Bluetooth controllers like the Xbox One Series S or PS5 controllers, allowing users to customize their layout and assign additional buttons for functions such as quick save states and fast-forwarding through cutscenes.
Delta also accommodates unique Nintendo input methods like the gyroscope in WarioWare: Twisted! or the microphone controls in Nintendo DS games such as Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Additional features include automatic retrieval of game box art, the ability to customize artwork using the built-in database or custom images, support for importing controller skins or creating custom ones, and multiplayer functionality for the NES, SNES, and N64 (up to four players), as well as AirPlay streaming.
While a few other emulators preceded Delta, such as iGBA and Bimmy, they were short-lived due to Apple removing iGBA over spam and copyright violations, and Bimmy’s developer being hesitant in light of Nintendo’s crackdown on emulators.
Testut’s Delta app is not entirely new, having released its 1.0 version in 2019 alongside the original AltStore alternative to jailbreaking. This extensive history means the app has undergone five years of refinement, making it one of the most polished emulation experiences on the iPhone for the foreseeable future.
