This article first appeared on Beanstalk.io. Substantial edits have been made for its republication here.
The Atari 2600 is credited as the console that popularized ROM cartridges storing game code. It also is seen as the purveyor of video games with games like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and the one that caused the video game crash of 1983, E.T. Extra-Terrestrial.
Below are the best emulators for this primordial force of the video game industry, the Atari 2600.
1. Stella

Stella is the best standalone emulator for the Atari 2600 Video Computer System (VCS). It runs on all desktop hardware and is also available as a Retroarch core, allowing you to play your Atari 2600 games on hardware where Stella is not available as a standalone.
Stella is a high-speed, cycle-based emulator that maintains high accuracy. It supports high-quality sound emulation, including stereo sound and dynamic sound resampling.
Besides software emulation, Stella can also emulate hardware controllers such as joysticks, paddles, the driving controller, CBS Booster Grip, and Sega Genesis and Quadtri controllers, using a keyboard, joysticks, or even a mouse. The Atari keyboard can also be emulated using your computer’s keyboard, which, while not surprising, adds to its versatility.
Stella offers gamepad support for common controller types. High-score saving is also available, a foundational feature of this era. Save states are also supported, which should be expected in every recommended emulator. For the emulator nerds, there is an extensive debugger, including static analysis with the Distella disassembler and dynamic analysis at runtime, tracking code/graphics/data sections, and generating DASM-compatible disassembly files.
One of the most important features of this emulator is its emulation of CRT TV. Stella uses Blargg filtering with presets for common TV outputs like Composite, S-Video, and RGB. Gamers can customize settings such as contrast, brightness, saturation, and gamma to their preference.
Pros
- Accurate
- In active development
- Lots of features especially the filtering
Cons
- No standalone port for ARM / mobile devices
2. MAME

Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME) is a C++-based, multi-platform, open-source, multi-system emulator. It differs from Retroarch because Retroarch is not an emulator, while MAME is. MAME is enormous, supporting thousands of machines and ROM sets; however, what is supported is not always playable, so your experience may vary. If you dislike MAME’s default interface, numerous alternative frontends are available, including the aforementioned Retroarch. Retroarch is the third recommendation on this list, although technically, it is not an emulator.
MAME’s main goal is to preserve decades of arcade, computer, and console history. As technology advances, MAME ensures these critical retro systems are not lost or forgotten.
While MAME’s Atari 2600 emulation is cycle-based, it also supports plugins. These plugins are mostly functionality-based and not hacks to improve performance or accuracy. Due to its age, the Atari 2600 is not hard to emulate anymore, so there is no need for plugins to address those specific requirements.
3. Retroarch

Retroarch is a multi-platform front-end, not an emulator itself. It is a fast and lightweight front-end that can run on any hardware. What makes Retroarch superior to using standalone emulators is the ability to switch systems within the program without closing and opening applications. The settings are also saved across the platform. This is particularly helpful for older systems like the Atari 2600 and Sega systems pre-Dreamcast.
Retroarch’s options and tweaks are fantastic. The user interface can be adjusted to fit any screen size, from small smartphones to large TVs. While it may be exhausting to search for those options, they do exist. Since the performance of the cores depends on your hardware’s power, the user interface experience should be consistent regardless of your hardware.
Retroarch’s main advantage is its ability to eliminate input lag. However, for Atari 2600 emulation, this is not crucial, as all hardware from this decade and the previous one can run games from that console without needing input lag reduction.
Another advantage of Retroarch is the achievements acquired through Retroachievements. For those emulating the Atari 2600 for nostalgic reasons, the high score-saving feature is often enough. However, Retroachievements add extra fun if that’s your interest.
It is up to you which core you use to emulate Atari 2600 games, though the Stella core is highly recommended for its maturity.
Pros
- Highly configurable
- Excellent input lag reduction (though not necessary for playing Atari 2600 games)
- Available on a wide range of gaming hardware, including the PSP and the 3DS
Cons
- Not beginner-friendly
- Requires navigating through menus
4. Javatari

If in the year of our Lord 2024 you still lack the hardware powerful enough to run any Atari 2600 emulator or frontend, Javatari is your only option to play the system. This is also the way to play Atari 2600 games on iOS devices since it uses your browser. Yes, the Atari 2600 system is so old that it can run on browsers. Watch out in the near future as Apple opens their systems to third-party stores; expect emulators like the Atari 2600 to be available for iOS. The future is already here.
Javatari runs on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on desktop hardware as well as their iOS and Android counterparts. The touch controls, if you choose to play on your smartphone or tablet, can be customized and even include haptic feedback. You can also install Javatari as a WebApp to run it offline on a desktop or mobile. Common emulator features like adjustable speed, save states, and screen capture are included. Advanced features like a debugger and multiplayer through Netplay are also available.
Pros
- Accurate
- Actively developed
- Many features, including multiplayer
- Can be used as a WebApp
Cons
- No standalone port for any device
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