One edge Android has over other mobile operating systems is a decreased amount of control over the applications that are allowed to be uploaded and offered on the Google PlayStore. Even if Google manually approves and publishes applications onto their store, Android apps do not fall under that exact level of investigation and limitation as their iOS counterparts. Sometimes, this can result in hazardous apps being allowed into the PlayStore, but most times it means that some applications will forever remain Android-only because of Apple’s guidelines for certain kinds of app.
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One genre of apps that will never be visible on iOS are Emulators. If you know nothing about them lets break it down.
An emulator lets one piece of hardware or software to behave like a fully different system. We have several types of emulators for running older computer applications or operating systems, emulators became very famous through the gaming community. Console emulators let you load and play digital video games via dumping the software off a cartridge onto your PC or Android device.
There are several emulators that you can download or buy on the Play Store, for systems like the NES and SNES, Game Boy Advance e.t.c. One of the most apt emulators that can be seen on the Play Store is Exophase’s DraStic, which is a Nintendo DS emulator that you can download for $4.99 i.e 1,786 naira. Paying that will provide you with lots of features that you will appreciate.
DraStic
One of the best emulators you will find on the Play Store. It has an amazing, beautiful user interface, and several settings that can be used to customize how you intend to play. Users can play with their mobile device, plus a Bluetooth controller that will let you stay away from having to make use of on-screen controls. First and foremost, lets focus on some of the visual options you can alter to make your system appear and feel amazing while you play.
On its video settings, You will want to modify them according to how powerful your mobile device or tab is, but if you possess a recent flagship phone, you should be able to boost some of the base settings without risking below par performance. Like several apps, if you have no knowledge what something does, its best to stay away. If you change anything and your phone or the app itself begins to malfunction, it is wise to refrain from such in future.
Some emulators have various custom options like buffered rendering and particular frame rate restrictions, but DraStic does a lot to ensure its video settings is clean, easy and uncomplicated. The only thing you might need to alter here is the fast-forward speed and custom filter. For your fast-forward speed, 200 percent is okay since playing a game above that can make it difficult to manage. Fast-forwarding can be toggled on and off here. Ensure you make use of the default setting as the filter setting.
As per general settings, this is where you are allowed to change the default screen layout for the emulator. If there is anything you do not fancy, it can be customized to suit your taste. This settings also houses options to display FPS settings, set the emulator to landscape or potrait mode, autosave and turn off the back button. On the main settings, you can also upload your game saves to Google Drive, if something happens to your device. Now this is something you will not see in other emulators.
On Screen Controls
Majority of users will most likely play with on-screen controls, and how effective this will be is dependent on the game in question. Games like Pokemon HeartGold that do not require intense use of the DS’s touchscreen will be really simple to rock with virtual controls. Although, some games, because of their play style, will be hard or not possible to play. Another game like The World Ends With You has some form of combat that needs both physical controls and touchscreen controls to be used simultaneously, meaning you cannot play it on an emulator. Fortunately for you though, a version developed for smartphones and tabs can be bought on the playstore. I actually recommend that purchase. As for Pokemon, where the bottom screen mostly functions as a display or your menu and your battle commands, emulation should be apt, on-screen controls should be beautiful. They are convenient to control and an enabled haptic feedback in settings makes buttons feel real.
Physical Controls
Virtual buttons can be great and all, but tactile buttons still remain king while you game. If you own a Bluetooth Android gamepad, you must know now that it works with DraStic without any configuration needed from you. If you are having problems, you can have a look at your control mappings under “external gamepad” in settings. Pressing and holding every of them will reveal to you what exactly all buttons are mapped to. The little control issue is not even a deterrent. Making use of gamepad while playing Pokemon to test out DraStic is bliss, despite any minor control issue.
Playing Games
When it comes to playing games, DraStic is not just effective, it is one of the most stable, well-supported emulators on the market. When you immediately launch the app and select “load games,” the app will scan your phone’s storage to locate supported game files. You simply click “continue” to reopen a recent game on the main menu, and amazingly, the game starts from where it stopped. A shortcut on your homescreen is available to load straight into any game of your choice. When you look to the right, you will notice you can disable stylus control on the bottom display and this is vital if you aim to make use of virtual buttons without touching the screen. You also get an option to make the top display the only display, so if you do intend to utilize your touchscreen at a particular time, you can have it disabled to display a much larger screen. The mute option lets you activate and deactivate your mic. Your screen and virtual gamepad controls are also easily customizable.
Resizing of your displays is also possible as you want. The way you can easily change all these settings is one of the amazing benefits of playing games on emulated systems ad immediately setup is finished, you’ll be having fun and loving your games with extra portability and lovely features offered by an application like DraStic.
Wrapping Up
We do not expect Emulation to replace the amazing feel of holding a gamepad or handheld console in your hands, but if you intend to move around your old games in your pocket to be able to have fun with it at all times, emulating the experience is useful. There are other free options for DS emulators on the Google Play Store, but none provides the support and stability you experience with DraStic.
