PlayStation 2 / PS2 emulators

welcome to the PlayStation 2 (PS2) Emulators recap page

The PlayStation 2, or PS2, is a home console released by Sony in 2000 and is currently the best-selling platform, with over 160 million units sold and well emulated thanks to some reliable PS2 emulators.

The console quickly became a milestone in gaming history, offering an impressive library of iconic titles, including “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” “Final Fantasy X,” and “God of War.”

The PlayStation 2 emulation sector has been highly active over the years, and the system is actually well emulated, offering overall good performance on a wide range of platforms.

Similar to the GameCube scene, the PS2 emulation community is dominated by only a few emulators that provide extremely high compatibility and some fantastic features.

some lore (click to expand)

The PS2, which came in March 2000, marked an important milestone in the video gaming world. It was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment, which had been in research and innovation for many years. Development of the PS2 began almost immediately after the success of the original PlayStation. Sony wanted to develop a console that would not only play games but also be a home entertainment system.

It integrated the DVD player in its design and was the first to use this DVD technology. Not only did it add more quality to gaming graphics and audio, but it also brought about the feature of watching movies with the help of the PS2. It had a very strong CPU called the Emotion Engine that helped to make sure the PS2 was equipped to handle a game powerfully with excellent graphics.

However, many challenges still included the development of competition from rival consoles such as Sega’s Dreamcast and Microsoft’s new console in the market. Nevertheless, PS2 easily picked up a strong tempo thanks to backward compatibility with the original PlayStation and thanks to huge coverage in titles. Indeed, this unit would end up being the best-selling console of all time, with sales exceeding 155 million copies around the globe.

Quick data

Name: Sony PlayStation 2
Producer: Sony
Release date: 04 March 2000 (JAP)
Generation: Sixth
Status: Discontinued
Dismission date: 04 January 2013 (WRD)
Unit sold: 155 mil.
Price at launch: 299$
CPU: MIPS R5900 – 294.912/299Mhz
GPU: “Graphics Synthetizer” – 147.456 Mhz, 4Mb VRAM
RAM: 32Mb
Storage: 8Mb (Memory Card)
Resolution: Up to 1080i
Predecessor: Sony PlayStation
Successor: Sony PlayStation 3

click on the emulator's logo to access more details on the official page

best PS2 emulators for Windows, linux, SteamDeck and MAC

PCSX2

With more than 20 years of experience the PCSX2 emulator must be your first choice, with an exceptional compatibility rate of over 99% with the extensive PlayStation 2 game library and providing a modern Qt interface and features numerous enhancements and a clean and reliable out-of-the-box emulation experience.

If you’re searching for the best PlayStation 2 emulator available, look no further.

Supported Platform:

Searching for a retroarch alternative?

Retroarch

LRPS2 or Play! core

LRPS2, a Libretro fork of PCSX2, is noted for its strong compatibility and feature set. While it may not receive regular updates, it is still a good option for anyone wishing to imitate PlayStation 2 titles on modern devices.

Play!, an experimental core, provides a distinct option. Although it is less compatible than LRPS2, it uses high-level emulation (HLE) technology, allowing users to play PS2 games without the need for BIOS files.

best PlayStation 2 emulators for Android Smartphone and Android handled console

When searching for PS2 emulators for Android, you will almost surely run across an emulator called “Damon PS2”.
While this app does work and allows you to play PS2 games on your phone, it contains stolen code from the popular PCSX2 emulator.

It is preferable NOT TO USE IT for obvious moral reasons as well as any concerns about the app’s content; it may thus be potentially dangerous.

Play!

Play! is currently the most actively supported PS2 emulator on the Android platform.
This free and open-source emulator is available on Android, iOS, and Windows. While its compatibility may seem somewhat limited, as it can run nearly 50% of PS2 games, this impressive software can emulate all PS2 games without requiring any PS2 BIOS!

Supported Platform:

AetherSX2

AetherSX2 was a promising PS2 emulator with a compatibility of over 70% of the PS2 game library, but the development stopped in January 2023 due to various factor.
Thanks to the NetherSX2 patch it is still possible to use this fantastic emulator even if the installation is not the simplest.

Supported Platform:

best PlayStation 2 emulators for IOS and Ipad

Looking for a good PS2 emulator for your iPhone or iPad? All the emulators listed in this article do not require any type of jailbreak. Free apps are prioritized over paid ones, ensuring you get the best options without breaking the bank.

While some emulators may not be available in certain regions, you can still install them easily via sideloading, especially if you’re an EU user, where the process is much simpler.

Play!

Play! it is the best choice for playing PS2 games even on iOS systems!
This free and open-source emulator is available on Android, iOS, and Windows. While its compatibility may seem somewhat limited, this impressive software can emulate all PS2 games without requiring any PS2 BIOS!
Performance and compatibility are inferior to the PC and Android versions but there are no other valid alternatives.

Play! is not on the official app store so you nedd to use Cydia, Trollstore or download the ipa file from the official site and also enabling JIT is mandatory to achieve any decent performance.