Matthew Underwood

EmuVR – Free Immersive and Nostalgic Emulation with Online Multiplayer!

One of my best discoveries in retro gaming this year has to be EmuVR, and it’s just come out with a new update. You can think of EmuVR as an immersive front end for RetroArch, which provides a cozy and nostalgic 3D bedroom for you to play retro games in. While the emphasis is definitely on the virtual reality experience with full physics and interaction on all games, CDs, consoles, and TVs, EmuVR is just as enjoyable with a mouse and keyboard. The Netplay Update, which came out at the end of 2020, transformed EmuVR from a fun toy into one of the most fun and unique gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and it’s FREE!

Join the Beta: https://www.emuvr.net/beta
Read the Guide: https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide
Check out the Site: https://www.emuvr.net/
EmuVR on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmuVR
EmuVR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmuVR
Support EmuVR on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EmuVR

EmuVR isn’t just for gaming, either! You can play video as well on VHS tapes in your VCR. I’ve had lots of fun finding old Toonami broadcasts on archive.org and sticking them on VHS tapes that I play in the background while my friends and I are gaming. I’ve also spent far too much time importing labels for all my games and collecting posters to stick on the walls. I even changed the walls themselves into wood paneling!

This most recent update is full of quality of life changes. They are detailed in the Downloads channel of the EmuVR discord and include:

  • “Machine gun mode” lightgun support
  • An easier way to label your games
  • An indicator for which games are available to play with your friends
  • A notification for new updates
  • And much, much more!

I do very much suggest checking out the discord since it’s a super supportive and helpful environment. While the setup isn’t exactly for the faint of heart (Remember, you and your friends each have to bring your own roms!), the documentation is surprisingly fantastic and if you have any trouble then the kind folks on the discord should be able to help you out. They also have semi regular net-play meetups and events.

EmuVR utilizes RetroArch for its emulation back-end, so it supports most anything that RetroArch does from NES to PS2, even if not all the consoles are fully modeled at the moment. If you’re looking for some suggestions, these have been our favorite net-play games that really hold up:

  • Mario Party 1-3 – N64
  • Mario Tennis – N64
  • Wheel of Fortune – N64
  • F-Zero X – N64
  • Mario Golf – N64
  • Frogger – PS1
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Arcade
  • NBA Jam – Arcade
  • Windjammers – NeoGeo
  • Super Bomberman – SNES
  • Micro Machines – SNES
  • The Lost Vikings – Genesis/Megadrive