This is how the Nintendo Switch emulator for Android works

The processing power of mobile phones, especially high-end models, rivals that of consoles like the Nintendo Switch. Therefore, given that both operate on the same ARM architecture, it was only a matter of time before a Switch game emulator for Android appeared . So, if you're interested, here's everything you need to know about EGG NS Emulator, the emulator that lets you turn your mobile phone into Nintendo's hybrid console.

Is it possible to play Nintendo Switch games on Android?

With so many emulators available, many of them already with fully functional versions for Android devices, numerous users wonder if there isn't an application capable of emulating Nintendo Switch games . This is especially true because the power of current smartphones has reached such levels that they have little or nothing to envy in the NVIDIA Tegra processor used in Nintendo's console.

Well, there is indeed a Nintendo Switch emulator for Android. It's called Egg NS Emulator , and with it you can play all those titles you love from Nintendo's console. Well, almost all of them, because at the moment there's a list of over 500 tested titles; some may not work as expected or may not run at all. But before you rush off to search the internet for a download link, there are a few important details you should know.

What is EGG NS Emulator?

EGG NS Emulator is an Android app that allows you to load and emulate Nintendo Switch game backups. Taking advantage of the fact that the Switch uses a processor with ARM architecture, the developers of EGG NS Emulator thought that a relatively powerful mobile would be able to emulate the Nintendo console as long as the software was good enough to translate the original instructions of the hybrid console. .

Unlike other software like Citra for 3DS or Yuzu (the Switch emulator for PC), EGG NS Emulator uses closed source. This is a disadvantage for its progress, because by not being transparent with the code, the development does not have a large community, so its progress will be slower than that of other projects.

Egg NS Emulator Requirements

The first thing you need to know is that Egg NS Emulator is a Switch emulator for Android devices that only works with those equipped with a Qualcomm processor. The minimum requirement is a device with a Snapdragon 855. However, due to performance limitations, some games are only compatible with smartphones that have newer processors, such as the Snapdragon 855+, Snapdragon 865, Snapdragon 888, and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

This is the first drawback, although it makes sense since you will need as much power as possible so that the experience is as similar to that of a Nintendo laptop. The second requirement is a specific driver.

GameSir X2: the controller you'll need to have to play Egg NS Emulator

The GameSir X2 is the game controller you'll need to run this Switch emulator for Android. As you can see in the images, this controller, once attached to your device, essentially transforms it into a Nintendo Switch.

Thanks to the controller, you'll not only have a better grip, but also access to every single control and button that the Nintendo console offers. You won't be missing a thing. You'll have the two analog sticks, the four buttons on each side, the L and R buttons, triggers, and even the screenshot buttons, etc.

The official price of this controller is €99,99, although some online stores are currently selling it with an additional discount. You can visit the manufacturer's website and from there find the available purchase options.

Buy GameSir X2 USB-C

How to download the Nintendo Switch emulator for Android

Now that you know the requirements for using this Nintendo Switch emulator on Android devices , you're probably wondering where to get it. Well, the emulator is available for download from various websites and servers that have uploaded it and made it available to any interested user.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9z8KZQmBZI

However, the best option is always the official one. That is, downloading it via the Google Drive link provided by the project developers. We should warn you, though, that you'll need not only the file with the Android emulator, but also an additional application called SwitchDroid Folder.

Here are the two links to the emulator and the mentioned app:

Once you have both files downloaded to your computer, the installation process is quite simple. It basically involves connecting your phone to your computer, copying the files to a folder, and following the remaining steps outlined in the Egg NS Installation Guide.

Done, from that moment you can start enjoying various Nintendo Switch games on your Android phone in the same way as you can see in the video above. With a fluidity that in the case of somewhat less graphically demanding proposals allows everything to go very smoothly.

What games are compatible with Egg NS Emulator?

The developers of Egg NS Emulator frequently publish a list of games and their system requirements. These requirements are based on the following parameters:

Grade: is the rating given to the title regarding the gaming experience. It has four levels:
- A-Excellent: It means that you will be able to play this video game with a performance practically identical to what you would have on a real Nintendo Switch.
- B-Playable: It can be played, but we are going to have problems when loading cinematics or sudden drops in frames per second. The experience will not be identical to playing on the original console, but it will be close.
- c-good: The execution of the game is acceptable. However, we will have to live with more frequent drops in frames, as well as bugs and crashes. You can play, but the experience will be quite different from the original. If you are desperate for jerks, forget about playing a game that has this rating.
- D-Nothing: game execution is not possible. Therefore, there is no compatibility between the emulator and the video game.
FPS: This parameter marks the average number of frames per second that has been achieved by the test. The ideal is to have 30/30 FPS. 25 is quite an acceptable parameter. Below that number, playing will be quite cumbersome, so you should wait for better emulator optimization or use a more powerful terminal.
test device: refers to the SoC that equipped the smartphone on which the video game was tested. It does not speak of terminal, but of processor.
Version: version of the emulator in which the test has been done. Every time a new stable version of the emulator comes out, the ideal is for the community to repeat all the tests to give the most realistic image possible of the improvements. Normally this is only released with stable builds. Still, you are free to try beta builds of the emulator and test the performance of different titles.

Games tested with Egg NS Emulator

If you are curious about the performance of the games in this emulator, here we link a series of videos in which you will be able to appreciate the performance of multiple titles using this Nintendo Switch emulator for Android

Does EGG NS Emulator use stolen code?

If you look around the Internet, especially YouTube, you may have seen many videos advising against the use of EGG NS Emulator. For what is this? Do they do something illegal? Well, the truth is that this software has a somewhat controversial history.

Apparently EGG NS Emulator is not genuine software. The developers of Yuzu (the Switch emulator for PC) discovered long ago that EGG NS Emulator uses a huge amount of stolen code to work. In other words, they have used the Yuzu code (which has a GPLv2 license) and have turned it into paid software, thus bypassing the license. But the thing does not stop there. On the Android emulator's own website, they tell us that the development team behind EGG NS Emulator originates from the United States. Once again, they are deceiving us. The website has tons of bits in Chinese, and you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce that it's a team of Chinese developers who have dedicated themselves to stealing the software.

Where is the business then? The Chinese team is apparently stealing Yuzu's code and turning it into closed and proprietary software without permission. Technically, the developers of EGG NS Emulator would be committing an illegality by distributing a product that plagiarizes another and making money from the process. Obviously, you are free to use it or not. However, since there are so many videos about it, it seemed almost mandatory to mention this phenomenon in the article so that later you don't get a surprise.

Other Nintendo Switch emulators

skyline

Skyline is an alternative to the EGG NS Emulator for Android. It's a project that uses the open-source code of the Ryujinx emulator, which is already available for Windows. It also incorporates some Yuzu code, but unlike with the EGG NS Emulator, the Yuzu team has granted permission for its inclusion in Skyline.

Skyline's performance is decent, but still far from what we've seen with EGG NS Emulator. Its development is not that long, so there is still a long way to go. Unlike EGG NS Emulator, Skyline is compatible with several gamepads, so we won't be forced to buy a specific controller.

If you're interested in checking out this emulator, the code is available on GitHub , along with the full compatibility list. For now, this app is only compatible with Android devices running an ARMv8 processor. As for games, don't expect too much just yet. The team is working hard to get Sonic Mania, Celeste, and Super Mario Odyssey running smoothly on the emulator.

In addition, there is a public Discord server where you can download the APK, as well as interact with other users and contribute what you consider necessary to this project.

Emulators for Windows

This Nintendo Switch emulator for Android isn't the only one available. There are other options, though they are designed for different operating systems. In particular, there are some very good Switch emulators that run on Windows PCs.

Some of these Nintendo Switch emulators for Windows are:

yuzu, for many the best and most advanced option when it comes to playing Switch titles on a PC. It is free, although it has a payment method that allows access to the most recent developments of the emulator.
ryujinx, It is another of the options and in addition to having a version for Windows, it also offers it for macOS

So if you don't have a high-end phone that supports Egg NS Emulator or you do, but you don't want to buy the controller for whatever reason, these are good alternatives. It is true that you lose portability, but as a general rule you will have more power on a computer than on a mobile.

Is it worth emulating the Nintendo Switch?

The developers of Egg NS Emulator themselves set a bad example with this image. Never pirate indie games.

The topic of emulation always raises many questions, and not just legal ones. We already know that emulation isn't illegal as long as you have the necessary rights . Furthermore, for enjoying older games for which it's very difficult to find the hardware they ran on natively, it has always been the best option.

However, emulating the Nintendo Switch might not be such a good idea . The experience you get with the console itself will always be far superior to any emulator. Plus, you don't lose the portability offered by all its current versions, or the ability to connect it to a larger screen in the case of the original model or the recent OLED version. Emulation makes a lot of sense when it comes to taking advantage of any current hardware to enjoy older games, or even as a way to preserve video game culture, since many companies—like Nintendo itself—don't take this very seriously and allow many games released for their platforms to fall into oblivion.

The real Switch just keeps doing better

When it comes to emulating the Switch, things are different. Is it worth spending €100 on a controller to try your luck playing games that will likely be choppy? The truth is, no, since for just a little more you can get a used console. Besides, there's not much point in stressing about playing a low-quality game when playing decently is as simple as going to the store and buying the original.

The same goes for the other emulator we've talked about, Skyline. The emulation in this case is far from the experience offered by the original console. Therefore, it is much more interesting to invest in a second-hand Nintendo Switch —or a Lite— rather than playing with emulators in the hope of having a good result.

So it's up to you to decide. If you don't want to complicate yourself or limit yourself to the games that are compatible, because some will not work or will work inappropriately, it is better to buy a Switch. What's more, in its Lite version it is even more economical and attractive to always carry with you.

Emulation on Switch could have its days numbered

Despite the fact that there are modchips that have managed to unlock the Nintendo Switch, the true enemies of the Nintendo handheld are not the players who have the console hacked, but rather the users who get better results emulating the Switch on other hardware.

When Metroid Dread was released , Kotaku mistakenly stated that Samus's game looked better on Yuzu than on the original console. Since then, numerous comparisons have been made with many games. And developers have decided to address the issue now that consoles like the Steam Deck can utilize this type of software.

For this reason, many developers will now use a version of Denuvo anti-piracy software for Nintendo Switch. The idea is to add a DRM to the games so that they cannot be used in emulators.

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