How to Emulate Pokémon on iPhone

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Play retro games like Pokémon Red and Blue with the Delta Emulator app

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: August 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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Delta Emulator

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Other Pokémon Apps

Released on the App Store in 2024, the Delta Game Emulator app has made it easier than ever to enjoy your favorite old-school Pokémon titles on your iPhone. We’ll walk you through each and every step so you can enjoy your favorite classic games on your phone. For an added bonus, we’ll even run down some other popular games produced by The Pokémon Company on the App Store, so you can keep all your options open.

Quick Steps

Download the Delta emulator app.
Download your desired Pokémon ROM file.
Save the file to your Files app and unzip it.
Open the Delta app and import the unzipped file.
Tap the game file and hit Open .
Tap the game’s art in your library to start playing.

Section 1 of 2:

Delta Emulator

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1
Download and open Delta Emulator. Delta Game Emulator is a relatively new app that entered the App Store in 2024, which gives players the option to emulate a variety of games, including many Pokémon titles for game systems like:
- N64
- Game Boy
- Game Boy Color
- Game Boy Advance
- Nintendo DS
- Important note: You can’t emulate more recent Pokémon games from consoles like the Nintendo Switch, or even the GameCube and Wii.
2
Download the ROM file for the Pokémon game of your choosing. Google “[name of Pokémon game] rom” and download the file from a reputable site. Tap the Download button at the bottom of your screen to confirm and start the download process.
- Check out sites like Vimm’s Lair to get started.
- On ROM sites, you can find a variety of popular retro Pokémon games, like Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon Red, Pokémon Crystal, and many more.
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Tap Open in next to your download, and then tap Save to Files .
4
Tap the ROM file to unzip it. Chances are, the ROM file that you downloaded will be zipped/compressed. Simply tap on the zip folder from the ROM file to unzip it, revealing the game file.
- The file should feature the purple Delta icon, implying that the file can be opened with the emulator.
You can find the + icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
6
Select the unzipped game file from your screen and hit Open . Navigate to the folder in your Files app where you downloaded and unzipped the game file. Tap on the game file so it’s highlighted, and then tap Open in the top-right corner of the screen.
- The game title and its corresponding art should now appear in your game library.
The emulator will now boot up with your desired Pokémon title. Enjoy the game!

Section 2 of 2:

Other Pokémon Apps

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1
Pokémon UNITE Pokémon UNITE brings Pokémon to the world of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games, where you work with other players to strengthen your own Pokémon and score points with the ultimate goal of beating the enemy team’s score. ^{[1]
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- Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
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Pokémon Masters EX Pokémon Masters EX converts the traditional Pokémon game experience to a phone-ready app. With the help of your partner Pokémon, journey and battle your way through Pasio Island and become the best Pokémon trainer ever.
- Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
3
Pokémon TCG Live If you’re a fan of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), you’ll enjoy Pokémon TCG Live, which gives you the fast-paced action of TCG straight from your phone.
- Cost: Free (but requires you to have a Pokémon Trading Card Game online account)
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Pokémon Quest Pokémon Quest takes on a more cube-like art style, where you can adventure through the world of Tumblecube Island with your best Pokémon pal by your side. ^{[2]
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- Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
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Pokémon Café ReMix Pokémon Café ReMix is a puzzle-solving game that puts you in the role of a café owner/manager. With different game modes, you can pass the time with a variety of fun activities. ^{[3]
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- Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
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Pokémon: Magikarp Jump Pokémon: Magikarp Jump puts you in the role of Pokémon trainer once again as you train your Magikarp and enter it into league battles.
- Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
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Pokémon GO This iconic game transforms your everyday life into a Pokémon game. Originally released in 2016, Pokémon Go took the world by storm with a unique AR feature that allowed to catch digital versions of Pokémon as you walk around in the great outdoors.
- Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
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Pokémon Sleep While not as much of a “game” as the other options on this list, this Pokémon app encourages you to get high-quality sleep while leaving the Pokémon Sleep app open all night. ^{[4]
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- Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
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Pokémon Home This app isn’t really a Pokémon game, but it’s a helpful resource for players who enjoy multiple Pokémon titles and are hoping to transfer some of their Pokémon across different games.
- Cost: Free, though the Pokémon Home service costs $2.99 per month ^{[5]
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