Best Arcade Game Emulators for PC: Run on a USB Drive

RetroArch Console Game Emulator

RetroArch - Playing AfterBurner - Console Game Emulator

RetroArch is a free and open source game emulation platform that provides a unified way to play games from many classic gaming systems on modern computers and devices. Rather than being a single console emulator, it functions as a frontend for the Libretro framework, allowing different emulator and game-engine cores to be used from one consistent interface.

The software supports a wide range of platforms and can be used on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and other supported systems. It also offers features such as save states, shaders, controller configuration, rewinding, screenshots, recording, and network play for compatible cores and games.

Visual Boy Advance Emulator

Visual Boy Advance (VBA) is an Open Source Game Boy Advance Emulator that allows users to play Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on a PC. Originally released in 2004, VBA quickly became one of the most popular Game Boy emulators for Windows, and it remains one of the best portable emulators available today.

Gens - Sega Genesis Emulator

Gens is a classic Sega Genesis emulator for Windows that allows users to play Sega Genesis and Mega Drive games directly on a PC. A portable version is available from the author, making it easy to store and run the emulator from a USB flash drive without installation.

MAME - Free Arcade Game Emulator for PC

MAME - Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator is a free arcade game emulator for PC. This arcade emulation software absorbed its sister project which was previously known as MESS (Multi Emulator Super System). The multi purpose emulation framework can be used to play old arcade games via ROMS on your modern computer. The Game Emulation Software can currently emulate thousands of old classic arcade video games.

DOSBox - Portable DOS Emulator

DOSBox is a portable DOS emulator or Portable DOSBox that can be used to run many old DOS games or applications that cannot be run on a modern Windows Operating System. It is great to use for those old DOS software applications or games you may have sitting around collecting dust.

Jnes - Portable NES Emulator

Jnes is an old school Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator that can be run from a portable device such as a USB flash drive. This lightweight NES emulation software not only provides accurate gameplay but also includes an advanced database of Pro Action Replay and Game Genie cheat codes to enhance your gaming experience. Best of all, it supports Kaillera netplay so you can play with or against your friends across the network in real time.