The number of gamers has increased exponentially in recent times. While some people like playing on native platforms, there are several who prefer cross-platform compatibility. Before we start exploring the options on how to play iOS games on PC, please note that there are two main methods of doing so.
Firstly, you could simply connect your iOS device with a PC project and then view the screen on your computer while performing the actions on your phone. Secondly (and this is more practical), you can opt for an emulator and run a game on your PC seamlessly.
However, since the first option is not quite popular, we will discuss it at the end of the article and will start off with emulators for now.
How To Play iOS Games On PC: iOS Emulators
What Is An iOS Emulator?
Basically, it happens to be an application, providing a virtual environment where you can see the screen just as it would appear on your smartphone and then run any app you like (iOS games in our case).
Following is a quick overview of some of the emulators that are most often used and talked about in the industry.
iPadian
For most of the users, iPadian is where the query ‘how to play iOS games on PC’ ends as it offers a similar GUI to that of an iPad. Therefore, it does not even seem as if you are playing on another system. Apart from the GUI, iPadian also provides you with decent processing speed, compatibility, and display quality.
Please note that it comes in both free and paid versions and while the later one certainly offers more features, the freemium one is quite popular among iOS gamers. The only noticeable con is that iPadian does now allow you to use the App Store and you have to rely on its native store for downloads other than ones already on your phone.
Nintendo 3D
It happens to be one of the best and most widely used console-based emulators in the niche. If your game is not an ordinary one and you like playing ‘heavy’ then this solution is for you as it’s great when it comes to user-friendliness and robust performance.
Even if the game is heavy, you won’t find any lagging issues, as with several other solutions in the market.
Electric Mobile Studio
Well, even though it is not free, the quality being offered for the price is pretty justified and this is the reason why most of the gamers who have used this emulator have never even thought about trying another one.
Apart from playing iOS games on PC, you can also use this ‘rich’ tool for developing different apps in a variety of programming languages, which further justifies its monthly price tag.
You also get 7 days of trial, which is a reasonable period for testing the tool.
iMAME
It is not quite popular among those who want to play iOS games on PC, but the option is not fully ignorable. What gives it a par over many other emulators is that iMAME can be used to download apps/games directly from the App Store as well.
Some people might have problems running the latest iOS games using this emulator, but if you are using iOS 10 or below, it won’t cause any issues.
AIR iPhone
This is yet another top of the line emulators and its UI resembles iOS 6, hence giving a modern look than many other competitors. Whether you are looking to play iOS games on PC or just want to use different apps, this emulator is perfectly suited for both types.
Before downloading this tool, please note that it only works if you have Adobe AIR framework up and running on the system. Apart from that, it is perfectly suitable for developers as well since they can test an entire game on AIR iPhone before its final release.
Smartface
Apart from being a gamer, you could also be a developer trying to test your game on a variety of resolutions and Operating Systems. This is the case where Smartface comes into play as it does not even require a MacOS for you to run the game and test it from the developer’s perspective.
Even though it is not free, you can start using it from just $99.
How To Play iOS Games On PC: Mirrors
Other than using an emulator, you could also go for a mirror, such as FonePaw which simply puts up your screen on the PC. The procedure is quite straightforward, but you must take care of a few things.
1. Visit this link and download the FonePaw ScreenMo tool on your Windows PC: https://www.fonepaw.com/downloads/ios-screen-recorder.exe
2. Ensure that your iPhone/iPad and laptop are connected to the same WiFi network – this is very important
3. Start the FonePaw ScreenMo software on your PC
4. Use your iOS device to launch the game
5. Make sure that you enable Airplay by pulling up the Control Center on your iOS device
Please note that if your device is running on a lower version than iOS 4.7, you won’t be able to perform this step
6. The screen on your phone will be mirrored right on your PC and you can enjoy the game on a greater resolution
Final Thoughts On How To Play iOS Games On PC
It should be noted that most of the iOS users are quite ‘picky’. Therefore, there is not a common choice for most of them. So we advise you to read the article and see what is best in your case.
This article also keeps in mind the testing perspective as well. For instance, if you happen to be a developer and want to verify the working of your application before releasing it, some of the emulators mentioned here will provide decent feasibility in that regard.
To find out more about the differences between Android and iOS, read our comprehensive guide here.
