Adapted by:
José A. Lizana
WriterI’ve been a writer at Webedia since June 2022. I haven’t been able to step out of the Apple ecosystem since I bought an iPhone 4s. I currently write for Genbeta but I show up over at Applesfera once in a while.
Karen Alfaro
WriterCommunications professional with a decade of experience as a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. As a travel and science journalist, I've collaborated with several print and digital outlets around the world. I'm passionate about culture, music, food, history, and innovative technologies.
Playing classic Nintendo 64 cartridges on an iPhone might seem crazy. These devices don’t have a cartridge slot, and some are even smaller than the games themselves. However, one user has challenged that limitation to help gamers relive Nintendo classics on an iPhone.
A year ago, Apple made a historic decision to allow emulators on the App Store and alternative stores. Since then, apps like Delta, which emulates Nintendo consoles, and Gamma, which focuses on the original PlayStation, have appeared. Another step has now been taken: turning the iPhone into a working retro console.
An Adapter to Use Cartridges on the iPhone
The YouTube channel Will it Work? posted a video showing that it’s possible to play original Nintendo 64 cartridges on an iPhone with the right accessory. The key is an adapter called Joey N64, which acts as a bridge between the physical cartridge and the Apple device. It costs about $50.
It’s easy to use: connect the Joey to the iPhone via the Lightning port (or USB-C on newer models) and insert a physical cartridge. In the video, the creator uses the classics Donkey Kong 64 and Star Wars Episode I Racer. The Joey behaves like a FAT32-formatted USB drive, transferring data to the iPhone.
In this case, it takes 50 seconds to transfer the game to the phone. Considering the file is only 32 megabytes, that’s a surprisingly long time.
Once the cartridge and adapter are connected, the iPhone acts as both screen and console. You can control the game using the virtual buttons provided by the emulator or pair an external iOS-compatible controller via Bluetooth for a more complete experience.
To play the game, you need to install an emulator on your iPhone. Since Apple now allows them, the most popular options are Delta and RetroArch. After a short loading time—about a minute—the game is ready to play. In tests conducted by the YouTuber, RetroArch offered more configuration options, while Delta provided better overall performance with Nintendo titles.
An interesting detail: RetroArch also has a version for Apple TV, allowing you to bring the gaming experience to your living room TV without wires or complications.
And just like that, you can enjoy a classic gaming experience on any iPhone with an adapter and an emulator.
This isn’t the first time the YouTube channel has experimented with Apple technology. Five years ago, it showed how to connect an iPhone to a PSP to manage files using the Files app. Four years ago, it led another experiment: creating the world’s longest pair of EarPods. The goal was to test how far sound could travel from the iPhone through the cable. After many tests and several adapters, it concluded the functional limit was 147.6 feet without external power.
In this way, what seems impossible can become reality.
Images | Mariah N | Pok Rie | Will It Work?
Related | YouTube Turns 20: From a 19-Second Video at a Zoo to a Global Media Powerhouse
View 0 comments