Emulation is not only a great way to experience the games we loved when we were younger, but it's also a fantastic way to experience the classics for the first time. Playing on original hardware might be the "purest" way to play retro games, but getting access to consoles can be a mission. They're expensive and are not guaranteed to work.

Pretty much everyone has a PC, and with emulation improving across the board for all consoles, it's never been easier to jump in and enjoy your favorite games of yesteryear. These 5 consoles are perfect for loading up on your PC and require very little configuration to have a stellar experience.

5 GameCube

A cult classic that works great on PC

While it may not have sold as well as Nintendo would have liked, the GameCube has had a long and prosperous lifespan that reached far beyond any official support window. Released in 2001, the GameCube was the first Nintendo console to depart from cartridges, and used a proprietary miniDVD format for its games. It was regarded as a failure on launch but featured a large lineup of first-party games that continue to stay firmly in the minds of gamers from the early 2000s.

Some of the GameCube's best titles include Super Mario Sunshine, Super Smash Bros Melee, Luigi's Mansion, and Animal Crossing, among many others. In terms of emulating GameCube games on PC, the route most trodden is going to be best. Dolphin is going to provide the most seamless emulation experience for GameCube games on PC. It's pretty much plug and play, but you will need a controller.

4 PlayStation 2

A great library with even greater compatibility with PC

Unlike the aforementioned GameCube, the Sony PlayStation 2 was an unmitigated success, being one of the best-selling consoles of all time. Released in 2000, its life spanned over a decade and spawned dozens of fan-favorite games and IPs. Today, while it might make me feel ancient to say this, it's regarded as an excellent retro console, and the original hardware can be found for decent prices as there were so many of them produced.

For emulation purposes, it's one of the most polished experiences one can have. The emulator of choice is PCSX2, a free and open-source project that has been in development for over 20 years. It supports pretty much every game in the library, and also features options like upscaling and virtual memory cards.

3 SNES

Pretty much flawless

The best way Nintendo could've followed up the wildly popular NES was with a sequel, and the SNES was exactly that. The "Super Nintendo" was, and continues to be, extremely popular among 16-bit game enthusiasts. Although competitors were quickly moving towards 32-bit 3D experiences, Nintendo proved with the SNES that 2D games have incredible longevity and range.

For emulation, there are actually a couple of different options. Snes9x is a tried and true emulator that has been around since the late 90s, but another option is BSNES, which is slightly more modern. Either way, most of the SNES library is near perfect for emulation, and it's difficult to have a bad experience.

2 Nintendo DS

Better than you'd think

The Nintendo DS was a unique console for its time, sporting a dual-screen design and touch-based controls. It was many people's introduction to touch-screen input, myself included, and it left a really lasting impression on me in my youth. It sold incredibly well and is regarded today as one of the greatest handheld gaming consoles of all time. As far as emulating the DS goes, DeSmuME is a great choice, and has been around since 2006. Most of the library works just fine, and can be emulated without issues.

1 PSP

A very underrated handheld

The PSP was Sony's attempt at grabbing some of the blossoming handheld gaming market in the mid-2000s. While it was significantly more expensive than the aforementioned DS, it was received very positively. I feel like it's still somewhat underrated as a handheld console today, and while it may not have had the same lasting impact that the DS did, it has a lot of titles that are considered cult classics by many today.

Emulation support for the PSP is really solid. PPSSPP is the emulator of choice, and it supports a wide variety of devices, including Android and iOS. For those of you with modest PCs, you're in luck, as PPSSPP runs most games incredibly well.

Emulation keeps making great strides

It's not a given that emulation will work perfectly if a console is old. The Nintendo 64, for example, is still problematic to emulate without a decent PC, and even then, some games just don't work. Despite that, developers have been making great strides with consoles of all kinds to preserve these gaming experiences for future generations, often on a volunteer basis. I'm thankful that they've taken the time to do so, so I'm able to relive some of my favorite games and pass that experience on to my next of kin!