Delta (emulator) explained

Delta
Logo Alt:The Greek letter delta with a dark gradient.
Collapsible:yes
Screenshot Alt:Screenshot of a game running on the Delta emulator. Gameplay image is blurred for copyright reasons.
Author:Riley Testut
Developer:Riley Testut et al.
Released: (AltStore)[1]
(App Store)
Programming Language:Swift
Operating System:iOS
iPadOS
Platform:iPhone
iPad
Replaces:GBA4iOS
Genre:Video game console emulator
License:GNU Affero General Public License 3.0

Delta is a video game console emulator created by Riley Testut for iOS and iPadOS. It supports games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Game Boy, Game Boy Color,and Game Boy Advance. A paid version of the emulator also supports Sega Genesis games. Development of Delta started prior to Testut entering university, with it being a successor to the earlier GBA4iOS application. Prior to the application's release on the App Store, iOS users had to download Delta via AltStore, Testut's app store for the iOS and iPadOS operating systems. Upon release onto the App Store in April 2024, the app reached the top of the App Store rankings for several days.

Background

Riley Testut started developing GBA4iOS, the predecessor of Delta, during his senior year at Richardson High School along with his friend Paul Thorsen.[2] [3] It was a emulator of the Game Boy Advance for the iPhone. iOS users had to sideload the emulator via a loophole called the "Date Trick", where the app is allowed to be downloaded and installed via the Safari browser, without needing to jailbreak (i.e. using exploits to bypass software restrictions) the device. The exploit was patched in the iOS 8.1 update, thus ending the lifespan of the software. The source code for the app is currently hosted on Bitbucket.[4] [5]

Development and release

Development of Delta started prior to Testut entering the University of Southern California.[6] He released the emulator in 2019 alongside the AltStore app marketplace for iOS and iPadOS.[7] Testut claimed that he developed the application because he wanted to publish the emulator. AltStore serves as an alternative to jailbreaking.

Before Delta was released on Apple's App Store in 2024, the only way to install it was through AltStore.[8] Apple did not allow software emulators in their App Store. In 2024, due to pressure from the EU Digital Markets Act, Apple changed their rules to allow emulators.[9] After the change, a copycat emulator called iGBA (a fork of GBA4iOS) was released to the App Store. Apple took down iGBA shortly after it was released.[10] Testut described iGBA as a "knock-off" of the Delta emulator. He also stated that he had not given permission to the developer of iGBA to publish the application.[11]

Delta released on the App Store on April 17, 2024. It reached the top of the digital marketplace's charts.[12] [13] The emulator changed its logo after Adobe threatened Testut with legal action due to its original logo sharing an almost identical similarity.[14]

Supported consoles

Delta can emulate the consoles listed below:[15] [16] [8] [17]

ConsoleEmulator used
Nintendo Entertainment SystemNestopia
Super Nintendo Entertainment System Snes9x
Nintendo 64Mupen64Plus
Game Boy / ColorGambatte
Game Boy AdvanceVisualBoyAdvance
Nintendo DSMelonDS
Sega GenesisGenesis Plus GX

Notes and References

  1. News: Statt . Nick . AltStore is an alternative iOS App Store with a built-in Nintendo emulator . April 21, 2024 . The Verge . September 25, 2019 . en . Testut released AltStore earlier today in an early preview form. The full application launches on Saturday, September 28th, with Testut’s full Delta emulator as one of the available apps within the store. . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421224847/https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/25/20884363/altstore-riley-testut-delta-nintendo-emulator-ios-app-store-alternative-jailbreak . live .
  2. News: Knight . Shawn . Nintendo emulator Delta lands on the Apple App Store, now the top free app . April 21, 2024 . TechSpot . April 18, 2024 . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421111824/https://www.techspot.com/news/102668-all-one-nintendo-emulator-delta-lands-apple-app.html . live .
  3. News: Hodapp . Eli . Secret Deals, Pizza Parties and Countdowns: The Story of Riley Testut's GBA4iOS . April 21, 2024 . . February 25, 2014 . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421112955/https://toucharcade.com/2014/02/25/the-story-of-riley-testuts-gba4ios/ . live .
  4. Web site: Testut . Riley . GBA4iOS is Dead. Long Live GBA4iOS . Riley Testut . April 21, 2024 . en . October 8, 2014 . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421145220/https://rileytestut.com/blog/2014/10/08/gba4ios-is-dead-long-live-gba4ios/ . live .
  5. News: Orland . Kyle . iOS 8.1 plugs security hole that made it easy to install emulators . April 21, 2024 . . October 8, 2014 . en-us . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421111826/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/10/ios-8-1-plugs-security-hole-that-made-it-easy-to-install-emulators/ . live .
  6. News: Statt . Nick . How an iOS developer built an alternative App Store for the iPhone . April 21, 2024 . The Verge . October 4, 2019 . en . April 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419160647/https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/4/20791856/apple-ios-app-store-riley-testut-altstore-delta-nintendo-emulator-release . live .
  7. News: Newman . Jared . How AltStore is building a haven for forbidden iPhone apps . April 21, 2024 . . May 6, 2022 . April 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240417195237/https://www.fastcompany.com/90749170/altstore-riley-testut-iphone-sideloading-app-store . live .
  8. News: Orland . Kyle . Delta takes flight: Apple-approved Nintendo emulator is a great iOS option . April 21, 2024 . Ars Technica . April 18, 2024 . en-us . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421045518/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/04/a-touchscreen-of-nostalgia-delta-brings-classic-nintendo-consoles-to-ios/ . live .
  9. Web site: Booth . Callum . April 3, 2024 . A first look at Europe's alternative iPhone app stores . April 29, 2024 . The Verge . en . April 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240428221921/https://www.theverge.com/24100979/altstore-europe-app-marketplace-price-games . live .
  10. Web site: Davis . Wes . April 14, 2024 . The first Apple-approved emulator for the iPhone has arrived... and been pulled . April 29, 2024 . The Verge . en . April 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240428222842/https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/14/24129981/game-boy-emulator-igba-iphone-ios-app-store-gba4ios-testut-knock-off . live .
  11. News: Jeffrey . Cal . Apple cans knockoff Game Boy app as emulators suffer first App Store casualty . April 21, 2024 . TechSpot. April 15, 2024 . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421111825/https://www.techspot.com/news/102628-emulators-suffer-first-app-store-casualty-apple-cans.html . live .
  12. News: Chapple . Craig . Delta game emulator hits No. 1 on the App Store download charts in 35 countries . 19 May 2024 . . 19 April 2024 . May 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519152319/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/83845/delta-game-emulator-hits-no-1-on-the-app-store-download-charts-in-35-countries/ . live .
  13. News: The free Delta game emulator for iPhones is live on Apple's App Store. The Verge. Wes. Davis. April 17, 2024. April 17, 2024. April 17, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240417164304/https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/17/24132984/delta-free-emulator-nintendo-gba-n64-iphone-app-store-us. live.
  14. News: Hollister . Sean . The Delta Emulator is changing its logo after Adobe threatened it . 18 May 2024 . The Verge . 17 May 2024 . en . May 18, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518123712/https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/17/24159268/delta-emulator-logo-change-app . live .
  15. Web site: GitHub-rileytestut/Delta . Github . 17 May 2024 . April 20, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420133456/https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta . live .
  16. News: Bhatia . Anuj . What is Delta and why is the retro game emulator app on the iPhone so popular? . 19 May 2024 . The Indian Express . 22 April 2024 . en . May 29, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240529081547/https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/gaming/what-is-delta-and-why-is-the-game-emulator-app-on-the-iphone-so-popular-9284148/ . live .
  17. News: Farokhmanesh . Megan . Delta Is an iOS Game Boy Emulator That (Likely) Won't Get Taken Down . 19 May 2024 . . 17 April 2024 . May 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519181651/https://www.wired.com/story/delta-game-boy-emulator-apple-app-store/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Delta (emulator)".

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