REAL Emulation on iPhone! Delta on App Store

Key Concepts

Notes

Availability & Regional Differences

• Search "Delta game emulator" on the App Store — free download
• **Not available in the EU App Store** due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA)
• EU users must use **AltStore PAL** — costs €0.50/year to offset Apple's Core Technology Fee
• Apple would have charged the developer €0.50 per download otherwise

Initial Setup & ROM Import

• On first launch, library is empty — ROMs must be imported manually
• Tap the **+** icon → Files app → navigate to local storage, Google Drive, or iCloud Drive
• Recommended workflow: create a ROM folder in iCloud Drive, upload games there
• To bulk import: open folder → tap a game → **Select All** → **Open**
• Supports all standard ROM file formats
• **No audio?** Swipe down from quick menu and disable Silent Mode

In-Game Quick Menu

• **Save/Load State** — manual saves
• **Autosave** — triggers automatically when closing a game; prompts resume or restart on relaunch
• **Cheat Codes** — manual entry only (Game Genie, GameShark, Action Replay); no importable database
• **Fast Forward** — toggleable speed-up
• **Hold Button** — locks a button in pressed state (useful for gas in racing games or run in platformers)

Library Management & Box Art

• Some games auto-download box art based on filename; others (e.g., NES) may not
• To fix: long press a game → **Change Artwork** → **Games Database** → search by name
• Also accessible from long-press menu: rename, share, change controller skin, manage save states, import/export saves, delete

Emulation Accuracy Limitations

• **No pixel cropping** — NES games show overscan pixels (flickering edges) that CRTs originally hid
• **No aspect ratio adjustment** — locked to 8×7 for NES/SNES; widescreen ROM hacks (e.g., SM64 16:9 patch) are still displayed at 4:3
• **No Game Boy colorization** — original DMG games display in black and white only
• Community members have implemented custom palettes by rebuilding the app, so it's technically feasible

Nintendo DS Setup (requires BIOS files)

• Without BIOS files, DS games will display a missing-files warning
• Three required files: `bios7.bin`, `bios9.bin`, `firmware.bin`
• Dump from a real DS or source online
• Import via **Import Files** prompt → add one at a time
• After import, a DS home screen option becomes available
• Vertical mode recommended — horizontal mode makes screens too small
• Camera notch (iPhone Dynamic Island) is visible but becomes ignorable after a few minutes

Game Compatibility

• Super FX games (SNES) confirmed working
• Pokémon ROM hacks tested — all worked
• Patched ROMs (e.g., bug-fix translations) work provided they're in a standard ROM format

Controllers — Telescopic (Wired)

• **Backbone One** (USB-C): plug-and-play, comfortable, ~$90–$100
• **GameSir G8**: "white chicken mode" — hold Select+Start until white light; best for N64 due to analog sticks; feels like an Xbox controller
• **GameSir X2s**: more compact, Nintendo DS-style feel; recommended for most retro games

Controllers — Bluetooth

• **8BitDo SN30 Pro**: looks like SNES pad, has dual analog sticks + L2/R2; works across all Delta systems
• **8BitDo 02**: compact, X-input, no analog sticks (not ideal for N64); pocketable
• **8BitDo Lite**: d-pad focused, clicky and precise, ~$20–$25; best for platformers
• Input lag: not noticeable with Bluetooth in testing
• **Multiplayer**: connect multiple Bluetooth controllers, assign to players in settings

Button Remapping

• Go to **Settings → Player 1 Controller → Customize Controls**
• Map per system individually (e.g., GBC, N64 mapped separately)
• Hotkeys available: quick save, quick load, fast forward
• **Known issue**: L3/R3 inputs do not register — can't be assigned to hotkeys
• N64 default: Z button mapped to Select — recommend remapping to R2

Controller Skins

• Download from: **deltaskins.github.io**
• Preview available before downloading; tap skin → **Download Now** → confirm → tap in Downloads to install
• Applied via: **Settings → [System] → Controller Skin**
• Notable skin: Analogue Pocket skin (vertical and horizontal versions available)
• ~25% of skins had broken download links (older repository)
• Opacity and haptic feedback adjustable in settings

Delta Sync

• Syncs games, save states, and cheats across multiple Apple devices on the same account
• Supports **Google Drive** or **Dropbox**
• Also functions as a backup solution
• New device setup: sign in → sync → all games and saves restore automatically

Home Screen Shortcuts

• Default: shows 4 most recently played games via long-press on app icon
• Customizable: disable "recently played," manually select up to 4 games from full library
• Useful for jumping directly into a specific game from the home screen

iPad Support

• Delta runs on iPad but only as a scaled phone app — doesn't fill the screen
• Official iPad support exists but is **locked behind the developer's Patreon** (early adopter tier)
• Sega Genesis support is also Patreon-only currently
• Unclear if/when these will be added to the free public app

Quotes Worth Keeping

There are almost 150 million iPhone users within the US alone and the fact that this app is now available to all these users at once is a big win for the retro gaming community.

I now have access to all my emulators just at the top of a button on the phone that I have with me at all times.