TL;DR iiSU is an upcoming emulation frontend on Android with a slick UI and social features.
It will also incorporate RetroAchievements, external media, and even a theme shop.
The app is still under development, but a public build may be ready as early as next Spring.
When it comes to emulation, the experience often feels less like a console and more like a tedious series of menus and poorly labeled files. Emulation frontends like ES-DE and Beacon try to fix this, but none are as ambitious as iiSU.
First revealed two months ago, a slick new video highlighting planned features was released yesterday. Helmed by experienced motion graphics designer Eddie Collazo (AKA iShade or UsagiShade), iiSU features a level of polish that’s rarely seen outside of first-party hardware from Nintendo and Sony.
The home screen, seen below, displays a series of widgets. These include games you’ve recently played, media, and more. It looks like a modern take on the Nintendo 3DS UI, with different themes and customization options. It goes well beyond what’s available on the Nintendo Switch or any other modern console.
Games, which will not be included with the app, feature exclusive custom art and music. Other parts of the app also feature custom music created by Thaddeus Silva, which again harken back to the days of the Nintendo 3DS.
iiSU draws heavily from the 3DS and PSP user interfaces, with a modern touch.
For more hardcore retro gamers, iiSU will also integrate directly with RetroAchievements. This open-source platform provides achievements for emulated retro games, similar to what you’d find on Xbox or PlayStation. iiSU displays the full achievement set directly in the app, and provides notifications when you complete them in-game.
Drawing inspiration from the PSP, iiSU will also allow you to browse and play local media files directly from the app. This works with photos, videos, and music files. These can also be used to create custom backgrounds or decorate your homepage.
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