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AetherSX2 – PlayStation 2 Emulator

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AetherSX2 is considered one of the best PlayStation 2 emulators for Android devices. It offers users the ability to play their favorite PS2 games on their Android devices Despite the unfortunate halt in its development due to external pressures, AetherSX2 remains the leading choice for PS2 emulation on Android.

AetherSX2 Download

Select which version you require below to be taken to either the official website or app store for your device:

Android

AetherSX2 Setup Instructions

This step-by-step guide will walk you through setting up AetherSX2:

Step 1: Install AetherSX2 from the Play Store

  1. Click the link above in the downloads section.
  2. Once installed, click “Play” to open the emulator.

Step 2: Initial Setup

  1. Welcome to AetherSX2. Click “Next”.
  2. You can read the FAQ if you wish. Click “Next”.
  3. Choose the appropriate performance setting for your device:
    • For high-end phones, select “Optimal (Safe) Defaults”.
    • For lower-end phones, select “Fast (Unsafe) Defaults”.
  4. Choose your preferred aspect ratio:
    • 16:9 for full screen.
    • 4:3 (Auto Standard) for the original game aspect ratio.
  5. Select the theme (light or dark). The default is dark.
  6. Set the GPU renderer to “OpenGL” for best performance. If you experience slowdowns or glitches, change it to “Vulkan”.
  7. Set the upscale multiplier to 5x for a good balance between performance and quality. Adjust as needed based on your device’s performance.
  8. Click “Next”.

Step 3: Import BIOS Files

  1. Download the PS2 BIOS files on your desktop or laptop (search online for PS2 BIOS files).
  2. Use 7-Zip to extract the BIOS files.
  3. Transfer the extracted BIOS files to your phone, preferably in a folder named “PS2 BIOS”.
  4. On your phone, click “Import BIOS” in the AetherSX2 setup.
  5. Navigate to the “PS2 BIOS” folder and select it.
  6. Select the appropriate BIOS file:
  7. Click “Done” after selecting each BIOS file.
  8. Choose your preferred BIOS (e.g., USA) and click “Next”.

Step 4: Set Up Game Directories

  1. Click the “+” button to add game directories.
  2. Locate the folder where your PS2 ROMs are stored on your phone.
  3. Select the folder and click “Use this folder”.
  4. Allow the app to access the folder if prompted.
  5. Click “Next”.

Step 5: Complete Setup

  1. Click “Finish” to complete the setup.
  2. Your games should now appear in the list.

Step 6: Configure Controller Settings

  1. Open the settings menu (three lines at the top left).
  2. Scroll down to “Controller Settings”.
  3. If using on-screen buttons:
    • Go to “Touchscreen”.
    • Change “Touchscreen Controller View” to “Dual Analog Pad”.
  4. If using a gamepad:
    • Change “Touchscreen Controller View” to “None”.
    • Enable “Hide with External Controller”.
  5. Go to “Port 1” to configure your gamepad.
    • Click “Automatic Mapping”.
    • Select your gamepad and it will automatically map the buttons.
    • To change button mappings, click on the button and press the desired button on your controller.
  6. Click “Back” to return to the main settings.

Step 7: Scan for New Games

  1. If you add new PS2 ROMs, go to settings and scroll down to “Scan for New Games”.
  2. If the new ROMs are in the same folder as your existing games, select “Rescan All Games”.

Step 8: Add Cover Art

  1. Search for cover art images on Google.
  2. Save the images in the same folder as your games.
  3. In AetherSX2, hold down on the game you want to add cover art to.
  4. Select “Choose Cover Image”.
  5. Locate and select the downloaded cover art image.

Step 9: Change Game Display Layout

  1. Click on the four little squares at the top right to change the game display layout.

Step 10: Load a Game

  1. Select a game from your library to start playing.
  2. Enjoy playing your PS2 games on AetherSX2!