Emulation

Many horse games are exclusive to handhelds or gaming consoles, and can be difficult to find physical copies of. However, a decent PC can run software that functions as one of these systems - an emulator. You can also emulate older computers, for games that are not compatible with newer systems.

For legal reasons, we cannot link any actual game image files or sites that contain them. This page exists solely to provide information on where to find the required software, and how to set it up.

PC/Mac
DOSBox can, as its name indicates, simulate the MS-DOS environment. This allows for running really old games even on a modern-day PC.

Another option is to use a virtual machine, which functions as if it were an entirely separate computer, complete with operating system. This is a lot more involved and requires getting a version of Windows for the intended system, so we will not cover it in-depth here.

Nintendo DS
DeSmuME is very easy to set up and use, regardless of prior emulator experience or lack thereof. The mouse functions as the stylus would on a real DS, though the touch mechanics can be finicky in some games.

Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo Wii
Dolphin is widely recognised as the best option here. It has full 1080p HD graphics capability, and allows for graphical improvements such as anti-aliasing. Setup is simple, save for the controller input which can require some trial and error depending on your individual system and which kind of controller you're using.

PlayStation 3
RPCS3 is the most stable PS3 emulator out currently, and is still being actively developed. Installation is simple, but you should be prepared to spend some time tweaking settings for individual games, as they differ in what works best.