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Head-to-head · NES Emulators

Dendy vs Nintengo

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Dendy #2 in NES Emulators 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Dendy
Nintengo #7 in NES Emulators 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 5 features Visit Nintengo

Dendy leads on 0 checks, Nintengo on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreDendy · 9.2/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresDendy · 5 of 5

Dendy scores higher on our rubric for nes emulators: 9.2 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #7.

Dendy is the better fit for free cross-platform play with multiplayer. Nintengo is the better fit for cross-platform users who want netplay.

  • Dendy fits best

    Free cross-platform play with multiplayer

  • Nintengo fits best

    Cross-platform users who want netplay

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Side by side

Feature Dendy 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Nintengo 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.6
Ranking #2 in NES Emulators #7 in NES Emulators
Best for Free cross-platform play with multiplayer Cross-platform users who want netplay
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Desktop Desktop
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Dendy 5/5 · Nintengo 2/5
Save states ✓ ✓
Rewind ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Netplay ✓ ✓
Shader support ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Cheat support ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, and modern web browsers via WebAssembly macOS, Linux, Windows, WebAssembly/browser
Our review
Pros
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and modern web browsers
  • Includes peer-to-peer network multiplayer and save states
  • Adds rewind, Game Genie codes, Zapper emulation, and CRT effects
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and browsers
  • Supports save states, battery-backed saves, and two-player netplay
  • Includes NTSC/PAL modes plus screenshot, GIF, JPEG, and WAV recording
Cons
  • Uses command-line operation rather than a graphical launcher
  • Windows binaries are not guaranteed to work
  • Browser support is provided through WebAssembly for modern browsers
  • Focused on NES emulation rather than broader console support
  • Netplay is limited to two players
  • Browser support depends on the documented WebAssembly build
Our verdict

Dendy is an open-source NES/Famicom emulator written in Go. It runs NES ROM files on Windows, macOS, and Linux, while a WebAssembly version supports modern web browsers. Its audience is players who want free emulation across desktop…

Read the review →

Nintengo is an open-source Nintendo Entertainment System emulator written in Go. It is aimed at users who want to run NES ROM files across Windows, macOS, Linux, or a browser. The emulator supports standard .nes files as well as .nes files…

Read the review →
  1. DendyNES Emulators 9.2Free plan
  2. NintengoNES Emulators 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Dendy — where it wins

    • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and modern web browsers
    • Includes peer-to-peer network multiplayer and save states
    • Adds rewind, Game Genie codes, Zapper emulation, and CRT effects

    Where it doesn't

    • Uses command-line operation rather than a graphical launcher
    • Windows binaries are not guaranteed to work
    • Browser support is provided through WebAssembly for modern browsers

  • Nintengo — where it wins

    • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and browsers
    • Supports save states, battery-backed saves, and two-player netplay
    • Includes NTSC/PAL modes plus screenshot, GIF, JPEG, and WAV recording

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on NES emulation rather than broader console support
    • Netplay is limited to two players
    • Browser support depends on the documented WebAssembly build
  • Dendy9.2/10 · Free plan

    A feature-rich, open-source NES emulator for desktop, browser, and multiplayer play.

    Visit DendyFull verdict →
  • Nintengo8.6/10 · Free plan

    A free, cross-platform NES emulator with browser support, saves, and two-player netplay.

    Visit NintengoFull verdict →

More comparisons

All NES emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update