Avocado review
A broad, free PS1 emulator with useful features but incomplete compatibility.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Avocado is an open-source PlayStation 1 emulator developed as a public GitHub project. It is aimed at users who want a free emulator with broad desktop and Android coverage rather than a platform-specific tool. Builds are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, and the emulator supports PlayStation disc images, executables, and PSF files. A BIOS dumped from a real console is required, making that an important part of the setup process.
Its format and input coverage are practical for a general-purpose emulator. Avocado can load CUE, BIN, IMG, CHD, and ECM disc images, along with PlayStation executables and PSF files. It supports digital controllers, DualShock controllers, and mice, plus vibration and OpenGL hardware rendering. Save states and memory-card support cover different approaches to preserving progress, while one-second rewind adds a recovery option during play. Together, these features give the project a wider operating-system and file-format scope than a narrowly focused emulator.
The main qualification is compatibility. The project describes Avocado as being in early development, with incomplete compatibility; its README notes that many games may fail to boot or crash. That makes it a reasonable choice for users who value open-source software, multiple platforms, and a substantial feature set, but a less suitable choice for anyone who needs predictable game coverage. Choose Avocado for experimentation and general-purpose PlayStation 1 emulation across desktop and Android. Consider an alternative if reliable compatibility is more important than open-source access and feature breadth.
Avocado pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
- Supports CUE, BIN, IMG, CHD, and ECM disc images
- Includes save states, rewind, memory cards, and controller support
- Where it doesn't
- Requires a BIOS dumped from a real console
- Compatibility is incomplete during early development
- Some games may fail to boot or crash
Avocado fact sheet, pricing and score →
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