Ways to Play Mobile Games on Your PC [+ Pros & Cons]

Let’s admit it: all of us have a favorite mobile game, especially one on a PC. Playing on a PC is more comfortable, spacious and allows us to get out of the bed even if we have nothing to do all day.

In this article, we will discuss how to play mobile games on PC, the pros and cons of doing so, and some of the best Android emulators. By the end of this piece, you will be able to play your favorite mobile games on PC easily!

What Is an Android Emulator?

To put it simply, an android emulator is a tool that allows you to run Android devices on a computer. An emulator mimics an android device, and makes all functions accessible through a PC as well. This includes stimulating incoming phone calls and texts, accessing the Google play store, opening apps, and yes, playing games. The Android emulator for Windows is widely used to mimic the device and play Android games on the computer.

How to Play Mobile Games on PC

The basic requirement for playing mobile games on computers is obtaining an Android emulator. There are several emulators to choose from; we’ve listed the most popular ones further in the article. Once you’ve chosen the right emulator, install it and you’re set!

After installing, log into your Google account to be completely done. It will be just like starting out with a new mobile phone: you can install apps, adjust the screen size, fix screen resolution and make any other customization to meet your gaming needs.

The computer requirements for each Android emulator vary; they also depend on the specific game you’re planning to play. However, here are a few general things that your PC must have to run an Android application or for playing phone games on PC smoothly.

• CPU/processor requirements: Intel Core i5-7500 or more
• RAM: 8GB RAM preferred
• DPI: 400-800 for MOBA games and 1000 DPI to 1600 DPI for RPG and MMO games
• FPS: 30-60 FPS
• Disk space: At least 25GB
• Windows: Works on Windows 7/8/8.1/10
• Android version: 5.1.1

Key Takeaways 

Pros and Cons of Playing Video Games on PC 

Before understanding how to play mobile games on a computer, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of doing so.

Advantages

• Bigger screen: The largest advantage of playing on a PC is that details pop out a lot more. This means that you can spot enemies easily!
• 100% accuracy: Mouse and keyboard allow 100% accuracy while playing. This helps improve your gameplay, and you can also control the keyboard mapping setup.
• Mobile exclusive games: Another great thing is that you can play mobile-exclusive Android games on your computer! You don’t need to buy separate games for your computer if you only want to play mobile games.
• Multiple games at the same time: A mobile game emulator for PC allows you to play more than one game simultaneously. No, we do not mean playing GTA with your right hand and a racing game with the left! You can simply install as many games as the system allows to play at any moment.
• Battery life: Let’s admit that all of us have run across the room for the charger because our phone was about to die in the middle of a game. Playing on a PC not only saves your phone battery, but also allows you to be stress-free about it.
• No need for high-end phones: A major reason people want to learn how to play mobile games on a computer is because their phones do not support the game. If you have a decent PC, you can experience hassle-free gaming.
• Effortless multitasking: Gaming on a PC, especially Windows 10 and Mac, also allows effortless multitasking. You could be gaming on one app and attending your online class on another! Although we do not recommend this, it is possible.
• No interruptions: Playing games on your phone comes with text and call interruptions. You can avoid this completely while playing on a PC.

Disadvantages 

Here are a few disadvantages you should consider.

• ARM processor requirements: Your PC should meet the basic ARM processor requirements to run a game and avoid compatibility issues. These have been mentioned above; not every PC has them.
• Disk space: You need disk space of at least 25GB to run a game on PC. While this is the basic requirement, your game may not run smoothly regardless, meaning you may need to go higher for a better gaming experience.
• Hardware acceleration complexities: You can encounter certain hardware acceleration complexities while gaming or running Android apps on Windows PC.

Four Best Android Emulators 

Here are summarized reviews of the top four Android emulators that you can use to play mobile games on PC.

1) BlueStacks 1/2/3/4

BlueStacks is one of the most popular Android emulators out there. It comes in four different versions, 1,2,3 and 4, with 4 being the latest one. It offers various unique features such as:

• Game controls: Allows for a keyboard mapping setup, meaning you can change the controls depending on your needs. This helps make it one of the best way to play Android games on PC. You can assign different functions to different keys, and even make changes on the touchscreen.
• Less space: Unlike other gaming software, BlueStacks takes up less space.
• Performance: The latest version, BlueStacks 4, is extremely powerful in performance, giving you the ultimate gaming experience. It runs smoothly and does not interfere with the computer itself.

The specifications are as follows:

• Windows 7 or above
• Intel or AMD processor
• 4GB RAM or above
• Free disk space of 5GB

The setting up process to play games or run Android apps on a PC using BlueStacks is easy and simple.

• Visit https://www.bluestacks.com/ and download the preferred version
• Launch the installer
• BlueStacks will then launch automatically!

After installing, follow the steps mentioned above to play games and you’re all set.

2) Andyroid

Also known as Andy, this is another popular emulator. Some of the best attributes of Andy are:

• Work on all devices: This emulator can be installed on Android, Windows, Mac, and even Cloud.

• Free: The emulator is free, but does offer a paid version as well. With the paid version, you can use the emulator on multiple devices at the same time!

• Android apps: Apart from gaming, you can also install an Android app on PC. This includes social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram, and you can even access the PC’s camera through it.

The specifications of Andy are:

• Windows 7 or above
• Minimum 3GB RAM
• 20 GB free disk space
• CPU that supports virtualization

The process of setting up an Andy emulator is as easy as BlueStacks.

• Visit the official website https://www.andyroid.net/
• Download the emulator
• Launch the emulator

You should also change the settings for your needs for the best user experience.

3) GameLoop 

GameLoop is also one of the most opted choices in emulators. It allows you to run Android apps on Windows 10, 8, and 7, and is widely used to play games. Here are a few prominent features of GameLoop.

• Smart control: GameLoop offers smart control for easy gaming. You can also change the key functions depending on your needs.

• High performance: As its main concern is gaming, it offers high performance for a better gaming experience.

• Anti-cheating system: The most unique feature offered by GameLoop is it’s anti-cheating system. It provides a fair environment to all players and prevents hacking.

By now you must understand how to play phone games on PC. However, here are a few specifications your PC must have for GameLoop.

• Windows 7 or above
• Intel Core i3 560 @ 3.3 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 945 @ 3.0 GHz processor
• Minimum 3GB RAM
• Graphics card
• 1 GB free storage

The process of setting up GameLoop is as follows

• Visit https://gameloop.en.softonic.com/ and download
• Launch the emulator
• Change the setting depending on your specifications

Once installed, you can play any Android games you want!

4) NoxPlayer 

Lastly, NoxPlayer is a good emulator if you’re still unsure about how to get mobile games on PC. It is not only used for playing games, but also used for operating Android apps on a PC. Here are a few stand out features of NoxPlayer:

• Performance: It offers smoother and stable gameplay.

• Easy to start: The emulator is very easy to download, and allows for easy controls.

• Less space: It requires very little space.

The specifications of the Nox player are:

• Windows 7 or higher
• Minimum 2GB RAM
• 1.5GB free disk space
• Dual-core 2.2GHz processor
• Graphics card

The setting up process of NoxPlayer is just like the others:

• Visit https://www.bignox.com/
• Download the emulator
• Launch the emulator

Conclusion 

We have all wondered how to download mobile games on PC to play them. Playing on a PC allows a bigger screen to play on, fewer interruptions, multitasking, and more. The process requires downloading an Android emulator, which  is a tool that allows you to run Android devices on a computer. The specifications for emulators may vary from one another; some of the best emulators are BlueStacks, Andyroid, GameLoop, and NoxPlayer.