This week has been buzzing with excitement as the team behind the PlayStation 3 emulator, RPCS3, revealed some groundbreaking news. They’ve managed to bring stable Arm64 architecture support to Windows, macOS, and Linux, which even extends to the Raspberry Pi 5. This development pushes the boundaries of what we thought possible in the realm of emulation, especially on a device like the Raspberry Pi 5. Previously, this tiny powerhouse managed to handle GameCube and, to a lesser extent, Wii games. With some tweaking of settings, even PS3 emulation seems feasible on today’s entry-level Arm hardware.
Running a PS3 emulator on the Raspberry Pi 5 is no small feat. It truly pushes the limits of what one would have thought possible just a few years ago. To achieve this, the output resolution is scaled down to 273p, reminiscent of a PlayStation Portable (PSP) game, as opposed to the PS3’s original 720p. This adjustment makes it possible to play certain 3D games, including classics like God of War (and its sequel) HD, Catherine, and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm. While 2D games naturally offer a smoother experience, achieving playable frame rates on PS3-era 3D titles with a Raspberry Pi 5 is impressive and far beyond typical expectations.
Switching gears to macOS, native Arm architecture support offers a significant leap in performance when gaming on Apple Silicon. Forget the days of relying on x86 emulation for PS3 hardware; playing games natively gives a performance boost of 50-100% in frame rates. It turns the dream of smooth, functional Arm-powered PS3 emulation into a tangible reality.
While the Raspberry Pi 5 gives us a taste of PlayStation Portable vibes through its emulation capabilities, testing on Apple Silicon is another ballgame entirely. It can handle the raw power of true PS3 heavyweights like God of War III and Skate 3. Unlike the simpler PS2-to-PS3 HD remasters, these demanding games require robust hardware to deliver a good play experience. Thankfully, Arm architecture on Apple Silicon has the prowess to manage these titles effectively, offering much more than just a glimpse into the future of gaming emulation.
