Google Play Games for Windows
Until recently, you could only play Android games on a Windows PC using a third-party emulator. Those are still a solid option, as we’ll discuss later in this article, but we now also have an official method directly from Google. It’s called Google Play Games, not to be confused with the Android app of the same name. In fact, the company has stated that it will only use the Google Play Games title for its Windows-based app going forward.
Google Play Games promises to make hundreds of Android games playable on any PC running Windows 10 or later. The only other serious requirement is that your computer must have a solid state drive (SSD) as its boot drive. Finally, you’ll need to enable Virtualization support in your computer’s BIOS settings.
Assuming you meet those requirements, simply download the app from Google’s landing page and install it. From there, log into your account and you should get access to all of your purchases and synced game data. Google only offers roughly 100 games at the moment, but you’ll find many big names like Asphalt 9 and Alto’s Adventure. You can check out the full list of supported games on this page. All games on the list have keyboard and mouse support so they should work correctly on your PC without any fiddling necessary.
Windows 11 and native Android emulation on PCs
Shortly after its release, Windows 11 gained one of its headlining features: native Android emulation. This feature lets you run Android apps without needing to install a third-party emulator. It’s now available in the latest Windows 11 builds, but only in a few regions.
This works by having the Windows Subsystem for Android, which is a virtualization instance of Android inside Windows. By having Android running inside Windows, it is possible to directly have Android apps, including games, running on Windows without having to install an emulator. The Subsystem gets the apps from the Amazon Appstore, embedded inside the Microsoft Store. For now, the officially supported app list is rather limited but you can also install the Google Play Store on Windows 11. That grants you access to all Android games, not just the ones whitelisted by Microsoft or Google.
Bluestacks 5 / MSI App Player
Bluestacks was one of the first Android emulators I used a few years ago to play Android games on my PC. It remains one of the best options even today, with the latest version — Bluestacks 5 — getting even better.
Getting started
All you need to do is download and install Bluestacks from the website to get started. Bluestacks 5 runs on an older version of Android. But before you reel back in horror at how old that default Android version is, keep in mind that it’s quite current as far as these kinds of emulators go. The good news is that you shouldn’t have any trouble running most apps and games either way.
You’ll need to sign up with your Google account, as you would on any Android device. You can download apps from the Google Play Store by going to the “My Library” section. However, after launching Bluestacks on your PC, you’ll see that it puts games front and center. The “Game Center” is packed with excellent recommendations, and you can also scroll through various collections and genres to find the best games. With Bluestacks 5, the company now boasts a game library with over 2 million apps.
Features
Unsurprisingly, you get identical features with both emulators. The gaming controls and keyboard mapping are highly customizable, so you shouldn’t have any trouble replicating a PC gaming experience. The good news is that the keyboard mapping is pretty solid, even without tinkering too much. Built-in modes for shooting and MOBA are a huge help in this regard as well.
A Multi-instance feature adds a new aspect to strategy and Gacha games by letting you play the same game with multiple accounts. You can also play different games from different “instances” to avoid any confusion. The emulator also comes with a recording feature and screenshot buttons built-in and is easily accessible.
Performance
I played Asphalt 9, Madden NFL Mobile, and FIFA Mobile on both emulators, and had a great time. There were a few instances of lag, but not enough to cause any real problems with gameplay. The emulators loaded quite quickly, but launching a game took a while. However, once it started, it ran almost as quickly as it does on my phone.
Nox Player
Nox Player is widely considered to be a really good alternative to Bluestacks and comes with similar capabilities. Like the competition, Nox Player also runs Android 9 and lets you download games and apps from the Google Play Store.
Getting started
Simply download the emulator from the Nox Player website and install it to start playing games on your PC. The Nox Player interface is similar to what you’d see on an Android tablet, albeit an extremely old one. The screen opens with some “pre-installed” apps, and it comes complete with navigation keys (back, home, and recent apps) tucked away in the bottom right corner. You’ll find the Google Play Store in the “Tools” folder and can download anything else after signing in with your Google account.
Features
The Nox Player isn’t as packed with features as Bluestacks, at least at first glance. It comes with its own version of multi-instance, though, or Multi-drive in this case. Keyboard mapping is highly customizable as well. However, while Bluestacks has some pre-loaded profiles set up, you’ll have to start completely from scratch with Nox. That’s fine since most people will set everything to their liking anyway, but there’s definitely a learning curve for a newbie.
Performance
I played Asphalt 9 and Sniper Strike using Nox Player. There were a few instances of lag and stutter. The emulator launches quickly enough, but a game takes a pretty long time to load. While playing a game, it basically appears to take a bit to get into gear.
Gameloop
Gameloop, previously known as Tencent Gaming Buddy, started off as the official emulator for PUBG Mobile. This might seem confusing since PUBG Mobile is a mobile version of the original PC game. But the former is also free, and with this emulator, some users can enjoy the best of both worlds. That said, there’s a lot more you can do with Gameloop as well.
Getting started
Again, all you have to do is download and install the emulator. Like Bluestacks, you’re greeted with a Game Center that houses a slew of excellent titles. Of course, given the company behind it, PUBG Mobile is showcased. However, you’ll find a lot of FPS, MOBA, and strategy games available too.
Features
Gameloop comes with the least features of the lot. There’s no multi-sync feature, and in fact, a non-cheating mode is automatically enabled when you load a game. However, usual features like taking a screenshot, recording your gameplay, and keyboard mapping are available.
Performance
I played PUBG Mobile, of course, but I also tried Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty Mobile. Let’s start with the emulator, though. Of the four options, Gameloop was the fastest to start, and everything is really smooth when scrolling through the UI. You can see the minimum system requirements when you install a game, so you have a good idea of whether your PC can run it or not.
Which emulator is the best?
Given that Microsoft no longer supports running Android apps on Windows 11, I would rank the Google Play Games method as the current best option. That said, it suffers from a pretty lackluster game library.
All four Android emulators I spoke about — Bluestacks 5, MSI App Player, Nox Player, and Gameloop — are excellent options if you want to play Android games on your PC. None of them are perfect, but I would recommend Bluestacks or MSI App Player if you need to access the most games via the Play Store. Its “smart control” presets are also the best of the lot and make jumping into a game right away very easy.
However, if you’re looking to play Tencent games like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty Mobile, Gameloop is by and far the best option in that case. Of course, keep in mind that your experience may be different depending on what kind of PC you have.
