How to play ps2 games on a laptop

Not all emulators are the same. Some will allow for smoother gameplay, while others won't even run the game you want to play. Most gaming emulators are personal projects that attract other developers.

The projects rely on the input, development, and programming skills of volunteers. The PCSX2 team continues working on the emulator, issuing frequent updates that fix bugs, make performance tweaks, and ensure you can play through an entire PlayStation 2 game without fault.

While this tutorial uses the latest stable version of PCSX2, the developer's version page features the latest updates. You should also keep in mind that most emulators are console specific. First thing first: head to the PCSX2 website, then download and install the latest stable version of the emulator. You'll meet a window with multiple dropdown menus, like so:.

These are PCSX2 system configuration plugins. Ignore these for now. Fiddling with the plugins can cause stability and performance issues unless you know what the setting does. It does illustrate the extensive range of customization options available to PCSX2.

The program to do so is located on the PCSX2 website. Use the link provided at your own risk. BIOS files for the PS2 range from nation to nation, year to year, console manufacturing date, console updates, and more. This is the default directory for your BIOS files. To change this directory to one of your choosing, uncheck the Use default setting option and select your directory. Once the archive finishes copying, extract the archive contents into the BIOS folder.

Right-click the archive, then select your ZIP program and extract. Unsure what an archive and a ZIP program are? Read our guide to extracting files from common archives, then continue with this tutorial. Make sure you copy the contents of each archive into the root bios folder directly. Before firing up your favorite PS2 game, you should configure your controller. There are three controller settings tabs.

The other tabs allow you to change the controller inputs manually. PCSX2 recognizes a decent range of controllers automatically. If you want to clear the controller inputs, select Pad 1 , then Clear All. You're then free to map the controller as you see fit. PlayStation 2 ISOs are freely available online. However, MakeUseOf cannot help you find them. If you have a library of PS2 games, it is best to copy them all into a single directory for easy access.

First up, put the PS2 game disc in your disc drive. One of the best things about booting up PS2 games on your PC is the extensive range of graphic options to choose from. Other than that, you shouldn't need WiFi. Not Helpful 3 Helpful 4. Try looking for better emulators. Or clearing your RAM by stopping unnecessary apps from working in the background.

You can also download performance boosters, this won't fix your games directly, but will help the computer do it's job of giving you the best it can. Console video games are coded and built for specific computers, since all consoles are built differently. This is why emulators are needed, to "trick" the game into thinking it's being played on the machine it's made for.

No emulator is perfect, so there will be lag in some places. PC and console games are coded differently. Hacking your game to rip assets and data from it, then use a game engine to rebuild them, isn't easy. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2. The games are coded differently to understand that there will be an external memory source. You can trick them into thinking they have one by creating a digital memory card, which is basically a folder that tricks the game into thinking it's a real memory card.

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Helpful 22 Not Helpful You Might Also Like How to. How to. Co-authors: 7.

Updated: November 30, Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. About This Article. Featured Articles How to. Trending Articles How to. New Pages How to. Watch Articles How to. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.