In an update email sent out to all Patreon backers of the Android frontend Socket, the developer Depmots mentioned that they are making the 0.3.2 build free for everyone as a way to say thank you for all of the support they’ve received over the past month!
While the current build is 0.5.0, meaning that the newest updates and changes are still locked behind the extremely reasonable $6 monthly Patreon paywall, this gives an opportunity for anyone that’s been interested in the new frontend to try it out.
What is Socket?
Socket is an emulator frontend developed for Android that allows you to curate your ROM collections using 3D cartridges and disks. The frontend uses unique, customizable 3D models for each title, including some pretty sweet custom insert animations when launching a game. This gives Socket a unique, tactile feeling to selecting and launching games that isn’t present on other frontends.
The 3D models and associated art are customizable, as is the look and feel of the frontend itself. There’s a lot of customization to unpack here, actually, as I haven’t even gotten to everything Socket has to offer myself!
Socket already currently supports many popular systems, with Depmots mentioning they are interested in including even more!
- Nintendo Game Boy
- Nintendo Game Boy Color
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance
- Nintendo Entertainment System
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Nintendo 64
- Nintendo DS
- Nintendo 3DS
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo GameCube
- Nintendo Wii
- Nintendo Wii U
- Sony PlayStation 1
- Sony PlayStation 2
- Sony PlayStation 3
- Sony PlayStation Portable
- Sega Dreamcast
- Microsoft Xbox
- Microsoft Xbox 360
As I covered in my KONKR Pocket Advance Impression, I’ve currently been using Socket as my frontend to play Game Boy Advance games, and it looks and feels great. There’s still plenty of kinks that need to be ironed out, but the frontend continues to evolve and mature with each build release.
As mentioned at the top of this article, Depmots has made the 0.3.2 version available for free for anyone to try on the Socket website. While this is an older build that is no longer being updated, this gives anyone with an Android device the opportunity to try it out!
Going Forward
Socket is still actively in development, and there are plenty of bug fixes that are taking place with each new build that rolls out. That being said, Depmots is open to adding even more systems, and what is currently available is extremely slick, so there’s a lot of excitement around the development of this frontend.
