A native PS3 emulator for Android is available on the Play Store

We're another step closer to getting PlayStation 3 games to run smoothly on an Android smartphone. A little-known developer has released aPS3e, a PS3 emulator that can natively run on Android, onto the Google Play Store. Independent developers have been creating ways to emulate our favorite nostalgic hits on PS3, but offering a direct way to do it on an Android device is a major step in the emulation world.

Before you dive in, it's worth noting that aPS3e suffers the same issues as other emulators, meaning it doesn't offer the same smooth experience as playing on your old PS3. Even the Play Store page warns that the app is "still under active development and may not work with all your favorite games." Early reports from users claim that the app is prone to crashing, still has several bugs, and doesn't offer reliable frame-rate performance. The app is geared towards higher-end Android devices with the latest processors and recommends around 12 GB of RAM for a decent gameplay experience. The app has built-in on-screen controls, but the website claims it has support for some Bluetooth controllers.

This latest app isn't the only way to emulate PS3 games on an Android device, but it's the first to be listed on the Play Store. There has been a lot of criticism that the developer pulled code from other PS3 emulation projects, but the project has since been made open-source on its Github page. Currently, aPS3e is available for free without ads, but there's a premium version for $5 that's meant to support the developer. The Android emulator has already landed more than 10,000 downloads.