I can't believe how far Switch emulation has come in the year since Nintendo killed it
Nick Fernandez / Android Authority
It's been a few weeks since the Nintendo Switch 2 hit shelves, but if we're being perfectly honest, there's not much reason to buy one yet. I've been revisiting my OG Switch to stave off the FOMO, but I was sad to learn that my left Joy-Con now drifts so badly that Link runs in circles like he's drunk in Breath of the Wild.
Instead of shelling out $40 for another Joy-Con with a ticking drift timer, I reached for something I hadn't touched in a while: Switch emulation on Android. I had largely given up on the scene after the events of last year, but what I found honestly blew me away. Not only is Switch emulation alive, it's evolved in ways I didn't see coming. I still love playing on real hardware, but let's just say the emulator grave Nintendo tried to dig didn't stay filled for long.
Hard reset: The Yuzu shutdown
Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
For those of you who haven't followed Switch emulation closely, it's been a crazy few years. Ryujinx and Yuzu were making huge gains, with the latter finally releasing an Android version in May 2023. At first, performance was limited, and while it was novel and fun, few games were truly playable.
Things really kicked into high gear when native code execution (NCE) entered the chat. This clever compatibility layer lets Android devices execute some Switch code natively, resulting in major performance jumps. Suddenly, games that were once PowerPoint slideshows became playable. Skyline pioneered the use of compatibility layers for Switch emulation, but when it bowed out early in 2023 to dodge Nintendo's legal fireball, Yuzu picked up the torch.
Native code execution is a gamechanger for Switch emulation on Android.
With NCE enabled, Yuzu finally felt like it was close to being a real option for handheld play. Sure, you still needed a reasonably beefy Android device, but it was no longer just a novelty. I couldn't believe I could actually play Switch games on a phone, and that's when I started to think: maybe Switch emulation on Android actually had a future.
Curtis Joe / Android Authority
That hope didn't last long. In early 2024, Nintendo did what Nintendo does best: lawyer up. They filed a lawsuit against Yuzu's developers, Tropic Haze, effectively killing the project. The case never made it to court, but a quick settlement led to a quiet shutdown. Citra, the beloved 3DS emulator from the same team, vanished in the fallout.
With Yuzu and Ryujinx shut down, it looked like game over for Switch emulation.
Ryujinx wasn't far behind. Later that year, Nintendo reportedly contacted the lead developer behind that project, too, sending an offer they couldn't refuse. By October 2024, Ryujinx was gone. Just like that, the two biggest names in Switch emulation were dead. The scene was, by all appearances, toast.
Fork yeah, we're back
Nick Fernandez / Android Authority
It didn't take long for Yuzu forks to start popping up, although most didn't add any new functionality or enhancements. This Wild West period saw forks like Suyu, Uzuy, Sudachi, and Torzu gain popularity, although those and others were frequently removed from GitHub by a blue shell from Nintendo HQ.
But then came Citron, the first fork that offered new features, better compatibility, and actual performance gains. For the first time in months, it felt like the scene was moving forward again. Citron's core team eventually imploded, but for most games and most phones, it's still the one I keep installed.
Eden is currently the most exciting and ambitious Yuzu fork.
Out of Citron's ashes came Eden, a new fork built by many of the same devs, but now with a clearer vision, fresh code, and less drama. It's early days for Eden, but it already feels ambitious. The devs are throwing around big ideas for performance tweaks, UI improvements, and more features.
The first public build of Eden dropped barely a month ago, and it's still half-baked in spots. But even so, it's the most exciting Switch emulation project I've seen since Yuzu's heyday.
No matter which Yuzu variant you choose, performance still depends heavily on the turnip drivers. These unofficial, community-built GPU drivers are a labor of love, and they've also steadily improved over the years. Pick the right one, and you can squeeze out framerates the Switch itself might envy.
Meanwhile, a new challenger appeared in a different corner of the emulator universe: Kenji-NX. Built on Ryujinx's codebase, it trades performance for accuracy. On older phones, that tradeoff doesn't pan out, but if you've got a Snapdragon 8 Elite, it's another story.
The right emulator and driver can outperform even original Switch hardware.
Ironically, the chipsets that struggle with Yuzu forks due to missing third-party drivers are the same ones where Kenji-NX shines. The more brute power your phone has, the better Kenji runs, and the more it starts to feel like the emulator of the future.
In a twist Nintendo definitely didn't intend, the Switch 2 also helped boost emulator performance. Right before launch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe got a massive update that converted its Wii U-era 32-bit code to 64-bit. That tiny change doubled the average framerate on Android emulators, thanks to better compatibility with the NCE layer.
Cease and persist
Nick Fernandez / Android Authority
Switch emulation may be charging ahead on the tech front, but legality is another matter. Nintendo has (grudgingly) admitted that emulation itself is legal, but if you're playing Switch games anywhere other than on an official cartridge, on a real Switch, on your couch, under an officially Mario-branded blanket, it's probably not happy about it.
In fact, Nintendo has started bricking Switch 2 consoles that so much as touch a MiG Switch flash cart, even if you're using it for legitimate backups. The message is loud and clear: don't mess with the hardware, even if you purchased the software.
Fortunately, developers have taken the Yuzu takedown to heart. Modern emulators steer clear of copyrighted files entirely. That means if you want to use one, you'll need to bring your own firmware, keys, and games, ideally dumped from your own modded Switch. Modding a Switch is against Nintendo's ToS, but that's not the emulator developers' problem, it's yours.
Despite Nintendo's best efforts, Switch emulation isn't going anywhere.
But even that doesn't make these emulators entirely safe. Nintendo's intellectual property page claims emulators 'encourage the use of unauthorized (i.e. pirate) copies' and that some 'circumvent security measures,' making them illegal by design. It's a legal minefield.
Still, whether Nintendo admits it or not, emulation isn't going anywhere. After trying (and failing) to wipe it off the map, all it's really done is push the scene to decentralize and evolve. In a post-Yuzu world, Switch emulator development is more fragmented, but it's also more resilient and legally savvy.
I still prefer playing Switch games on real hardware when I can. But that's not always possible anymore, with aging consoles, failing Joy-Cons, and a new Switch built without physical media in mind. Somehow, the best way to revisit this generation of Nintendo games might not be a Switch 2 or even a Switch 1. It might be an Android phone and an emulator born from the ashes.
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Durability Setup: I unboxed each knife sharpener, noting its overall size and weight, and if it came with detailed instructions, as well as how comprehensive the user manual was. Build quality: I held each knife sharpener in my hands, noting how sturdy or flimsy its construction felt. I noted the material and surface of the unit, as well as how big the footprint was. Ease of use Intuitiveness: I noted how well I could use the knife sharpener after just one perusal of its user manual. I observed whether the process required to sharpen each blade was wildly different from other knife sharpeners I tested or relatively the same. Speed: I considered how fast each knife sharpener was while sharpening each blade. Did I need to repeat any steps in the sharpening process, and if so, how many times did I need to do so to achieve the desired result? Overall value Price: I considered the price of each sharpener, factoring in the overall value of the sharpener itself as well as the money it saves on having to buy new knives. The knife sharpeners I tested all have slots that help position knife blades properly, practically ensuring you use the machine correctly each time. But there are three factors you should keep in mind as you search for the best knife sharpener for your needs. Electric or manual One of the first factors to consider is whether you want an electric or a manual knife sharpener. Electric knife sharpeners are bigger and take up more counter space, and might not be as easy to store as their manual counterparts. You can also take a manual knife sharpener with you while you go camping or hiking, without needing a power outlet. Keep your budget in mind as well. Electric knife sharpeners are generally more expensive than manual models, though I was somehow able to pick a manual knife sharpener in the Zwilling V-Edge that, at $100, is more expensive than any of the electric models I included in my testing pool. Sharpening stages All knife sharpeners offer grinding wheels to give blades a sharp edge. If a sharpener offers two wheels, then that's considered two stages. During the first stage, the blade is roughly ground, and then it's further refined during the second stage. There are some knife sharpeners, like my winner, the Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp, that also offer a third wheel or stage to polish up the blade even further. Knife type Whether your knife is serrated or not will drastically influence which knife sharpeners you can use. Sharpeners for non-serrated blades are much more prevalent, and all the models in this review can handle sharpening non-serrated blades. Serrated blades are a trickier thing, but some knife sharpeners can handle the unique needs of serrated knife sharpening, like the winning Presto sharpener and the Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener. Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener The Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener is the little cousin to our winner, the Presto 08810. This 08800 model offers a two-stage sharpening system that features two sharpening slots. It's effective and ideal for anyone wanting a smaller, more compact knife sharpener than my top pick. Like its cousin, the Presto 08810, this 120-volt model from Presto offers an intuitive, simple design and great performance, all from a compact unit. But the 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener's smaller body has just two grinding wheels, not three. These two wheels use the same technique and technology as the 08810, quickly sharpening and polishing my non-serrated knife blades just as well as our winner. The first wheel on the left side of the Presto 08800 EverSharp is meant for precision grinding, while the wheel on the right is the fine polishing wheel meant for honing. I had no trouble pulling a dull blade through either grinding slot and then enjoying a sharp blade after just a few minutes of sharpening. This two-slot model from Presto is available for about half the price of the three-stage Presto 08810. Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener This compact, no-frills electric knife sharpener from Smith's sells for as low as $40, which is a great deal considering it gave me razor-sharp knives and even sharpened serrated blades. This model sharpened my dull knife quickly, letting me slice through tomatoes and avocados with ease. Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener is an electric knife sharpener that can sharpen knives of alloy steel, carbon steel or stainless steel. The right side of the Smith's body offers two slots. One slot is a mechanical slot that features a coarse diamond sharpening wheel for fast and precise sharpening. The other slot is a manual finishing slot that features two specially shaped, triangular ceramic stones for final edge honing of a straight-edge blade or serrated blade sharpening. The manual finishing slot's ceramic stones are designed to sharpen serrated blades without damaging the serrations by following the shape of the blade as the knife is pulled through the slot. This sharpener from Smith's is not designed to sharpen scissors or any blade that doesn't fit freely in its blade guides, which hold knives at the correct angle for precise sharpening. After using the Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond sharpener, my previously dull knife cut smoothly through tomatoes, avocados and more. It was also pleasant to use, with a soft grip on the left side that allows you to maintain better control while using it. The nonslip rubber feet on the bottom of the sharpener are a nice touch too since they provide extra stability. WorkSharp CPE2 Kitchen Knife Sharpener The WorkSharp CPE2 Kitchen Knife Sharpener is simple, easy to use, lightweight and compact that uses both discs and ceramic wheels to sharpen knives. It worked well and fit in my kitchen drawer for easy storage, which was nice, but it lost out to the Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener due to the Presto's three grinding wheels and lower price. The WorkSharp CPE2 Kitchen Knife Sharpener can sharpen all types of kitchen knives, including cleavers and paring knives, plus scissors, shears and serrated edges. Though I didn't test the latter, the company says this model offers 20-degree-angle guides that are removable for scissor sharpening as well as a dedicated scissor sharpening guide. The WorkSharp, like the Smith's and the smaller Presto, uses a two-stage system with two separate sharpening slots. The first one uses flexible, abrasive discs to sharpen blades, while the second is a honing port that uses ceramic wheels for fine-tuning. After using it, I like how I could store it easily in a kitchen drawer or cabinet. Its price is the highest of the electric knife sharpeners I tested, though, which kept it from taking the top spot. Zwilling V-Edge Knife Sharpener The Zwilling V-Edge Knife Sharpener is a manual knife sharpener that's lightweight, simple to use and effective. If you don't want to rely on a power outlet to sharpen your knives, this sharpener is a good option. It didn't earn my top spot since its price is higher than the rest of the electric models I tested, by about $30. The Zwilling V-Edge Knife Sharpener is the only manual knife sharpener I tested. It's portable, easy to use and works well, sharpening my knife so that I could easily slice through tomatoes and bell peppers. Its light, slim body can be stored easily in a pantry or kitchen drawer, or even brought along on a camping trip if you anticipate needing sharp kitchen knives. But be sure to keep it dry, as it's not water-resistant or dishwasher-safe. The company recommends keeping the guiding slot clean by using a nonabrasive, dry towel to gently wipe any fine dust residue that may accumulate over time. Also, at $100 or more, it's the most expensive option I tested, and it's results weren't vastly different. So, if budget is an issue, try one of the less expensive knife sharpeners I tested, like the $40 Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener, which works well. What's the difference between a kitchen knife and a utility knife? What's the difference between a kitchen knife and a utility knife? A kitchen knife is different from a utility knife (also known as a box cutter) because a utility knife stays sharp thanks to its replaceable razor blade. A kitchen knife needs either an electric or manual sharpener to restore its blade to ideal working condition. How do I use an electric knife sharpener? How do I use an electric knife sharpener? To use an electric knife sharpener, insert your dull blade into the correct slot on the machine and gently pull the blade toward you, applying gentle yet constant pressure as you pull. For dull blades, first choose the coarse slot, then select the finer slot for honing and regular maintenance after the initial sharpening. Can I sharpen serrated knives with my knife sharpener? Can I sharpen serrated knives with my knife sharpener? It depends entirely on the sharpener itself. Some are made to sharpened only non-serrated knives, while others can sharpen serrated knives, scissors, shears and more. Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions and user manual to determine what kind of knives are safe to use in your knife sharpener and how to do so. With our top pick, for example, the Presto 08810 knife sharpener, you can sharpen serrated knives, except for electric serrated knives or knives serrated on both sides, per the user manual. To sharpen non-electric serrated knives, Presto says to use only the slots in Stages 2 and 3, and to only sharpen the smooth side of the knife blade (the side without the grooves or scallops). Draw the knife through the slots using very little pressure too. Presto also warns that each time a serrated knife is sharpened, a portion of the serration is removed. So, be aware that, over time, the serration on the knife may be completely removed, and you may end up with a knife blade similar to that of a utility knife. Can I sharpen scissors with a knife sharpener? Can I sharpen scissors with a knife sharpener? You can sharpen scissors with some knife sharpeners, but not all of them. You can often sharpen scissors more effectively by using a sharpening rod, though, as many knife sharpeners are specifically designed only for knives. For those that can sharpen scissors, you'll want to first take the scissors apart and carefully pull each blade through the knife sharpener's slot, much like you would a dull knife blade. CNN Underscored thoroughly tests the products in our testing guides and provides full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this guide, testing editor Suzanne Kattau used knife sharpeners to sharpen the many dull blades of her kitchen knives and then spent days slicing a countless number of tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers and strawberries to find the very best. Kattau has also tested some of the best cordless stick vacuums as well as many other home, sleep and kitchen products, including the best dehumidifiers, the best robot mops, the best leaf blowers, the best mattresses for side sleepers and the best nonstick pans.
Geek Tyrant
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