Since Kik hasn’t released an actual PC version of the app many folks are finding alternate ways to use Kik on their computers. We have gone through extensively how to get Kik onto your computer (which you can check out here) the programs you can use can change as technology advances. Check out this guide to see our 3 favorite Android emulators for 2018.
Android was intended to be very customizable. And we welcome innovations. – Sundar Pichai
What is an Android emulator?
Before we get in depth with our favorite emulators, we should quickly cover just what an emulator is. An emulator is something that acts (or emulates) something else. In our case, android emulators trick programs into thinking that you are using an Android device. When you launch the emulator you can download and play different games and apps because the Google app store thinks that you are using an Android device.
These emulators are safe to use, and are totally legal so you don’t need to worry about anything in regards to the emulators.
What are some other emulators?
As some of y’all might know, there are way more emulators out there than just Android. Here are some other popular emulators you can get:
- Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance
- Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS
- Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Gamecube
- Playstation, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation Portable
- Xbox, Xbox 360
- Sega Genesis, Sega Dreamcast, Sega Gamegear, Sega Saturn, Sega CD
- Atari 2600
- Wii, Wii U
There are many others, but these are some of the most popular ones you can find one the internet. To get any of these just do a Google search for whatever emulator you want. For example, you can search “Gameboy Color emulator” and you will have many emulators to choose from. Be careful though, some emulators on the web will charge you a subscription so make sure you do some research before paying for an emulator. Often times the free emulators are just as good as the ones you pay for.
What can I use on the Android emulators?
Obviously you can use many other apps on your emulator than just Kik. Getting an Android emulator means that you essentially have access to all of the Google Play store, meaning you can get all the apps you want. Here are some of the apps I have downloaded on my laptop for my emulator:
There are a few other random apps, but these apps run incredibly well on my computer.
The Best Emulators in 2018
Let’s finally move onto our favorite emulators for 2018. Some of these emulators are free while others give you the option to pay, so make sure you pay attention to pricing.
AndyRoid
You can learn more, and download, AndyRoid from their website here.
AndyRoid, more commonly known as just Andy, is an extremely popular Android emulator that is totally free. Well, mostly free unless you want keyboard mapping and developer support. This emulator was released in 2012 and has been, and still is, being worked on to make sure that your experience is the best it can be.
One of my favorite things about Andy is that you can actually use your phone as a remote to play the games that require a touchscreen. It is a really simple idea that actually helps a lot because the apps on our phones are meant to be played with just a keyboard. All that you need to do is download the Andy app for your phone and you’ll be ready to go.
My personal rating: Andy is easily my second favorite emulator. It is easy to use, and I love being able to use my phone as a remote. Best yet I can use Kik on my laptop, and can also kick butt on Clash of Clans as well.
BlueStacks
You can learn more about BlueStacks, and can download it, from their website here.
BlueStacks is an incredible emulator and is perfect for those people who love playing games on their phones. While you can certainly use BlueStacks for any and all apps you want, it really does excel with gaming. Multiple developers have actually worked with BlueStacks to ensure that the apps are running at their best so that games are optimized for you to play and stream.
What I love about BlueStacks is that it gives you the ability to stream the games that you would normally play onto BlueStacks TV. Another thing I also really love the chat feature built into BlueStacks. It allows you to chat with friends and even other players to be able to communicate. Even better is that BlueStacks will add a new feature into chat in 2018 that will sync your Steam contacts and Facebook friends so that you can always stay connected.
My personal rating: BlueStacks is my favorite emulator because I utilize the games features so I feel like I get that most out of the emulator. It is also very easy to use so I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great emulator (which you are if you’re reading this).
Android Studio Emulator
You can find out more (as well as download this emulator) from Android Studio’s website here.
The final emulator on this list is a bit different from our others, but it is still pretty friggin’ awesome. This emulator is actually made for app developers to test out and use their applications before putting it onto the Google Play store. It is the official emulator from Android, so you know that it’s pretty legit.
This emulator can emulate just about everything about an Android phone, including phone calls and texts, and of course running apps. Now it might be a little complex for average users (like myself) but for those of y’all who want a more in depth emulator you cannot get any better than this one.
My personal rating: This emulator is great for app developers, and even those out there who want a true Android experience on your computer. It isn’t super easy to navigate, so unless you are a developer or have previous coding knowledge, this might be too advanced for you.