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Is there a way to take app-games from Android and play them on pc - without the Google Play store? (lemm.ee)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by DudePluto@lemm.ee to c/roms@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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I have Stardew Valley and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on my Android phone, and I'd like to put them onto my PC. It seems like most of the ways I've found online include using the Google Play store in some way. Which, is an option. But, though I'm no privacy purist I'd still like to resist giving Google more access to my machines if I can avoid it. So is there a way to rip or move my games from Android to PC without using Google Play?

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[-] kadu@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You need to grab the .APK file from an online mirror. If the apps are free, there are quite a few good trusted mirrors. If they're paid... you'll be looking at piracy websites, even if you own the games.

Then you need an Android emulator or translation layer. For Windows, this is Windows Subsystem for Android. You can follow a guide to install it, and then there are tools on GitHub that make opening .APK files easier on it.

On Linux there's a similar project, but I honestly can't say much about it.

That being said, you want Stardew Valley and Castlevania SOTN? Why not simply use the native PC versions or an actual console emulator?

[-] DudePluto@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

That being said, you want Stardew Valley and Castlevania SOTN? Why not simply use the native PC versions or an actual console emulator?

Well I thought moving the files I own might be an easy, legal way of doing it, plus something useful to know for the future for other games and apps. But, it looks like I may be mistaken. So you're right, this will probably be the route I take.

Thank you for taking the time to answer!

[-] olicvb@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

since you are going down that road might as well go full on and pirate the games ¯\(ツ)/¯. You'll likely have a better time playing them on pc the intended way.

Here those are useful links down that path. I recommend trying to find on GOG (from that list not the official one) as it's the most straight forward, and cs,rin,ru forum for if it isn't on there.

[-] shawnshitshow@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago

if you have the app installed on your Android phone, I have had good success with this "apk extractor" app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ytheekshana.apkextractor

this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
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