List of filetypes
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For the different sections for the file types, see: Archives, Disc/Disk Images, Tape Files, ROM Images, Saves, Shaders and Filters, Other, CHIP-8.
Archives[edit]
| File ext | File type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .rar | Compressed Archive | Use WinRAR or 7-Zip to open and extract. |
| .7z/.7zip | Compressed Archive | Use WinRAR or 7-Zip to open and extract. |
| .zip | Compressed Archive | Use WinRAR or 7-Zip to open and extract. |
| .tar.gz .gz |
Compressed Archive | Use WinRAR or 7-Zip to open and extract. |
| .tar | Archive | Use WinRAR or 7-Zip to open and extract. |
| .001/.part1/.r01 | Split Archive | Use WinRAR or 7-Zip to open and extract. |
| .gzip | Compressed Archive | Use 7-Zip to open and extract. Can be loaded by PCSX2 directly. |
| .tar.bz2 .bz2 |
Compressed Archive | Use WinRAR or 7-Zip to open and extract. Could previously have been loaded by PCSX2 (Old CDVD plugin) until PCSX2 became plugin-free. |
Disc/Disk Images[edit]
| File ext | Name | System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .iso/.img | Disk Image | Multiple | |
| .ccd | CloneCD Control File | Multiple | Usually comes with .img files. |
| .bin | Binary File | Multiple | Usually accompanied with, and used by, a cue sheet. |
| .cue | Cue Sheet | Multiple | Metadata file for .bin/.iso/.img tracks. |
| .chd | Compressed Hunks of Data | Multiple | Originally made for MAME, now used by multiple emulators |
| .mdf | Media Descriptor File | Multiple | Disc image made from Alcohol 120% |
| .mds | Media Descriptor Sheet | Multiple | Similar to .cue or .ccd, but for .mdf files. |
| .ecm | Error Code Modeler | PlayStation | Compressed PS1 disc image, use Unecm to decompress it. |
| .cso | Compressed ISO | PS2/PSP/GC/Wii | Compressed disc image, see here to convert to and from .iso |
| .gcz | Compressed Dolphin ISO | GC/Wii | Compressed Wii/GC disc image, see here to convert to and from .iso |
| .rvz | Modern Dolphin Format | GC/Wii | A new compressed format developed by the Dolphin team able to efficiently compress junk/padding data, allowing both small file sizes and archival quality. |
| .cdi/.gdi | CD Image | Dreamcast | Typically used with Dreamcast, CDI is a compressed GDI |
| .sbi | CD Image | Sub-channel data. Generally used in the case of PS1 for Digital Rights Management | |
| .sub | CloneCD Subchannel File | PS1/others? | Sub-channel data for CloneCD, may come with .img/.ccd. Don't confuse with MicroDVD subtitle files with the same extension. |
| .nrg | Nero Image File | PS1/PS2/others? | |
| .isz | ISO Zipped | PS2/others? | |
| .fds | Famicom Disk System | NES | |
| .ndd | Nintendo 64DD | N64 | |
| .adf | Amiga Disk File | Amiga | |
| .adz/adf.gz | ADZ | Amiga | Name derived from Amiga Disk File and the compression format gzip |
| .dms | Disk Masher System | Amiga | |
| .ipf | Interchangeable Preservation Format | Amiga | A file format designed to replace the 'Amiga Disk File' format due to many files in the .adf format "cracked" variants of software. Has better support for copy protected disks. |
Tape Files[edit]
| File ext | Name | System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .wav | Waveform Audio File Format | Tape Based Systems | Raw data in audio format[N 1] |
| .tap | Tape File | Tape Based Systems | Raw tape data usable by appropriate emulators |
| .tzx | ZX Spectrum Tape File | Compatible Tape Based Systems (ZXS, CPC, C64, etc.) | Prefered file type for all emulators, perfect representation |
| .cdc | CPC Digital Tape | Amstrad CPC | Identical to the .tzx file but useable only by Amstrad CPC emulators |
| .cas | PC-6000 and PC-6601 Cassette | NEC PC-6000 series |
ROM Images[edit]
- ↑ When listened to, the file will play white noise. If this noise is perfectly recorded on to a tape, that tape should theoretically be able to be used on a system. In practice, however, this is more difficult to do, as any interference can potentially ruin the tape and some copy protection systems may render the re-recording unusable
| File ext | Name | System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .nes/.nez/.unf/.unif | NES ROM | NES | .unf and .unif correspond to the now deprecated Universal NES Image Format. |
| .smc | Super Magicom | SNES | Headered ROMs dumped from a Super Magicom copier. |
| .sfc | Super Famicom ROM | SNES | Headerless SNES ROM |
| .md | Multi Game Doctor | Genesis | ROMs dumped from a Multi Game Doctor |
| .smd | Super Magic Drive | Genesis | Headered ROMs dumped from a Super Magic Drive |
| .gen | Genesis ROM | Genesis | Headerless Genesis ROM |
| .gg | Game Gear ROM | Game Gear | |
| .z64 | Zip Diskette N64 ROM | Nintendo 64 | Headered N64 ROMS dumped with a Mr. Backup Z64 |
| .v64 | Doctor V64 | Nintendo 64 | Headered N64 ROMS dumped with a Doctor V64 |
| .n64 | N64 ROM | Nintendo 64 | |
| .gb | Game Boy ROM | Game Boy | |
| .gbc | Game Boy Color ROM | Game Boy Color | |
| .gba/.srl | Game Boy Advance ROM | Game Boy Advance | |
| .gcm | GameCube Master Image | GameCube | GC disc dumped the way it's read |
| .gcz | Compressed GameCube Disc Image | GameCube | Can be either a compressed .gcm or .iso |
| .xiso | Xbox ISO | Xbox | |
| .nds/.srl | Nintendo DS ROM | Nintendo DS | |
| .dsi/.nds/.app/.srl | DSiWare ROM | DSiWare | Different from regular DS ROMs. |
| .ids | iQue DS ROM | iQue/Nintendo DS | The same thing as regular Nintendo DS ROMs, but for the Chinese iQue DS. |
| .wbfs | Wii Backup File System | Wii | Use WBFS Manager to convert to and from .iso |
| .wad | Wii Application Data | Wii | Used for Wii channels |
| Where's All the Data? | Doom Engine games | Used for games derived from the Doom engine and a few 90's games. | |
| .cia | CTR Importable Archive | 3DS | |
| .3ds | Nintendo 3DS ROM | 3DS | |
| .nsp | Nintendo Switch ROM | Nintendo Switch | Dump of SD and NAND games, Updates |
| .xci | Nintendo Switch ROM | Nintendo Switch | Dump of a game cartridge |
| .ngp/.ngc | NGP/C ROM | Neo Geo Pocket/Color | |
| .pce | PC Engine ROM | PC Engine | |
| .vpk | PlayStation Vita ROM | PlayStation Vita | Compressed files forming a PlayStation Vita ROM |
| .vb | Virtual Boy ROM | Virtual Boy | Also used for Visual Basic source files |
| .ws/.wsc | WonderSwan (Color) ROM | WonderSwan/Color | |
| .bin/.dat/.lst | NAOMI ROM | Dreamcast | NAOMI format supported by relevant Dreamcast emulators. MAME-deprecated and mostly irrelevant |
| .ipa | Apple iPhone App Data | iOS | |
| .apk | Android App Data | Android | |
| .obb | Android App Data Resources | Android |
Saves[edit]
| File ext | Name | System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .dsv | DeSmuME Save | NDS | |
| .ds1 to .ds9 | DeSmuME Save State | NDS | |
| .sav | Save file | Multiple | |
| .ps2 | PCSX2 Memory Card | PS2 | |
| .p2s | PCSX2 Save State | PS2 | |
| .mcr | Memory Card Reader | PS1 | PS1 emulator memory card |
| .mpk | Memory Pack | Nintendo 64 | N64 saves |
| .eep | EEPROM | Nintendo 64 | N64 saves |
| .st0/.sta/ | Savestate | Multiple | |
| .srm | Save RAM | SNES/Genesis | Save RAM dump, used with emulators and flashcards |
Shaders and Filters[edit]
| File ext | Name | System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .cg | C for Graphics | Nvidia's shader format based on C's syntax. | |
| .glsl | OpenGL Shading Language / GLslang | OpenGL only shader format based on C's syntax. | |
| .hlsl | High-level shader language | Windows, Xbox, 360 | Microsoft's proprietary DirectX only shader language, based on C's syntax. |
| .slang | Slang | Shading language that extends HLSL. | |
| .slangp | Slang preset | Lists Slang files and provides parameters for them. |
Other[edit]
| File ext | Name | System | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .elf | Executable and Linkable Format | PS2/PS3/GC/Wii | Typically a homebrew/small application file |
| .pbp | Perl Builder File | PlayStation Portable | Game and homebrew eboot file, also used for PS1 ISO storage (eboot.pbp) |
| .dol | Dolphin File | GameCube/Wii | Executable |
| .xbe/.xex | Xbox Executable | Xbox/X360 | Xbox Executable. Usually comes with a folder with game data. X360 ones can be loaded by Xenia. |
| .cfg/.ini | Configuration File | Multiple | Use a text editor such as notepad/Notepad++ to edit |
| .dll | Dynamic Link Library | Multiple | Typically used for plugins/emulation cores in emulators |
| .so | Shared Library | Multiple | Typically used for plugins/emulation cores in emulators |
| .xml | Extensible Markup Language | MAME/MESS | Contains various information about emulated systems and ROMs. |
| .hsi | XML-like | MESS | Contains various information about ROMs. |
| .lay | Layout | MAME/MESS | XML-like file used to describe the visual layout of artwork overlays and placement of emulation input/output. |
| .nv | Non Volatile RAM | MAME/MESS | Created by default to store nvram of emulated systems or software in the NVRAM folder. |
| .m3u | Playlist file | Multiple | Used to play multiple discs back to back, automates disc swapping. |
| .rp9 | RP9 | Amiga/Commodore 64 | Packaging format for Commodore 64 and Amiga file formats. Designed by Cloanto. used by C64 Forever and Amiga Forever software. |
CHIP-8 formats[edit]
| File ext | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .c8, .ch8 | Original | |
| .ch10 | CHIP-10 | |
| .c8b | ? | proposed standard CHIP-8 binary file |
| .c8h | CHIP-8 with two page display (64x64) | |
| .c8e | CHIP-8E | |
| .c8x | CHIP-8X | |
| .sc8 | S-CHIP | |
| .mc8 | MegaChip8 | |
| .xo8 | XO-CHIP | |
| .8o | Octo | Source file |
