Difference between revisions of "Sega Genesis emulators"
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FosterHaven (talk | contribs) (at that point, you might as well just align the entire table. also, I wonder how well this formatting could work for comparisons?) |
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==Emulators== | ==Emulators== | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| − | |||
! scope="col"|Name | ! scope="col"|Name | ||
! scope="col"|Operating System(s) | ! scope="col"|Operating System(s) | ||
! scope="col"|Latest Version | ! scope="col"|Latest Version | ||
| − | ! scope="col"|SMS | + | ! scope="col"|<abbr title="Sega Master System">SMS</abbr> |
| − | ! scope="col"|GG | + | ! scope="col"|<abbr title="Game Gear">GG</abbr> |
| − | ! scope="col"|Mega Drive | + | ! scope="col"|<abbr title="Mega Drive / Genesis">MD/G</abbr> |
| − | ! scope="col"| | + | ! scope="col"|CD |
! scope="col"|32X | ! scope="col"|32X | ||
| − | ! scope="col"|[[Recommended | + | ! scope="col"|<small>[[Libretro]]</small> |
| + | ! scope="col"|[[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | !colspan="10"|PC | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[Genesis Plus GX]] | |
| − | | | + | |Multi-platform |
| − | | | + | |{{GenPlusGXVer}} |
| − | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✓ ||✓ | |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[Kega Fusion]] | |
| − | | | + | |Windows, Linux, OS X |
| − | + | |[http://www.carpeludum.com/download/Fusion364.zip 3.64] | |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✓ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[MAME]] | |
| − | + | |Multi-platform | |
| − | | | + | |[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | |[[PicoDrive]] |
| − | + | |Multi-platform | |
| − | | | + | |1.80 |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓<ref group=N name=PicoDrive>Only for the 32X as a cross-platform alternative to Kega Fusion.</ref> |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | |Gens/GS |
| − | | | + | |Multi-platform |
| − | + | |[http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS r7] | |
| − | | | + | |✗ ||✗ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✓ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[BlastEm]] | |
| − | + | |Windows, Linux, OS X | |
| − | + | |[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html#v0.5.1 0.5.1] | |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✗ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | |[[Exodus]] |
| − | | | + | |Windows |
| − | + | |[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release 2.0.1] | |
| − | + | |✗ ||✗ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ | |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | |[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen] |
| − | | | + | |Multi-platform |
| − | + | |[http://sourceforge.net/projects/dgen/files/dgen/ 1.33] | |
| − | + | |✗ ||✗ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ | |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[Genecyst]] | |
| − | | | + | |[[DOS emulators|DOS]] |
| − | | | + | |[https://web.archive.org/web/20070201000000*/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx] |
| − | + | |✗ ||✗ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ | |
| − | | | ||
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| − | | | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[Gens]] | |
| − | | | + | |Windows, Linux, BeOS |
| − | + | |[http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14] | |
| − | | | + | |✗ ||✗ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | |[[higan]] |
| − | | | + | |Multi-platform |
| − | + | |[http://byuu.org/emulation/higan/ {{higanVer}}] | |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||<small>bsnes</small> ||✗ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | |Megado |
| − | + | |Windows, Linux | |
| − | + | |[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado WIP] | |
| − | | | + | |✗ ||✗ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |Regen | |
| + | |Windows, Linux | ||
| + | |[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972] | ||
| + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | !colspan="10"|Mobile | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
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|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[Genesis Plus GX]] | |
| − | + | |Multi-platform | |
| − | | | + | |{{GenPlusGXVer}} |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✓ ||✓ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[PicoDrive]] | |
| + | |Multi-platform | ||
| + | |1.80 | ||
| + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓<ref group=N name=PicoDrive /> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | !colspan="10"|Consoles | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[Genesis Plus GX]] | |
| − | | | + | |[[Wii emulators|Wii]], [[Gamecube emulators|Gamecube]] |
| − | | | + | |[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] |
| − | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✓ ||✓ | |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[PicoDrive]] | |
| − | + | |PSP | |
| − | + | |1.80 | |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✓ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | |[[Virtual Console]] | |
| − | + | |Wii | |
| − | | | + | |<small>Game-specific</small> |
| − | | | + | |✓ ||✓ ||✓ ||✗ ||✗ ||✗ ||✓ |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | < | + | <references group=N /> |
==Comparisons== | ==Comparisons== | ||
| − | + | ;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A very solid emulator for the GameCube and Wii. The only thing it lacks is 32X support, and a native desktop port; the only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of RetroArch like shaders, dynamic sync and other enhancements. The version used in BizHawk adds features for speedrunners. | |
| − | + | ;[[Kega Fusion]]:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use and has plugin-based filter support. But it has some issues on newer versions of Windows. | |
| − | + | ;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]:A focus on accuracy as earned it high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows overclocking. | |
| − | + | ;[[Exodus]]:Think bsnes but for the Genesis. Even though higan is also getting into the Genesis game, Exodus has already achieved cycle-accuracy at the familiar cost of high system requirements. It is the newest Genesis emulator and is far from complete. | |
| − | + | ;[[Gens]]:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility, but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use. | |
| − | + | ;[[BlastEm]]:Aims for cycle-accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements. It has substantially higher compatibility than Exodus but falls short of Genesis Plus GX. | |
| + | ;[[higan]]:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its very own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] bsnes. It's promising but incomplete. However, it can be used in the latest builds. | ||
| + | ;[[MAME]]:Has the parent drivers <code style="color:green">genesis</code>, <code style="color:green">sms</code>, <code style="color:green">gamegear</code>, <code style="color:darkred">segacd</code>, and <code style="color:darkred">32x</code>. Green drivers are reported as OK, where red ones are reported as not working as of version 0.188. | ||
==Lock-On Emulation== | ==Lock-On Emulation== | ||
Revision as of 22:01, 6 September 2017
The Sega Genesis is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by Sega in 1988. In other regions, it was known as the Mega Drive. It had several add-ons, including the Sega CD (a CD add-on, called Mega CD outside America) and the 32X (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).
Genesis emulation is very good, with high degree of game compatibility (many of them claiming nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including Virtua Racing). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis emulators also feature compatibility with the Sega Master System (SMS), and the Game Gear (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. Genesis-based arcade boards and the Sega Pico are still sketchy, however.
Emulators
| Name | Operating System(s) | Latest Version | SMS | GG | MD/G | CD | 32X | Libretro | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC | |||||||||
| Genesis Plus GX | Multi-platform | 1.7.5 RC1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kega Fusion | Windows, Linux, OS X | 3.64 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| MAME | Multi-platform | 0.264 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PicoDrive | Multi-platform | 1.80 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓[N 1] |
| Gens/GS | Multi-platform | r7 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| BlastEm | Windows, Linux, OS X | 0.5.1 | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Exodus | Windows | 2.0.1 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| DGen | Multi-platform | 1.33 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Genecyst | DOS | x.xx | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Gens | Windows, Linux, BeOS | 2.14 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| higan | Multi-platform | v110 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | bsnes | ✗ |
| Megado | Windows, Linux | WIP | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Regen | Windows, Linux | 0.972 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile | |||||||||
| Genesis Plus GX | Multi-platform | 1.7.5 RC1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PicoDrive | Multi-platform | 1.80 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓[N 1] |
| Consoles | |||||||||
| Genesis Plus GX | Wii, Gamecube | 1.7.5 RC1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PicoDrive | PSP | 1.80 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Virtual Console | Wii | Game-specific | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Comparisons
- Genesis Plus GX
- A very solid emulator for the GameCube and Wii. The only thing it lacks is 32X support, and a native desktop port; the only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of RetroArch like shaders, dynamic sync and other enhancements. The version used in BizHawk adds features for speedrunners.
- Kega Fusion
- The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use and has plugin-based filter support. But it has some issues on newer versions of Windows.
- Regen
- A focus on accuracy as earned it high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows overclocking.
- Exodus
- Think bsnes but for the Genesis. Even though higan is also getting into the Genesis game, Exodus has already achieved cycle-accuracy at the familiar cost of high system requirements. It is the newest Genesis emulator and is far from complete.
- Gens
- Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility, but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.
- BlastEm
- Aims for cycle-accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements. It has substantially higher compatibility than Exodus but falls short of Genesis Plus GX.
- higan
- Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its very own SNES emulator bsnes. It's promising but incomplete. However, it can be used in the latest builds.
- MAME
- Has the parent drivers
genesis,sms,gamegear,segacd, and32x. Green drivers are reported as OK, where red ones are reported as not working as of version 0.188.
Lock-On Emulation
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allowed a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.
- With Sonic 3: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 3 with more levels.
- With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
- With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select to all possible levels.
The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock on to other cartridges:
- Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
- Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
- Has Battery Pack: All save data will be wiped out.
Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The Sonic 3 Complete romhack also achieves the same purpose.
Genesis Plus GX's RetroArch core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.
The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
- sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
- sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.
For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.
External links
- MegaDrive Development Wiki - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. Its aim is to provide the most detailed, accurate and up to date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
- Mega Drive emulators on Sega Retro
- ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis
