Emulation General Wiki - User contributions [en]

Citra

2026-07-24T00:11:24Z

Carolina Heart: /* Forks */ reformatting into bullet points

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Citra
|logo = Citra.png
|logowidth = 100
|developer = Tropic Haze LLC Citra Team
|last-version = '''Nightly''' 2104 '''Canary''' 2798
|fate = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304225805if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Discontinued] (archived)
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]
|architecture = x86_64, ARM64
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|compatibility = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Compatibility list] (archived)
|website = [https://citra.azahar-emu.org/ citra.azahar-emu.org] (archived on azahar) [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ citra-emu.org] (archived)
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|source = [https://github.com/citra-mirror/citra GitHub] (mirror)
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required]]
}}

{{for|other software that emulates the 3DS|Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

'''[[wikipedia:Citra (emulator)|Citra]]''' (formerly Akiru) is a discontinued free and open-source [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]] emulator/debugger written in C++. It is also available as a [[libretro]] core. The emulator is no longer active. See [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]] for other options.

==Download==
;We do not recommend using Citra anymore. Instead, we recommend using [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]].

{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|''[https://web.archive.org/web/20240229205025/https://citra-emu.org/download/ Latest Archived Builds] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191743/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-nightly/releases Latest Archived Nightly (2104)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191843/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-canary/releases Latest Archived Canary (2798)]''
|}

If you decide to install it from the archived link, the updater tries to fetch for updates and can't fetch any due to it shutting down forcing you to quit the setup. However, you can download Citra from "Manual Installation" section and you can download and use Citra as usual.

==System requirements==
See [[Computer specifications#Citra]]

==History==
Citra emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and therefore is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications, and it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run at a playable state. On May 23, 2020, a [https://citra-emu.org/entry/announcing-citra-android/ official Android release] for Citra came out. The minimum requirements are Android 8 (64-bit) and OpenGL ES 3.2 support. Since 15th September 2023, Citra has also added support for Vulkan, resulting in improved performance in a number of scenarios. Many games achieve playable framerates on a variety of hardware, though the developers recommend an Android device with a Snapdragon 835 chip or better.

===Lawsuit===
See [[Yuzu#Lawsuit]].

==Shared data==
Some 3DS games make use of shared files from the console's system software. These games will not boot in Citra if said files are not present in the user folder.

These files are not provided by the Citra developers for legal reasons, so they can be downloaded from the [[Emulator Files#Nintendo 3DS|Emulator Files]] page.

==Importing saves==
Some games require this to bypass bugs in title screens.
# Get the Title ID for the game version you have from [http://www.3dsdb.com/ here]. For example, we'll try with the European version of Zelda: ALBW. Its full Title ID is <code>00040000000EC400</code>.
# Take the last 8 digits of the Title ID. (in our example, <code>000EC400</code>) In case this method fails later, take <code>00000000</code> instead, or make sure the save file and the ROM image are from the same region.
# Make an empty folder named as that partial Title ID (<code>000EC400</code>). Put inside it another folder named "data", then inside that one put another folder named <code>00000001</code>, then inside that one put the actual save data files.
# Move the folder with the title ID and put it here:
#: <code>\user\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\00000000000000000000000000000000\00000000000000000000000000000000\title\00040000</code>

==Issues==
===Emulation issues===
Emulation for various features is non-existent or not actively worked on enough to be in a usable state. This includes:
* Connectivity features relying on Wi-Fi (Wii U/3DS, Switch/3DS, 3DS Local Multiplayer, 3DS Online...), not in small part due to the setbacks hindering Wi-Fi DS emulation. However, Download Play is emulated.
* New 3DS mode. It is now in a playable state, but some games may still crash with it enabled.

===Game image format===
Citra accepts games in '''.3ds, .cia or .cxi format'''. Furthermore, in Summer 2017, chances are your existing dumps tailor-made for Citra most probably made with the officially recommended tool braindump, which were missing some data yet could be emulated on Citra, have had their compatibility broken as a design choice with no options provided to fix those dumps. You'll have to get new dumps.

While the latest sighax exploit allows for dumping decryption keys to convert (and possibly load) encrypted games in either .3ds or .cia format, development for a solution to allow for this Citra, even one requiring keys from your console, was formerly not actively pursued ''as a design choice''. Tools on 3DS and PC exist to convert those to decrypted .3ds format, and a guide can be found [[Nintendo 3DS emulators#Encryption|here]]. However, Citra now allows loading/installing encrypted 3ds/CIA files if the necessary AES keys are provided. The required keys are provided with the 3DS Shared Data downloadable above.

===Telemetry===
Citra developers decided to implement a telemetry feature, uploading to them through Internet connection detailed logs and data about your computer specs and the games you're playing. When booting Citra for the first time, you get asked if you want to enable it.

===macOS compatibility===
Although macOS support in Citra is still poor, macOS builds have returned to Citra Canary 2485 and newer thanks to the addition of the new Vulkan renderer. Previously, macOS builds were discontinued after build 1782 due to the developers raising the OpenGL requirements to version 4.3, while macOS only supports up to version 4.1. The new Vulkan renderer addresses this by utilizing the MoltenVK translation layer instead of OpenGL, enabling compatibility with macOS systems. Additionally, these latest builds are Universal and have native support for both Intel and Apple Silicon.

==Forks==
{{for|more information about other 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS emulators#Comparisons}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Azahar
|logo = Azahar icon.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Azahar}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/OpenSauce04 OpenSauce], [https://github.com/PabloMK7 PabloMK7], and other contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Mandarine-Neo
|logo = Mandarine.svg
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Mandarine}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/ptyfyre ptyfyre] and contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/ptyfyre/mandarine-neo GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Borked3DS
|logo = Borked3DS.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Borked3DS}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/rtiangha rtiangha]
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/Borked3DS/Borked3DS GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games and decryption]]
}}

;Azahar: A merger of the PabloMK7 and Lime3DS Citra forks by the same developers, meant to merge the added features of both to make a definitive emulator. New features and changes introduced by Azahar include:
:* Various compatibility improvements
:* New compression file format called Z3DS (or ZCCI) with a built-in converter,<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=August 1, 2025 |title=Support for compressed 3DS backups is here! How to free up space in your 3DS game library. |url= https://azahar-emu.org/blog/compressed-backups/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=September 25, 2025}}</ref>
:* The ability to download owned games from the Nintendo eShop
:* The inclusion of Cryptographic keys in the emulator by default.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Game Loading on Azahar: What's Changing |url=https://azahar-emu.org/blog/game-loading-changes/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref>
:* Arctic Base, an application that can stream 3DS games from real hardware to a computer, is supported. This feature is inherited from the PabloMK7 fork.
:* Hacks such as the ability to disable right eye rendering, which may improve performance.
:Certain changes were made out of legal considerations, such as ending support for encrypted games, and removing the ability to download system files directly from Nintendo's CDN, which has been replaced by the Artic Setup Tool: a homebrew application that copies system files from a real 3DS unit to Azahar. Originally the .3ds file extension was unsupported but support was added back in on January 2026.<ref>[https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases/tag/2124.3 Azahar 2124.3 Github release]</ref> A [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/pull/1215 Libretro core] has been released on March 3, 2026 during [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases v2105.0 Alpha 4]'s release.

;AzaharPlus: A fork of the Azahar 3DS emulator with extra features. Each version is the same as the corresponding version of Azahar except for this:[https://github.com/AzaharPlus/AzaharPlus/blob/AzaharPlus/README.md]
:*Compatibility with all game files. If a file works with any Citra fork, it works with AzaharPlus.
:*Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
:*Compatibility with older CPUs (no SSE4.2 required)
:*Compatibility with Android 9
:*ZipPass: A new way to exchange StreetPass data through zip files

;Mandarine-Neo: A continuation and major overhaul of the Mandarine (formerly Citra-Enhanced/Lemonade) project. After a period of inactivity, development was revived under the "Neo" branding in early 2026. Mandarine-Neo aims to be a feature-rich fork, incorporating code from Azahar while maintaining unique enhancements. Recent updates (v1.2.5+) have focused on optimizing the Android experience with custom GPU driver support, playtime tracking, and "Reverse Side-by-Side" stereoscopic 3D. It also includes the "Disable Right Eye Rendering" hack for 2D performance gains and improved audio implementations on PC and mobile.

;Borked3DS: A rebrand and continuation of the Bravely Offline Citra fork. The developers consider it to be an "experimental" or "sandbox" fork that may be unstable at times. It has all of the latest features from PabloMK7's Citra fork, most features from Lime3DS, and some hacks and features from Mandarine. It also has its own unique features, such as feature parity in the Android version, UI improvements for desktop and Android, and support for the Skylanders IR portal on desktop. It is not very active anymore, so users should use Azahar unless any Borked3DS-specific features are needed.

;PabloMK7 fork: A Citra fork written in C++ and initially created to add online play,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1719705943028449372</ref> but continued to receive new updates and other new features following the end of support for upstream Citra. PabloMK7 was a contributor of Citra, and the repository has also seen work from other active Citra contributors, such as GPUCode, who was among the most active contributors before the repository was deleted. Being a fork of Citra, the emulator emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and, therefore, is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications; it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run in a playable state. On May 5, 2024, PabloMK7 announced an upcoming feature known as Artic Base,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1787246255002853480</ref> released on May 12, 2024.<ref>https://github.com/PabloMK7/ArticBaseServer</ref> Artic Base is a 3DS homebrew app that can stream game data from the 3DS system to an instance of Citra over the local network, allowing users to play their own games on Citra without having to dump them. Artic Base can also sync save data between the 3DS and Citra. Development of the fork ceased on October 29, 2024, pending a merger with Lime3DS (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar">https://azahar-emu.org</ref>

;Lime3DS: A Citra fork. The main goal of the project was to act as a revival of Citra.<ref>https://github.com/Lime3DS#lime3ds-is-a-project-which-aims-to-revive-citra-the-most-popular-open-source-nintendo-3ds-emulator</ref> Much like its predecessor, Lime3DS is mainly written in C++. Development for Lime3DS began on the same day as Citra's closure, March 4, 2024. Unlike some other forks appearing at this time, the developers for Lime3DS intended to separate their branding from that of Citra and create a separate successor. The emulator had been steadily updated since then, boasting high compatibility and stability for many 3DS titles. Development ceased in November 2024, pending a merger with the PabloMK7 Citra fork (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar"></ref>

;[[Folium]]: A Citra port to iOS/iPadOS devices developed by Jarrod Norwell. Previously known as emuThreeDS and [https://github.com/emuPlace/Limon/ Limón]. Now continued as a [[Multi-system_emulators|multi emulator]] named Folium. [https://github.com/folium-app/Cytrus Cytrus] is the Nintendo 3DS emulation core used in Folium.[https://x.com/antique_codes/status/1845758124298481883/photo/2]

;Mandarine: A Citra fork. It was originally named "Citra-Enhanced." Development ceased temporarily in March 2024 due to the [[Yuzu#Lawsuit|stoppage of Citra development]]. Afterward, the project changed its name to Lemonade<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/EmulationOnAndroid/comments/1bbos29/citraenhanced_is_going_to_be_continued_and/</ref> and shifted its focus to the Android platform while planning to add new [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Hardware_features|features]] and [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. However, due to critique stemming from Lemonade's developers alleged stealing of code from other forks, violation of Citra's GPLv2 license, and berating of developers of other forks,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240411140255/https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1778376166098825515</ref> much of the team has since abandoned the project.<ref>https://github.com/Lemonade-emu/Lemonade/pull/2/files#diff-b335630551682c19a781afebcf4d07bf978fb1f8ac04c6bf87428ed5106870f5R16</ref> The fork was thereafter renamed back to Citra-Enhanced, before then renaming again to Mandarine after an alleged repository hijack attempt.<ref>https://github.com/mandarine3ds/mandarine/commit/ad06b079df3641e1f4086278ef93a65c204d245c#contribution</ref>

;Citra MMJ: '''Citra MMJ''' is a Citra fork for Android written by weihuoya. Compared to the more recent Azahar merger and the previous forks on Android, and depending on chipset used in the Android device, Citra MMJ may offer better performance and compatibility, especially with Mali GPU devices or other mid-end chipsets that may be too slow for Azahar. Citra MMJ also has some features that Azahar and previous forks for Android didn't have, such as per-game settings and dual-screen support for 2-screen Android handhelds and external displays (Azahar also has dual-screen support since v2123), but it does not yet support zstandard-compressed games that Azahar introduced in v2123. Also note that not all of the code distributed in Citra MMJ binaries is included in the source code repository on GitHub, meaning there is less transparency for users who want to know what code is being run on their systems and less openness for external developers who may wish to contribute. This may also violate the emulator's GPLv2 license, which stipulates that source code must be available to anyone who can obtain a binary.

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Official Website] (archived)
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201523if_/https://citra-emu.org/entry/ Blog/entries]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201048if_/https://citra-emu.org/help/ Help]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304212658if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/faq/ FAQ(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Game Compatibility List]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201040if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/home/ Wiki(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304202112if_/https://citra-emu.org/screenshots/ Screenshots]

{{Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Handheld console emulators]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

Citra

2026-07-23T23:56:30Z

Carolina Heart: /* Forks */

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Citra
|logo = Citra.png
|logowidth = 100
|developer = Tropic Haze LLC Citra Team
|last-version = '''Nightly''' 2104 '''Canary''' 2798
|fate = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304225805if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Discontinued] (archived)
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]
|architecture = x86_64, ARM64
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|compatibility = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Compatibility list] (archived)
|website = [https://citra.azahar-emu.org/ citra.azahar-emu.org] (archived on azahar) [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ citra-emu.org] (archived)
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|source = [https://github.com/citra-mirror/citra GitHub] (mirror)
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required]]
}}

{{for|other software that emulates the 3DS|Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

'''[[wikipedia:Citra (emulator)|Citra]]''' (formerly Akiru) is a discontinued free and open-source [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]] emulator/debugger written in C++. It is also available as a [[libretro]] core. The emulator is no longer active. See [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]] for other options.

==Download==
;We do not recommend using Citra anymore. Instead, we recommend using [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]].

{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|''[https://web.archive.org/web/20240229205025/https://citra-emu.org/download/ Latest Archived Builds] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191743/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-nightly/releases Latest Archived Nightly (2104)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191843/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-canary/releases Latest Archived Canary (2798)]''
|}

If you decide to install it from the archived link, the updater tries to fetch for updates and can't fetch any due to it shutting down forcing you to quit the setup. However, you can download Citra from "Manual Installation" section and you can download and use Citra as usual.

==System requirements==
See [[Computer specifications#Citra]]

==History==
Citra emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and therefore is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications, and it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run at a playable state. On May 23, 2020, a [https://citra-emu.org/entry/announcing-citra-android/ official Android release] for Citra came out. The minimum requirements are Android 8 (64-bit) and OpenGL ES 3.2 support. Since 15th September 2023, Citra has also added support for Vulkan, resulting in improved performance in a number of scenarios. Many games achieve playable framerates on a variety of hardware, though the developers recommend an Android device with a Snapdragon 835 chip or better.

===Lawsuit===
See [[Yuzu#Lawsuit]].

==Shared data==
Some 3DS games make use of shared files from the console's system software. These games will not boot in Citra if said files are not present in the user folder.

These files are not provided by the Citra developers for legal reasons, so they can be downloaded from the [[Emulator Files#Nintendo 3DS|Emulator Files]] page.

==Importing saves==
Some games require this to bypass bugs in title screens.
# Get the Title ID for the game version you have from [http://www.3dsdb.com/ here]. For example, we'll try with the European version of Zelda: ALBW. Its full Title ID is <code>00040000000EC400</code>.
# Take the last 8 digits of the Title ID. (in our example, <code>000EC400</code>) In case this method fails later, take <code>00000000</code> instead, or make sure the save file and the ROM image are from the same region.
# Make an empty folder named as that partial Title ID (<code>000EC400</code>). Put inside it another folder named "data", then inside that one put another folder named <code>00000001</code>, then inside that one put the actual save data files.
# Move the folder with the title ID and put it here:
#: <code>\user\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\00000000000000000000000000000000\00000000000000000000000000000000\title\00040000</code>

==Issues==
===Emulation issues===
Emulation for various features is non-existent or not actively worked on enough to be in a usable state. This includes:
* Connectivity features relying on Wi-Fi (Wii U/3DS, Switch/3DS, 3DS Local Multiplayer, 3DS Online...), not in small part due to the setbacks hindering Wi-Fi DS emulation. However, Download Play is emulated.
* New 3DS mode. It is now in a playable state, but some games may still crash with it enabled.

===Game image format===
Citra accepts games in '''.3ds, .cia or .cxi format'''. Furthermore, in Summer 2017, chances are your existing dumps tailor-made for Citra most probably made with the officially recommended tool braindump, which were missing some data yet could be emulated on Citra, have had their compatibility broken as a design choice with no options provided to fix those dumps. You'll have to get new dumps.

While the latest sighax exploit allows for dumping decryption keys to convert (and possibly load) encrypted games in either .3ds or .cia format, development for a solution to allow for this Citra, even one requiring keys from your console, was formerly not actively pursued ''as a design choice''. Tools on 3DS and PC exist to convert those to decrypted .3ds format, and a guide can be found [[Nintendo 3DS emulators#Encryption|here]]. However, Citra now allows loading/installing encrypted 3ds/CIA files if the necessary AES keys are provided. The required keys are provided with the 3DS Shared Data downloadable above.

===Telemetry===
Citra developers decided to implement a telemetry feature, uploading to them through Internet connection detailed logs and data about your computer specs and the games you're playing. When booting Citra for the first time, you get asked if you want to enable it.

===macOS compatibility===
Although macOS support in Citra is still poor, macOS builds have returned to Citra Canary 2485 and newer thanks to the addition of the new Vulkan renderer. Previously, macOS builds were discontinued after build 1782 due to the developers raising the OpenGL requirements to version 4.3, while macOS only supports up to version 4.1. The new Vulkan renderer addresses this by utilizing the MoltenVK translation layer instead of OpenGL, enabling compatibility with macOS systems. Additionally, these latest builds are Universal and have native support for both Intel and Apple Silicon.

==Forks==
{{for|more information about other 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS emulators#Comparisons}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Azahar
|logo = Azahar icon.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Azahar}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/OpenSauce04 OpenSauce], [https://github.com/PabloMK7 PabloMK7], and other contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Mandarine-Neo
|logo = Mandarine.svg
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Mandarine}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/ptyfyre ptyfyre] and contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/ptyfyre/mandarine-neo GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Borked3DS
|logo = Borked3DS.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Borked3DS}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/rtiangha rtiangha]
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/Borked3DS/Borked3DS GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games and decryption]]
}}

;Azahar: A merger of the PabloMK7 and Lime3DS Citra forks by the same developers, meant to merge the added features of both to make a definitive emulator. New features and changes introduced by Azahar include various compatibility improvements, a new compression file format called Z3DS (or ZCCI) with a built-in converter,<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=August 1, 2025 |title=Support for compressed 3DS backups is here! How to free up space in your 3DS game library. |url= https://azahar-emu.org/blog/compressed-backups/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=September 25, 2025}}</ref>, the ability to download owned games from the Nintendo eShop, and the inclusion of Cryptographic keys in the emulator by default.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Game Loading on Azahar: What's Changing |url=https://azahar-emu.org/blog/game-loading-changes/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref> Arctic Base, an application that can stream 3DS games from real hardware to a computer, is supported. A [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/pull/1215 Libretro core] has been released on March 3, 2026 during [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases v2105.0 Alpha 4]'s release. Certain changes were made out of legal considerations, such as ending support for encrypted games, and removing the ability to download system files directly from Nintendo's CDN, which has been replaced by the Artic Setup Tool: a homebrew application that copies system files from a real 3DS unit to Azahar. Originally the .3ds file extension was unsupported but support was added back in on January 2026.<ref>[https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases/tag/2124.3 Azahar 2124.3 Github release]</ref>

;AzaharPlus: A fork of the Azahar 3DS emulator with extra features. Each version is the same as the corresponding version of Azahar except for this:[https://github.com/AzaharPlus/AzaharPlus/blob/AzaharPlus/README.md]
:*Compatibility with all game files. If a file works with any Citra fork, it works with AzaharPlus.
:*Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
:*Compatibility with older CPUs (no SSE4.2 required)
:*Compatibility with Android 9
:*ZipPass: A new way to exchange StreetPass data through zip files

;Mandarine-Neo: A continuation and major overhaul of the Mandarine (formerly Citra-Enhanced/Lemonade) project. After a period of inactivity, development was revived under the "Neo" branding in early 2026. Mandarine-Neo aims to be a feature-rich fork, incorporating code from Azahar while maintaining unique enhancements. Recent updates (v1.2.5+) have focused on optimizing the Android experience with custom GPU driver support, playtime tracking, and "Reverse Side-by-Side" stereoscopic 3D. It also includes the "Disable Right Eye Rendering" hack for 2D performance gains and improved audio implementations on PC and mobile.

;Borked3DS: A rebrand and continuation of the Bravely Offline Citra fork. The developers consider it to be an "experimental" or "sandbox" fork that may be unstable at times. It has all of the latest features from PabloMK7's Citra fork, most features from Lime3DS, and some hacks and features from Mandarine. It also has its own unique features, such as feature parity in the Android version, UI improvements for desktop and Android, and support for the Skylanders IR portal on desktop. It is not very active anymore, so users should use Azahar unless any Borked3DS-specific features are needed.

;PabloMK7 fork: A Citra fork written in C++ and initially created to add online play,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1719705943028449372</ref> but continued to receive new updates and other new features following the end of support for upstream Citra. PabloMK7 was a contributor of Citra, and the repository has also seen work from other active Citra contributors, such as GPUCode, who was among the most active contributors before the repository was deleted. Being a fork of Citra, the emulator emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and, therefore, is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications; it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run in a playable state. On May 5, 2024, PabloMK7 announced an upcoming feature known as Artic Base,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1787246255002853480</ref> released on May 12, 2024.<ref>https://github.com/PabloMK7/ArticBaseServer</ref> Artic Base is a 3DS homebrew app that can stream game data from the 3DS system to an instance of Citra over the local network, allowing users to play their own games on Citra without having to dump them. Artic Base can also sync save data between the 3DS and Citra. Development of the fork ceased on October 29, 2024, pending a merger with Lime3DS (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar">https://azahar-emu.org</ref>

;Lime3DS: A Citra fork. The main goal of the project was to act as a revival of Citra.<ref>https://github.com/Lime3DS#lime3ds-is-a-project-which-aims-to-revive-citra-the-most-popular-open-source-nintendo-3ds-emulator</ref> Much like its predecessor, Lime3DS is mainly written in C++. Development for Lime3DS began on the same day as Citra's closure, March 4, 2024. Unlike some other forks appearing at this time, the developers for Lime3DS intended to separate their branding from that of Citra and create a separate successor. The emulator had been steadily updated since then, boasting high compatibility and stability for many 3DS titles. Development ceased in November 2024, pending a merger with the PabloMK7 Citra fork (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar"></ref>

;[[Folium]]: A Citra port to iOS/iPadOS devices developed by Jarrod Norwell. Previously known as emuThreeDS and [https://github.com/emuPlace/Limon/ Limón]. Now continued as a [[Multi-system_emulators|multi emulator]] named Folium. [https://github.com/folium-app/Cytrus Cytrus] is the Nintendo 3DS emulation core used in Folium.[https://x.com/antique_codes/status/1845758124298481883/photo/2]

;Mandarine: A Citra fork. It was originally named "Citra-Enhanced." Development ceased temporarily in March 2024 due to the [[Yuzu#Lawsuit|stoppage of Citra development]]. Afterward, the project changed its name to Lemonade<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/EmulationOnAndroid/comments/1bbos29/citraenhanced_is_going_to_be_continued_and/</ref> and shifted its focus to the Android platform while planning to add new [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Hardware_features|features]] and [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. However, due to critique stemming from Lemonade's developers alleged stealing of code from other forks, violation of Citra's GPLv2 license, and berating of developers of other forks,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240411140255/https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1778376166098825515</ref> much of the team has since abandoned the project.<ref>https://github.com/Lemonade-emu/Lemonade/pull/2/files#diff-b335630551682c19a781afebcf4d07bf978fb1f8ac04c6bf87428ed5106870f5R16</ref> The fork was thereafter renamed back to Citra-Enhanced, before then renaming again to Mandarine after an alleged repository hijack attempt.<ref>https://github.com/mandarine3ds/mandarine/commit/ad06b079df3641e1f4086278ef93a65c204d245c#contribution</ref>

;Citra MMJ: '''Citra MMJ''' is a Citra fork for Android written by weihuoya. Compared to the more recent Azahar merger and the previous forks on Android, and depending on chipset used in the Android device, Citra MMJ may offer better performance and compatibility, especially with Mali GPU devices or other mid-end chipsets that may be too slow for Azahar. Citra MMJ also has some features that Azahar and previous forks for Android didn't have, such as per-game settings and dual-screen support for 2-screen Android handhelds and external displays (Azahar also has dual-screen support since v2123), but it does not yet support zstandard-compressed games that Azahar introduced in v2123. Also note that not all of the code distributed in Citra MMJ binaries is included in the source code repository on GitHub, meaning there is less transparency for users who want to know what code is being run on their systems and less openness for external developers who may wish to contribute. This may also violate the emulator's GPLv2 license, which stipulates that source code must be available to anyone who can obtain a binary.

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Official Website] (archived)
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201523if_/https://citra-emu.org/entry/ Blog/entries]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201048if_/https://citra-emu.org/help/ Help]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304212658if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/faq/ FAQ(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Game Compatibility List]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201040if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/home/ Wiki(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304202112if_/https://citra-emu.org/screenshots/ Screenshots]

{{Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Handheld console emulators]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

Citra

2026-07-23T23:54:41Z

Carolina Heart: /* Forks */ Reordering and slight rewording

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Citra
|logo = Citra.png
|logowidth = 100
|developer = Tropic Haze LLC Citra Team
|last-version = '''Nightly''' 2104 '''Canary''' 2798
|fate = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304225805if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Discontinued] (archived)
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]
|architecture = x86_64, ARM64
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|compatibility = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Compatibility list] (archived)
|website = [https://citra.azahar-emu.org/ citra.azahar-emu.org] (archived on azahar) [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ citra-emu.org] (archived)
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|source = [https://github.com/citra-mirror/citra GitHub] (mirror)
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required]]
}}

{{for|other software that emulates the 3DS|Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

'''[[wikipedia:Citra (emulator)|Citra]]''' (formerly Akiru) is a discontinued free and open-source [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]] emulator/debugger written in C++. It is also available as a [[libretro]] core. The emulator is no longer active. See [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]] for other options.

==Download==
;We do not recommend using Citra anymore. Instead, we recommend using [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]].

{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|''[https://web.archive.org/web/20240229205025/https://citra-emu.org/download/ Latest Archived Builds] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191743/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-nightly/releases Latest Archived Nightly (2104)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191843/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-canary/releases Latest Archived Canary (2798)]''
|}

If you decide to install it from the archived link, the updater tries to fetch for updates and can't fetch any due to it shutting down forcing you to quit the setup. However, you can download Citra from "Manual Installation" section and you can download and use Citra as usual.

==System requirements==
See [[Computer specifications#Citra]]

==History==
Citra emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and therefore is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications, and it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run at a playable state. On May 23, 2020, a [https://citra-emu.org/entry/announcing-citra-android/ official Android release] for Citra came out. The minimum requirements are Android 8 (64-bit) and OpenGL ES 3.2 support. Since 15th September 2023, Citra has also added support for Vulkan, resulting in improved performance in a number of scenarios. Many games achieve playable framerates on a variety of hardware, though the developers recommend an Android device with a Snapdragon 835 chip or better.

===Lawsuit===
See [[Yuzu#Lawsuit]].

==Shared data==
Some 3DS games make use of shared files from the console's system software. These games will not boot in Citra if said files are not present in the user folder.

These files are not provided by the Citra developers for legal reasons, so they can be downloaded from the [[Emulator Files#Nintendo 3DS|Emulator Files]] page.

==Importing saves==
Some games require this to bypass bugs in title screens.
# Get the Title ID for the game version you have from [http://www.3dsdb.com/ here]. For example, we'll try with the European version of Zelda: ALBW. Its full Title ID is <code>00040000000EC400</code>.
# Take the last 8 digits of the Title ID. (in our example, <code>000EC400</code>) In case this method fails later, take <code>00000000</code> instead, or make sure the save file and the ROM image are from the same region.
# Make an empty folder named as that partial Title ID (<code>000EC400</code>). Put inside it another folder named "data", then inside that one put another folder named <code>00000001</code>, then inside that one put the actual save data files.
# Move the folder with the title ID and put it here:
#: <code>\user\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\00000000000000000000000000000000\00000000000000000000000000000000\title\00040000</code>

==Issues==
===Emulation issues===
Emulation for various features is non-existent or not actively worked on enough to be in a usable state. This includes:
* Connectivity features relying on Wi-Fi (Wii U/3DS, Switch/3DS, 3DS Local Multiplayer, 3DS Online...), not in small part due to the setbacks hindering Wi-Fi DS emulation. However, Download Play is emulated.
* New 3DS mode. It is now in a playable state, but some games may still crash with it enabled.

===Game image format===
Citra accepts games in '''.3ds, .cia or .cxi format'''. Furthermore, in Summer 2017, chances are your existing dumps tailor-made for Citra most probably made with the officially recommended tool braindump, which were missing some data yet could be emulated on Citra, have had their compatibility broken as a design choice with no options provided to fix those dumps. You'll have to get new dumps.

While the latest sighax exploit allows for dumping decryption keys to convert (and possibly load) encrypted games in either .3ds or .cia format, development for a solution to allow for this Citra, even one requiring keys from your console, was formerly not actively pursued ''as a design choice''. Tools on 3DS and PC exist to convert those to decrypted .3ds format, and a guide can be found [[Nintendo 3DS emulators#Encryption|here]]. However, Citra now allows loading/installing encrypted 3ds/CIA files if the necessary AES keys are provided. The required keys are provided with the 3DS Shared Data downloadable above.

===Telemetry===
Citra developers decided to implement a telemetry feature, uploading to them through Internet connection detailed logs and data about your computer specs and the games you're playing. When booting Citra for the first time, you get asked if you want to enable it.

===macOS compatibility===
Although macOS support in Citra is still poor, macOS builds have returned to Citra Canary 2485 and newer thanks to the addition of the new Vulkan renderer. Previously, macOS builds were discontinued after build 1782 due to the developers raising the OpenGL requirements to version 4.3, while macOS only supports up to version 4.1. The new Vulkan renderer addresses this by utilizing the MoltenVK translation layer instead of OpenGL, enabling compatibility with macOS systems. Additionally, these latest builds are Universal and have native support for both Intel and Apple Silicon.

==Forks==
{{for|more information about other 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS emulators#Comparisons}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Azahar
|logo = Azahar icon.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Azahar}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/OpenSauce04 OpenSauce], [https://github.com/PabloMK7 PabloMK7], and other contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Mandarine-Neo
|logo = Mandarine.svg
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Mandarine}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/ptyfyre ptyfyre] and contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/ptyfyre/mandarine-neo GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Borked3DS
|logo = Borked3DS.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Borked3DS}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/rtiangha rtiangha]
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/Borked3DS/Borked3DS GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games and decryption]]
}}

;Azahar: A merger of the PabloMK7 and Lime3DS Citra forks by the same developers, meant to merge the added features of both to make a definitive emulator. New features and changes introduced by Azahar include various compatibility improvements, a new compression file format called Z3DS with a built-in converter,<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=August 1, 2025 |title=Support for compressed 3DS backups is here! How to free up space in your 3DS game library. |url= https://azahar-emu.org/blog/compressed-backups/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=September 25, 2025}}</ref>, the ability to download owned games from the Nintendo eShop, and the inclusion of Cryptographic keys in the emulator by default.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Game Loading on Azahar: What's Changing |url=https://azahar-emu.org/blog/game-loading-changes/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref> Arctic Base, an application that can stream 3DS games from real hardware to a computer, is supported. A [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/pull/1215 Libretro core] has been released on March 3, 2026 during [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases v2105.0 Alpha 4]'s release. Certain changes were made out of legal considerations, such as ending support for encrypted games, and removing the ability to download system files directly from Nintendo's CDN, which has been replaced by the Artic Setup Tool: a homebrew application that copies system files from a real 3DS unit to Azahar. Originally the .3ds file extension was unsupported but support was added back in on January 2026.<ref>[https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases/tag/2124.3 Azahar 2124.3 Github release]</ref>

;AzaharPlus: A fork of the Azahar 3DS emulator with extra features. Each version is the same as the corresponding version of Azahar except for this:[https://github.com/AzaharPlus/AzaharPlus/blob/AzaharPlus/README.md]
:*Compatibility with all game files. If a file works with any Citra fork, it works with AzaharPlus.
:*Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
:*Compatibility with older CPUs (no SSE4.2 required)
:*Compatibility with Android 9
:*ZipPass: A new way to exchange StreetPass data through zip files

;Mandarine-Neo: A continuation and major overhaul of the Mandarine (formerly Citra-Enhanced/Lemonade) project. After a period of inactivity, development was revived under the "Neo" branding in early 2026. Mandarine-Neo aims to be a feature-rich fork, incorporating code from Azahar while maintaining unique enhancements. Recent updates (v1.2.5+) have focused on optimizing the Android experience with custom GPU driver support, playtime tracking, and "Reverse Side-by-Side" stereoscopic 3D. It also includes the "Disable Right Eye Rendering" hack for 2D performance gains and improved audio implementations on PC and mobile.

;Borked3DS: A rebrand and continuation of the Bravely Offline Citra fork. The developers consider it to be an "experimental" or "sandbox" fork that may be unstable at times. It has all of the latest features from PabloMK7's Citra fork, most features from Lime3DS, and some hacks and features from Mandarine. It also has its own unique features, such as feature parity in the Android version, UI improvements for desktop and Android, and support for the Skylanders IR portal on desktop. It is not very active anymore, so users should use Azahar unless any Borked3DS-specific features are needed.

;PabloMK7 fork: A Citra fork written in C++ and initially created to add online play,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1719705943028449372</ref> but continued to receive new updates and other new features following the end of support for upstream Citra. PabloMK7 was a contributor of Citra, and the repository has also seen work from other active Citra contributors, such as GPUCode, who was among the most active contributors before the repository was deleted. Being a fork of Citra, the emulator emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and, therefore, is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications; it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run in a playable state. On May 5, 2024, PabloMK7 announced an upcoming feature known as Artic Base,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1787246255002853480</ref> released on May 12, 2024.<ref>https://github.com/PabloMK7/ArticBaseServer</ref> Artic Base is a 3DS homebrew app that can stream game data from the 3DS system to an instance of Citra over the local network, allowing users to play their own games on Citra without having to dump them. Artic Base can also sync save data between the 3DS and Citra. Development of the fork ceased on October 29, 2024, pending a merger with Lime3DS (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar">https://azahar-emu.org</ref>

;Lime3DS: A Citra fork. The main goal of the project was to act as a revival of Citra.<ref>https://github.com/Lime3DS#lime3ds-is-a-project-which-aims-to-revive-citra-the-most-popular-open-source-nintendo-3ds-emulator</ref> Much like its predecessor, Lime3DS is mainly written in C++. Development for Lime3DS began on the same day as Citra's closure, March 4, 2024. Unlike some other forks appearing at this time, the developers for Lime3DS intended to separate their branding from that of Citra and create a separate successor. The emulator had been steadily updated since then, boasting high compatibility and stability for many 3DS titles. Development ceased in November 2024, pending a merger with the PabloMK7 Citra fork (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar"></ref>

;[[Folium]]: A Citra port to iOS/iPadOS devices developed by Jarrod Norwell. Previously known as emuThreeDS and [https://github.com/emuPlace/Limon/ Limón]. Now continued as a [[Multi-system_emulators|multi emulator]] named Folium. [https://github.com/folium-app/Cytrus Cytrus] is the Nintendo 3DS emulation core used in Folium.[https://x.com/antique_codes/status/1845758124298481883/photo/2]

;Mandarine: A Citra fork. It was originally named "Citra-Enhanced." Development ceased temporarily in March 2024 due to the [[Yuzu#Lawsuit|stoppage of Citra development]]. Afterward, the project changed its name to Lemonade<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/EmulationOnAndroid/comments/1bbos29/citraenhanced_is_going_to_be_continued_and/</ref> and shifted its focus to the Android platform while planning to add new [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Hardware_features|features]] and [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. However, due to critique stemming from Lemonade's developers alleged stealing of code from other forks, violation of Citra's GPLv2 license, and berating of developers of other forks,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240411140255/https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1778376166098825515</ref> much of the team has since abandoned the project.<ref>https://github.com/Lemonade-emu/Lemonade/pull/2/files#diff-b335630551682c19a781afebcf4d07bf978fb1f8ac04c6bf87428ed5106870f5R16</ref> The fork was thereafter renamed back to Citra-Enhanced, before then renaming again to Mandarine after an alleged repository hijack attempt.<ref>https://github.com/mandarine3ds/mandarine/commit/ad06b079df3641e1f4086278ef93a65c204d245c#contribution</ref>

;Citra MMJ: '''Citra MMJ''' is a Citra fork for Android written by weihuoya. Compared to the more recent Azahar merger and the previous forks on Android, and depending on chipset used in the Android device, Citra MMJ may offer better performance and compatibility, especially with Mali GPU devices or other mid-end chipsets that may be too slow for Azahar. Citra MMJ also has some features that Azahar and previous forks for Android didn't have, such as per-game settings and dual-screen support for 2-screen Android handhelds and external displays (Azahar also has dual-screen support since v2123), but it does not yet support zstandard-compressed games that Azahar introduced in v2123. Also note that not all of the code distributed in Citra MMJ binaries is included in the source code repository on GitHub, meaning there is less transparency for users who want to know what code is being run on their systems and less openness for external developers who may wish to contribute. This may also violate the emulator's GPLv2 license, which stipulates that source code must be available to anyone who can obtain a binary.

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Official Website] (archived)
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201523if_/https://citra-emu.org/entry/ Blog/entries]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201048if_/https://citra-emu.org/help/ Help]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304212658if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/faq/ FAQ(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Game Compatibility List]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201040if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/home/ Wiki(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304202112if_/https://citra-emu.org/screenshots/ Screenshots]

{{Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Handheld console emulators]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

Citra

2026-05-19T23:16:07Z

Carolina Heart: /* Forks */ cci file extension is supported

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Citra
|logo = Citra.png
|logowidth = 100
|developer = Tropic Haze LLC Citra Team
|last-version = '''Nightly''' 2104 '''Canary''' 2798
|fate = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304225805if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Discontinued] (archived)
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]
|architecture = x86_64, ARM64
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|compatibility = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Compatibility list] (archived)
|website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ citra-emu.org] (archived)
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|source = [https://github.com/citra-mirror/citra GitHub] (mirror)
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required]]
}}

{{for|other software that emulates the 3DS|Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

'''[[wikipedia:Citra (emulator)|Citra]]''' (formerly Akiru) is a discontinued free and open-source [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]] emulator/debugger written in C++. It is also available as a [[libretro]] core. The emulator is no longer active. See [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]] for other options.

==Download==
;We do not recommend using Citra anymore. Instead, we recommend using [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]].

{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|''[https://web.archive.org/web/20240229205025/https://citra-emu.org/download/ Latest Archived Builds] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191743/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-nightly/releases Latest Archived Nightly (2104)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191843/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-canary/releases Latest Archived Canary (2798)]''
|}

If you decide to install it from the archived link, the updater tries to fetch for updates and can't fetch any due to it shutting down forcing you to quit the setup. However, you can download Citra from "Manual Installation" section and you can download and use Citra as usual.

==System requirements==
See [[Computer specifications#Citra]]

==History==
Citra emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and therefore is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications, and it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run at a playable state. On May 23, 2020, a [https://citra-emu.org/entry/announcing-citra-android/ official Android release] for Citra came out. The minimum requirements are Android 8 (64-bit) and OpenGL ES 3.2 support. Since 15th September 2023, Citra has also added support for Vulkan, resulting in improved performance in a number of scenarios. Many games achieve playable framerates on a variety of hardware, though the developers recommend an Android device with a Snapdragon 835 chip or better.

===Lawsuit===
See [[Yuzu#Lawsuit]].

==Shared data==
Some 3DS games make use of shared files from the console's system software. These games will not boot in Citra if said files are not present in the user folder.

These files are not provided by the Citra developers for legal reasons, so they can be downloaded from the [[Emulator Files#Nintendo 3DS|Emulator Files]] page.

==Importing saves==
Some games require this to bypass bugs in title screens.
# Get the Title ID for the game version you have from [http://www.3dsdb.com/ here]. For example, we'll try with the European version of Zelda: ALBW. Its full Title ID is <code>00040000000EC400</code>.
# Take the last 8 digits of the Title ID. (in our example, <code>000EC400</code>) In case this method fails later, take <code>00000000</code> instead, or make sure the save file and the ROM image are from the same region.
# Make an empty folder named as that partial Title ID (<code>000EC400</code>). Put inside it another folder named "data", then inside that one put another folder named <code>00000001</code>, then inside that one put the actual save data files.
# Move the folder with the title ID and put it here:
#: <code>\user\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\00000000000000000000000000000000\00000000000000000000000000000000\title\00040000</code>

==Issues==
===Emulation issues===
Emulation for various features is non-existent or not actively worked on enough to be in a usable state. This includes:
* Connectivity features relying on Wi-Fi (Wii U/3DS, Switch/3DS, 3DS Local Multiplayer, 3DS Online...), not in small part due to the setbacks hindering Wi-Fi DS emulation. However, Download Play is emulated.
* New 3DS mode. It is now in a playable state, but some games may still crash with it enabled.

===Game image format===
Citra accepts games in '''.3ds, .cia or .cxi format'''. Furthermore, in Summer 2017, chances are your existing dumps tailor-made for Citra most probably made with the officially recommended tool braindump, which were missing some data yet could be emulated on Citra, have had their compatibility broken as a design choice with no options provided to fix those dumps. You'll have to get new dumps.

While the latest sighax exploit allows for dumping decryption keys to convert (and possibly load) encrypted games in either .3ds or .cia format, development for a solution to allow for this Citra, even one requiring keys from your console, was formerly not actively pursued ''as a design choice''. Tools on 3DS and PC exist to convert those to decrypted .3ds format, and a guide can be found [[Nintendo 3DS emulators#Encryption|here]]. However, Citra now allows loading/installing encrypted 3ds/CIA files if the necessary AES keys are provided. The required keys are provided with the 3DS Shared Data downloadable above.

===Telemetry===
Citra developers decided to implement a telemetry feature, uploading to them through Internet connection detailed logs and data about your computer specs and the games you're playing. When booting Citra for the first time, you get asked if you want to enable it.

===macOS compatibility===
Although macOS support in Citra is still poor, macOS builds have returned to Citra Canary 2485 and newer thanks to the addition of the new Vulkan renderer. Previously, macOS builds were discontinued after build 1782 due to the developers raising the OpenGL requirements to version 4.3, while macOS only supports up to version 4.1. The new Vulkan renderer addresses this by utilizing the MoltenVK translation layer instead of OpenGL, enabling compatibility with macOS systems. Additionally, these latest builds are Universal and have native support for both Intel and Apple Silicon.

==Forks==
{{for|more information about other 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS emulators#Comparisons}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Azahar
|logo = Azahar icon.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Azahar}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/OpenSauce04 OpenSauce], [https://github.com/PabloMK7 PabloMK7], and other contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Mandarine-Neo
|logo = Mandarine.svg
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Mandarine}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/ptyfyre ptyfyre] and contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/ptyfyre/mandarine-neo GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Borked3DS
|logo = Borked3DS.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Borked3DS}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/rtiangha rtiangha]
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/Borked3DS/Borked3DS GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games and decryption]]
}}

;Azahar: A merger of the PabloMK7 and Lime3DS Citra forks by the same developers, meant to merge the added features of both to make a definitive emulator. Certain changes were made out of legal considerations, such as ending support for encrypted games, and removing the ability to download system files directly from Nintendo's CDN, which has been replaced by the Artic Setup Tool: a homebrew application that copies system files from a real 3DS unit to Azahar. Cryptographic keys are now included in the emulator directly.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Game Loading on Azahar: What's Changing |url=https://azahar-emu.org/blog/game-loading-changes/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref> Originally the .3ds file extension was unsupported but support was added back in on January 2026<ref>[https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases/tag/2124.3 Azahar 2124.3 Github release]</ref>Azahar also includes new features not present in other Citra forks, such as the ability to download owned games from the Nintendo eShop, a new compression file format called Z3DS with a built-in converter,<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=August 1, 2025 |title=Support for compressed 3DS backups is here! How to free up space in your 3DS game library. |url= https://azahar-emu.org/blog/compressed-backups/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=September 25, 2025}}</ref> an optional "Disable Right Eye Rendering" hack which can improve performance up to 50% when used in 2D, and other quality-of-life upgrades over Citra. A [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/pull/1215 Libretro core] has been released on March 3, 2026 during [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases v2105.0 Alpha 4]'s release.

;Mandarine-Neo: A continuation and major overhaul of the Mandarine (formerly Citra-Enhanced/Lemonade) project. After a period of inactivity, development was revived under the "Neo" branding in early 2026. Mandarine-Neo aims to be a feature-rich fork, incorporating code from Azahar while maintaining unique enhancements. Recent updates (v1.2.5+) have focused on optimizing the Android experience with custom GPU driver support, playtime tracking, and "Reverse Side-by-Side" stereoscopic 3D. It also includes the "Disable Right Eye Rendering" hack for 2D performance gains and improved audio implementations on PC and mobile.

;Borked3DS: A rebrand and continuation of the Bravely Offline Citra fork. The developers consider it to be an "experimental" or "sandbox" fork that may be unstable at times. It has all of the latest features from PabloMK7's Citra fork, most features from Lime3DS, and some hacks and features from Mandarine. It also has its own unique features, such as feature parity in the Android version, UI improvements for desktop and Android, and support for the Skylanders IR portal on desktop. It is not very active anymore, so users should use Azahar unless any Borked3DS-specific features are needed.

;PabloMK7 fork: A Citra fork written in C++ and initially created to add online play,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1719705943028449372</ref> but continued to receive new updates and other new features following the end of support for upstream Citra. PabloMK7 was a contributor of Citra, and the repository has also seen work from other active Citra contributors, such as GPUCode, who was among the most active contributors before the repository was deleted. Being a fork of Citra, the emulator emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and, therefore, is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications; it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run in a playable state. On May 5, 2024, PabloMK7 announced an upcoming feature known as Artic Base,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1787246255002853480</ref> released on May 12, 2024.<ref>https://github.com/PabloMK7/ArticBaseServer</ref> Artic Base is a 3DS homebrew app that can stream game data from the 3DS system to an instance of Citra over the local network, allowing users to play their own games on Citra without having to dump them. Artic Base can also sync save data between the 3DS and Citra. Development of the fork ceased on October 29, 2024, pending a merger with Lime3DS (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar">https://azahar-emu.org</ref>

;Lime3DS: A Citra fork. The main goal of the project was to act as a revival of Citra.<ref>https://github.com/Lime3DS#lime3ds-is-a-project-which-aims-to-revive-citra-the-most-popular-open-source-nintendo-3ds-emulator</ref> Much like its predecessor, Lime3DS is mainly written in C++. Development for Lime3DS began on the same day as Citra's closure, March 4, 2024. Unlike some other forks appearing at this time, the developers for Lime3DS intended to separate their branding from that of Citra and create a separate successor. The emulator had been steadily updated since then, boasting high compatibility and stability for many 3DS titles. Development ceased in November 2024, pending a merger with the PabloMK7 Citra fork (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar"></ref>

;[[Folium]]: A Citra port to iOS/iPadOS devices developed by Jarrod Norwell. Previously known as emuThreeDS and [https://github.com/emuPlace/Limon/ Limón]. Now continued as a [[Multi-system_emulators|multi emulator]] named Folium. [https://github.com/folium-app/Cytrus Cytrus] is the Nintendo 3DS emulation core used in Folium.[https://x.com/antique_codes/status/1845758124298481883/photo/2]

;Mandarine: A Citra fork. It was originally named "Citra-Enhanced." Development ceased temporarily in March 2024 due to the [[Yuzu#Lawsuit|stoppage of Citra development]]. Afterward, the project changed its name to Lemonade<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/EmulationOnAndroid/comments/1bbos29/citraenhanced_is_going_to_be_continued_and/</ref> and shifted its focus to the Android platform while planning to add new [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Hardware_features|features]] and [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. However, due to critique stemming from Lemonade's developers alleged stealing of code from other forks, violation of Citra's GPLv2 license, and berating of developers of other forks,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240411140255/https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1778376166098825515</ref> much of the team has since abandoned the project.<ref>https://github.com/Lemonade-emu/Lemonade/pull/2/files#diff-b335630551682c19a781afebcf4d07bf978fb1f8ac04c6bf87428ed5106870f5R16</ref> The fork was thereafter renamed back to Citra-Enhanced, before then renaming again to Mandarine after an alleged repository hijack attempt.<ref>https://github.com/mandarine3ds/mandarine/commit/ad06b079df3641e1f4086278ef93a65c204d245c#contribution</ref>

;Citra MMJ: '''Citra MMJ''' is a Citra fork for Android written by weihuoya. Compared to the more recent Azahar merger and the previous forks on Android, and depending on chipset used in the Android device, Citra MMJ may offer better performance and compatibility, especially with Mali GPU devices or other mid-end chipsets that may be too slow for Azahar. Citra MMJ also has some features that Azahar and previous forks for Android didn't have, such as per-game settings and dual-screen support for 2-screen Android handhelds and external displays (Azahar also has dual-screen support since v2123), but it does not yet support zstandard-compressed games that Azahar introduced in v2123. Also note that not all of the code distributed in Citra MMJ binaries is included in the source code repository on GitHub, meaning there is less transparency for users who want to know what code is being run on their systems and less openness for external developers who may wish to contribute. This may also violate the emulator's GPLv2 license, which stipulates that source code must be available to anyone who can obtain a binary.

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Official Website] (archived)
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201523if_/https://citra-emu.org/entry/ Blog/entries]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201048if_/https://citra-emu.org/help/ Help]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304212658if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/faq/ FAQ(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Game Compatibility List]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201040if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/home/ Wiki(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304202112if_/https://citra-emu.org/screenshots/ Screenshots]

{{Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Handheld console emulators]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

Citra

2026-04-30T19:07:51Z

Carolina Heart: /* Forks */ updated

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Citra
|logo = Citra.png
|logowidth = 100
|developer = Tropic Haze LLC Citra Team
|last-version = '''Nightly''' 2104 '''Canary''' 2798
|fate = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304225805if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Discontinued] (archived)
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]
|architecture = x86_64, ARM64
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|compatibility = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Compatibility list] (archived)
|website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ citra-emu.org] (archived)
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|source = [https://github.com/citra-mirror/citra GitHub] (mirror)
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required]]
}}

{{for|other software that emulates the 3DS|Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

'''[[wikipedia:Citra (emulator)|Citra]]''' (formerly Akiru) is a discontinued free and open-source [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]] emulator/debugger written in C++. It is also available as a [[libretro]] core. The emulator is no longer active. See [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]] for other options.

==Download==
;We do not recommend using Citra anymore. Instead, we recommend using [[#Forks|active forks of Citra]].

{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|''[https://web.archive.org/web/20240229205025/https://citra-emu.org/download/ Latest Archived Builds] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191743/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-nightly/releases Latest Archived Nightly (2104)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304191843/https://github.com/citra-emu/citra-canary/releases Latest Archived Canary (2798)]''
|}

If you decide to install it from the archived link, the updater tries to fetch for updates and can't fetch any due to it shutting down forcing you to quit the setup. However, you can download Citra from "Manual Installation" section and you can download and use Citra as usual.

==System requirements==
See [[Computer specifications#Citra]]

==History==
Citra emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and therefore is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications, and it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run at a playable state. On May 23, 2020, a [https://citra-emu.org/entry/announcing-citra-android/ official Android release] for Citra came out. The minimum requirements are Android 8 (64-bit) and OpenGL ES 3.2 support. Since 15th September 2023, Citra has also added support for Vulkan, resulting in improved performance in a number of scenarios. Many games achieve playable framerates on a variety of hardware, though the developers recommend an Android device with a Snapdragon 835 chip or better.

===Lawsuit===
See [[Yuzu#Lawsuit]].

==Shared data==
Some 3DS games make use of shared files from the console's system software. These games will not boot in Citra if said files are not present in the user folder.

These files are not provided by the Citra developers for legal reasons, so they can be downloaded from the [[Emulator Files#Nintendo 3DS|Emulator Files]] page.

==Importing saves==
Some games require this to bypass bugs in title screens.
# Get the Title ID for the game version you have from [http://www.3dsdb.com/ here]. For example, we'll try with the European version of Zelda: ALBW. Its full Title ID is <code>00040000000EC400</code>.
# Take the last 8 digits of the Title ID. (in our example, <code>000EC400</code>) In case this method fails later, take <code>00000000</code> instead, or make sure the save file and the ROM image are from the same region.
# Make an empty folder named as that partial Title ID (<code>000EC400</code>). Put inside it another folder named "data", then inside that one put another folder named <code>00000001</code>, then inside that one put the actual save data files.
# Move the folder with the title ID and put it here:
#: <code>\user\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\00000000000000000000000000000000\00000000000000000000000000000000\title\00040000</code>

==Issues==
===Emulation issues===
Emulation for various features is non-existent or not actively worked on enough to be in a usable state. This includes:
* Connectivity features relying on Wi-Fi (Wii U/3DS, Switch/3DS, 3DS Local Multiplayer, 3DS Online...), not in small part due to the setbacks hindering Wi-Fi DS emulation. However, Download Play is emulated.
* New 3DS mode. It is now in a playable state, but some games may still crash with it enabled.

===Game image format===
Citra accepts games in '''.3ds, .cia or .cxi format'''. Furthermore, in Summer 2017, chances are your existing dumps tailor-made for Citra most probably made with the officially recommended tool braindump, which were missing some data yet could be emulated on Citra, have had their compatibility broken as a design choice with no options provided to fix those dumps. You'll have to get new dumps.

While the latest sighax exploit allows for dumping decryption keys to convert (and possibly load) encrypted games in either .3ds or .cia format, development for a solution to allow for this Citra, even one requiring keys from your console, was formerly not actively pursued ''as a design choice''. Tools on 3DS and PC exist to convert those to decrypted .3ds format, and a guide can be found [[Nintendo 3DS emulators#Encryption|here]]. However, Citra now allows loading/installing encrypted 3ds/CIA files if the necessary AES keys are provided. The required keys are provided with the 3DS Shared Data downloadable above.

===Telemetry===
Citra developers decided to implement a telemetry feature, uploading to them through Internet connection detailed logs and data about your computer specs and the games you're playing. When booting Citra for the first time, you get asked if you want to enable it.

===macOS compatibility===
Although macOS support in Citra is still poor, macOS builds have returned to Citra Canary 2485 and newer thanks to the addition of the new Vulkan renderer. Previously, macOS builds were discontinued after build 1782 due to the developers raising the OpenGL requirements to version 4.3, while macOS only supports up to version 4.1. The new Vulkan renderer addresses this by utilizing the MoltenVK translation layer instead of OpenGL, enabling compatibility with macOS systems. Additionally, these latest builds are Universal and have native support for both Intel and Apple Silicon.

==Forks==
{{for|more information about other 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS emulators#Comparisons}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Azahar
|logo = Azahar icon.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Azahar}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/OpenSauce04 OpenSauce], [https://github.com/PabloMK7 PabloMK7], and other contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Mandarine-Neo
|logo = Mandarine.svg
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Mandarine}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/ptyfyre ptyfyre] and contributors
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/ptyfyre/mandarine-neo GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games]]
}}

{{Infobox emulator
|title = Borked3DS
|logo = Borked3DS.png
|logowidth = 153
|active = Yes
|version = {{Version|Borked3DS}}
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]]
|target = [[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|developer = [https://github.com/rtiangha rtiangha]
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}
|source = [https://github.com/Borked3DS/Borked3DS GitHub]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_3DS|Required for some games and decryption]]
}}

;Azahar: A merger of the PabloMK7 and Lime3DS Citra forks by the same developers, meant to merge the added features of both to make a definitive emulator. Certain changes were made out of legal considerations, such as ending support for encrypted games, .cci, and removing the ability to download system files directly from Nintendo's CDN, which has been replaced by the Artic Setup Tool: a homebrew application that copies system files from a real 3DS unit to Azahar. Cryptographic keys are now included in the emulator directly.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Game Loading on Azahar: What's Changing |url=https://azahar-emu.org/blog/game-loading-changes/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref> Originally the .3ds file extension was unsupported but support was added back in on January 2026<ref>[https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases/tag/2124.3 Azahar 2124.3 Github release]</ref>Azahar also includes new features not present in other Citra forks, such as the ability to download owned games from the Nintendo eShop, a new compression file format called Z3DS with a built-in converter,<ref>{{cite web |last= |first=PabloMK7 |date=August 1, 2025 |title=Support for compressed 3DS backups is here! How to free up space in your 3DS game library. |url= https://azahar-emu.org/blog/compressed-backups/ |website=azahar-emu.org |location= |publisher= |access-date=September 25, 2025}}</ref> an optional "Disable Right Eye Rendering" hack which can improve performance up to 50% when used in 2D, and other quality-of-life upgrades over Citra. A [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/pull/1215 Libretro core] has been released on March 3, 2026 during [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases v2105.0 Alpha 4]'s release.

;Mandarine-Neo: A continuation and major overhaul of the Mandarine (formerly Citra-Enhanced/Lemonade) project. After a period of inactivity, development was revived under the "Neo" branding in early 2026. Mandarine-Neo aims to be a feature-rich fork, incorporating code from Azahar while maintaining unique enhancements. Recent updates (v1.2.5+) have focused on optimizing the Android experience with custom GPU driver support, playtime tracking, and "Reverse Side-by-Side" stereoscopic 3D. It also includes the "Disable Right Eye Rendering" hack for 2D performance gains and improved audio implementations on PC and mobile.

;Borked3DS: A rebrand and continuation of the Bravely Offline Citra fork. The developers consider it to be an "experimental" or "sandbox" fork that may be unstable at times. It has all of the latest features from PabloMK7's Citra fork, most features from Lime3DS, and some hacks and features from Mandarine. It also has its own unique features, such as feature parity in the Android version, UI improvements for desktop and Android, and support for the Skylanders IR portal on desktop. It is not very active anymore, so users should use Azahar unless any Borked3DS-specific features are needed.

;PabloMK7 fork: A Citra fork written in C++ and initially created to add online play,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1719705943028449372</ref> but continued to receive new updates and other new features following the end of support for upstream Citra. PabloMK7 was a contributor of Citra, and the repository has also seen work from other active Citra contributors, such as GPUCode, who was among the most active contributors before the repository was deleted. Being a fork of Citra, the emulator emulates a subset of 3DS hardware and, therefore, is useful for running/debugging homebrew applications; it is also able to run many commercial games. Some of these do not run in a playable state. On May 5, 2024, PabloMK7 announced an upcoming feature known as Artic Base,<ref>https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1787246255002853480</ref> released on May 12, 2024.<ref>https://github.com/PabloMK7/ArticBaseServer</ref> Artic Base is a 3DS homebrew app that can stream game data from the 3DS system to an instance of Citra over the local network, allowing users to play their own games on Citra without having to dump them. Artic Base can also sync save data between the 3DS and Citra. Development of the fork ceased on October 29, 2024, pending a merger with Lime3DS (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar">https://azahar-emu.org</ref>

;Lime3DS: A Citra fork. The main goal of the project was to act as a revival of Citra.<ref>https://github.com/Lime3DS#lime3ds-is-a-project-which-aims-to-revive-citra-the-most-popular-open-source-nintendo-3ds-emulator</ref> Much like its predecessor, Lime3DS is mainly written in C++. Development for Lime3DS began on the same day as Citra's closure, March 4, 2024. Unlike some other forks appearing at this time, the developers for Lime3DS intended to separate their branding from that of Citra and create a separate successor. The emulator had been steadily updated since then, boasting high compatibility and stability for many 3DS titles. Development ceased in November 2024, pending a merger with the PabloMK7 Citra fork (which had also ceased development). The resulting Citra fork would later come to be known as Azahar.<ref name="azahar"></ref>

;[[Folium]]: A Citra port to iOS/iPadOS devices developed by Jarrod Norwell. Previously known as emuThreeDS and [https://github.com/emuPlace/Limon/ Limón]. Now continued as a [[Multi-system_emulators|multi emulator]] named Folium. [https://github.com/folium-app/Cytrus Cytrus] is the Nintendo 3DS emulation core used in Folium.[https://x.com/antique_codes/status/1845758124298481883/photo/2]

;Mandarine: A Citra fork. It was originally named "Citra-Enhanced." Development ceased temporarily in March 2024 due to the [[Yuzu#Lawsuit|stoppage of Citra development]]. Afterward, the project changed its name to Lemonade<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/EmulationOnAndroid/comments/1bbos29/citraenhanced_is_going_to_be_continued_and/</ref> and shifted its focus to the Android platform while planning to add new [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Hardware_features|features]] and [[Nintendo_3DS_emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. However, due to critique stemming from Lemonade's developers alleged stealing of code from other forks, violation of Citra's GPLv2 license, and berating of developers of other forks,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240411140255/https://twitter.com/Pablomf6/status/1778376166098825515</ref> much of the team has since abandoned the project.<ref>https://github.com/Lemonade-emu/Lemonade/pull/2/files#diff-b335630551682c19a781afebcf4d07bf978fb1f8ac04c6bf87428ed5106870f5R16</ref> The fork was thereafter renamed back to Citra-Enhanced, before then renaming again to Mandarine after an alleged repository hijack attempt.<ref>https://github.com/mandarine3ds/mandarine/commit/ad06b079df3641e1f4086278ef93a65c204d245c#contribution</ref>

;Citra MMJ: '''Citra MMJ''' is a Citra fork for Android written by weihuoya. Compared to the more recent Azahar merger and the previous forks on Android, and depending on chipset used in the Android device, Citra MMJ may offer better performance and compatibility, especially with Mali GPU devices or other mid-end chipsets that may be too slow for Azahar. Citra MMJ also has some features that Azahar and previous forks for Android didn't have, such as per-game settings and dual-screen support for 2-screen Android handhelds and external displays (Azahar also has dual-screen support since v2123), but it does not yet support zstandard-compressed games that Azahar introduced in v2123. Also note that not all of the code distributed in Citra MMJ binaries is included in the source code repository on GitHub, meaning there is less transparency for users who want to know what code is being run on their systems and less openness for external developers who may wish to contribute. This may also violate the emulator's GPLv2 license, which stipulates that source code must be available to anyone who can obtain a binary.

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304220745if_/https://citra-emu.org/ Official Website] (archived)
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201523if_/https://citra-emu.org/entry/ Blog/entries]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201048if_/https://citra-emu.org/help/ Help]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304212658if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/faq/ FAQ(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201046if_/https://citra-emu.org/game/ Game Compatibility List]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304201040if_/https://citra-emu.org/wiki/home/ Wiki(s)]
:- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240304202112if_/https://citra-emu.org/screenshots/ Screenshots]

{{Nintendo 3DS emulators}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Handheld console emulators]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulators

2026-04-30T19:01:24Z

Carolina Heart: Undo revision 142917 by Carolina Heart (talk)

{{Infobox computing device/Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

{{for|emulators that run on Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Emulators on Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

The '''[[gametech:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]''' (SNES) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation home video game console released by [[wikipedia:Nintendo|Nintendo]] originally released as the '''Super Famicom''' (SFC), in Japan, on November 21, 1990. The Super Famicom retailed for ¥25000. The console would release outside Japan as the SNES on August 23, 1991, in North America. The SNES retailed for {{Inflation|USD|199.99|1991}}. It has a Ricoh 5A22 CPU at 3.58 MHz with 128 KB of RAM. While the Super Famicom did well in Japan, outselling the [[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine]], outside of Japan during that time the SNES had ''fierce'' competition with SEGA's [[Sega Genesis emulators|Mega Drive]] (known world wide as the Mega Drive, in America as the Genesis).

Emulation for the Super Famicom/SNES is robust, with several high-quality emulators for various systems, some of which are [[Emulation Accuracy|cycle-accurate]].

==Emulators==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], and [[#Peripherals|peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{AresVer}}]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility|3379|3413}}
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|macOSARM|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/bsnes-emu/bsnes/workflows/build/master nightly] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores] [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Bsnes#List_of_forks bsnes forks]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Mesen]]<ref name=MesenS>SNES emulation only supported in libretro by the Mesen S core but it's obsolete and [https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen-X/issues/152#issuecomment-1416507779 superseded by Mesen standalone (version 2.0 and later)]</ref>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2#development-builds Dev builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ Mesen S libretro]<ref name=MesenS></ref> 
|?
|Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|<abbr title="As of April 2026, Mesen 2 development has stalled. The last successful automated build and commit from the lead developer (Sour) occurred on July 16, 2025 (Build #698). No public activity has been recorded on GitHub or Nesdev since that date.">{{~}}</abbr>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x#snes9x-1 nightly libretro nightly core] [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/releases {{Snes9xVer}}]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (bsnes v087 (to be dropped in 2.11.1), v115+)(Snes9x)(Mednafen)(MAME)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/84 1.5.46.02]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{HiganVer}}] [[Higan#nSide|nSide]] [https://github.com/libretro/higan libretro core]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]].</ref>
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref> [http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=snes&compatibility= ?]
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} {{License|BSD3}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Lsnes lsnes] (based on bsnes)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://lsnes.tasbot.net/ rr2-β25] [http://repo.or.cz/w/lsnes.git git]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases {{JgenesisVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[No$|NO$SNS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://problemkaputt.de/sns.htm 1.6]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port">Snes9x 2005. Port of SNES9x 1.43 for libretro (was previously called CAT SFC).</ref>]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/ShadauxCat/CATSFC git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]] bsnes v059 and SNES-Faust
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">beetle_snes_libretro (Standalone port of Mednafen BSNES to libretro, itself a old fork of bsnes 0.59) and mednafen_supafaust_libretro (Libretro port of mednafen's SNES-Faust)</ref>
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|kindred (Super Sleuth PE)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://www.crazysmart.net.au/kindred {{kindredVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Silhouette]]
|align=left|{{Icon|macOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/fileuploads/1/816uajag/Silhouette.sit.hqx 1.0]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} (stolen [[Snes9x]] code)
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[ZSNES]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|DOS}}
|[http://zsnes.com 1.51]
|?
|Low
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|SNESGT
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.zophar.net/snes/snesgt.html 2.18 (2007)]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.Snes9xPlus {{Snes9xVer}}] [https://github.com/Rakashazi/emu-ex-plus-alpha git]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus]<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes8x (Different from 'Snes9x') (Snes9x based)
|align=left|{{Icon|WinMobile}}
|[https://www.appx4fun.com/xap/497 2.15.3]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/ Little John] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PalmOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/palm-os/multiem/little-john-palmos.html 1.1], [https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/resources/little-john-palm-os.4443 1.2]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://www.superretro16.com SuperRetro16]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutronemulation.super_retro_16 2.2.1]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|J2MESnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Java}}
|
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|
[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{ManicEMUVer}}] [https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}] [https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[bsnes]]
|align=left|{{Icon|NX|XboxOne|SXS}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|NGC}} {{Icon|PS4|Vita}} {{Icon|Wii|3DS|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|Xbox360|Saturn}}<ref group="lower-alpha">snes9x2010_libretro (Snes9x Next & 1.53) has no PS4 support.</ref>
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [http://www.rockin-b.de/saturn/snes9x/snes9x-on-saturn-060729.7z Saturn 06/07/29]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Snes9x GX
|align=left|{{Icon|GCN|Wii|WiiU}}
|[https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx#nightly-builds Nightly Builds] [https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx/releases {{Snes9xGXVer}}]
|[https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Snes9x_GX_for_Wii#Z 97%]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] for 3DS
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[https://github.com/bubble2k16/snes9x_3ds/releases stable] [https://github.com/matbo87/snes9x_3ds/tags git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU}}
|N/A
|[[Virtual_Console/Compatibility_List#Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System|Only for selected titles]]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]] ([[L-CLASSICS]])
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}{{Icon|Switch2}}
|5.0.0
|[https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_-_Nintendo_Switch_Online#Games Only for selected titles]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|GBA|GCWZero}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only">libretro core only</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|NDS}} {{Icon|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|DC}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] 
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes9x X
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/snes9x-x-0-23-download-snes-emulator-for-xbox.13688 0.23]
|?
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DreamSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|DC}}
|[http://www.dcemulation.org/files/emulators/dreamsnes/dreamsnes-0.9.8.zip 0.9.8]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|pSnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Vita|NX}}
|[https://github.com/Cpasjuste/pemu/releases 6.6]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DSTWO
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|N/A
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SnemulDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://github.com/cotodevel/snemulds GitHub]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/SNEmulDS_Compatibility_List|77|175}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|sodium64
|align=left|{{Icon|N64}}
|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/sodium64 git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re SnesC0re]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS5}}
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES360
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[http://download.digiex.net/Consoles/Xbox360/Jtag/SNES360betaV0.21.rar 0.21 beta]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES Station
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|0.2.6c
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=48157 Snes9xTYL Mod] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
|[https://github.com/esmjanus/snes9xTYL/releases git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://www.psdevwiki.com/psp/Snes9xTYL#Compatibility|27|38}}
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|blargSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[http://blargsnes.kuribo64.net/ 1.4] [https://github.com/Arisotura/blargSnes git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/BlargSnes_Compatibility_List|474|713}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|OpenSnes9x
| align="left" |{{Icon|GP32|Zodiac}}
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/os9xgp/html/downloads.html 0.3beta]
|?
|High||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Calculator
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|Nspire}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only"/>
|{{~}}
|}

==Remaster-at-Runtime Engines==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
|+A Remaster-at-Runtime (RaR) Engine is a specialized sub-layer of an emulator that intercepts a game’s original internal data such as draw calls, tile indexes, or audio triggers and replaces them with high-fidelity assets in real-time. Unlike standard emulators that focus on hardware accuracy, RaR Engines prioritize aesthetic transformation, effectively "remastering" the game while it is being played without modifying the original ROM file. While asset replacement capable emulators (like bsnes-hd) allow for high-definition visuals, true Remaster-at-Runtime Engines are distinguished by their ability to do more such as procedurally transform the game's original logic (e.g., converting 2D tiles into 3D voxels or applying dynamic lighting to 16-bit environments). Recommended to see [[Game engine recreations and source ports]] page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
|[[SUPER_ZSNES|Super ZSNES]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|macOS|Linux|Android}}
|[https://www.zsnes.com/ {{SuperZSNESVer}}] [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zsnes.superzsnes Google Play]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

==Comparisons==
; [[higan]] / [[ares]] / [[bsnes]]
* The codifier of [[Emulation Accuracy|emulation accuracy]]. It should play all commercially released games without trouble, assuming you have the power. Ares and higan are [[Emulation_accuracy#Full_cycle-accuracy|fully cycle-accurate]] emulators but bsnes is [[Emulation_accuracy#Partial_cycle-accuracy|partially cycle-accurate]].
* Incompatible with old ROM hacks made to take advantage of emulator quirks, much like real hardware.
* Has a superb LLE audio engine.
* For maximum authenticity, higan offers better ROM management, but newcomers who care more about playing the ROMs they have should stick with the bsnes release.
; [[Snes9x]]
* [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 Compatible with most games], even many ROM hacks that make use of emulator quirks.
* Fast enough for pretty much any toaster (even Pentium 1 or 2 machines, though for a decent experience, you will want at least a late Pentium 3).
* Shares its LLE audio engine with bsnes.
* Older versions may have buggy graphics and shaders in standalone, though it is video card- and driver-dependent.
* Controller support is hit-and-miss, especially when it comes to XInput.
; [[RetroArch]]
* There are official cores for bsnes and Snes9x you can obtain easily.
* Very customizable and programmable by nature.
:* The viewport is scalable to any resolution.
:* It makes good use of fullscreen with the right choice of interface.
:* A highly robust and flexible [[Shader_Presets|shader chain]] system completely separate from the core.
* Dynamic rate control fixes most audio issues.
* Mirrored ROM and RAM maps, allowing ordinary ROM images to be played right away.
* The Snes9x Next (snes9x2010) core was forked from a commit somewhere between upstream version 1.52 and 1.53. It includes some extra speed hacks to run full speed on the Wii, as well as a SuperFX overclock option.
* bsnes-mercury restores things like HLE DSP and SGB emulation using [[Gambatte]], as well as some optimizations that don't sacrifice [[Emulation Accuracy|accuracy]]. Things like the HLE DSP were removed in higan, and much like Snes9x Next, it can overclock SuperFX. The default options match bsnes, where HLE emulation is not enabled by default.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[BizHawk]]
* Multi-system emulator by TASVideos, designed for tool-assisted speedruns, but also doubles as an easy-to-use emulator.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v115.
* Primarily for Windows, but some Linux compatibility has been reported, likely through Wine.
* Has support for libretro cores.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[Mednafen]]
* Like BizHawk, it's multi-system and based on bsnes.
* Graphical shells exist (like Mednaffe) to help with the fact that it can only run from the command line.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v059, which is a pretty old release. It predates the performance/balanced/accuracy profiles as far back as 2010. However, this version is much faster than current higan versions. Mednafen has another core for SNES emulation (SNES-Faust).
:* It is missing many of the improvements to the LLE audio engine that newer versions of Snes9x and higan have.
:* It also lacks many of the updates to edge cases, such as [[wikipedia:A.S.P._Air_Strike_Patrol|''A.S.P. Air Strike Patrol'']], one of two games notorious for manipulating the PPU mid-scanline. It also has problems rendering text, flickering lines near the bottom, and displaying shadows during flight.
* There ''are'' systems Mednafen emulates well and very accurately, but the SNES is not one of them. At that point, you would be better off using standalone bsnes.
; [[Mesen]] / [[Mesen S]] / Mesen SX
* [[Mesen S]] is launched in April 2019 from the same author of the top-class NES/Famicom emulator [[Mesen|Mesen 1]]. It was slated to have similar features as its famous forebearer. [[Mesen|Mesen (with 2.0 version)]] is a multi-system emulator from the original author that continues active development.
* Users who increasingly tire of higan's and bsnes' limited user options and cumbersome ROM and save files management may gravitate towards [[Mesen]] sooner or later, which should run nicely in users' game systems alongside Snes9x or Mednafen (or similar peer).
; [[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]]
* SNES support was added to Nintendo Switch Online in September 2019 alongside NES games.
* [[Emulation Accuracy|Accuracy]] is not the greatest, and users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service.
* Supports up to 2 players in both Local and Online modes, despite being titles with actual 4-player support included (e.g.: ''Super Puyo Puyo 2'').
* Different games between regions (Japan and International).
* Despite its shortcomings, the emulator is lauded for its inclusion of [https://twitter.com/FalKoopa_/status/1283923231926128640 rollback netplay].
:* Netplay is generally hassle-free and doesn't require forwarding of any ports, with users able to simply invite anyone on their Switch friend lists (as long as they also have a valid subscription).
::* This makes the emulator an ideal choice for the ease-of-use factor; otherwise, better options are available.
* Support for the Super NES Mouse was added in version 5.0.0, alongside the ''Nintendo Classics'' rebranding and ''Mario Paint''.
; [[ZSNES]]
* One of the most [[History_of_emulation#NES|legendary and popular emulator back in the early emulation software era]] but nowadays, it's the least [[Emulation Accuracy|accurate]] among the active popular emulators, though it is still relevant for many reasons, including:
:* Running full speed on even very old PCs such as an early Pentium 1.
:* Forming the basis for many ROM hacks, which were often designed around (let alone possible, simply because of) its problems and would break on anything else.
:* Having tons of bugs and not even emulating some of the original console's operations, which some fewer notable games needed.
::* One of these bugs was an <abbr title="Arbitrary Code Execution">ACE</abbr> vulnerability that, if discovered in the emulator's prime, would've allowed a maliciously designed ROM to run its own code on the host machine. No real-world case of it being exploited exists aside from some harmless proof of concept, but it is always good to [[File Hashes|verify your ROMs]] before opening them in ZSNES.
:* Having [[ZSNES#Netplay|surprisingly good netplay]].
:* Sporting an iconic DOS-centric GUI.
* While fans have since modded the binaries (including patching out the vulnerability), the project is basically dead.
* Older versions rely on external pre-decompressed graphical packs to emulate some games with elaborate chips, much like older versions of Snes9x, such as 1.43. Assuming you get (what're now rare and tough-to-find) graphical packs for the SPC7110—like from [http://other.ipherswipsite.com/gpacks/ here]—and Star Ocean and put them in folders you then set under "Paths" in ZSNES, they can be playable without missing graphics. With that being said, however, the newest version doesn't need them for SDD-1 titles, only for SPC7110 titles.
* Viable alternatives are bZSNES (for ZSNES-centric ROM hacks), ZMZ (for the UI), NO$SNS, or older versions of Snes9x (for speed boosts tailored to old systems). Otherwise, choose any of the others like bsnes/ares/higan, or Snes9x (for better compatibility).
; SNESGT
* Was once a reasonable choice, as it was more accurate than Snes9x while running much faster than bsnes.
* In more recent years has fallen out of favor as it is closed-source and no longer updated.
* Faster computers also make accurate emulation more feasible, and more recent versions of Snes9x have largely closed the accuracy gap.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen<ref name="MesenS"></ref>
! Snes9x
|-
|rowspan="2" |Audio
|[[#Alternative_audio_interpolation_methods|Alternative audio interpolation methods]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya|link=https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#core-options}}
|-
|[[#Higher_sample_rates|Higher sample rates]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="5" |Graphics
|[[#High-Resolution_Affine_Transformations|High-resolution affine transformations]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Remove sprite limit The SNES has hardware support for up to [https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-28888.html 128 sprites.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="4" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[#Sprite_Replacement|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Widescreen_hacks|Widescreen hacks]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Input
|[[Input lag|Preemptive frames]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to libretro core. Also RetroAchievements [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/retroachievements/#snes exclusive to the Mesen-S, some bsnes, and snes9x libretro cores] and older [https://github.com/RetroAchievements/RASnes9x modified version of snes9x].</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Input lag|Run-ahead]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |[[Overclocking|Overclock]]
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Extra scanlines]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1|SA-1]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Super FX]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/140}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|[[Shaders_and_filters#AI-powered filters|AI-powered filter compatible]] ([https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/gfecnt/nvidia-freestyle-ansel-enhancements-geforce-experience-article/ Freestyle])
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shaders and filters|Filters]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shader_Presets|Shader chain]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Frontends#Graphical_User_Interfaces_.28GUIs.29|Big Picture Mode]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}
|{{Ya|link=https://bsnes.org/docs/snes-cheats}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">There is no Lua scripting support but there is a [https://github.com/alttpo/bsnes-as separate fork] for AngelScript support.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to [https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Snes9x standalone version], [https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues/6454 RetroArch has no support for Lua Scripting].</ref>
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="10" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/devinacker/bsnes-plus#bsnes-plus}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/241/}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[#MSU-1|MSU-1]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Netplay#SNES|Netplay]] Should not be confused with BS-X or XBAND modem emulation, see [[#Peripherals|peripherals]] section for more information.
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="4" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===MSU-1===
The MSU-1 (Media Streaming Unit) is a custom fan-made hardware specification for an additional chip that includes CD-ROM-quality audio and FMV cutscenes. It was eventually made available and working with real SNES hardware as the SD2SNES flashcard. It is the closest to the SNES-CD that you will ever get.

One inconvenience is that most emulators don't really support this specification. It is currently supported by the SD2SNES flashcard, bsnes (v075 and up), higan/ares (v094 and up), and Snes9x (1.55 and up). These hacks simply won't work at all in other emulators unless their developers implement an MSU-1 check to let the game run in these emulators without the MSU-1 enhancements (the MSU-1 specification has a specific feature to allow for compatibility testing).

To load the MSU-1 patched games with higan or bsnes:
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Make sure to copy <code>manifest.bml</code> and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM
#* Make sure it is <code>%USERPROFILE%\Emulation\Super Famicom\</code> in the case of higan, and follow the readme included to know what names to use
# Launch with higan/bsnes.
To load the MSU-1 patched games with Snes9x: ''(See [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#msu-1-support this page] for libretro core version)''
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Copy the patched ROM file, any MSU image file, and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM.
#* Make sure the files all carry the same name prefix as the base ROM, with the MSU image having a <code>.msu</code> extension and all PCM files suffixed by track number.
# Launch the base ROM with Snes9x.

Notable hacks for the MSU-1 include:
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/right.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu] (a restoration of how the streamed audio played in the Satellaview game!)
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/sekibanfiles.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu: Inishie no Sekiban]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2546/ Chrono Trigger] (includes a conversion of the FMV intro from the PlayStation version of the game)
* [http://www.dkc-atlas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=2073 Donkey Kong Country 2]
* [http://github.com/Dizzy611/DancingMadFF6 Final Fantasy III / VI]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2483/ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past] (with an optional patch adding FMVs)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2274/ Mega Man X]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2342/ Mega Man X3] (with CD version audio)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2311/ Rock n' Roll Racing]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2467/ Secret of Mana]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2472/ Super Mario World]
* [http://www.dforce3000.de/?uid=48 Super Road Blaster] (port of the FMV arcade game)

===Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1===
[[Overclocking|Overclocking has been a thing in other SNES emulators previously]], but as the bsnes dev explains it;

Existing SNES emulators sometimes allowed overclocking the SNES CPU by a fixed amount, but it was done in a way that would either increase the video and audio rate, or break games.
bsnes and Mesen-S now feature a new way of overclocking that comes from the NES emulation scene: inserting additional scanlines into the CPU thread, without running the video and audio during this time. The result is a method of removing slowdown in just about any SNES game, without any framerate or pitch distortion, and without harming compatibility in 99% of games (even streaming audio games such as Tales of Phantasia work as expected.)
The [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#SA1|SA-1]] and SuperFX can also be overclocked in this way. The other coprocessors ([[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#DSP-1|DSP-1]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#Cx4|Cx4]], etc.) support HLE which results in all of their operations occurring.<ref>[https://gbatemp.net/threads/bsnes-and-mesen-s-add-newly-developed-snes-overclocking-method.545475/ bsnes and Mesen-S add newly developed SNES overclocking method]</ref>

:[[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#List_of_Super_NES_games_with_enhancement_chips|''List of Super NES games with enhancement chips'']]

===High-Resolution Affine Transformations===
The SNES had a graphical mode called "Mode 7" that allowed scaling the first background layer. The Super-FX2 added more advanced scaling options, but they're not covered by Mode 7 and, therefore, enhancements for it. The SNES Mode 7 background is limited to 128x128 pixels, and the output resolution is 256x240. As a result, there is heavy aliasing and a general loss of quality with some transformations. However, there have been emulator enhancements to make it look better:

* '''High resolution:''' The scaled backgrounds are rendered with subpixel precision at a higher resolution compared to the rest of the game's graphics. This may cause visual discrepancies between both.
* '''Supersampling:''' Acts like a sort of antialiasing for Mode 7. All graphics are rendered with the same pixel size, though scaled backgrounds are rendered in a higher resolution, then processed back to the same resolution as the rest of the image for a more uniform look. Used to be the only option in bsnes.
* '''Widescreen:''' Later added by bsnes-hd.

A fork of bsnes, [https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/releases bsnes-hd], offers active development of these features. Most of those were ported back to [[higan]].

With certain settings, there is heavy aliasing that we can reduce by increasing the sampling rate.

===[[Texture_packs#SNES|Sprite Replacement]]===
No emulator support this at the moment, but a
[https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/issues/71 Feature request for bsnes-hd: Add custom sprite/texture dumping/injection support] exist.

===[[Widescreen_hacks#Super_Nintendo|Widescreen hacks]]===
A widescreen hack is an emulator feature that make older games playable on 16:9 aspect ratio. Some emulators like [[Bsnes#List_of_forks|bsnes-hd]] provide a widescreen hack option to make these games run at 16:9 properly (with the traditional pixel stretch for 4:3 CRT pixel or 1:1 raw pixel instead of black bars on each side or stretched to fill the screen).

:[https://retrogamecorps.com/2023/02/22/widescreen-snes-guide/ retrogamecorps: Widescreen SNES guide]

===Mode 7 scaling bilinear filtering===
Some older versions of SNES9X offered bilinear filtering for Mode 7 backgrounds, making them smoother/blurrier instead of pixelated as they're scaled instead of just applying the bilinear filter on the video output itself. (Confirmation?)

===Alternative audio interpolation methods===
Most SNES emulators, since at least ZSNES 1.3.x, support audio interpolation methods beyond the traditional SNES Gaussian interpolation, such as Linear, Cubic, Sinc, or even no interpolation, should someone prefer that.

===Higher sample rates===
Likewise, the sample rate can also be set to higher than 32 kHz, even in ZSNES 0.150. Though in some versions of ZSNES in the early 2000s, it did cause some artifacts. Nowadays, emulators support sample rates all the way up to 96 kHz.

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages. There weren't as many accessories that were released for the Super Nintendo compared to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|NES]], but there are still quite a few to go over.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen
! Snes9x
|-
| rowspan="2" |Hardware features
| rowspan="2" |Cartridge enhancement chips
| colspan="2" |[[:wikipedia:List of Super NES enhancement chips|Official cartridge enhancement chips]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |MSU-1 enhancement chip
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="32" |Peripherals
| rowspan="2" |ASCII Turbo File
| colspan="2" |Turbo File II mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Turbo File Twin's Super mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Barcode Battler]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|BS-X Satellaview]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha">Recommended to use [https://project.satellaview.org/downloads.htm bsnes-plus] for BS-X and Data Pack emulation.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="18" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[[#asciiPad|asciiPad]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |{{YouTubeVideo|nEuAWIU89sQ|Bike controller}} The 3500X is for home use and 9XS is for gyms. The home bike uses the expansion port (the only peripheral to do so other than the Satellaview and the unreleased SNES-CD), has 2 controllers instead of 4, but also compatible with ''Cannondale Cup'' unlike the gym bike.
|Life Cycle 3500X
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Life Cycle 9XS
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Golf controller
|[https://tcrf.net/Lasabirdie:_Get_in_the_Hole Lasabirdie Golf Controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|TeeVGolf
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Light gun
|[[#Konami Justifier|Konami Justifier]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Dunno}}<ref name="Untested" group="lower-alpha">Supported, but not tested yet.</ref>
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://snescentral.com/article.php?id=0901 M.A.C.S. Rifle]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Super Scope|Super Scope]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Miracle Piano
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Super_Nintendo|Mouse]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/Super_Famicom_NTT_Data_Keypad NTT Data Keypad]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Pachinko
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://consolevariations.com/collectibles/sony-playstation-prototype-controller SNES-CD controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Super Joy Card
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Twin Tap
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |XBAND keyboard
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|Data Pack (Satellaview)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[#JRA_PAT_and_NTT_Data_Controller|JRA PAT/NTT modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Teleplay modem<ref name="Teleplay" group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[Sega Genesis]], [[NES]] and SNES.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |SNES CD
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:SuFami_Turbo#Games|SuFami Turbo (incl. ST Link)]]||{{Ya|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility/nintendo-snes-super-famicom}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes/blob/master/bsnes/Database/Sufami%20Turbo.bml}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://www.snes9x.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=24376 standalone build guide], [https://old.reddit.com/r/RetroArch/comments/nkgnqb/getting_sufami_turbo_games_to_run_on_android/gzcxdmi/ libretro build guide].</ref>
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy (2)]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/357}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem|XBAND modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |StuntMaster
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Super Multitap|Super Multitap]]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Just the accessory, but additional players are not supported.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Voice-kun|Voice-kun]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |BS-X Satellaview SoundLink audio broadcast streaming/playback
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" | There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
|colspan="3" |Real-time clock
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Rumble controller||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Super Game Boy===
:''This shouldn't be confused with [[Game Boy Advance emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|GB/GBC backwards compatibility emulation/GBA mode]] or [[Game Boy (Color) emulators|Game Boy (Color) emulation]].'' 
The '''[[gametech:Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy]]''' was a peripheral designed to play Game Boy and black Game Boy Color cartridges on the Super Nintendo through the cartridge slot, just like a typical SNES game. The Super Game Boy uses a special version of the Game Boy hardware to allow for ''[https://www.giantbomb.com/super-game-boy-enhancement/3015-4804 Super Game Boy enhanced]'' Game Boy games to operate its otherwise hidden features, such as colorization, special effects or upgrades such as extra multiplayer functionality, custom frame borders or color palettes, or even new control schemes and improved sound (enhanced music, voice clips) by way of the SNES's more sophisticated sound hardware.

Although many [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]] and [[Game Boy Advance emulators]]<ref>[https://github.com/mgba-emu/mgba/issues/2985 mGBA - Super Game Boy miscellaneous enhancements are not planned].</ref> can somewhat replicate the SGB's added features using certain tricks, a true recreation of the SGB can only be done by a multisys that supports emulating a SNES and a Game Boy simultaneously. [[higan]], and by extension [[ares]], were the first emulators to add proper SGB support, though it's understandably hardware-intensive even by their usual reckoning.<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/zwq9fu/ares_crossplatform_open_source_multisystem/j1ys10k/</ref> As of April 2023, Mesen is the only other multi-system emulator that can properly replicate the SGB. Versions of bsnes at and before v073 used the Gambatte core for its Super Game Boy functionality, nowadays, it is using Sameboy for Super Game Boy emulation. byuu eventually made his own Game Boy core for higan, which ended up having pretty good accuracy. Ares has its own GB/GBC core and uses that for Super Game Boy emulation.

There are a few hiccups with emulating the Super Game Boy, however. higan's Game Boy core isn't up to snuff. One notable example is [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Red,_Blue,_and_Yellow#Pok%C3%A9mon_Yellow|''Pokémon Yellow'']] and the special border supposed to display. higan displays the standard Game Boy border, while the real hardware displays a special green Pikachu border. On the other hand, [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Gold_and_Silver|''Pokémon Gold'' and ''Silver'']], designed for the Game Boy Color, can operate on a Game Boy, and operates as intended when played on a Super Game Boy. Also, if one attempts to run the Game Boy Camera in higan in Super Game Boy mode, the emulator crashes.

Another thing to note is that there is a redesigned model, only released in Japan, called the ''Super Game Boy 2''. Compared to the original, the main feature the SGB2 adds is a link cable connection, allowing for connectivity with normal Game Boys or even with other SGB2s. It also uses its own oscillator to be able to run games at normal speed, fixing a slight overclocking issue that stemmed from the original SGB's reliance on the clock signal from the SNES. higan and ares can run in ''Super Game Boy 2'' mode, but link cable connections aren't possible yet, not even with other Game Boy emulators that can emulate a link cable.

===asciiPad===
The asciiPad is a controller by asciiWare that has similar features to the NES Advantage. Unlike the standard SNES controller, it has seven small switches that extend the way buttons are pressed. All the switches can be set to one of three modes for the standard buttons they individually represent, except for the seventh labeled "Slow" which changes the frequency of the additional modes. The switch can be set to off, turbo, and auto. The turbo setting holds the button, and the auto setting control presses them automatically. [[higan]] is the first and only emulator known to support this specific controller's switches. Other emulators have a completely different implementation of turbo presses in their GUI, which can work for some, but not to this extent.

===Pointing Devices===
====Super Scope====
The Super Scope is a bazooka-looking light gun that is a bit more complex than the Zapper for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|Nintendo Entertainment System]]. [[wikipedia:Super_Scope_6|''Super Scope 6'']], [[wikipedia:Yoshi%27s_Safari|''Yoshi's Safari'']], [[wikipedia:Battle_Clash|''Battle Clash'']], and [[wikipedia:Metal_Combat:_Falcon%27s_Revenge|''Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge'']] used it. Some emulators including Snes9x and bsnes/higan support the Super Scope, emulated with the mouse.

====Konami Justifier====
Similar to the NES Zapper, but differs from the Super Scope. It is another light gun, but requiring calibration this time around. It looks like a real gun and was intended to simulate the shooter arcade experience. Only one game is compatible, and that is [[wikipedia:Lethal_Enforcers|''Lethal Enforcers'']]. Snes9x and higan support this gun.

===Super Multitap===
Made by Hudson Soft and licensed by Nintendo, this functions similarly to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES Four Score]]. Instead of using both controller ports, it just used one, allowing up to 5 players at once. [[wikipedia:List_of_Bomberman_video_games|''Bomberman'' games]] used this accessory. Some emulators, including Snes9x and bsnes/higan, support five players.

===[https://niwanetwork.org/wiki/JRA-PAT JRA PAT and NTT Data Controller]===
This is a rather obscure Super Famicom game with compatible accessories. ''JRA PAT'' is a horse race gambling game that {{YouTubeVideo|wtMlEcf8x6Q|allowed you to use real money}}. The service is dead. No emulator appears to support the special controller and modem that plugs into the player 1 and player 2 slots.

===Voice-kun===
A few games by Koei shipped with an Audio CD that typically contained voice acting and supported the Voice-kun accessory, which would command a CD player with IR signals. Typically used by remote controllers so that audio plays at specific points in the game. These games are still playable in most emulators but without Voice-kun support. byuu intended to make either MSU-1 hacks or proper Voice-kun emulation for these games in future higan versions, which would make it the first emulator to emulate this feature, but died of suicide.

==Hardware variants==
===Nintendo Super System===
:[https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Super_System ultimatepopculture fandom - Nintendo Super System]
Arcade system used to preview Super NES games in the United States.
*Emulation is possible with MAME and BizHawk's MAME core. [[MAME]] {{MAMEVer}} version [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=nss.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 compatibility status] for Nintendo Super System.

===SNES-CD revival and emulation===
The Super Famicom was originally going to get a CD add-on called the SNES-CD, developed by Sony, who had already helped with the sound chip for the SNES. However, Nintendo was unhappy with Sony's clause in the contract that would give them the rights to any software developed on the device. In retaliation, Nintendo announced that they would be partnering with Phillips instead. Talks between Sony and Nintendo continued afterward as late as 1993, but the project couldn't be salvaged. Nintendo lost interest in the CD peripheral, seeing how the Sega CD failed in the US, and the PC-Engine CD only enjoyed modest success. They canceled the Phillips collaboration on yet another SNES-CD prototype, but in return, they allowed them to use some of their properties for their Phillips CD-i console. Later, they collaborated with the St. Giga radio service to create the Japan-exclusive Satellaview add-on for the Super Famicom, which played broadcasts of SFC games using streamed audio. As for Sony, they took the hardware and experience from their collaboration with Nintendo to create the first PlayStation. Nintendo would continue to support the cartridge format for its next console, the Nintendo 64. A shy attempt at rewritable disk media was attempted with the 64DD, but the add-on failed due to its 64 MB maximum storage limit, which would be obsolete by later, bigger N64 cartridges, as well as the lack of support from third parties - many of whom had opted to support the PS1 instead.

Some prototype units of the Sony SNES-CD were made. While games were in development for the add-on, some were eventually reworked as regular SNES cartridge games with lots of content gutted (e.g., Nintendo R&D's Marvelous, Square's Secret of Mana, and Romancing Saga 2). Other games, like Hook, were ported to other systems instead (Hook to the Sega CD and Rayman to the Atari Jaguar, among others), while the rest were outright canceled. These games were to have much bigger worlds, streamed music, cutscenes, and even FMVs, according to various interviews. That never happened, however, and most of what was developed for these consoles, including their various manuals and specifications, were lost.

Recently, an actual Sony SNES-CD prototype was uncovered<ref>http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/11/the-fabled-snes-playstation-prototype-has-been-turned-on-and-disassembled/</ref> and repaired. See {{YouTubeVideo|ug-CyGXMabg|here}} and {{YouTubeVideo|qh91IO9cV48|here}}. It had various weird hardware restrictions (number of saves, CD size limit, no coprocessors), with much of it likely having to do with its unfinished nature. For example, it had planned Audio CD support, though it doesn't work, which means the MSU-1 is a much more attractive alternative for hacks aiming to reflect what the SNES-CD could have been.

No$SNS 1.6 supports the Sony SNES-CD add-on. This was made possible after some reverse-engineering and analysis of the leaked BIOS file. Get the leaked Super Disc BIOS, circulating on the net as "SDBR_v0.95.sfc." Under the same directory as the no$sns executable, make a "BIOS" folder, put the BIOS file there, and rename it to "SFX-100.bin."

The only SNES-CD games available online currently are the BIOS for one of the discovered prototypes and two homebrew games. These games, Magic Floor and Super Boss Gaiden (both of which have alternate versions as regular SNES ROMs), come as BIN/CUE files. NO$SNS 1.6 supports only one CD mode, so it only reads the BIN, not the CUE. Both were tested on real hardware and had severe visual glitches due to the SNES-CD adding more undocumented interrupts, which aren't accurately emulated anywhere. This means it is safe to say that while SNES-CD emulation exists nowadays, it would have low compatibility with any real unreleased SNES-CD game prototypes.
*It is possible to emulate this variant with [[No$|NO$SNS]].
*See [[Prototype consoles]] page for more information about other prototype consoles.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Resources==
* [http://wiki.superfamicom.org SNES Development Wiki] – SNES Development Wiki for you know, SNES Development.
* [http://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/SNESAccuracyTests.html SNES Accuracy Tests (TASVideos)] – Test results on various emulators using test ROMs

==External links==
* {{YouTubeVideo|2jee4tlakqo|SuperRT - Realtime raytracing on the SNES}}

{{Nintendo}}
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,nintendo,snes,super,supernintendo,zsnes,snes9x,bsnes
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulators

2026-04-30T19:01:09Z

Carolina Heart: Undo revision 142918 by Carolina Heart (talk)

{{Infobox computing device/Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

{{for|emulators that run on Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Emulators on Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

The '''[[gametech:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]''' (SNES) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation home video game console released by [[wikipedia:Nintendo|Nintendo]] originally released as the '''Super Famicom''' (SFC), in Japan, on November 21, 1990. The Super Famicom retailed for ¥25000. The console would release outside Japan as the SNES on August 23, 1991, in North America. The SNES retailed for {{Inflation|USD|199.99|1991}}. It has a Ricoh 5A22 CPU at 3.58 MHz with 128 KB of RAM. While the Super Famicom did well in Japan, outselling the [[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine]], outside of Japan during that time the SNES had ''fierce'' competition with SEGA's [[Sega Genesis emulators|Mega Drive]] (known world wide as the Mega Drive, in America as the Genesis).

Emulation for the Super Famicom/SNES is robust, with several high-quality emulators for various systems, some of which are [[Emulation Accuracy|cycle-accurate]].

==Emulators==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], and [[#Peripherals|peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{AresVer}}]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility|3379|3413}}
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|macOSARM|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/bsnes-emu/bsnes/workflows/build/master nightly] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores] [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Bsnes#List_of_forks bsnes forks]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Mesen]]<ref name=MesenS>SNES emulation only supported in libretro by the Mesen S core but it's obsolete and [https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen-X/issues/152#issuecomment-1416507779 superseded by Mesen standalone (version 2.0 and later)]</ref>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2#development-builds Dev builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ Mesen S libretro]<ref name=MesenS></ref> 
|?
|Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|<abbr title="As of April 2026, Mesen 2 development has stalled. The last successful automated build and commit from the lead developer (Sour) occurred on July 16, 2025 (Build #698). No public activity has been recorded on GitHub or Nesdev since that date.">{{~}}</abbr>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x#snes9x-1 nightly libretro nightly core] [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/releases {{Snes9xVer}}]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (bsnes v087 (to be dropped in 2.11.1), v115+)(Snes9x)(Mednafen)(MAME)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[[SUPER ZSNES]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Mac}}
|[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads 0.100b]
|7 games supported
|High||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/84 1.5.46.02]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{HiganVer}}] [[Higan#nSide|nSide]] [https://github.com/libretro/higan libretro core]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]].</ref>
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref> [http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=snes&compatibility= ?]
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} {{License|BSD3}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Lsnes lsnes] (based on bsnes)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://lsnes.tasbot.net/ rr2-β25] [http://repo.or.cz/w/lsnes.git git]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases {{JgenesisVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[No$|NO$SNS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://problemkaputt.de/sns.htm 1.6]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port">Snes9x 2005. Port of SNES9x 1.43 for libretro (was previously called CAT SFC).</ref>]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/ShadauxCat/CATSFC git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]] bsnes v059 and SNES-Faust
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">beetle_snes_libretro (Standalone port of Mednafen BSNES to libretro, itself a old fork of bsnes 0.59) and mednafen_supafaust_libretro (Libretro port of mednafen's SNES-Faust)</ref>
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|kindred (Super Sleuth PE)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://www.crazysmart.net.au/kindred {{kindredVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Silhouette]]
|align=left|{{Icon|macOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/fileuploads/1/816uajag/Silhouette.sit.hqx 1.0]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} (stolen [[Snes9x]] code)
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[ZSNES]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|DOS}}
|[http://zsnes.com 1.51]
|?
|Low
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|SNESGT
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.zophar.net/snes/snesgt.html 2.18 (2007)]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.Snes9xPlus {{Snes9xVer}}] [https://github.com/Rakashazi/emu-ex-plus-alpha git]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus]<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes8x (Different from 'Snes9x') (Snes9x based)
|align=left|{{Icon|WinMobile}}
|[https://www.appx4fun.com/xap/497 2.15.3]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/ Little John] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PalmOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/palm-os/multiem/little-john-palmos.html 1.1], [https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/resources/little-john-palm-os.4443 1.2]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://www.superretro16.com SuperRetro16]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutronemulation.super_retro_16 2.2.1]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|J2MESnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Java}}
|
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|
[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{ManicEMUVer}}] [https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}] [https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[bsnes]]
|align=left|{{Icon|NX|XboxOne|SXS}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|NGC}} {{Icon|PS4|Vita}} {{Icon|Wii|3DS|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|Xbox360|Saturn}}<ref group="lower-alpha">snes9x2010_libretro (Snes9x Next & 1.53) has no PS4 support.</ref>
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [http://www.rockin-b.de/saturn/snes9x/snes9x-on-saturn-060729.7z Saturn 06/07/29]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Snes9x GX
|align=left|{{Icon|GCN|Wii|WiiU}}
|[https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx#nightly-builds Nightly Builds] [https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx/releases {{Snes9xGXVer}}]
|[https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Snes9x_GX_for_Wii#Z 97%]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] for 3DS
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[https://github.com/bubble2k16/snes9x_3ds/releases stable] [https://github.com/matbo87/snes9x_3ds/tags git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU}}
|N/A
|[[Virtual_Console/Compatibility_List#Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System|Only for selected titles]]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]] ([[L-CLASSICS]])
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}{{Icon|Switch2}}
|5.0.0
|[https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_-_Nintendo_Switch_Online#Games Only for selected titles]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|GBA|GCWZero}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only">libretro core only</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|NDS}} {{Icon|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|DC}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] 
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes9x X
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/snes9x-x-0-23-download-snes-emulator-for-xbox.13688 0.23]
|?
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DreamSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|DC}}
|[http://www.dcemulation.org/files/emulators/dreamsnes/dreamsnes-0.9.8.zip 0.9.8]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|pSnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Vita|NX}}
|[https://github.com/Cpasjuste/pemu/releases 6.6]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DSTWO
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|N/A
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SnemulDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://github.com/cotodevel/snemulds GitHub]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/SNEmulDS_Compatibility_List|77|175}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|sodium64
|align=left|{{Icon|N64}}
|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/sodium64 git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re SnesC0re]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS5}}
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES360
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[http://download.digiex.net/Consoles/Xbox360/Jtag/SNES360betaV0.21.rar 0.21 beta]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES Station
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|0.2.6c
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=48157 Snes9xTYL Mod] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
|[https://github.com/esmjanus/snes9xTYL/releases git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://www.psdevwiki.com/psp/Snes9xTYL#Compatibility|27|38}}
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|blargSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[http://blargsnes.kuribo64.net/ 1.4] [https://github.com/Arisotura/blargSnes git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/BlargSnes_Compatibility_List|474|713}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|OpenSnes9x
| align="left" |{{Icon|GP32|Zodiac}}
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/os9xgp/html/downloads.html 0.3beta]
|?
|High||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Calculator
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|Nspire}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only"/>
|{{~}}
|}

==Remaster-at-Runtime Engines==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
|+A Remaster-at-Runtime (RaR) Engine is a specialized sub-layer of an emulator that intercepts a game’s original internal data such as draw calls, tile indexes, or audio triggers and replaces them with high-fidelity assets in real-time. Unlike standard emulators that focus on hardware accuracy, RaR Engines prioritize aesthetic transformation, effectively "remastering" the game while it is being played without modifying the original ROM file. While asset replacement capable emulators (like bsnes-hd) allow for high-definition visuals, true Remaster-at-Runtime Engines are distinguished by their ability to do more such as procedurally transform the game's original logic (e.g., converting 2D tiles into 3D voxels or applying dynamic lighting to 16-bit environments). Recommended to see [[Game engine recreations and source ports]] page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
|[[SUPER_ZSNES|Super ZSNES]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|macOS|Linux|Android}}
|[https://www.zsnes.com/ {{SuperZSNESVer}}] [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zsnes.superzsnes Google Play]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

==Comparisons==
; [[higan]] / [[ares]] / [[bsnes]]
* The codifier of [[Emulation Accuracy|emulation accuracy]]. It should play all commercially released games without trouble, assuming you have the power. Ares and higan are [[Emulation_accuracy#Full_cycle-accuracy|fully cycle-accurate]] emulators but bsnes is [[Emulation_accuracy#Partial_cycle-accuracy|partially cycle-accurate]].
* Incompatible with old ROM hacks made to take advantage of emulator quirks, much like real hardware.
* Has a superb LLE audio engine.
* For maximum authenticity, higan offers better ROM management, but newcomers who care more about playing the ROMs they have should stick with the bsnes release.
; [[Snes9x]]
* [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 Compatible with most games], even many ROM hacks that make use of emulator quirks.
* Fast enough for pretty much any toaster (even Pentium 1 or 2 machines, though for a decent experience, you will want at least a late Pentium 3).
* Shares its LLE audio engine with bsnes.
* Older versions may have buggy graphics and shaders in standalone, though it is video card- and driver-dependent.
* Controller support is hit-and-miss, especially when it comes to XInput.
; [[RetroArch]]
* There are official cores for bsnes and Snes9x you can obtain easily.
* Very customizable and programmable by nature.
:* The viewport is scalable to any resolution.
:* It makes good use of fullscreen with the right choice of interface.
:* A highly robust and flexible [[Shader_Presets|shader chain]] system completely separate from the core.
* Dynamic rate control fixes most audio issues.
* Mirrored ROM and RAM maps, allowing ordinary ROM images to be played right away.
* The Snes9x Next (snes9x2010) core was forked from a commit somewhere between upstream version 1.52 and 1.53. It includes some extra speed hacks to run full speed on the Wii, as well as a SuperFX overclock option.
* bsnes-mercury restores things like HLE DSP and SGB emulation using [[Gambatte]], as well as some optimizations that don't sacrifice [[Emulation Accuracy|accuracy]]. Things like the HLE DSP were removed in higan, and much like Snes9x Next, it can overclock SuperFX. The default options match bsnes, where HLE emulation is not enabled by default.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[BizHawk]]
* Multi-system emulator by TASVideos, designed for tool-assisted speedruns, but also doubles as an easy-to-use emulator.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v115.
* Primarily for Windows, but some Linux compatibility has been reported, likely through Wine.
* Has support for libretro cores.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[Mednafen]]
* Like BizHawk, it's multi-system and based on bsnes.
* Graphical shells exist (like Mednaffe) to help with the fact that it can only run from the command line.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v059, which is a pretty old release. It predates the performance/balanced/accuracy profiles as far back as 2010. However, this version is much faster than current higan versions. Mednafen has another core for SNES emulation (SNES-Faust).
:* It is missing many of the improvements to the LLE audio engine that newer versions of Snes9x and higan have.
:* It also lacks many of the updates to edge cases, such as [[wikipedia:A.S.P._Air_Strike_Patrol|''A.S.P. Air Strike Patrol'']], one of two games notorious for manipulating the PPU mid-scanline. It also has problems rendering text, flickering lines near the bottom, and displaying shadows during flight.
* There ''are'' systems Mednafen emulates well and very accurately, but the SNES is not one of them. At that point, you would be better off using standalone bsnes.
; [[Mesen]] / [[Mesen S]] / Mesen SX
* [[Mesen S]] is launched in April 2019 from the same author of the top-class NES/Famicom emulator [[Mesen|Mesen 1]]. It was slated to have similar features as its famous forebearer. [[Mesen|Mesen (with 2.0 version)]] is a multi-system emulator from the original author that continues active development.
* Users who increasingly tire of higan's and bsnes' limited user options and cumbersome ROM and save files management may gravitate towards [[Mesen]] sooner or later, which should run nicely in users' game systems alongside Snes9x or Mednafen (or similar peer).
; [[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]]
* SNES support was added to Nintendo Switch Online in September 2019 alongside NES games.
* [[Emulation Accuracy|Accuracy]] is not the greatest, and users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service.
* Supports up to 2 players in both Local and Online modes, despite being titles with actual 4-player support included (e.g.: ''Super Puyo Puyo 2'').
* Different games between regions (Japan and International).
* Despite its shortcomings, the emulator is lauded for its inclusion of [https://twitter.com/FalKoopa_/status/1283923231926128640 rollback netplay].
:* Netplay is generally hassle-free and doesn't require forwarding of any ports, with users able to simply invite anyone on their Switch friend lists (as long as they also have a valid subscription).
::* This makes the emulator an ideal choice for the ease-of-use factor; otherwise, better options are available.
* Support for the Super NES Mouse was added in version 5.0.0, alongside the ''Nintendo Classics'' rebranding and ''Mario Paint''.
; [[ZSNES]]
* One of the most [[History_of_emulation#NES|legendary and popular emulator back in the early emulation software era]] but nowadays, it's the least [[Emulation Accuracy|accurate]] among the active popular emulators, though it is still relevant for many reasons, including:
:* Running full speed on even very old PCs such as an early Pentium 1.
:* Forming the basis for many ROM hacks, which were often designed around (let alone possible, simply because of) its problems and would break on anything else.
:* Having tons of bugs and not even emulating some of the original console's operations, which some fewer notable games needed.
::* One of these bugs was an <abbr title="Arbitrary Code Execution">ACE</abbr> vulnerability that, if discovered in the emulator's prime, would've allowed a maliciously designed ROM to run its own code on the host machine. No real-world case of it being exploited exists aside from some harmless proof of concept, but it is always good to [[File Hashes|verify your ROMs]] before opening them in ZSNES.
:* Having [[ZSNES#Netplay|surprisingly good netplay]].
:* Sporting an iconic DOS-centric GUI.
* While fans have since modded the binaries (including patching out the vulnerability), the project is basically dead.
* Older versions rely on external pre-decompressed graphical packs to emulate some games with elaborate chips, much like older versions of Snes9x, such as 1.43. Assuming you get (what're now rare and tough-to-find) graphical packs for the SPC7110—like from [http://other.ipherswipsite.com/gpacks/ here]—and Star Ocean and put them in folders you then set under "Paths" in ZSNES, they can be playable without missing graphics. With that being said, however, the newest version doesn't need them for SDD-1 titles, only for SPC7110 titles.
* Viable alternatives are bZSNES (for ZSNES-centric ROM hacks), ZMZ (for the UI), NO$SNS, or older versions of Snes9x (for speed boosts tailored to old systems). Otherwise, choose any of the others like bsnes/ares/higan, or Snes9x (for better compatibility).
; SNESGT
* Was once a reasonable choice, as it was more accurate than Snes9x while running much faster than bsnes.
* In more recent years has fallen out of favor as it is closed-source and no longer updated.
* Faster computers also make accurate emulation more feasible, and more recent versions of Snes9x have largely closed the accuracy gap.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen<ref name="MesenS"></ref>
! Snes9x
|-
|rowspan="2" |Audio
|[[#Alternative_audio_interpolation_methods|Alternative audio interpolation methods]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya|link=https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#core-options}}
|-
|[[#Higher_sample_rates|Higher sample rates]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="5" |Graphics
|[[#High-Resolution_Affine_Transformations|High-resolution affine transformations]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Remove sprite limit The SNES has hardware support for up to [https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-28888.html 128 sprites.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="4" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[#Sprite_Replacement|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Widescreen_hacks|Widescreen hacks]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Input
|[[Input lag|Preemptive frames]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to libretro core. Also RetroAchievements [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/retroachievements/#snes exclusive to the Mesen-S, some bsnes, and snes9x libretro cores] and older [https://github.com/RetroAchievements/RASnes9x modified version of snes9x].</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Input lag|Run-ahead]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |[[Overclocking|Overclock]]
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Extra scanlines]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1|SA-1]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Super FX]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/140}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|[[Shaders_and_filters#AI-powered filters|AI-powered filter compatible]] ([https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/gfecnt/nvidia-freestyle-ansel-enhancements-geforce-experience-article/ Freestyle])
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shaders and filters|Filters]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shader_Presets|Shader chain]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Frontends#Graphical_User_Interfaces_.28GUIs.29|Big Picture Mode]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}
|{{Ya|link=https://bsnes.org/docs/snes-cheats}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">There is no Lua scripting support but there is a [https://github.com/alttpo/bsnes-as separate fork] for AngelScript support.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to [https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Snes9x standalone version], [https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues/6454 RetroArch has no support for Lua Scripting].</ref>
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="10" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/devinacker/bsnes-plus#bsnes-plus}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/241/}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[#MSU-1|MSU-1]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Netplay#SNES|Netplay]] Should not be confused with BS-X or XBAND modem emulation, see [[#Peripherals|peripherals]] section for more information.
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="4" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===MSU-1===
The MSU-1 (Media Streaming Unit) is a custom fan-made hardware specification for an additional chip that includes CD-ROM-quality audio and FMV cutscenes. It was eventually made available and working with real SNES hardware as the SD2SNES flashcard. It is the closest to the SNES-CD that you will ever get.

One inconvenience is that most emulators don't really support this specification. It is currently supported by the SD2SNES flashcard, bsnes (v075 and up), higan/ares (v094 and up), and Snes9x (1.55 and up). These hacks simply won't work at all in other emulators unless their developers implement an MSU-1 check to let the game run in these emulators without the MSU-1 enhancements (the MSU-1 specification has a specific feature to allow for compatibility testing).

To load the MSU-1 patched games with higan or bsnes:
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Make sure to copy <code>manifest.bml</code> and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM
#* Make sure it is <code>%USERPROFILE%\Emulation\Super Famicom\</code> in the case of higan, and follow the readme included to know what names to use
# Launch with higan/bsnes.
To load the MSU-1 patched games with Snes9x: ''(See [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#msu-1-support this page] for libretro core version)''
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Copy the patched ROM file, any MSU image file, and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM.
#* Make sure the files all carry the same name prefix as the base ROM, with the MSU image having a <code>.msu</code> extension and all PCM files suffixed by track number.
# Launch the base ROM with Snes9x.

Notable hacks for the MSU-1 include:
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/right.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu] (a restoration of how the streamed audio played in the Satellaview game!)
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/sekibanfiles.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu: Inishie no Sekiban]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2546/ Chrono Trigger] (includes a conversion of the FMV intro from the PlayStation version of the game)
* [http://www.dkc-atlas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=2073 Donkey Kong Country 2]
* [http://github.com/Dizzy611/DancingMadFF6 Final Fantasy III / VI]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2483/ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past] (with an optional patch adding FMVs)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2274/ Mega Man X]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2342/ Mega Man X3] (with CD version audio)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2311/ Rock n' Roll Racing]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2467/ Secret of Mana]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2472/ Super Mario World]
* [http://www.dforce3000.de/?uid=48 Super Road Blaster] (port of the FMV arcade game)

===Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1===
[[Overclocking|Overclocking has been a thing in other SNES emulators previously]], but as the bsnes dev explains it;

Existing SNES emulators sometimes allowed overclocking the SNES CPU by a fixed amount, but it was done in a way that would either increase the video and audio rate, or break games.
bsnes and Mesen-S now feature a new way of overclocking that comes from the NES emulation scene: inserting additional scanlines into the CPU thread, without running the video and audio during this time. The result is a method of removing slowdown in just about any SNES game, without any framerate or pitch distortion, and without harming compatibility in 99% of games (even streaming audio games such as Tales of Phantasia work as expected.)
The [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#SA1|SA-1]] and SuperFX can also be overclocked in this way. The other coprocessors ([[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#DSP-1|DSP-1]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#Cx4|Cx4]], etc.) support HLE which results in all of their operations occurring.<ref>[https://gbatemp.net/threads/bsnes-and-mesen-s-add-newly-developed-snes-overclocking-method.545475/ bsnes and Mesen-S add newly developed SNES overclocking method]</ref>

:[[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#List_of_Super_NES_games_with_enhancement_chips|''List of Super NES games with enhancement chips'']]

===High-Resolution Affine Transformations===
The SNES had a graphical mode called "Mode 7" that allowed scaling the first background layer. The Super-FX2 added more advanced scaling options, but they're not covered by Mode 7 and, therefore, enhancements for it. The SNES Mode 7 background is limited to 128x128 pixels, and the output resolution is 256x240. As a result, there is heavy aliasing and a general loss of quality with some transformations. However, there have been emulator enhancements to make it look better:

* '''High resolution:''' The scaled backgrounds are rendered with subpixel precision at a higher resolution compared to the rest of the game's graphics. This may cause visual discrepancies between both.
* '''Supersampling:''' Acts like a sort of antialiasing for Mode 7. All graphics are rendered with the same pixel size, though scaled backgrounds are rendered in a higher resolution, then processed back to the same resolution as the rest of the image for a more uniform look. Used to be the only option in bsnes.
* '''Widescreen:''' Later added by bsnes-hd.

A fork of bsnes, [https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/releases bsnes-hd], offers active development of these features. Most of those were ported back to [[higan]].

With certain settings, there is heavy aliasing that we can reduce by increasing the sampling rate.

===[[Texture_packs#SNES|Sprite Replacement]]===
No emulator support this at the moment, but a
[https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/issues/71 Feature request for bsnes-hd: Add custom sprite/texture dumping/injection support] exist.

===[[Widescreen_hacks#Super_Nintendo|Widescreen hacks]]===
A widescreen hack is an emulator feature that make older games playable on 16:9 aspect ratio. Some emulators like [[Bsnes#List_of_forks|bsnes-hd]] provide a widescreen hack option to make these games run at 16:9 properly (with the traditional pixel stretch for 4:3 CRT pixel or 1:1 raw pixel instead of black bars on each side or stretched to fill the screen).

:[https://retrogamecorps.com/2023/02/22/widescreen-snes-guide/ retrogamecorps: Widescreen SNES guide]

===Mode 7 scaling bilinear filtering===
Some older versions of SNES9X offered bilinear filtering for Mode 7 backgrounds, making them smoother/blurrier instead of pixelated as they're scaled instead of just applying the bilinear filter on the video output itself. (Confirmation?)

===Alternative audio interpolation methods===
Most SNES emulators, since at least ZSNES 1.3.x, support audio interpolation methods beyond the traditional SNES Gaussian interpolation, such as Linear, Cubic, Sinc, or even no interpolation, should someone prefer that.

===Higher sample rates===
Likewise, the sample rate can also be set to higher than 32 kHz, even in ZSNES 0.150. Though in some versions of ZSNES in the early 2000s, it did cause some artifacts. Nowadays, emulators support sample rates all the way up to 96 kHz.

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages. There weren't as many accessories that were released for the Super Nintendo compared to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|NES]], but there are still quite a few to go over.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen
! Snes9x
|-
| rowspan="2" |Hardware features
| rowspan="2" |Cartridge enhancement chips
| colspan="2" |[[:wikipedia:List of Super NES enhancement chips|Official cartridge enhancement chips]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |MSU-1 enhancement chip
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="32" |Peripherals
| rowspan="2" |ASCII Turbo File
| colspan="2" |Turbo File II mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Turbo File Twin's Super mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Barcode Battler]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|BS-X Satellaview]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha">Recommended to use [https://project.satellaview.org/downloads.htm bsnes-plus] for BS-X and Data Pack emulation.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="18" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[[#asciiPad|asciiPad]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |{{YouTubeVideo|nEuAWIU89sQ|Bike controller}} The 3500X is for home use and 9XS is for gyms. The home bike uses the expansion port (the only peripheral to do so other than the Satellaview and the unreleased SNES-CD), has 2 controllers instead of 4, but also compatible with ''Cannondale Cup'' unlike the gym bike.
|Life Cycle 3500X
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Life Cycle 9XS
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Golf controller
|[https://tcrf.net/Lasabirdie:_Get_in_the_Hole Lasabirdie Golf Controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|TeeVGolf
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Light gun
|[[#Konami Justifier|Konami Justifier]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Dunno}}<ref name="Untested" group="lower-alpha">Supported, but not tested yet.</ref>
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://snescentral.com/article.php?id=0901 M.A.C.S. Rifle]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Super Scope|Super Scope]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Miracle Piano
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Super_Nintendo|Mouse]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/Super_Famicom_NTT_Data_Keypad NTT Data Keypad]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Pachinko
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://consolevariations.com/collectibles/sony-playstation-prototype-controller SNES-CD controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Super Joy Card
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Twin Tap
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |XBAND keyboard
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|Data Pack (Satellaview)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[#JRA_PAT_and_NTT_Data_Controller|JRA PAT/NTT modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Teleplay modem<ref name="Teleplay" group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[Sega Genesis]], [[NES]] and SNES.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |SNES CD
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:SuFami_Turbo#Games|SuFami Turbo (incl. ST Link)]]||{{Ya|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility/nintendo-snes-super-famicom}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes/blob/master/bsnes/Database/Sufami%20Turbo.bml}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://www.snes9x.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=24376 standalone build guide], [https://old.reddit.com/r/RetroArch/comments/nkgnqb/getting_sufami_turbo_games_to_run_on_android/gzcxdmi/ libretro build guide].</ref>
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy (2)]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/357}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem|XBAND modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |StuntMaster
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Super Multitap|Super Multitap]]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Just the accessory, but additional players are not supported.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Voice-kun|Voice-kun]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |BS-X Satellaview SoundLink audio broadcast streaming/playback
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" | There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
|colspan="3" |Real-time clock
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Rumble controller||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Super Game Boy===
:''This shouldn't be confused with [[Game Boy Advance emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|GB/GBC backwards compatibility emulation/GBA mode]] or [[Game Boy (Color) emulators|Game Boy (Color) emulation]].'' 
The '''[[gametech:Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy]]''' was a peripheral designed to play Game Boy and black Game Boy Color cartridges on the Super Nintendo through the cartridge slot, just like a typical SNES game. The Super Game Boy uses a special version of the Game Boy hardware to allow for ''[https://www.giantbomb.com/super-game-boy-enhancement/3015-4804 Super Game Boy enhanced]'' Game Boy games to operate its otherwise hidden features, such as colorization, special effects or upgrades such as extra multiplayer functionality, custom frame borders or color palettes, or even new control schemes and improved sound (enhanced music, voice clips) by way of the SNES's more sophisticated sound hardware.

Although many [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]] and [[Game Boy Advance emulators]]<ref>[https://github.com/mgba-emu/mgba/issues/2985 mGBA - Super Game Boy miscellaneous enhancements are not planned].</ref> can somewhat replicate the SGB's added features using certain tricks, a true recreation of the SGB can only be done by a multisys that supports emulating a SNES and a Game Boy simultaneously. [[higan]], and by extension [[ares]], were the first emulators to add proper SGB support, though it's understandably hardware-intensive even by their usual reckoning.<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/zwq9fu/ares_crossplatform_open_source_multisystem/j1ys10k/</ref> As of April 2023, Mesen is the only other multi-system emulator that can properly replicate the SGB. Versions of bsnes at and before v073 used the Gambatte core for its Super Game Boy functionality, nowadays, it is using Sameboy for Super Game Boy emulation. byuu eventually made his own Game Boy core for higan, which ended up having pretty good accuracy. Ares has its own GB/GBC core and uses that for Super Game Boy emulation.

There are a few hiccups with emulating the Super Game Boy, however. higan's Game Boy core isn't up to snuff. One notable example is [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Red,_Blue,_and_Yellow#Pok%C3%A9mon_Yellow|''Pokémon Yellow'']] and the special border supposed to display. higan displays the standard Game Boy border, while the real hardware displays a special green Pikachu border. On the other hand, [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Gold_and_Silver|''Pokémon Gold'' and ''Silver'']], designed for the Game Boy Color, can operate on a Game Boy, and operates as intended when played on a Super Game Boy. Also, if one attempts to run the Game Boy Camera in higan in Super Game Boy mode, the emulator crashes.

Another thing to note is that there is a redesigned model, only released in Japan, called the ''Super Game Boy 2''. Compared to the original, the main feature the SGB2 adds is a link cable connection, allowing for connectivity with normal Game Boys or even with other SGB2s. It also uses its own oscillator to be able to run games at normal speed, fixing a slight overclocking issue that stemmed from the original SGB's reliance on the clock signal from the SNES. higan and ares can run in ''Super Game Boy 2'' mode, but link cable connections aren't possible yet, not even with other Game Boy emulators that can emulate a link cable.

===asciiPad===
The asciiPad is a controller by asciiWare that has similar features to the NES Advantage. Unlike the standard SNES controller, it has seven small switches that extend the way buttons are pressed. All the switches can be set to one of three modes for the standard buttons they individually represent, except for the seventh labeled "Slow" which changes the frequency of the additional modes. The switch can be set to off, turbo, and auto. The turbo setting holds the button, and the auto setting control presses them automatically. [[higan]] is the first and only emulator known to support this specific controller's switches. Other emulators have a completely different implementation of turbo presses in their GUI, which can work for some, but not to this extent.

===Pointing Devices===
====Super Scope====
The Super Scope is a bazooka-looking light gun that is a bit more complex than the Zapper for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|Nintendo Entertainment System]]. [[wikipedia:Super_Scope_6|''Super Scope 6'']], [[wikipedia:Yoshi%27s_Safari|''Yoshi's Safari'']], [[wikipedia:Battle_Clash|''Battle Clash'']], and [[wikipedia:Metal_Combat:_Falcon%27s_Revenge|''Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge'']] used it. Some emulators including Snes9x and bsnes/higan support the Super Scope, emulated with the mouse.

====Konami Justifier====
Similar to the NES Zapper, but differs from the Super Scope. It is another light gun, but requiring calibration this time around. It looks like a real gun and was intended to simulate the shooter arcade experience. Only one game is compatible, and that is [[wikipedia:Lethal_Enforcers|''Lethal Enforcers'']]. Snes9x and higan support this gun.

===Super Multitap===
Made by Hudson Soft and licensed by Nintendo, this functions similarly to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES Four Score]]. Instead of using both controller ports, it just used one, allowing up to 5 players at once. [[wikipedia:List_of_Bomberman_video_games|''Bomberman'' games]] used this accessory. Some emulators, including Snes9x and bsnes/higan, support five players.

===[https://niwanetwork.org/wiki/JRA-PAT JRA PAT and NTT Data Controller]===
This is a rather obscure Super Famicom game with compatible accessories. ''JRA PAT'' is a horse race gambling game that {{YouTubeVideo|wtMlEcf8x6Q|allowed you to use real money}}. The service is dead. No emulator appears to support the special controller and modem that plugs into the player 1 and player 2 slots.

===Voice-kun===
A few games by Koei shipped with an Audio CD that typically contained voice acting and supported the Voice-kun accessory, which would command a CD player with IR signals. Typically used by remote controllers so that audio plays at specific points in the game. These games are still playable in most emulators but without Voice-kun support. byuu intended to make either MSU-1 hacks or proper Voice-kun emulation for these games in future higan versions, which would make it the first emulator to emulate this feature, but died of suicide.

==Hardware variants==
===Nintendo Super System===
:[https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Super_System ultimatepopculture fandom - Nintendo Super System]
Arcade system used to preview Super NES games in the United States.
*Emulation is possible with MAME and BizHawk's MAME core. [[MAME]] {{MAMEVer}} version [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=nss.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 compatibility status] for Nintendo Super System.

===SNES-CD revival and emulation===
The Super Famicom was originally going to get a CD add-on called the SNES-CD, developed by Sony, who had already helped with the sound chip for the SNES. However, Nintendo was unhappy with Sony's clause in the contract that would give them the rights to any software developed on the device. In retaliation, Nintendo announced that they would be partnering with Phillips instead. Talks between Sony and Nintendo continued afterward as late as 1993, but the project couldn't be salvaged. Nintendo lost interest in the CD peripheral, seeing how the Sega CD failed in the US, and the PC-Engine CD only enjoyed modest success. They canceled the Phillips collaboration on yet another SNES-CD prototype, but in return, they allowed them to use some of their properties for their Phillips CD-i console. Later, they collaborated with the St. Giga radio service to create the Japan-exclusive Satellaview add-on for the Super Famicom, which played broadcasts of SFC games using streamed audio. As for Sony, they took the hardware and experience from their collaboration with Nintendo to create the first PlayStation. Nintendo would continue to support the cartridge format for its next console, the Nintendo 64. A shy attempt at rewritable disk media was attempted with the 64DD, but the add-on failed due to its 64 MB maximum storage limit, which would be obsolete by later, bigger N64 cartridges, as well as the lack of support from third parties - many of whom had opted to support the PS1 instead.

Some prototype units of the Sony SNES-CD were made. While games were in development for the add-on, some were eventually reworked as regular SNES cartridge games with lots of content gutted (e.g., Nintendo R&D's Marvelous, Square's Secret of Mana, and Romancing Saga 2). Other games, like Hook, were ported to other systems instead (Hook to the Sega CD and Rayman to the Atari Jaguar, among others), while the rest were outright canceled. These games were to have much bigger worlds, streamed music, cutscenes, and even FMVs, according to various interviews. That never happened, however, and most of what was developed for these consoles, including their various manuals and specifications, were lost.

Recently, an actual Sony SNES-CD prototype was uncovered<ref>http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/11/the-fabled-snes-playstation-prototype-has-been-turned-on-and-disassembled/</ref> and repaired. See {{YouTubeVideo|ug-CyGXMabg|here}} and {{YouTubeVideo|qh91IO9cV48|here}}. It had various weird hardware restrictions (number of saves, CD size limit, no coprocessors), with much of it likely having to do with its unfinished nature. For example, it had planned Audio CD support, though it doesn't work, which means the MSU-1 is a much more attractive alternative for hacks aiming to reflect what the SNES-CD could have been.

No$SNS 1.6 supports the Sony SNES-CD add-on. This was made possible after some reverse-engineering and analysis of the leaked BIOS file. Get the leaked Super Disc BIOS, circulating on the net as "SDBR_v0.95.sfc." Under the same directory as the no$sns executable, make a "BIOS" folder, put the BIOS file there, and rename it to "SFX-100.bin."

The only SNES-CD games available online currently are the BIOS for one of the discovered prototypes and two homebrew games. These games, Magic Floor and Super Boss Gaiden (both of which have alternate versions as regular SNES ROMs), come as BIN/CUE files. NO$SNS 1.6 supports only one CD mode, so it only reads the BIN, not the CUE. Both were tested on real hardware and had severe visual glitches due to the SNES-CD adding more undocumented interrupts, which aren't accurately emulated anywhere. This means it is safe to say that while SNES-CD emulation exists nowadays, it would have low compatibility with any real unreleased SNES-CD game prototypes.
*It is possible to emulate this variant with [[No$|NO$SNS]].
*See [[Prototype consoles]] page for more information about other prototype consoles.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Resources==
* [http://wiki.superfamicom.org SNES Development Wiki] – SNES Development Wiki for you know, SNES Development.
* [http://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/SNESAccuracyTests.html SNES Accuracy Tests (TASVideos)] – Test results on various emulators using test ROMs

==External links==
* {{YouTubeVideo|2jee4tlakqo|SuperRT - Realtime raytracing on the SNES}}

{{Nintendo}}
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System| ]]

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|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
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Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulators

2026-04-30T18:58:19Z

Carolina Heart: /* Emulators */ added super zsnes license

{{Infobox computing device/Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

{{for|emulators that run on Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Emulators on Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

The '''[[gametech:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]''' (SNES) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation home video game console released by [[wikipedia:Nintendo|Nintendo]] originally released as the '''Super Famicom''' (SFC), in Japan, on November 21, 1990. The Super Famicom retailed for ¥25000. The console would release outside Japan as the SNES on August 23, 1991, in North America. The SNES retailed for {{Inflation|USD|199.99|1991}}. It has a Ricoh 5A22 CPU at 3.58 MHz with 128 KB of RAM. While the Super Famicom did well in Japan, outselling the [[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine]], outside of Japan during that time the SNES had ''fierce'' competition with SEGA's [[Sega Genesis emulators|Mega Drive]] (known world wide as the Mega Drive, in America as the Genesis).

Emulation for the Super Famicom/SNES is robust, with several high-quality emulators for various systems, some of which are [[Emulation Accuracy|cycle-accurate]].

==Emulators==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], and [[#Peripherals|peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{AresVer}}]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility|3379|3413}}
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|macOSARM|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/bsnes-emu/bsnes/workflows/build/master nightly] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores] [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Bsnes#List_of_forks bsnes forks]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Mesen]]<ref name=MesenS>SNES emulation only supported in libretro by the Mesen S core but it's obsolete and [https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen-X/issues/152#issuecomment-1416507779 superseded by Mesen standalone (version 2.0 and later)]</ref>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2#development-builds Dev builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ Mesen S libretro]<ref name=MesenS></ref> 
|?
|Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|<abbr title="As of April 2026, Mesen 2 development has stalled. The last successful automated build and commit from the lead developer (Sour) occurred on July 16, 2025 (Build #698). No public activity has been recorded on GitHub or Nesdev since that date.">{{~}}</abbr>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x#snes9x-1 nightly libretro nightly core] [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/releases {{Snes9xVer}}]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (bsnes v087 (to be dropped in 2.11.1), v115+)(Snes9x)(Mednafen)(MAME)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[[SUPER ZSNES]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Mac}}
|[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads 0.100b]
|7 games supported
|High
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} (Early Development)
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/84 1.5.46.02]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{HiganVer}}] [[Higan#nSide|nSide]] [https://github.com/libretro/higan libretro core]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]].</ref>
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref> [http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=snes&compatibility= ?]
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} {{License|BSD3}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Lsnes lsnes] (based on bsnes)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://lsnes.tasbot.net/ rr2-β25] [http://repo.or.cz/w/lsnes.git git]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases {{JgenesisVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[No$|NO$SNS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://problemkaputt.de/sns.htm 1.6]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port">Snes9x 2005. Port of SNES9x 1.43 for libretro (was previously called CAT SFC).</ref>]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/ShadauxCat/CATSFC git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]] bsnes v059 and SNES-Faust
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">beetle_snes_libretro (Standalone port of Mednafen BSNES to libretro, itself a old fork of bsnes 0.59) and mednafen_supafaust_libretro (Libretro port of mednafen's SNES-Faust)</ref>
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|kindred (Super Sleuth PE)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://www.crazysmart.net.au/kindred {{kindredVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Silhouette]]
|align=left|{{Icon|macOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/fileuploads/1/816uajag/Silhouette.sit.hqx 1.0]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} (stolen [[Snes9x]] code)
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[ZSNES]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|DOS}}
|[http://zsnes.com 1.51]
|?
|Low
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|SNESGT
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.zophar.net/snes/snesgt.html 2.18 (2007)]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.Snes9xPlus {{Snes9xVer}}] [https://github.com/Rakashazi/emu-ex-plus-alpha git]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus]<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes8x (Different from 'Snes9x') (Snes9x based)
|align=left|{{Icon|WinMobile}}
|[https://www.appx4fun.com/xap/497 2.15.3]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/ Little John] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PalmOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/palm-os/multiem/little-john-palmos.html 1.1], [https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/resources/little-john-palm-os.4443 1.2]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://www.superretro16.com SuperRetro16]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutronemulation.super_retro_16 2.2.1]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|J2MESnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Java}}
|
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|
[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{ManicEMUVer}}] [https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}] [https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[bsnes]]
|align=left|{{Icon|NX|XboxOne|SXS}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|NGC}} {{Icon|PS4|Vita}} {{Icon|Wii|3DS|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|Xbox360|Saturn}}<ref group="lower-alpha">snes9x2010_libretro (Snes9x Next & 1.53) has no PS4 support.</ref>
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [http://www.rockin-b.de/saturn/snes9x/snes9x-on-saturn-060729.7z Saturn 06/07/29]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Snes9x GX
|align=left|{{Icon|GCN|Wii|WiiU}}
|[https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx#nightly-builds Nightly Builds] [https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx/releases {{Snes9xGXVer}}]
|[https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Snes9x_GX_for_Wii#Z 97%]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] for 3DS
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[https://github.com/bubble2k16/snes9x_3ds/releases stable] [https://github.com/matbo87/snes9x_3ds/tags git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU}}
|N/A
|[[Virtual_Console/Compatibility_List#Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System|Only for selected titles]]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]] ([[L-CLASSICS]])
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}{{Icon|Switch2}}
|5.0.0
|[https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_-_Nintendo_Switch_Online#Games Only for selected titles]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|GBA|GCWZero}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only">libretro core only</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|NDS}} {{Icon|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|DC}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] 
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes9x X
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/snes9x-x-0-23-download-snes-emulator-for-xbox.13688 0.23]
|?
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DreamSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|DC}}
|[http://www.dcemulation.org/files/emulators/dreamsnes/dreamsnes-0.9.8.zip 0.9.8]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|pSnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Vita|NX}}
|[https://github.com/Cpasjuste/pemu/releases 6.6]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DSTWO
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|N/A
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SnemulDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://github.com/cotodevel/snemulds GitHub]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/SNEmulDS_Compatibility_List|77|175}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|sodium64
|align=left|{{Icon|N64}}
|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/sodium64 git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re SnesC0re]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS5}}
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES360
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[http://download.digiex.net/Consoles/Xbox360/Jtag/SNES360betaV0.21.rar 0.21 beta]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES Station
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|0.2.6c
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=48157 Snes9xTYL Mod] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
|[https://github.com/esmjanus/snes9xTYL/releases git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://www.psdevwiki.com/psp/Snes9xTYL#Compatibility|27|38}}
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|blargSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[http://blargsnes.kuribo64.net/ 1.4] [https://github.com/Arisotura/blargSnes git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/BlargSnes_Compatibility_List|474|713}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|OpenSnes9x
| align="left" |{{Icon|GP32|Zodiac}}
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/os9xgp/html/downloads.html 0.3beta]
|?
|High||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Calculator
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|Nspire}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only"/>
|{{~}}
|}

==Remaster-at-Runtime Engines==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
|+A Remaster-at-Runtime (RaR) Engine is a specialized sub-layer of an emulator that intercepts a game’s original internal data such as draw calls, tile indexes, or audio triggers and replaces them with high-fidelity assets in real-time. Unlike standard emulators that focus on hardware accuracy, RaR Engines prioritize aesthetic transformation, effectively "remastering" the game while it is being played without modifying the original ROM file. While asset replacement capable emulators (like bsnes-hd) allow for high-definition visuals, true Remaster-at-Runtime Engines are distinguished by their ability to do more such as procedurally transform the game's original logic (e.g., converting 2D tiles into 3D voxels or applying dynamic lighting to 16-bit environments). Recommended to see [[Game engine recreations and source ports]] page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
|[[SUPER_ZSNES|Super ZSNES]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|macOS|Linux|Android}}
|[https://www.zsnes.com/ {{SuperZSNESVer}}] [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zsnes.superzsnes Google Play]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

==Comparisons==
; [[higan]] / [[ares]] / [[bsnes]]
* The codifier of [[Emulation Accuracy|emulation accuracy]]. It should play all commercially released games without trouble, assuming you have the power. Ares and higan are [[Emulation_accuracy#Full_cycle-accuracy|fully cycle-accurate]] emulators but bsnes is [[Emulation_accuracy#Partial_cycle-accuracy|partially cycle-accurate]].
* Incompatible with old ROM hacks made to take advantage of emulator quirks, much like real hardware.
* Has a superb LLE audio engine.
* For maximum authenticity, higan offers better ROM management, but newcomers who care more about playing the ROMs they have should stick with the bsnes release.
; [[Snes9x]]
* [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 Compatible with most games], even many ROM hacks that make use of emulator quirks.
* Fast enough for pretty much any toaster (even Pentium 1 or 2 machines, though for a decent experience, you will want at least a late Pentium 3).
* Shares its LLE audio engine with bsnes.
* Older versions may have buggy graphics and shaders in standalone, though it is video card- and driver-dependent.
* Controller support is hit-and-miss, especially when it comes to XInput.
; [[RetroArch]]
* There are official cores for bsnes and Snes9x you can obtain easily.
* Very customizable and programmable by nature.
:* The viewport is scalable to any resolution.
:* It makes good use of fullscreen with the right choice of interface.
:* A highly robust and flexible [[Shader_Presets|shader chain]] system completely separate from the core.
* Dynamic rate control fixes most audio issues.
* Mirrored ROM and RAM maps, allowing ordinary ROM images to be played right away.
* The Snes9x Next (snes9x2010) core was forked from a commit somewhere between upstream version 1.52 and 1.53. It includes some extra speed hacks to run full speed on the Wii, as well as a SuperFX overclock option.
* bsnes-mercury restores things like HLE DSP and SGB emulation using [[Gambatte]], as well as some optimizations that don't sacrifice [[Emulation Accuracy|accuracy]]. Things like the HLE DSP were removed in higan, and much like Snes9x Next, it can overclock SuperFX. The default options match bsnes, where HLE emulation is not enabled by default.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[BizHawk]]
* Multi-system emulator by TASVideos, designed for tool-assisted speedruns, but also doubles as an easy-to-use emulator.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v115.
* Primarily for Windows, but some Linux compatibility has been reported, likely through Wine.
* Has support for libretro cores.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[Mednafen]]
* Like BizHawk, it's multi-system and based on bsnes.
* Graphical shells exist (like Mednaffe) to help with the fact that it can only run from the command line.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v059, which is a pretty old release. It predates the performance/balanced/accuracy profiles as far back as 2010. However, this version is much faster than current higan versions. Mednafen has another core for SNES emulation (SNES-Faust).
:* It is missing many of the improvements to the LLE audio engine that newer versions of Snes9x and higan have.
:* It also lacks many of the updates to edge cases, such as [[wikipedia:A.S.P._Air_Strike_Patrol|''A.S.P. Air Strike Patrol'']], one of two games notorious for manipulating the PPU mid-scanline. It also has problems rendering text, flickering lines near the bottom, and displaying shadows during flight.
* There ''are'' systems Mednafen emulates well and very accurately, but the SNES is not one of them. At that point, you would be better off using standalone bsnes.
; [[Mesen]] / [[Mesen S]] / Mesen SX
* [[Mesen S]] is launched in April 2019 from the same author of the top-class NES/Famicom emulator [[Mesen|Mesen 1]]. It was slated to have similar features as its famous forebearer. [[Mesen|Mesen (with 2.0 version)]] is a multi-system emulator from the original author that continues active development.
* Users who increasingly tire of higan's and bsnes' limited user options and cumbersome ROM and save files management may gravitate towards [[Mesen]] sooner or later, which should run nicely in users' game systems alongside Snes9x or Mednafen (or similar peer).
; [[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]]
* SNES support was added to Nintendo Switch Online in September 2019 alongside NES games.
* [[Emulation Accuracy|Accuracy]] is not the greatest, and users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service.
* Supports up to 2 players in both Local and Online modes, despite being titles with actual 4-player support included (e.g.: ''Super Puyo Puyo 2'').
* Different games between regions (Japan and International).
* Despite its shortcomings, the emulator is lauded for its inclusion of [https://twitter.com/FalKoopa_/status/1283923231926128640 rollback netplay].
:* Netplay is generally hassle-free and doesn't require forwarding of any ports, with users able to simply invite anyone on their Switch friend lists (as long as they also have a valid subscription).
::* This makes the emulator an ideal choice for the ease-of-use factor; otherwise, better options are available.
* Support for the Super NES Mouse was added in version 5.0.0, alongside the ''Nintendo Classics'' rebranding and ''Mario Paint''.
; [[ZSNES]]
* One of the most [[History_of_emulation#NES|legendary and popular emulator back in the early emulation software era]] but nowadays, it's the least [[Emulation Accuracy|accurate]] among the active popular emulators, though it is still relevant for many reasons, including:
:* Running full speed on even very old PCs such as an early Pentium 1.
:* Forming the basis for many ROM hacks, which were often designed around (let alone possible, simply because of) its problems and would break on anything else.
:* Having tons of bugs and not even emulating some of the original console's operations, which some fewer notable games needed.
::* One of these bugs was an <abbr title="Arbitrary Code Execution">ACE</abbr> vulnerability that, if discovered in the emulator's prime, would've allowed a maliciously designed ROM to run its own code on the host machine. No real-world case of it being exploited exists aside from some harmless proof of concept, but it is always good to [[File Hashes|verify your ROMs]] before opening them in ZSNES.
:* Having [[ZSNES#Netplay|surprisingly good netplay]].
:* Sporting an iconic DOS-centric GUI.
* While fans have since modded the binaries (including patching out the vulnerability), the project is basically dead.
* Older versions rely on external pre-decompressed graphical packs to emulate some games with elaborate chips, much like older versions of Snes9x, such as 1.43. Assuming you get (what're now rare and tough-to-find) graphical packs for the SPC7110—like from [http://other.ipherswipsite.com/gpacks/ here]—and Star Ocean and put them in folders you then set under "Paths" in ZSNES, they can be playable without missing graphics. With that being said, however, the newest version doesn't need them for SDD-1 titles, only for SPC7110 titles.
* Viable alternatives are bZSNES (for ZSNES-centric ROM hacks), ZMZ (for the UI), NO$SNS, or older versions of Snes9x (for speed boosts tailored to old systems). Otherwise, choose any of the others like bsnes/ares/higan, or Snes9x (for better compatibility).
; SNESGT
* Was once a reasonable choice, as it was more accurate than Snes9x while running much faster than bsnes.
* In more recent years has fallen out of favor as it is closed-source and no longer updated.
* Faster computers also make accurate emulation more feasible, and more recent versions of Snes9x have largely closed the accuracy gap.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen<ref name="MesenS"></ref>
! Snes9x
|-
|rowspan="2" |Audio
|[[#Alternative_audio_interpolation_methods|Alternative audio interpolation methods]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya|link=https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#core-options}}
|-
|[[#Higher_sample_rates|Higher sample rates]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="5" |Graphics
|[[#High-Resolution_Affine_Transformations|High-resolution affine transformations]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Remove sprite limit The SNES has hardware support for up to [https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-28888.html 128 sprites.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="4" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[#Sprite_Replacement|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Widescreen_hacks|Widescreen hacks]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Input
|[[Input lag|Preemptive frames]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to libretro core. Also RetroAchievements [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/retroachievements/#snes exclusive to the Mesen-S, some bsnes, and snes9x libretro cores] and older [https://github.com/RetroAchievements/RASnes9x modified version of snes9x].</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Input lag|Run-ahead]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |[[Overclocking|Overclock]]
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Extra scanlines]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1|SA-1]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Super FX]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/140}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|[[Shaders_and_filters#AI-powered filters|AI-powered filter compatible]] ([https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/gfecnt/nvidia-freestyle-ansel-enhancements-geforce-experience-article/ Freestyle])
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shaders and filters|Filters]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shader_Presets|Shader chain]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Frontends#Graphical_User_Interfaces_.28GUIs.29|Big Picture Mode]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}
|{{Ya|link=https://bsnes.org/docs/snes-cheats}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">There is no Lua scripting support but there is a [https://github.com/alttpo/bsnes-as separate fork] for AngelScript support.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to [https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Snes9x standalone version], [https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues/6454 RetroArch has no support for Lua Scripting].</ref>
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="10" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/devinacker/bsnes-plus#bsnes-plus}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/241/}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[#MSU-1|MSU-1]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Netplay#SNES|Netplay]] Should not be confused with BS-X or XBAND modem emulation, see [[#Peripherals|peripherals]] section for more information.
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="4" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===MSU-1===
The MSU-1 (Media Streaming Unit) is a custom fan-made hardware specification for an additional chip that includes CD-ROM-quality audio and FMV cutscenes. It was eventually made available and working with real SNES hardware as the SD2SNES flashcard. It is the closest to the SNES-CD that you will ever get.

One inconvenience is that most emulators don't really support this specification. It is currently supported by the SD2SNES flashcard, bsnes (v075 and up), higan/ares (v094 and up), and Snes9x (1.55 and up). These hacks simply won't work at all in other emulators unless their developers implement an MSU-1 check to let the game run in these emulators without the MSU-1 enhancements (the MSU-1 specification has a specific feature to allow for compatibility testing).

To load the MSU-1 patched games with higan or bsnes:
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Make sure to copy <code>manifest.bml</code> and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM
#* Make sure it is <code>%USERPROFILE%\Emulation\Super Famicom\</code> in the case of higan, and follow the readme included to know what names to use
# Launch with higan/bsnes.
To load the MSU-1 patched games with Snes9x: ''(See [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#msu-1-support this page] for libretro core version)''
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Copy the patched ROM file, any MSU image file, and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM.
#* Make sure the files all carry the same name prefix as the base ROM, with the MSU image having a <code>.msu</code> extension and all PCM files suffixed by track number.
# Launch the base ROM with Snes9x.

Notable hacks for the MSU-1 include:
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/right.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu] (a restoration of how the streamed audio played in the Satellaview game!)
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/sekibanfiles.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu: Inishie no Sekiban]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2546/ Chrono Trigger] (includes a conversion of the FMV intro from the PlayStation version of the game)
* [http://www.dkc-atlas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=2073 Donkey Kong Country 2]
* [http://github.com/Dizzy611/DancingMadFF6 Final Fantasy III / VI]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2483/ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past] (with an optional patch adding FMVs)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2274/ Mega Man X]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2342/ Mega Man X3] (with CD version audio)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2311/ Rock n' Roll Racing]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2467/ Secret of Mana]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2472/ Super Mario World]
* [http://www.dforce3000.de/?uid=48 Super Road Blaster] (port of the FMV arcade game)

===Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1===
[[Overclocking|Overclocking has been a thing in other SNES emulators previously]], but as the bsnes dev explains it;

Existing SNES emulators sometimes allowed overclocking the SNES CPU by a fixed amount, but it was done in a way that would either increase the video and audio rate, or break games.
bsnes and Mesen-S now feature a new way of overclocking that comes from the NES emulation scene: inserting additional scanlines into the CPU thread, without running the video and audio during this time. The result is a method of removing slowdown in just about any SNES game, without any framerate or pitch distortion, and without harming compatibility in 99% of games (even streaming audio games such as Tales of Phantasia work as expected.)
The [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#SA1|SA-1]] and SuperFX can also be overclocked in this way. The other coprocessors ([[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#DSP-1|DSP-1]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#Cx4|Cx4]], etc.) support HLE which results in all of their operations occurring.<ref>[https://gbatemp.net/threads/bsnes-and-mesen-s-add-newly-developed-snes-overclocking-method.545475/ bsnes and Mesen-S add newly developed SNES overclocking method]</ref>

:[[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#List_of_Super_NES_games_with_enhancement_chips|''List of Super NES games with enhancement chips'']]

===High-Resolution Affine Transformations===
The SNES had a graphical mode called "Mode 7" that allowed scaling the first background layer. The Super-FX2 added more advanced scaling options, but they're not covered by Mode 7 and, therefore, enhancements for it. The SNES Mode 7 background is limited to 128x128 pixels, and the output resolution is 256x240. As a result, there is heavy aliasing and a general loss of quality with some transformations. However, there have been emulator enhancements to make it look better:

* '''High resolution:''' The scaled backgrounds are rendered with subpixel precision at a higher resolution compared to the rest of the game's graphics. This may cause visual discrepancies between both.
* '''Supersampling:''' Acts like a sort of antialiasing for Mode 7. All graphics are rendered with the same pixel size, though scaled backgrounds are rendered in a higher resolution, then processed back to the same resolution as the rest of the image for a more uniform look. Used to be the only option in bsnes.
* '''Widescreen:''' Later added by bsnes-hd.

A fork of bsnes, [https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/releases bsnes-hd], offers active development of these features. Most of those were ported back to [[higan]].

With certain settings, there is heavy aliasing that we can reduce by increasing the sampling rate.

===[[Texture_packs#SNES|Sprite Replacement]]===
No emulator support this at the moment, but a
[https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/issues/71 Feature request for bsnes-hd: Add custom sprite/texture dumping/injection support] exist.

===[[Widescreen_hacks#Super_Nintendo|Widescreen hacks]]===
A widescreen hack is an emulator feature that make older games playable on 16:9 aspect ratio. Some emulators like [[Bsnes#List_of_forks|bsnes-hd]] provide a widescreen hack option to make these games run at 16:9 properly (with the traditional pixel stretch for 4:3 CRT pixel or 1:1 raw pixel instead of black bars on each side or stretched to fill the screen).

:[https://retrogamecorps.com/2023/02/22/widescreen-snes-guide/ retrogamecorps: Widescreen SNES guide]

===Mode 7 scaling bilinear filtering===
Some older versions of SNES9X offered bilinear filtering for Mode 7 backgrounds, making them smoother/blurrier instead of pixelated as they're scaled instead of just applying the bilinear filter on the video output itself. (Confirmation?)

===Alternative audio interpolation methods===
Most SNES emulators, since at least ZSNES 1.3.x, support audio interpolation methods beyond the traditional SNES Gaussian interpolation, such as Linear, Cubic, Sinc, or even no interpolation, should someone prefer that.

===Higher sample rates===
Likewise, the sample rate can also be set to higher than 32 kHz, even in ZSNES 0.150. Though in some versions of ZSNES in the early 2000s, it did cause some artifacts. Nowadays, emulators support sample rates all the way up to 96 kHz.

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages. There weren't as many accessories that were released for the Super Nintendo compared to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|NES]], but there are still quite a few to go over.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen
! Snes9x
|-
| rowspan="2" |Hardware features
| rowspan="2" |Cartridge enhancement chips
| colspan="2" |[[:wikipedia:List of Super NES enhancement chips|Official cartridge enhancement chips]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |MSU-1 enhancement chip
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="32" |Peripherals
| rowspan="2" |ASCII Turbo File
| colspan="2" |Turbo File II mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Turbo File Twin's Super mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Barcode Battler]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|BS-X Satellaview]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha">Recommended to use [https://project.satellaview.org/downloads.htm bsnes-plus] for BS-X and Data Pack emulation.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="18" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[[#asciiPad|asciiPad]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |{{YouTubeVideo|nEuAWIU89sQ|Bike controller}} The 3500X is for home use and 9XS is for gyms. The home bike uses the expansion port (the only peripheral to do so other than the Satellaview and the unreleased SNES-CD), has 2 controllers instead of 4, but also compatible with ''Cannondale Cup'' unlike the gym bike.
|Life Cycle 3500X
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Life Cycle 9XS
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Golf controller
|[https://tcrf.net/Lasabirdie:_Get_in_the_Hole Lasabirdie Golf Controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|TeeVGolf
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Light gun
|[[#Konami Justifier|Konami Justifier]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Dunno}}<ref name="Untested" group="lower-alpha">Supported, but not tested yet.</ref>
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://snescentral.com/article.php?id=0901 M.A.C.S. Rifle]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Super Scope|Super Scope]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Miracle Piano
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Super_Nintendo|Mouse]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/Super_Famicom_NTT_Data_Keypad NTT Data Keypad]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Pachinko
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://consolevariations.com/collectibles/sony-playstation-prototype-controller SNES-CD controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Super Joy Card
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Twin Tap
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |XBAND keyboard
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|Data Pack (Satellaview)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[#JRA_PAT_and_NTT_Data_Controller|JRA PAT/NTT modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Teleplay modem<ref name="Teleplay" group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[Sega Genesis]], [[NES]] and SNES.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |SNES CD
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:SuFami_Turbo#Games|SuFami Turbo (incl. ST Link)]]||{{Ya|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility/nintendo-snes-super-famicom}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes/blob/master/bsnes/Database/Sufami%20Turbo.bml}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://www.snes9x.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=24376 standalone build guide], [https://old.reddit.com/r/RetroArch/comments/nkgnqb/getting_sufami_turbo_games_to_run_on_android/gzcxdmi/ libretro build guide].</ref>
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy (2)]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/357}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem|XBAND modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |StuntMaster
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Super Multitap|Super Multitap]]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Just the accessory, but additional players are not supported.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Voice-kun|Voice-kun]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |BS-X Satellaview SoundLink audio broadcast streaming/playback
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" | There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
|colspan="3" |Real-time clock
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Rumble controller||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Super Game Boy===
:''This shouldn't be confused with [[Game Boy Advance emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|GB/GBC backwards compatibility emulation/GBA mode]] or [[Game Boy (Color) emulators|Game Boy (Color) emulation]].'' 
The '''[[gametech:Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy]]''' was a peripheral designed to play Game Boy and black Game Boy Color cartridges on the Super Nintendo through the cartridge slot, just like a typical SNES game. The Super Game Boy uses a special version of the Game Boy hardware to allow for ''[https://www.giantbomb.com/super-game-boy-enhancement/3015-4804 Super Game Boy enhanced]'' Game Boy games to operate its otherwise hidden features, such as colorization, special effects or upgrades such as extra multiplayer functionality, custom frame borders or color palettes, or even new control schemes and improved sound (enhanced music, voice clips) by way of the SNES's more sophisticated sound hardware.

Although many [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]] and [[Game Boy Advance emulators]]<ref>[https://github.com/mgba-emu/mgba/issues/2985 mGBA - Super Game Boy miscellaneous enhancements are not planned].</ref> can somewhat replicate the SGB's added features using certain tricks, a true recreation of the SGB can only be done by a multisys that supports emulating a SNES and a Game Boy simultaneously. [[higan]], and by extension [[ares]], were the first emulators to add proper SGB support, though it's understandably hardware-intensive even by their usual reckoning.<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/zwq9fu/ares_crossplatform_open_source_multisystem/j1ys10k/</ref> As of April 2023, Mesen is the only other multi-system emulator that can properly replicate the SGB. Versions of bsnes at and before v073 used the Gambatte core for its Super Game Boy functionality, nowadays, it is using Sameboy for Super Game Boy emulation. byuu eventually made his own Game Boy core for higan, which ended up having pretty good accuracy. Ares has its own GB/GBC core and uses that for Super Game Boy emulation.

There are a few hiccups with emulating the Super Game Boy, however. higan's Game Boy core isn't up to snuff. One notable example is [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Red,_Blue,_and_Yellow#Pok%C3%A9mon_Yellow|''Pokémon Yellow'']] and the special border supposed to display. higan displays the standard Game Boy border, while the real hardware displays a special green Pikachu border. On the other hand, [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Gold_and_Silver|''Pokémon Gold'' and ''Silver'']], designed for the Game Boy Color, can operate on a Game Boy, and operates as intended when played on a Super Game Boy. Also, if one attempts to run the Game Boy Camera in higan in Super Game Boy mode, the emulator crashes.

Another thing to note is that there is a redesigned model, only released in Japan, called the ''Super Game Boy 2''. Compared to the original, the main feature the SGB2 adds is a link cable connection, allowing for connectivity with normal Game Boys or even with other SGB2s. It also uses its own oscillator to be able to run games at normal speed, fixing a slight overclocking issue that stemmed from the original SGB's reliance on the clock signal from the SNES. higan and ares can run in ''Super Game Boy 2'' mode, but link cable connections aren't possible yet, not even with other Game Boy emulators that can emulate a link cable.

===asciiPad===
The asciiPad is a controller by asciiWare that has similar features to the NES Advantage. Unlike the standard SNES controller, it has seven small switches that extend the way buttons are pressed. All the switches can be set to one of three modes for the standard buttons they individually represent, except for the seventh labeled "Slow" which changes the frequency of the additional modes. The switch can be set to off, turbo, and auto. The turbo setting holds the button, and the auto setting control presses them automatically. [[higan]] is the first and only emulator known to support this specific controller's switches. Other emulators have a completely different implementation of turbo presses in their GUI, which can work for some, but not to this extent.

===Pointing Devices===
====Super Scope====
The Super Scope is a bazooka-looking light gun that is a bit more complex than the Zapper for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|Nintendo Entertainment System]]. [[wikipedia:Super_Scope_6|''Super Scope 6'']], [[wikipedia:Yoshi%27s_Safari|''Yoshi's Safari'']], [[wikipedia:Battle_Clash|''Battle Clash'']], and [[wikipedia:Metal_Combat:_Falcon%27s_Revenge|''Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge'']] used it. Some emulators including Snes9x and bsnes/higan support the Super Scope, emulated with the mouse.

====Konami Justifier====
Similar to the NES Zapper, but differs from the Super Scope. It is another light gun, but requiring calibration this time around. It looks like a real gun and was intended to simulate the shooter arcade experience. Only one game is compatible, and that is [[wikipedia:Lethal_Enforcers|''Lethal Enforcers'']]. Snes9x and higan support this gun.

===Super Multitap===
Made by Hudson Soft and licensed by Nintendo, this functions similarly to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES Four Score]]. Instead of using both controller ports, it just used one, allowing up to 5 players at once. [[wikipedia:List_of_Bomberman_video_games|''Bomberman'' games]] used this accessory. Some emulators, including Snes9x and bsnes/higan, support five players.

===[https://niwanetwork.org/wiki/JRA-PAT JRA PAT and NTT Data Controller]===
This is a rather obscure Super Famicom game with compatible accessories. ''JRA PAT'' is a horse race gambling game that {{YouTubeVideo|wtMlEcf8x6Q|allowed you to use real money}}. The service is dead. No emulator appears to support the special controller and modem that plugs into the player 1 and player 2 slots.

===Voice-kun===
A few games by Koei shipped with an Audio CD that typically contained voice acting and supported the Voice-kun accessory, which would command a CD player with IR signals. Typically used by remote controllers so that audio plays at specific points in the game. These games are still playable in most emulators but without Voice-kun support. byuu intended to make either MSU-1 hacks or proper Voice-kun emulation for these games in future higan versions, which would make it the first emulator to emulate this feature, but died of suicide.

==Hardware variants==
===Nintendo Super System===
:[https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Super_System ultimatepopculture fandom - Nintendo Super System]
Arcade system used to preview Super NES games in the United States.
*Emulation is possible with MAME and BizHawk's MAME core. [[MAME]] {{MAMEVer}} version [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=nss.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 compatibility status] for Nintendo Super System.

===SNES-CD revival and emulation===
The Super Famicom was originally going to get a CD add-on called the SNES-CD, developed by Sony, who had already helped with the sound chip for the SNES. However, Nintendo was unhappy with Sony's clause in the contract that would give them the rights to any software developed on the device. In retaliation, Nintendo announced that they would be partnering with Phillips instead. Talks between Sony and Nintendo continued afterward as late as 1993, but the project couldn't be salvaged. Nintendo lost interest in the CD peripheral, seeing how the Sega CD failed in the US, and the PC-Engine CD only enjoyed modest success. They canceled the Phillips collaboration on yet another SNES-CD prototype, but in return, they allowed them to use some of their properties for their Phillips CD-i console. Later, they collaborated with the St. Giga radio service to create the Japan-exclusive Satellaview add-on for the Super Famicom, which played broadcasts of SFC games using streamed audio. As for Sony, they took the hardware and experience from their collaboration with Nintendo to create the first PlayStation. Nintendo would continue to support the cartridge format for its next console, the Nintendo 64. A shy attempt at rewritable disk media was attempted with the 64DD, but the add-on failed due to its 64 MB maximum storage limit, which would be obsolete by later, bigger N64 cartridges, as well as the lack of support from third parties - many of whom had opted to support the PS1 instead.

Some prototype units of the Sony SNES-CD were made. While games were in development for the add-on, some were eventually reworked as regular SNES cartridge games with lots of content gutted (e.g., Nintendo R&D's Marvelous, Square's Secret of Mana, and Romancing Saga 2). Other games, like Hook, were ported to other systems instead (Hook to the Sega CD and Rayman to the Atari Jaguar, among others), while the rest were outright canceled. These games were to have much bigger worlds, streamed music, cutscenes, and even FMVs, according to various interviews. That never happened, however, and most of what was developed for these consoles, including their various manuals and specifications, were lost.

Recently, an actual Sony SNES-CD prototype was uncovered<ref>http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/11/the-fabled-snes-playstation-prototype-has-been-turned-on-and-disassembled/</ref> and repaired. See {{YouTubeVideo|ug-CyGXMabg|here}} and {{YouTubeVideo|qh91IO9cV48|here}}. It had various weird hardware restrictions (number of saves, CD size limit, no coprocessors), with much of it likely having to do with its unfinished nature. For example, it had planned Audio CD support, though it doesn't work, which means the MSU-1 is a much more attractive alternative for hacks aiming to reflect what the SNES-CD could have been.

No$SNS 1.6 supports the Sony SNES-CD add-on. This was made possible after some reverse-engineering and analysis of the leaked BIOS file. Get the leaked Super Disc BIOS, circulating on the net as "SDBR_v0.95.sfc." Under the same directory as the no$sns executable, make a "BIOS" folder, put the BIOS file there, and rename it to "SFX-100.bin."

The only SNES-CD games available online currently are the BIOS for one of the discovered prototypes and two homebrew games. These games, Magic Floor and Super Boss Gaiden (both of which have alternate versions as regular SNES ROMs), come as BIN/CUE files. NO$SNS 1.6 supports only one CD mode, so it only reads the BIN, not the CUE. Both were tested on real hardware and had severe visual glitches due to the SNES-CD adding more undocumented interrupts, which aren't accurately emulated anywhere. This means it is safe to say that while SNES-CD emulation exists nowadays, it would have low compatibility with any real unreleased SNES-CD game prototypes.
*It is possible to emulate this variant with [[No$|NO$SNS]].
*See [[Prototype consoles]] page for more information about other prototype consoles.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Resources==
* [http://wiki.superfamicom.org SNES Development Wiki] – SNES Development Wiki for you know, SNES Development.
* [http://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/SNESAccuracyTests.html SNES Accuracy Tests (TASVideos)] – Test results on various emulators using test ROMs

==External links==
* {{YouTubeVideo|2jee4tlakqo|SuperRT - Realtime raytracing on the SNES}}

{{Nintendo}}
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,nintendo,snes,super,supernintendo,zsnes,snes9x,bsnes
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulators

2026-04-30T18:55:41Z

Carolina Heart: /* Emulators */ added super zsnes

{{Infobox computing device/Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

{{for|emulators that run on Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Emulators on Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}

The '''[[gametech:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]''' (SNES) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation home video game console released by [[wikipedia:Nintendo|Nintendo]] originally released as the '''Super Famicom''' (SFC), in Japan, on November 21, 1990. The Super Famicom retailed for ¥25000. The console would release outside Japan as the SNES on August 23, 1991, in North America. The SNES retailed for {{Inflation|USD|199.99|1991}}. It has a Ricoh 5A22 CPU at 3.58 MHz with 128 KB of RAM. While the Super Famicom did well in Japan, outselling the [[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine]], outside of Japan during that time the SNES had ''fierce'' competition with SEGA's [[Sega Genesis emulators|Mega Drive]] (known world wide as the Mega Drive, in America as the Genesis).

Emulation for the Super Famicom/SNES is robust, with several high-quality emulators for various systems, some of which are [[Emulation Accuracy|cycle-accurate]].

==Emulators==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], and [[#Peripherals|peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{AresVer}}]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility|3379|3413}}
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|macOSARM|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/bsnes-emu/bsnes/workflows/build/master nightly] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores] [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Bsnes#List_of_forks bsnes forks]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Mesen]]<ref name=MesenS>SNES emulation only supported in libretro by the Mesen S core but it's obsolete and [https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen-X/issues/152#issuecomment-1416507779 superseded by Mesen standalone (version 2.0 and later)]</ref>
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2#development-builds Dev builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ Mesen S libretro]<ref name=MesenS></ref> 
|?
|Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|<abbr title="As of April 2026, Mesen 2 development has stalled. The last successful automated build and commit from the lead developer (Sour) occurred on July 16, 2025 (Build #698). No public activity has been recorded on GitHub or Nesdev since that date.">{{~}}</abbr>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x#snes9x-1 nightly libretro nightly core] [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/releases {{Snes9xVer}}]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (bsnes v087 (to be dropped in 2.11.1), v115+)(Snes9x)(Mednafen)(MAME)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Dunno}} [[BizHawk#Supported_systems|(Core-dependent)]]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[[SUPER ZSNES]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Mac}}
|[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads 0.100b]
|7 games supported
|High||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/84 1.5.46.02]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{HiganVer}}] [[Higan#nSide|nSide]] [https://github.com/libretro/higan libretro core]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]].</ref>
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref> [http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=snes&compatibility= ?]
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} {{License|BSD3}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Lsnes lsnes] (based on bsnes)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://lsnes.tasbot.net/ rr2-β25] [http://repo.or.cz/w/lsnes.git git]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases {{JgenesisVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[No$|NO$SNS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://problemkaputt.de/sns.htm 1.6]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port">Snes9x 2005. Port of SNES9x 1.43 for libretro (was previously called CAT SFC).</ref>]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/ShadauxCat/CATSFC git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]] bsnes v059 and SNES-Faust
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">beetle_snes_libretro (Standalone port of Mednafen BSNES to libretro, itself a old fork of bsnes 0.59) and mednafen_supafaust_libretro (Libretro port of mednafen's SNES-Faust)</ref>
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|kindred (Super Sleuth PE)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://www.crazysmart.net.au/kindred {{kindredVer}}]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Silhouette]]
|align=left|{{Icon|macOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/fileuploads/1/816uajag/Silhouette.sit.hqx 1.0]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} (stolen [[Snes9x]] code)
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[ZSNES]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|DOS}}
|[http://zsnes.com 1.51]
|?
|Low
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|SNESGT
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.zophar.net/snes/snesgt.html 2.18 (2007)]
|?
|Low
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|Snes9x EX+
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.Snes9xPlus {{Snes9xVer}}] [https://github.com/Rakashazi/emu-ex-plus-alpha git]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[bsnes]] <abbr title="bsnes_hd_beta_libretro, bsnes_mercury_libretro, bsnes_2014_libretro, bsnes_cplusplus98_libretro">libretro cores</abbr>
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus]<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes8x (Different from 'Snes9x') (Snes9x based)
|align=left|{{Icon|WinMobile}}
|[https://www.appx4fun.com/xap/497 2.15.3]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/ Little John] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PalmOS}}
|[https://www.zophar.net/palm-os/multiem/little-john-palmos.html 1.1], [https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/resources/little-john-palm-os.4443 1.2]
|?
|Mid
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[http://www.superretro16.com SuperRetro16]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutronemulation.super_retro_16 2.2.1]
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|J2MESnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Java}}
|
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|
[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{ManicEMUVer}}] [https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}] [https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[bsnes]]
|align=left|{{Icon|NX|XboxOne|SXS}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro cores]
|?
|Partial Cycle
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] <abbr title="Snes9x, Snes9x 2010, Snes9x 2005 Plus, Snes9x 2002">libretro cores</abbr>
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|NGC}} {{Icon|PS4|Vita}} {{Icon|Wii|3DS|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|Xbox360|Saturn}}<ref group="lower-alpha">snes9x2010_libretro (Snes9x Next & 1.53) has no PS4 support.</ref>
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [http://www.rockin-b.de/saturn/snes9x/snes9x-on-saturn-060729.7z Saturn 06/07/29]
|[https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 5 known issues]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Snes9x GX
|align=left|{{Icon|GCN|Wii|WiiU}}
|[https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx#nightly-builds Nightly Builds] [https://github.com/dborth/snes9xgx/releases {{Snes9xGXVer}}]
|[https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Snes9x_GX_for_Wii#Z 97%]
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Snes9x]] for 3DS
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[https://github.com/bubble2k16/snes9x_3ds/releases stable] [https://github.com/matbo87/snes9x_3ds/tags git]
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU}}
|N/A
|[[Virtual_Console/Compatibility_List#Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System|Only for selected titles]]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]] ([[L-CLASSICS]])
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}{{Icon|Switch2}}
|5.0.0
|[https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_-_Nintendo_Switch_Online#Games Only for selected titles]
|Game-dependent
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|GBA|GCWZero}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only">libretro core only</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[CATSFC]] [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x_2005_plus/ Snes9x 2005 Plus<ref group="lower-alpha" name="SNES9x port" />]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii|3DS}} {{Icon|WiiU|Switch}} {{Icon|NDS}} {{Icon|PSP}} {{Icon|PS3|DC}}
|[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core] 
|?
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} {{License|GPLv2}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|Snes9x X
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/snes9x-x-0-23-download-snes-emulator-for-xbox.13688 0.23]
|?
|High
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DreamSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|DC}}
|[http://www.dcemulation.org/files/emulators/dreamsnes/dreamsnes-0.9.8.zip 0.9.8]
|?
|?
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|pSnes
|align=left|{{Icon|Vita|NX}}
|[https://github.com/Cpasjuste/pemu/releases 6.6]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|DSTWO
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|N/A
|?
|?
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SnemulDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://github.com/cotodevel/snemulds GitHub]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/SNEmulDS_Compatibility_List|77|175}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
|sodium64
|align=left|{{Icon|N64}}
|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/sodium64 git]
|?
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re SnesC0re]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS5}}
|[https://github.com/BrinooTk/SnesC0re/releases git]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES360
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[http://download.digiex.net/Consoles/Xbox360/Jtag/SNES360betaV0.21.rar 0.21 beta]
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|SNES Station
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|0.2.6c
|?
|?
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|[https://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=48157 Snes9xTYL Mod] (Snes9x 1.39 based)
|align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
|[https://github.com/esmjanus/snes9xTYL/releases git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://www.psdevwiki.com/psp/Snes9xTYL#Compatibility|27|38}}
|Mid
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}
|-
|blargSNES
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|[http://blargsnes.kuribo64.net/ 1.4] [https://github.com/Arisotura/blargSnes git]
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/BlargSnes_Compatibility_List|474|713}}
|?
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|OpenSnes9x
| align="left" |{{Icon|GP32|Zodiac}}
|[http://yoyofr92.free.fr/os9xgp/html/downloads.html 0.3beta]
|?
|High||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Calculator
|-
|Pocket SNES
| align="left" |{{Icon|Nspire}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308183855/https://www.pocketsnes.net/files/pocketsnes.zip Beta] [https://github.com/gameblabla/pocketsnes-nspire git] [https://github.com/AkimanBengus/pocketsnes-libretro libretro core] [https://github.com/gameblabla/PocketSNES git]
|?
|?||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretro only"/>
|{{~}}
|}

==Remaster-at-Runtime Engines==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
|+A Remaster-at-Runtime (RaR) Engine is a specialized sub-layer of an emulator that intercepts a game’s original internal data such as draw calls, tile indexes, or audio triggers and replaces them with high-fidelity assets in real-time. Unlike standard emulators that focus on hardware accuracy, RaR Engines prioritize aesthetic transformation, effectively "remastering" the game while it is being played without modifying the original ROM file. While asset replacement capable emulators (like bsnes-hd) allow for high-definition visuals, true Remaster-at-Runtime Engines are distinguished by their ability to do more such as procedurally transform the game's original logic (e.g., converting 2D tiles into 3D voxels or applying dynamic lighting to 16-bit environments). Recommended to see [[Game engine recreations and source ports]] page.
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Version
!Compatibility
![[Emulation accuracy|Accuracy]]
![[Licensing|License]]
!Active
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
|[[SUPER_ZSNES|Super ZSNES]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|macOS|Linux|Android}}
|[https://www.zsnes.com/ {{SuperZSNESVer}}] [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zsnes.superzsnes Google Play]
|?
|Full Cycle
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{TBD}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

==Comparisons==
; [[higan]] / [[ares]] / [[bsnes]]
* The codifier of [[Emulation Accuracy|emulation accuracy]]. It should play all commercially released games without trouble, assuming you have the power. Ares and higan are [[Emulation_accuracy#Full_cycle-accuracy|fully cycle-accurate]] emulators but bsnes is [[Emulation_accuracy#Partial_cycle-accuracy|partially cycle-accurate]].
* Incompatible with old ROM hacks made to take advantage of emulator quirks, much like real hardware.
* Has a superb LLE audio engine.
* For maximum authenticity, higan offers better ROM management, but newcomers who care more about playing the ROMs they have should stick with the bsnes release.
; [[Snes9x]]
* [https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/53 Compatible with most games], even many ROM hacks that make use of emulator quirks.
* Fast enough for pretty much any toaster (even Pentium 1 or 2 machines, though for a decent experience, you will want at least a late Pentium 3).
* Shares its LLE audio engine with bsnes.
* Older versions may have buggy graphics and shaders in standalone, though it is video card- and driver-dependent.
* Controller support is hit-and-miss, especially when it comes to XInput.
; [[RetroArch]]
* There are official cores for bsnes and Snes9x you can obtain easily.
* Very customizable and programmable by nature.
:* The viewport is scalable to any resolution.
:* It makes good use of fullscreen with the right choice of interface.
:* A highly robust and flexible [[Shader_Presets|shader chain]] system completely separate from the core.
* Dynamic rate control fixes most audio issues.
* Mirrored ROM and RAM maps, allowing ordinary ROM images to be played right away.
* The Snes9x Next (snes9x2010) core was forked from a commit somewhere between upstream version 1.52 and 1.53. It includes some extra speed hacks to run full speed on the Wii, as well as a SuperFX overclock option.
* bsnes-mercury restores things like HLE DSP and SGB emulation using [[Gambatte]], as well as some optimizations that don't sacrifice [[Emulation Accuracy|accuracy]]. Things like the HLE DSP were removed in higan, and much like Snes9x Next, it can overclock SuperFX. The default options match bsnes, where HLE emulation is not enabled by default.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[BizHawk]]
* Multi-system emulator by TASVideos, designed for tool-assisted speedruns, but also doubles as an easy-to-use emulator.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v115.
* Primarily for Windows, but some Linux compatibility has been reported, likely through Wine.
* Has support for libretro cores.
* Supports [[#Enhancements|RetroAchievements]].
; [[Mednafen]]
* Like BizHawk, it's multi-system and based on bsnes.
* Graphical shells exist (like Mednaffe) to help with the fact that it can only run from the command line.
* Its SNES core is based on bsnes v059, which is a pretty old release. It predates the performance/balanced/accuracy profiles as far back as 2010. However, this version is much faster than current higan versions. Mednafen has another core for SNES emulation (SNES-Faust).
:* It is missing many of the improvements to the LLE audio engine that newer versions of Snes9x and higan have.
:* It also lacks many of the updates to edge cases, such as [[wikipedia:A.S.P._Air_Strike_Patrol|''A.S.P. Air Strike Patrol'']], one of two games notorious for manipulating the PPU mid-scanline. It also has problems rendering text, flickering lines near the bottom, and displaying shadows during flight.
* There ''are'' systems Mednafen emulates well and very accurately, but the SNES is not one of them. At that point, you would be better off using standalone bsnes.
; [[Mesen]] / [[Mesen S]] / Mesen SX
* [[Mesen S]] is launched in April 2019 from the same author of the top-class NES/Famicom emulator [[Mesen|Mesen 1]]. It was slated to have similar features as its famous forebearer. [[Mesen|Mesen (with 2.0 version)]] is a multi-system emulator from the original author that continues active development.
* Users who increasingly tire of higan's and bsnes' limited user options and cumbersome ROM and save files management may gravitate towards [[Mesen]] sooner or later, which should run nicely in users' game systems alongside Snes9x or Mednafen (or similar peer).
; [[Nintendo Switch Online|Nintendo Classics]]
* SNES support was added to Nintendo Switch Online in September 2019 alongside NES games.
* [[Emulation Accuracy|Accuracy]] is not the greatest, and users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service.
* Supports up to 2 players in both Local and Online modes, despite being titles with actual 4-player support included (e.g.: ''Super Puyo Puyo 2'').
* Different games between regions (Japan and International).
* Despite its shortcomings, the emulator is lauded for its inclusion of [https://twitter.com/FalKoopa_/status/1283923231926128640 rollback netplay].
:* Netplay is generally hassle-free and doesn't require forwarding of any ports, with users able to simply invite anyone on their Switch friend lists (as long as they also have a valid subscription).
::* This makes the emulator an ideal choice for the ease-of-use factor; otherwise, better options are available.
* Support for the Super NES Mouse was added in version 5.0.0, alongside the ''Nintendo Classics'' rebranding and ''Mario Paint''.
; [[ZSNES]]
* One of the most [[History_of_emulation#NES|legendary and popular emulator back in the early emulation software era]] but nowadays, it's the least [[Emulation Accuracy|accurate]] among the active popular emulators, though it is still relevant for many reasons, including:
:* Running full speed on even very old PCs such as an early Pentium 1.
:* Forming the basis for many ROM hacks, which were often designed around (let alone possible, simply because of) its problems and would break on anything else.
:* Having tons of bugs and not even emulating some of the original console's operations, which some fewer notable games needed.
::* One of these bugs was an <abbr title="Arbitrary Code Execution">ACE</abbr> vulnerability that, if discovered in the emulator's prime, would've allowed a maliciously designed ROM to run its own code on the host machine. No real-world case of it being exploited exists aside from some harmless proof of concept, but it is always good to [[File Hashes|verify your ROMs]] before opening them in ZSNES.
:* Having [[ZSNES#Netplay|surprisingly good netplay]].
:* Sporting an iconic DOS-centric GUI.
* While fans have since modded the binaries (including patching out the vulnerability), the project is basically dead.
* Older versions rely on external pre-decompressed graphical packs to emulate some games with elaborate chips, much like older versions of Snes9x, such as 1.43. Assuming you get (what're now rare and tough-to-find) graphical packs for the SPC7110—like from [http://other.ipherswipsite.com/gpacks/ here]—and Star Ocean and put them in folders you then set under "Paths" in ZSNES, they can be playable without missing graphics. With that being said, however, the newest version doesn't need them for SDD-1 titles, only for SPC7110 titles.
* Viable alternatives are bZSNES (for ZSNES-centric ROM hacks), ZMZ (for the UI), NO$SNS, or older versions of Snes9x (for speed boosts tailored to old systems). Otherwise, choose any of the others like bsnes/ares/higan, or Snes9x (for better compatibility).
; SNESGT
* Was once a reasonable choice, as it was more accurate than Snes9x while running much faster than bsnes.
* In more recent years has fallen out of favor as it is closed-source and no longer updated.
* Faster computers also make accurate emulation more feasible, and more recent versions of Snes9x have largely closed the accuracy gap.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen<ref name="MesenS"></ref>
! Snes9x
|-
|rowspan="2" |Audio
|[[#Alternative_audio_interpolation_methods|Alternative audio interpolation methods]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya|link=https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#core-options}}
|-
|[[#Higher_sample_rates|Higher sample rates]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="5" |Graphics
|[[#High-Resolution_Affine_Transformations|High-resolution affine transformations]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Remove sprite limit The SNES has hardware support for up to [https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-28888.html 128 sprites.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="4" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[#Sprite_Replacement|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Widescreen_hacks|Widescreen hacks]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Input
|[[Input lag|Preemptive frames]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to libretro core. Also RetroAchievements [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/retroachievements/#snes exclusive to the Mesen-S, some bsnes, and snes9x libretro cores] and older [https://github.com/RetroAchievements/RASnes9x modified version of snes9x].</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Input lag|Run-ahead]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |[[Overclocking|Overclock]]
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Extra scanlines]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1|SA-1]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Extra_Scanlines,_SuperFX_and_SA-1|Super FX]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/140}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|[[Shaders_and_filters#AI-powered filters|AI-powered filter compatible]] ([https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/gfecnt/nvidia-freestyle-ansel-enhancements-geforce-experience-article/ Freestyle])
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shaders and filters|Filters]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Shader_Presets|Shader chain]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{~}}<ref name="RA" group="lower-alpha" />
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Frontends#Graphical_User_Interfaces_.28GUIs.29|Big Picture Mode]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}
|{{Ya|link=https://bsnes.org/docs/snes-cheats}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">There is no Lua scripting support but there is a [https://github.com/alttpo/bsnes-as separate fork] for AngelScript support.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Exclusive to [https://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/Snes9x standalone version], [https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues/6454 RetroArch has no support for Lua Scripting].</ref>
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="10" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/devinacker/bsnes-plus#bsnes-plus}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya|link=https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/241/}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[#MSU-1|MSU-1]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Netplay#SNES|Netplay]] Should not be confused with BS-X or XBAND modem emulation, see [[#Peripherals|peripherals]] section for more information.
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="RA"></ref>
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="4" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===MSU-1===
The MSU-1 (Media Streaming Unit) is a custom fan-made hardware specification for an additional chip that includes CD-ROM-quality audio and FMV cutscenes. It was eventually made available and working with real SNES hardware as the SD2SNES flashcard. It is the closest to the SNES-CD that you will ever get.

One inconvenience is that most emulators don't really support this specification. It is currently supported by the SD2SNES flashcard, bsnes (v075 and up), higan/ares (v094 and up), and Snes9x (1.55 and up). These hacks simply won't work at all in other emulators unless their developers implement an MSU-1 check to let the game run in these emulators without the MSU-1 enhancements (the MSU-1 specification has a specific feature to allow for compatibility testing).

To load the MSU-1 patched games with higan or bsnes:
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Make sure to copy <code>manifest.bml</code> and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM
#* Make sure it is <code>%USERPROFILE%\Emulation\Super Famicom\</code> in the case of higan, and follow the readme included to know what names to use
# Launch with higan/bsnes.
To load the MSU-1 patched games with Snes9x: ''(See [https://docs.libretro.com/library/snes9x/#msu-1-support this page] for libretro core version)''
# Patch the original SNES ROM with the IPS patch
# Copy the patched ROM file, any MSU image file, and the PCM files (generated with <code>create_pcm.bat</code>, often found included with the sound pack) in the same directory as the ROM.
#* Make sure the files all carry the same name prefix as the base ROM, with the MSU image having a <code>.msu</code> extension and all PCM files suffixed by track number.
# Launch the base ROM with Snes9x.

Notable hacks for the MSU-1 include:
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/right.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu] (a restoration of how the streamed audio played in the Satellaview game!)
* [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/sekibanfiles.shtml BS Zelda no Densetsu: Inishie no Sekiban]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2546/ Chrono Trigger] (includes a conversion of the FMV intro from the PlayStation version of the game)
* [http://www.dkc-atlas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=2073 Donkey Kong Country 2]
* [http://github.com/Dizzy611/DancingMadFF6 Final Fantasy III / VI]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2483/ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past] (with an optional patch adding FMVs)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2274/ Mega Man X]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2342/ Mega Man X3] (with CD version audio)
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2311/ Rock n' Roll Racing]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2467/ Secret of Mana]
* [http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/2472/ Super Mario World]
* [http://www.dforce3000.de/?uid=48 Super Road Blaster] (port of the FMV arcade game)

===Extra Scanlines, SuperFX and SA-1===
[[Overclocking|Overclocking has been a thing in other SNES emulators previously]], but as the bsnes dev explains it;

Existing SNES emulators sometimes allowed overclocking the SNES CPU by a fixed amount, but it was done in a way that would either increase the video and audio rate, or break games.
bsnes and Mesen-S now feature a new way of overclocking that comes from the NES emulation scene: inserting additional scanlines into the CPU thread, without running the video and audio during this time. The result is a method of removing slowdown in just about any SNES game, without any framerate or pitch distortion, and without harming compatibility in 99% of games (even streaming audio games such as Tales of Phantasia work as expected.)
The [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#SA1|SA-1]] and SuperFX can also be overclocked in this way. The other coprocessors ([[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#DSP-1|DSP-1]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#Cx4|Cx4]], etc.) support HLE which results in all of their operations occurring.<ref>[https://gbatemp.net/threads/bsnes-and-mesen-s-add-newly-developed-snes-overclocking-method.545475/ bsnes and Mesen-S add newly developed SNES overclocking method]</ref>

:[[Wikipedia:List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips#List_of_Super_NES_games_with_enhancement_chips|''List of Super NES games with enhancement chips'']]

===High-Resolution Affine Transformations===
The SNES had a graphical mode called "Mode 7" that allowed scaling the first background layer. The Super-FX2 added more advanced scaling options, but they're not covered by Mode 7 and, therefore, enhancements for it. The SNES Mode 7 background is limited to 128x128 pixels, and the output resolution is 256x240. As a result, there is heavy aliasing and a general loss of quality with some transformations. However, there have been emulator enhancements to make it look better:

* '''High resolution:''' The scaled backgrounds are rendered with subpixel precision at a higher resolution compared to the rest of the game's graphics. This may cause visual discrepancies between both.
* '''Supersampling:''' Acts like a sort of antialiasing for Mode 7. All graphics are rendered with the same pixel size, though scaled backgrounds are rendered in a higher resolution, then processed back to the same resolution as the rest of the image for a more uniform look. Used to be the only option in bsnes.
* '''Widescreen:''' Later added by bsnes-hd.

A fork of bsnes, [https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/releases bsnes-hd], offers active development of these features. Most of those were ported back to [[higan]].

With certain settings, there is heavy aliasing that we can reduce by increasing the sampling rate.

===[[Texture_packs#SNES|Sprite Replacement]]===
No emulator support this at the moment, but a
[https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/issues/71 Feature request for bsnes-hd: Add custom sprite/texture dumping/injection support] exist.

===[[Widescreen_hacks#Super_Nintendo|Widescreen hacks]]===
A widescreen hack is an emulator feature that make older games playable on 16:9 aspect ratio. Some emulators like [[Bsnes#List_of_forks|bsnes-hd]] provide a widescreen hack option to make these games run at 16:9 properly (with the traditional pixel stretch for 4:3 CRT pixel or 1:1 raw pixel instead of black bars on each side or stretched to fill the screen).

:[https://retrogamecorps.com/2023/02/22/widescreen-snes-guide/ retrogamecorps: Widescreen SNES guide]

===Mode 7 scaling bilinear filtering===
Some older versions of SNES9X offered bilinear filtering for Mode 7 backgrounds, making them smoother/blurrier instead of pixelated as they're scaled instead of just applying the bilinear filter on the video output itself. (Confirmation?)

===Alternative audio interpolation methods===
Most SNES emulators, since at least ZSNES 1.3.x, support audio interpolation methods beyond the traditional SNES Gaussian interpolation, such as Linear, Cubic, Sinc, or even no interpolation, should someone prefer that.

===Higher sample rates===
Likewise, the sample rate can also be set to higher than 32 kHz, even in ZSNES 0.150. Though in some versions of ZSNES in the early 2000s, it did cause some artifacts. Nowadays, emulators support sample rates all the way up to 96 kHz.

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages. There weren't as many accessories that were released for the Super Nintendo compared to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|NES]], but there are still quite a few to go over.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
! ares
! bsnes
! Mesen
! Snes9x
|-
| rowspan="2" |Hardware features
| rowspan="2" |Cartridge enhancement chips
| colspan="2" |[[:wikipedia:List of Super NES enhancement chips|Official cartridge enhancement chips]]
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |MSU-1 enhancement chip
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="32" |Peripherals
| rowspan="2" |ASCII Turbo File
| colspan="2" |Turbo File II mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Turbo File Twin's Super mode
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Barcode Battler]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|BS-X Satellaview]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha">Recommended to use [https://project.satellaview.org/downloads.htm bsnes-plus] for BS-X and Data Pack emulation.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="18" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[[#asciiPad|asciiPad]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |{{YouTubeVideo|nEuAWIU89sQ|Bike controller}} The 3500X is for home use and 9XS is for gyms. The home bike uses the expansion port (the only peripheral to do so other than the Satellaview and the unreleased SNES-CD), has 2 controllers instead of 4, but also compatible with ''Cannondale Cup'' unlike the gym bike.
|Life Cycle 3500X
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Life Cycle 9XS
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Golf controller
|[https://tcrf.net/Lasabirdie:_Get_in_the_Hole Lasabirdie Golf Controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|TeeVGolf
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Light gun
|[[#Konami Justifier|Konami Justifier]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Dunno}}<ref name="Untested" group="lower-alpha">Supported, but not tested yet.</ref>
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[https://snescentral.com/article.php?id=0901 M.A.C.S. Rifle]
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[#Super Scope|Super Scope]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Miracle Piano
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Super_Nintendo|Mouse]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/Super_Famicom_NTT_Data_Keypad NTT Data Keypad]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Pachinko
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://consolevariations.com/collectibles/sony-playstation-prototype-controller SNES-CD controller]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Super Joy Card
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Twin Tap
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |XBAND keyboard
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[Early_online_services#Satellaview_.28SNES.29|Data Pack (Satellaview)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}<ref name="bsnes-plus" group="lower-alpha" />
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[#JRA_PAT_and_NTT_Data_Controller|JRA PAT/NTT modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Teleplay modem<ref name="Teleplay" group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[Sega Genesis]], [[NES]] and SNES.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |SNES CD
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:SuFami_Turbo#Games|SuFami Turbo (incl. ST Link)]]||{{Ya|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility/nintendo-snes-super-famicom}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes/blob/master/bsnes/Database/Sufami%20Turbo.bml}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://www.snes9x.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=24376 standalone build guide], [https://old.reddit.com/r/RetroArch/comments/nkgnqb/getting_sufami_turbo_games_to_run_on_android/gzcxdmi/ libretro build guide].</ref>
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy (2)]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/snes9xgit/snes9x/issues/357}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem|XBAND modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |StuntMaster
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Super Multitap|Super Multitap]]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/tree/master/ares/sfc/controller}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Just the accessory, but additional players are not supported.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[[#Voice-kun|Voice-kun]]
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |BS-X Satellaview SoundLink audio broadcast streaming/playback
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" | There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
|colspan="3" |Real-time clock
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Rumble controller||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Super Game Boy===
:''This shouldn't be confused with [[Game Boy Advance emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|GB/GBC backwards compatibility emulation/GBA mode]] or [[Game Boy (Color) emulators|Game Boy (Color) emulation]].'' 
The '''[[gametech:Super Game Boy|Super Game Boy]]''' was a peripheral designed to play Game Boy and black Game Boy Color cartridges on the Super Nintendo through the cartridge slot, just like a typical SNES game. The Super Game Boy uses a special version of the Game Boy hardware to allow for ''[https://www.giantbomb.com/super-game-boy-enhancement/3015-4804 Super Game Boy enhanced]'' Game Boy games to operate its otherwise hidden features, such as colorization, special effects or upgrades such as extra multiplayer functionality, custom frame borders or color palettes, or even new control schemes and improved sound (enhanced music, voice clips) by way of the SNES's more sophisticated sound hardware.

Although many [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]] and [[Game Boy Advance emulators]]<ref>[https://github.com/mgba-emu/mgba/issues/2985 mGBA - Super Game Boy miscellaneous enhancements are not planned].</ref> can somewhat replicate the SGB's added features using certain tricks, a true recreation of the SGB can only be done by a multisys that supports emulating a SNES and a Game Boy simultaneously. [[higan]], and by extension [[ares]], were the first emulators to add proper SGB support, though it's understandably hardware-intensive even by their usual reckoning.<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/zwq9fu/ares_crossplatform_open_source_multisystem/j1ys10k/</ref> As of April 2023, Mesen is the only other multi-system emulator that can properly replicate the SGB. Versions of bsnes at and before v073 used the Gambatte core for its Super Game Boy functionality, nowadays, it is using Sameboy for Super Game Boy emulation. byuu eventually made his own Game Boy core for higan, which ended up having pretty good accuracy. Ares has its own GB/GBC core and uses that for Super Game Boy emulation.

There are a few hiccups with emulating the Super Game Boy, however. higan's Game Boy core isn't up to snuff. One notable example is [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Red,_Blue,_and_Yellow#Pok%C3%A9mon_Yellow|''Pokémon Yellow'']] and the special border supposed to display. higan displays the standard Game Boy border, while the real hardware displays a special green Pikachu border. On the other hand, [[wikipedia:Pok%C3%A9mon_Gold_and_Silver|''Pokémon Gold'' and ''Silver'']], designed for the Game Boy Color, can operate on a Game Boy, and operates as intended when played on a Super Game Boy. Also, if one attempts to run the Game Boy Camera in higan in Super Game Boy mode, the emulator crashes.

Another thing to note is that there is a redesigned model, only released in Japan, called the ''Super Game Boy 2''. Compared to the original, the main feature the SGB2 adds is a link cable connection, allowing for connectivity with normal Game Boys or even with other SGB2s. It also uses its own oscillator to be able to run games at normal speed, fixing a slight overclocking issue that stemmed from the original SGB's reliance on the clock signal from the SNES. higan and ares can run in ''Super Game Boy 2'' mode, but link cable connections aren't possible yet, not even with other Game Boy emulators that can emulate a link cable.

===asciiPad===
The asciiPad is a controller by asciiWare that has similar features to the NES Advantage. Unlike the standard SNES controller, it has seven small switches that extend the way buttons are pressed. All the switches can be set to one of three modes for the standard buttons they individually represent, except for the seventh labeled "Slow" which changes the frequency of the additional modes. The switch can be set to off, turbo, and auto. The turbo setting holds the button, and the auto setting control presses them automatically. [[higan]] is the first and only emulator known to support this specific controller's switches. Other emulators have a completely different implementation of turbo presses in their GUI, which can work for some, but not to this extent.

===Pointing Devices===
====Super Scope====
The Super Scope is a bazooka-looking light gun that is a bit more complex than the Zapper for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|Nintendo Entertainment System]]. [[wikipedia:Super_Scope_6|''Super Scope 6'']], [[wikipedia:Yoshi%27s_Safari|''Yoshi's Safari'']], [[wikipedia:Battle_Clash|''Battle Clash'']], and [[wikipedia:Metal_Combat:_Falcon%27s_Revenge|''Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge'']] used it. Some emulators including Snes9x and bsnes/higan support the Super Scope, emulated with the mouse.

====Konami Justifier====
Similar to the NES Zapper, but differs from the Super Scope. It is another light gun, but requiring calibration this time around. It looks like a real gun and was intended to simulate the shooter arcade experience. Only one game is compatible, and that is [[wikipedia:Lethal_Enforcers|''Lethal Enforcers'']]. Snes9x and higan support this gun.

===Super Multitap===
Made by Hudson Soft and licensed by Nintendo, this functions similarly to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES Four Score]]. Instead of using both controller ports, it just used one, allowing up to 5 players at once. [[wikipedia:List_of_Bomberman_video_games|''Bomberman'' games]] used this accessory. Some emulators, including Snes9x and bsnes/higan, support five players.

===[https://niwanetwork.org/wiki/JRA-PAT JRA PAT and NTT Data Controller]===
This is a rather obscure Super Famicom game with compatible accessories. ''JRA PAT'' is a horse race gambling game that {{YouTubeVideo|wtMlEcf8x6Q|allowed you to use real money}}. The service is dead. No emulator appears to support the special controller and modem that plugs into the player 1 and player 2 slots.

===Voice-kun===
A few games by Koei shipped with an Audio CD that typically contained voice acting and supported the Voice-kun accessory, which would command a CD player with IR signals. Typically used by remote controllers so that audio plays at specific points in the game. These games are still playable in most emulators but without Voice-kun support. byuu intended to make either MSU-1 hacks or proper Voice-kun emulation for these games in future higan versions, which would make it the first emulator to emulate this feature, but died of suicide.

==Hardware variants==
===Nintendo Super System===
:[https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Super_System ultimatepopculture fandom - Nintendo Super System]
Arcade system used to preview Super NES games in the United States.
*Emulation is possible with MAME and BizHawk's MAME core. [[MAME]] {{MAMEVer}} version [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=nss.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 compatibility status] for Nintendo Super System.

===SNES-CD revival and emulation===
The Super Famicom was originally going to get a CD add-on called the SNES-CD, developed by Sony, who had already helped with the sound chip for the SNES. However, Nintendo was unhappy with Sony's clause in the contract that would give them the rights to any software developed on the device. In retaliation, Nintendo announced that they would be partnering with Phillips instead. Talks between Sony and Nintendo continued afterward as late as 1993, but the project couldn't be salvaged. Nintendo lost interest in the CD peripheral, seeing how the Sega CD failed in the US, and the PC-Engine CD only enjoyed modest success. They canceled the Phillips collaboration on yet another SNES-CD prototype, but in return, they allowed them to use some of their properties for their Phillips CD-i console. Later, they collaborated with the St. Giga radio service to create the Japan-exclusive Satellaview add-on for the Super Famicom, which played broadcasts of SFC games using streamed audio. As for Sony, they took the hardware and experience from their collaboration with Nintendo to create the first PlayStation. Nintendo would continue to support the cartridge format for its next console, the Nintendo 64. A shy attempt at rewritable disk media was attempted with the 64DD, but the add-on failed due to its 64 MB maximum storage limit, which would be obsolete by later, bigger N64 cartridges, as well as the lack of support from third parties - many of whom had opted to support the PS1 instead.

Some prototype units of the Sony SNES-CD were made. While games were in development for the add-on, some were eventually reworked as regular SNES cartridge games with lots of content gutted (e.g., Nintendo R&D's Marvelous, Square's Secret of Mana, and Romancing Saga 2). Other games, like Hook, were ported to other systems instead (Hook to the Sega CD and Rayman to the Atari Jaguar, among others), while the rest were outright canceled. These games were to have much bigger worlds, streamed music, cutscenes, and even FMVs, according to various interviews. That never happened, however, and most of what was developed for these consoles, including their various manuals and specifications, were lost.

Recently, an actual Sony SNES-CD prototype was uncovered<ref>http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/11/the-fabled-snes-playstation-prototype-has-been-turned-on-and-disassembled/</ref> and repaired. See {{YouTubeVideo|ug-CyGXMabg|here}} and {{YouTubeVideo|qh91IO9cV48|here}}. It had various weird hardware restrictions (number of saves, CD size limit, no coprocessors), with much of it likely having to do with its unfinished nature. For example, it had planned Audio CD support, though it doesn't work, which means the MSU-1 is a much more attractive alternative for hacks aiming to reflect what the SNES-CD could have been.

No$SNS 1.6 supports the Sony SNES-CD add-on. This was made possible after some reverse-engineering and analysis of the leaked BIOS file. Get the leaked Super Disc BIOS, circulating on the net as "SDBR_v0.95.sfc." Under the same directory as the no$sns executable, make a "BIOS" folder, put the BIOS file there, and rename it to "SFX-100.bin."

The only SNES-CD games available online currently are the BIOS for one of the discovered prototypes and two homebrew games. These games, Magic Floor and Super Boss Gaiden (both of which have alternate versions as regular SNES ROMs), come as BIN/CUE files. NO$SNS 1.6 supports only one CD mode, so it only reads the BIN, not the CUE. Both were tested on real hardware and had severe visual glitches due to the SNES-CD adding more undocumented interrupts, which aren't accurately emulated anywhere. This means it is safe to say that while SNES-CD emulation exists nowadays, it would have low compatibility with any real unreleased SNES-CD game prototypes.
*It is possible to emulate this variant with [[No$|NO$SNS]].
*See [[Prototype consoles]] page for more information about other prototype consoles.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Resources==
* [http://wiki.superfamicom.org SNES Development Wiki] – SNES Development Wiki for you know, SNES Development.
* [http://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources/SNESAccuracyTests.html SNES Accuracy Tests (TASVideos)] – Test results on various emulators using test ROMs

==External links==
* {{YouTubeVideo|2jee4tlakqo|SuperRT - Realtime raytracing on the SNES}}

{{Nintendo}}
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,nintendo,snes,super,supernintendo,zsnes,snes9x,bsnes
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

SUPER ZSNES

2026-04-30T18:43:19Z

Carolina Heart: added a reference

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = SuperZsnesLogo.webp
|logowidth = 234
|screenshot = SUPERZSNES UI 1.png
|last-version = {{Version|SuperZSNES}}
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on Android|Android]] [[Emulators on iOS|iOS]] WIP
|architecture = [[wikipedia:Unity (game engine)|Unity Engine]]
|prog-lang = C# (Mono)
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|compatibility = Early development; currently supporting 7 enhanced titles (Super Metroid, Super Castlevania IV, F-Zero, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Mega Man X, Gradius III, Super Mario World)
|accuracy = High (PPU-accurate GPU rendering)
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_
|website = [https://www.zsnes.com/ ZSNES.com]
|license = Proprietary (Early Development)
|support = [https://www.patreon.com/cw/ZSNES Patreon]
}}

'''SUPER ZSNES''' is a complete, from-scratch rewrite of the legendary [[ZSNES]], developed by the original authors '''zsKnight''' and '''_Demo_'''. Announced in April 25, 2026 (and release on 26th), it abandons the legacy x86 assembly of the 1997 original in favor of a modern [[wikipedia:Unity (game engine)|Unity-based]] architecture.

The emulator is designed to leverage modern GPU power to provide "Super Enhancements" that go beyond traditional emulation.<ref name="arstechnica">[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/super-zsnes-is-a-stab-at-a-modern-snes-emulator-from-the-original-developers/ Super ZSNES” is a stab at a modern SNES emulator from the original developers] Ars Technica</ref>

==Downloads==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Linux|macOS}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads Releases]''' 
|-
|colspan="2"|<hr/>
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Android-big}}
|'''[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zsnes.superzsnes Play Store]
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|iOS-big}}
|WIP
|}

==Technical Pivot==
Unlike the original ZSNES (v1.51 and earlier), which was limited to 32-bit x86 systems due to its assembly codebase, SUPER ZSNES is built on the Unity engine. This allows for:
* '''GPU-Powered PPU''': Rendering is offloaded to the graphics card, enabling high-fidelity visual effects.
* '''Cross-Platform''': Simultaneous development for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
* '''Modern Security''': Eliminates the native code execution vulnerabilities found in the legacy assembly versions.

==Features==
The standout feature of SUPER ZSNES is the '''Super Enhancement Engine (SEE)''', which provides per-game handcrafted upgrades:

* '''3D Height Mapping:''' Converts Mode 7 layers into actual 3D geometry (e.g., ''F-Zero'', ''Pilotwings'').
* '''Asset Replacement:''' Allows for manual high-resolution redrawing of sprites and backgrounds rather than generic AI upscaling.
* '''Audio Replacement:''' Supports uncompressed audio samples to replace the original SPC700 output.
* '''Widescreen:''' Native 16:9 and 21:9 support for optimized titles.
* '''No Vibe Coding:''' The developers' philosophy of manual, high-quality optimization over generic "hacks."

==Interface==
SUPER ZSNES retains the iconic "Blue Box" GUI and the signature falling snow from the original version, now modernized for 4K displays and touchscreens. It includes modern quality-of-life features such as Rewind, Fast-Forward, and Save State Bookmarking.
<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px" caption="SUPER ZSNES User Interface and Enhancements">
File:SUPERZSNES_8l9BbZVipS.png
File:SUPERZSNES_CKEcXcjwqH.png
File:SUPERZSNES_81tbakd9eU.png
File:SUPERZSNES_yjL4IhoRbW.png
File:SUPERZSNES_PfhviKfDhM.png
</gallery>

==Comparison to Legacy ZSNES==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Feature !! ZSNES (1.x) !! SUPER ZSNES
|-
! Architecture
| x86 Assembly || Unity / C#
|-
! Accuracy
| Low (Speed-focused) || High (PPU-accurate)
|-
! PPU Rendering
| CPU || GPU
|-
! 3D Effects
| None || 3D Height Mapping
|-
! Sound
| 16-bit Samples || Uncompressed Replacement
|-
! Special Chips
| High Support || In Development
|}

==Status==
As of April 2026, SUPER ZSNES is in early access. Support for special enhancement chips (SuperFX, SA-1) and the legendary Netplay system are currently listed as "Coming Soon" on the official roadmap.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://discord.com/invite/Qnpk2QjqWM Official discord server]
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VSD6xx6CueHSmsmmfLIihnU7c_89BwcaGowWDmUZ0Qo/ SUPER ZSNES Bug List] – A community-maintained list of known emulation issues.
* {{YouTubeVideo|wDQn-8tUgdA|Super ZSNES: Legendary SNES emulator has returned!}} – An interview and showcase featuring the original creator, ZS Knight, discussing the unexpected return of the ZSNES project after nearly two decades.
* {{YouTubeVideo|r5twUkvYFpA|Super ZSNES - GPU Powered SNES emulation is here!}} – A technical deep dive by Modern Vintage Gamer exploring the unique architecture of Super ZSNES.

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:iOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Active emulation software]]

ZSNES

2026-04-30T17:48:06Z

Carolina Heart: Fixed link

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = Zsnes.jpg
|logowidth = 200
|last-version = 1.51
|active = No
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]], [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], FreeBSD, [[Emulators on DOS|DOS]]
|architecture = [[wikipedia:x86|x86]]
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_, pagefault, Nach
|website = [http://www.zsnes.com/old ZSNES.com/old]
|source = [[sourceforge:projects/zsnes/files/zsnes/|SourceForge]]
|support = [https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?item_name=Donation+to+ZSNES&cmd=_donations&business=pagefault%40gmail.com PayPal]
|issuetracker = [https://sourceforge.net/p/zsnes/_list/tickets SourceForge]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
}}

'''ZSNES''' is a free and open-source [[Super Nintendo emulators|Super Famicom (SNES) emulator]] written in [[wikipedia:x86|x86]] assembly. It was originally made in 1997 and was one of the most popular Super Nintendo emulators from late nineties to mid-2000s, but now is obsolete and has not been updated since 2007. Currently the only reason to use ZSNES is for the netplay or if you're on a toaster. As of April 2026, Two of the developers have started a new emulator project with the ZSNES branding, called [[SUPER ZSNES|Super ZSNES]]

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|DOS}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/old/index.php?page=files Official releases]'''
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Mac-big}}
|'''[https://emulationrealm.net/downloads/emulators/mac-os/console/super-nintendo/zsnes-mac 1.51 - Mac]'''
|}

==Netplay==
* [http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/zsnes/zsnesw142.zip ZSNES 1.42]
* [http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/zsnes/zsneswv1.36.zip ZSNES 1.36]

==Overview==
The ZSNES developers focused on speed over [[Emulation accuracy|accuracy]], so a hefty amount of games have bugs (and some just crash outright). The current version (v1.51) created more problems than it fixed and many problems still remain:
[[File:Kirby3-forest.gif|frame|SNES Pseudo Hi-Res translucency on ''new'' graphics engine]]
* Compatibility is lower than modern emulators due to low accuracy to real SNES system.

* Games crashing: Der Langrisser (freezes after 2–3 hours), Super Mario RPG (freezes in many different points of the game), Star Ocean and many other games have freezing and crashing issues.

* Bad sound emulation: Many games sound inaccurate on ZSNES. ZSNES's audio timer isn't floating point so there are timing artifacts in the music. ZSNES doesn't emulate release values of ADSR so held notes will sound poor.

[[File: Old zsnes snow gui.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Despite being outclassed by many more accurate ''and secure'' emulators, some held on to Zsnes for its iconic user interface.]]

* Many of the co-processors, which are actually on the game cartridges, are emulated in strange ways. For example, Super FX is not clocked correctly; Star Fox runs twice as fast as it should.

* Transparency: Kirby Dreamland 3, Mecarobot Golf, Jurassic Park and other games that use pseudo-hi-res translucency won't display correctly in the default graphics engine in v1.51. To get them to display properly in v1.51, one must press 8 to switch to the old graphics engine.

* x86 code exploits: With specially made hacks and homebrew ROMs, it is possible for them to break out of ZSNES itself and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3SOYneC7mU execute native code on the host computer.]

* While older versions of ZSNES still have one of the better netplay systems among emulators, netplay was removed in v1.50.

* SA-1 isn't emulated correctly, so Kirby Super Star can sometimes spawn different sprites than the supposed one.

These are just a few problems, there are a few more listed [https://floating.muncher.se/byuu/accuracy/ here] and [http://sourceforge.net/p/zsnes/bugs/ here].

It is recommended to use [[Snes9x]], [[bsnes]] or [[ares]] instead.

{| class="mw-collapsible wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
! colspan=2 width="250"|Review
|-
| '''PROS''' ||
* According to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG-oqvj4Tqk this interview] with zsKnight, ZSNES is basically a pioneer of rollback netcode.
* Individual layers can be switched on and off, allowing to take screenshots without sprites or with sprites only, among other possibilities.
* Can pause emulation at any time
* You can access and navigate all menus with the keyboard only; you are not forced to waste time looking for the mouse with your hand and for its cursor on the screen.
* Excellent netplay connectivity between 2 players
* In-game chat that doesn't require switching focus between 2 windows
* The host's save file is immediately shared with the client, so you don't need to upload it elsewhere first
* In case of desynchronization, the host can make save states and load them for both players to resynchronize
* You can swap controllers at any time
* You can change emulator latency on the fly to compensate for choppiness at the expense of slight input lag
* It works just as well with between a dial-up user and someone on DSL
* You can switch between windowed mode and full screen with ease.
* Using version 1.36, games pretty much do not desynchronize period
* Still has some big communities and dedicated servers like [http://emu.z-net.us Z-Net]
|-
| '''CONS''' ||
* Netplay is 2P ONLY, with no multiplayer version foreseeable in the near future
* Both players need their port forwarded to connect over UDP for netplay, and TCP can be quite choppy
* Most Konami games tend to desynchronize unless you specifically use ZSNES 1.36 or 1.337
* Interface might be unappealing to some people
|}

==ROM hacks==
Many ROM hacks and ROM hacking tools were made using ZSNES as a testing platform because of its popularity. However, because of the inaccuracies of the emulator, these tools and hacks are broken on other, more accurate emulators and real hardware.

==Alternatives==
===bZSNES===
In 2011, Near (then known as byuu) released [http://byuu.org/bzsnes/ bZSNES] - a modification of [[higan|bsnes]] that includes the optional inaccuracies of ZSNES and a similar GUI - as an April Fool's Day joke. It however only has moderate compatibility with ROM hacks made specifically for ZSNES.{{Cite}}

* [http://snesemu.black-ship.net/emus/bsnes/bzsnes_v151w.zip bZSNES]
* [http://www.mediafire.com/download/c6nylmbnca23rmy/bZSNES.rar mirror]
* [http://snesemu.black-ship.net/emus/bsnes/bzsnes_v151s.zip bZSNES source code]

===ZMZ===
[http://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=5681 ZMZ] isn't an emulator in its own right, rather it takes the interface that ZSNES uses and applies it to a [[libretro]] frontend for running SNES cores such as [[Snes9x]] and [[bsnes]]. Apart from the replicated ZSNES interface, it can also record ZMV files.

===ZSNES 2===
* [https://github.com/xyproto/zsnes An active fork of ZSNES on GitHub.] It is primarily focused on allowing ZSNES to be compiled on x64 versions of modern Linux distros.

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:DOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Historic emulation software]]
[[Category:Netplay‏‎]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

ZSNES

2026-04-30T17:46:30Z

Carolina Heart: Changed link

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = Zsnes.jpg
|logowidth = 200
|last-version = 1.51
|active = No
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]], [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], FreeBSD, [[Emulators on DOS|DOS]]
|architecture = [[wikipedia:x86|x86]]
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_, pagefault, Nach
|website = [http://www.zsnes.com/old ZSNES.com/old]
|source = [[sourceforge:projects/zsnes/files/zsnes/|SourceForge]]
|support = [https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?item_name=Donation+to+ZSNES&cmd=_donations&business=pagefault%40gmail.com PayPal]
|issuetracker = [https://sourceforge.net/p/zsnes/_list/tickets SourceForge]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
}}

'''ZSNES''' is a free and open-source [[Super Nintendo emulators|Super Famicom (SNES) emulator]] written in [[wikipedia:x86|x86]] assembly. It was originally made in 1997 and was one of the most popular Super Nintendo emulators from late nineties to mid-2000s, but now is obsolete and has not been updated since 2007. Currently the only reason to use ZSNES is for the netplay or if you're on a toaster. As of April 2026, Two of the developers have started a new emulator project with the ZSNES branding, called [[Super ZSNES|SUPER ZSNES]]

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|DOS}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/old/index.php?page=files Official releases]'''
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Mac-big}}
|'''[https://emulationrealm.net/downloads/emulators/mac-os/console/super-nintendo/zsnes-mac 1.51 - Mac]'''
|}

==Netplay==
* [http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/zsnes/zsnesw142.zip ZSNES 1.42]
* [http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/zsnes/zsneswv1.36.zip ZSNES 1.36]

==Overview==
The ZSNES developers focused on speed over [[Emulation accuracy|accuracy]], so a hefty amount of games have bugs (and some just crash outright). The current version (v1.51) created more problems than it fixed and many problems still remain:
[[File:Kirby3-forest.gif|frame|SNES Pseudo Hi-Res translucency on ''new'' graphics engine]]
* Compatibility is lower than modern emulators due to low accuracy to real SNES system.

* Games crashing: Der Langrisser (freezes after 2–3 hours), Super Mario RPG (freezes in many different points of the game), Star Ocean and many other games have freezing and crashing issues.

* Bad sound emulation: Many games sound inaccurate on ZSNES. ZSNES's audio timer isn't floating point so there are timing artifacts in the music. ZSNES doesn't emulate release values of ADSR so held notes will sound poor.

[[File: Old zsnes snow gui.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Despite being outclassed by many more accurate ''and secure'' emulators, some held on to Zsnes for its iconic user interface.]]

* Many of the co-processors, which are actually on the game cartridges, are emulated in strange ways. For example, Super FX is not clocked correctly; Star Fox runs twice as fast as it should.

* Transparency: Kirby Dreamland 3, Mecarobot Golf, Jurassic Park and other games that use pseudo-hi-res translucency won't display correctly in the default graphics engine in v1.51. To get them to display properly in v1.51, one must press 8 to switch to the old graphics engine.

* x86 code exploits: With specially made hacks and homebrew ROMs, it is possible for them to break out of ZSNES itself and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3SOYneC7mU execute native code on the host computer.]

* While older versions of ZSNES still have one of the better netplay systems among emulators, netplay was removed in v1.50.

* SA-1 isn't emulated correctly, so Kirby Super Star can sometimes spawn different sprites than the supposed one.

These are just a few problems, there are a few more listed [https://floating.muncher.se/byuu/accuracy/ here] and [http://sourceforge.net/p/zsnes/bugs/ here].

It is recommended to use [[Snes9x]], [[bsnes]] or [[ares]] instead.

{| class="mw-collapsible wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
! colspan=2 width="250"|Review
|-
| '''PROS''' ||
* According to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG-oqvj4Tqk this interview] with zsKnight, ZSNES is basically a pioneer of rollback netcode.
* Individual layers can be switched on and off, allowing to take screenshots without sprites or with sprites only, among other possibilities.
* Can pause emulation at any time
* You can access and navigate all menus with the keyboard only; you are not forced to waste time looking for the mouse with your hand and for its cursor on the screen.
* Excellent netplay connectivity between 2 players
* In-game chat that doesn't require switching focus between 2 windows
* The host's save file is immediately shared with the client, so you don't need to upload it elsewhere first
* In case of desynchronization, the host can make save states and load them for both players to resynchronize
* You can swap controllers at any time
* You can change emulator latency on the fly to compensate for choppiness at the expense of slight input lag
* It works just as well with between a dial-up user and someone on DSL
* You can switch between windowed mode and full screen with ease.
* Using version 1.36, games pretty much do not desynchronize period
* Still has some big communities and dedicated servers like [http://emu.z-net.us Z-Net]
|-
| '''CONS''' ||
* Netplay is 2P ONLY, with no multiplayer version foreseeable in the near future
* Both players need their port forwarded to connect over UDP for netplay, and TCP can be quite choppy
* Most Konami games tend to desynchronize unless you specifically use ZSNES 1.36 or 1.337
* Interface might be unappealing to some people
|}

==ROM hacks==
Many ROM hacks and ROM hacking tools were made using ZSNES as a testing platform because of its popularity. However, because of the inaccuracies of the emulator, these tools and hacks are broken on other, more accurate emulators and real hardware.

==Alternatives==
===bZSNES===
In 2011, Near (then known as byuu) released [http://byuu.org/bzsnes/ bZSNES] - a modification of [[higan|bsnes]] that includes the optional inaccuracies of ZSNES and a similar GUI - as an April Fool's Day joke. It however only has moderate compatibility with ROM hacks made specifically for ZSNES.{{Cite}}

* [http://snesemu.black-ship.net/emus/bsnes/bzsnes_v151w.zip bZSNES]
* [http://www.mediafire.com/download/c6nylmbnca23rmy/bZSNES.rar mirror]
* [http://snesemu.black-ship.net/emus/bsnes/bzsnes_v151s.zip bZSNES source code]

===ZMZ===
[http://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=5681 ZMZ] isn't an emulator in its own right, rather it takes the interface that ZSNES uses and applies it to a [[libretro]] frontend for running SNES cores such as [[Snes9x]] and [[bsnes]]. Apart from the replicated ZSNES interface, it can also record ZMV files.

===ZSNES 2===
* [https://github.com/xyproto/zsnes An active fork of ZSNES on GitHub.] It is primarily focused on allowing ZSNES to be compiled on x64 versions of modern Linux distros.

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:DOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Historic emulation software]]
[[Category:Netplay‏‎]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

Super ZSNES

2026-04-30T17:44:56Z

Carolina Heart: Accidentally made a duplicate page

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = Zsnes.jpg
|logowidth = 200
|last-version = 0.100
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]], [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], FreeBSD, [[Emulators on DOS|DOS]]
|architecture =
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_<ref name="arstechnica">[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/super-zsnes-is-a-stab-at-a-modern-snes-emulator-from-the-original-developers/ Super ZSNES” is a stab at a modern SNES emulator from the original developers] Ars Technica</ref>
|website = [http://www.zsnes.com ZSNES.com]
|source =
|support =
|issuetracker =
|license =
}}

'''<code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[Template:Delete|delete]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> Super ZSNES''' is a free [[Super Nintendo emulators|Super Famicom (SNES) emulator]]. It is a new emulator built from scratch by 2 of the original 4 developers of the [[ZSNES]] project.<ref>[https://retrododo.com/supe-znes-emulator-released-with-new-features/ SUPER ZNES Emulator Released With New Features] Retrododo</ref> It uses mainly GPU based rendering as opposed to the CPU based rendering of most SNES emulators. It has more accurate emulation of CPU and audio cores than the original zsnes.<ref name="arstechnica"></ref> It is currently in it's infancy and supports 7 games

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads Official releases]'''
|-
|}

==Overview==
Super ZNES is a successor of the [[ZSNES]] project, updated to have higher accuracy and modern features. It currently supports 7 games.

===Planned features===
* High Resolution Internal drawing program for upscaling
* Overclocking
* Wide Screen
* Uncompressed Audio Replacement
* 3D, replacing tiles with 3D height mapped data.
* Netplay

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Netplay‏‎]]

Super ZSNES

2026-04-30T17:37:32Z

Carolina Heart:

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = Zsnes.jpg
|logowidth = 200
|last-version = 0.100
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]], [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], FreeBSD, [[Emulators on DOS|DOS]]
|architecture =
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_<ref name="arstechnica">[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/super-zsnes-is-a-stab-at-a-modern-snes-emulator-from-the-original-developers/ Super ZSNES” is a stab at a modern SNES emulator from the original developers] Ars Technica</ref>
|website = [http://www.zsnes.com ZSNES.com]
|source =
|support =
|issuetracker =
|license =
}}

'''Super ZSNES''' is a free [[Super Nintendo emulators|Super Famicom (SNES) emulator]]. It is a new emulator built from scratch by 2 of the original 4 developers of the [[ZSNES]] project.<ref>[https://retrododo.com/supe-znes-emulator-released-with-new-features/ SUPER ZNES Emulator Released With New Features] Retrododo</ref> It uses mainly GPU based rendering as opposed to the CPU based rendering of most SNES emulators. It has more accurate emulation of CPU and audio cores than the original zsnes.<ref name="arstechnica"></ref> It is currently in it's infancy and supports 7 games

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads Official releases]'''
|-
|}

==Overview==
Super ZNES is a successor of the [[ZSNES]] project, updated to have higher accuracy and modern features. It currently supports 7 games.

===Planned features===
* High Resolution Internal drawing program for upscaling
* Overclocking
* Wide Screen
* Uncompressed Audio Replacement
* 3D, replacing tiles with 3D height mapped data.
* Netplay

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Netplay‏‎]]

ZSNES

2026-04-30T17:36:31Z

Carolina Heart:

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = Zsnes.jpg
|logowidth = 200
|last-version = 1.51
|active = No
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]], [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], FreeBSD, [[Emulators on DOS|DOS]]
|architecture = [[wikipedia:x86|x86]]
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_, pagefault, Nach
|website = [http://www.zsnes.com/old ZSNES.com/old]
|source = [[sourceforge:projects/zsnes/files/zsnes/|SourceForge]]
|support = [https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?item_name=Donation+to+ZSNES&cmd=_donations&business=pagefault%40gmail.com PayPal]
|issuetracker = [https://sourceforge.net/p/zsnes/_list/tickets SourceForge]
|license = {{license|GPLv2}}
}}

'''ZSNES''' is a free and open-source [[Super Nintendo emulators|Super Famicom (SNES) emulator]] written in [[wikipedia:x86|x86]] assembly. It was originally made in 1997 and was one of the most popular Super Nintendo emulators from late nineties to mid-2000s, but now is obsolete and has not been updated since 2007. Currently the only reason to use ZSNES is for the netplay or if you're on a toaster. As of April 2026, Two of the developers have started a new emulator project with the ZSNES branding, called [[Super ZSNES]]

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|DOS}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/old/index.php?page=files Official releases]'''
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Mac-big}}
|'''[https://emulationrealm.net/downloads/emulators/mac-os/console/super-nintendo/zsnes-mac 1.51 - Mac]'''
|}

==Netplay==
* [http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/zsnes/zsnesw142.zip ZSNES 1.42]
* [http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/zsnes/zsneswv1.36.zip ZSNES 1.36]

==Overview==
The ZSNES developers focused on speed over [[Emulation accuracy|accuracy]], so a hefty amount of games have bugs (and some just crash outright). The current version (v1.51) created more problems than it fixed and many problems still remain:
[[File:Kirby3-forest.gif|frame|SNES Pseudo Hi-Res translucency on ''new'' graphics engine]]
* Compatibility is lower than modern emulators due to low accuracy to real SNES system.

* Games crashing: Der Langrisser (freezes after 2–3 hours), Super Mario RPG (freezes in many different points of the game), Star Ocean and many other games have freezing and crashing issues.

* Bad sound emulation: Many games sound inaccurate on ZSNES. ZSNES's audio timer isn't floating point so there are timing artifacts in the music. ZSNES doesn't emulate release values of ADSR so held notes will sound poor.

[[File: Old zsnes snow gui.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Despite being outclassed by many more accurate ''and secure'' emulators, some held on to Zsnes for its iconic user interface.]]

* Many of the co-processors, which are actually on the game cartridges, are emulated in strange ways. For example, Super FX is not clocked correctly; Star Fox runs twice as fast as it should.

* Transparency: Kirby Dreamland 3, Mecarobot Golf, Jurassic Park and other games that use pseudo-hi-res translucency won't display correctly in the default graphics engine in v1.51. To get them to display properly in v1.51, one must press 8 to switch to the old graphics engine.

* x86 code exploits: With specially made hacks and homebrew ROMs, it is possible for them to break out of ZSNES itself and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3SOYneC7mU execute native code on the host computer.]

* While older versions of ZSNES still have one of the better netplay systems among emulators, netplay was removed in v1.50.

* SA-1 isn't emulated correctly, so Kirby Super Star can sometimes spawn different sprites than the supposed one.

These are just a few problems, there are a few more listed [https://floating.muncher.se/byuu/accuracy/ here] and [http://sourceforge.net/p/zsnes/bugs/ here].

It is recommended to use [[Snes9x]], [[bsnes]] or [[ares]] instead.

{| class="mw-collapsible wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
! colspan=2 width="250"|Review
|-
| '''PROS''' ||
* According to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG-oqvj4Tqk this interview] with zsKnight, ZSNES is basically a pioneer of rollback netcode.
* Individual layers can be switched on and off, allowing to take screenshots without sprites or with sprites only, among other possibilities.
* Can pause emulation at any time
* You can access and navigate all menus with the keyboard only; you are not forced to waste time looking for the mouse with your hand and for its cursor on the screen.
* Excellent netplay connectivity between 2 players
* In-game chat that doesn't require switching focus between 2 windows
* The host's save file is immediately shared with the client, so you don't need to upload it elsewhere first
* In case of desynchronization, the host can make save states and load them for both players to resynchronize
* You can swap controllers at any time
* You can change emulator latency on the fly to compensate for choppiness at the expense of slight input lag
* It works just as well with between a dial-up user and someone on DSL
* You can switch between windowed mode and full screen with ease.
* Using version 1.36, games pretty much do not desynchronize period
* Still has some big communities and dedicated servers like [http://emu.z-net.us Z-Net]
|-
| '''CONS''' ||
* Netplay is 2P ONLY, with no multiplayer version foreseeable in the near future
* Both players need their port forwarded to connect over UDP for netplay, and TCP can be quite choppy
* Most Konami games tend to desynchronize unless you specifically use ZSNES 1.36 or 1.337
* Interface might be unappealing to some people
|}

==ROM hacks==
Many ROM hacks and ROM hacking tools were made using ZSNES as a testing platform because of its popularity. However, because of the inaccuracies of the emulator, these tools and hacks are broken on other, more accurate emulators and real hardware.

==Alternatives==
===bZSNES===
In 2011, Near (then known as byuu) released [http://byuu.org/bzsnes/ bZSNES] - a modification of [[higan|bsnes]] that includes the optional inaccuracies of ZSNES and a similar GUI - as an April Fool's Day joke. It however only has moderate compatibility with ROM hacks made specifically for ZSNES.{{Cite}}

* [http://snesemu.black-ship.net/emus/bsnes/bzsnes_v151w.zip bZSNES]
* [http://www.mediafire.com/download/c6nylmbnca23rmy/bZSNES.rar mirror]
* [http://snesemu.black-ship.net/emus/bsnes/bzsnes_v151s.zip bZSNES source code]

===ZMZ===
[http://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=5681 ZMZ] isn't an emulator in its own right, rather it takes the interface that ZSNES uses and applies it to a [[libretro]] frontend for running SNES cores such as [[Snes9x]] and [[bsnes]]. Apart from the replicated ZSNES interface, it can also record ZMV files.

===ZSNES 2===
* [https://github.com/xyproto/zsnes An active fork of ZSNES on GitHub.] It is primarily focused on allowing ZSNES to be compiled on x64 versions of modern Linux distros.

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:DOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Historic emulation software]]
[[Category:Netplay‏‎]]
[[Category:Inactive emulation software]]

Super ZSNES

2026-04-30T17:34:29Z

Carolina Heart:

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = Zsnes.jpg
|logowidth = 200
|last-version = 0.100
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]], [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], FreeBSD, [[Emulators on DOS|DOS]]
|architecture =
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_<ref name="arstechnica">[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/super-zsnes-is-a-stab-at-a-modern-snes-emulator-from-the-original-developers/ Super ZSNES” is a stab at a modern SNES emulator from the original developers] Ars Technica</ref>
|website = [http://www.zsnes.com ZSNES.com]
|source =
|support =
|issuetracker =
|license =
}}

'''Super ZSNES''' is a free [[Super Nintendo emulators|Super Famicom (SNES) emulator]]. It is a new emulator built from scratch by 2 of the original 4 developers of the [[ZSNES]] project.<ref>[https://retrododo.com/supe-znes-emulator-released-with-new-features/ SUPER ZNES Emulator Released With New Features] Retrododo</ref> It uses mainly GPU based rendering as opposed to the CPU based rendering of most SNES emulators. It has more accurate emulation of CPU and audio cores than the original zsnes.<ref name="arstechnica"></ref>

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads Official releases]'''
|-
|}

==Overview==
Super ZNES is a successor of the [[ZSNES]] project, updated to have higher accuracy and modern features. It currently supports 7 games.

===Planned features===
* High Resolution Internal drawing program for upscaling
* Overclocking
* Wide Screen
* Uncompressed Audio Replacement
* 3D, replacing tiles with 3D height mapped data.
* Netplay

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Netplay‏‎]]

Super ZSNES

2026-04-30T17:33:35Z

Carolina Heart: made the beginning of a page

{{Infobox emulator
|logo = Zsnes.jpg
|logowidth = 200
|last-version = 0.100
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]], [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], FreeBSD, [[Emulators on DOS|DOS]]
|architecture =
|target = [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|developer = zsKnight, _Demo_<ref name="arstechnica">[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/super-zsnes-is-a-stab-at-a-modern-snes-emulator-from-the-original-developers/ Super ZSNES” is a stab at a modern SNES emulator from the original developers] Ars Technica</ref>
|website = [http://www.zsnes.com ZSNES.com]
|source =
|support =
|issuetracker =
|license =
}}

'''Super ZSNES''' is a free [[Super Nintendo emulators|Super Famicom (SNES) emulator]] written in [[wikipedia:x86|x86]] assembly. It is a new emulator built from scratch by 2 of the original 4 developers of the [[ZSNES]] project.<ref>[https://retrododo.com/supe-znes-emulator-released-with-new-features/ SUPER ZNES Emulator Released With New Features] Retrododo</ref> It uses mainly GPU based rendering as opposed to the CPU based rendering of most SNES emulators. It has more accurate emulation of CPU and audio cores than the original zsnes.<ref name="arstechnica"></ref>

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|Android}}
|'''[https://www.zsnes.com/#downloads Official releases]'''
|-
|}

==Overview==
Super ZNES is a successor of the [[ZSNES]] project, updated to have higher accuracy and modern features. It currently supports 7 games.

===Planned features===
* High Resolution Internal drawing program for upscaling
* Overclocking
* Wide Screen
* Uncompressed Audio Replacement
* 3D, replacing tiles with 3D height mapped data.
* Netplay

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]
[[Category:Netplay‏‎]]

Libretro

2025-09-25T14:19:25Z

Carolina Heart: /* Emulation */

{{Infobox software
|logo = Libretro.png
|logowidth = 120
|version =
|active = Yes
|type = API
|platform = Multi-platform
|developer = [https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/graphs/contributors RetroArch team]
|support = [https://github.com/sponsors/libretro GitHub Sponsor] [https://patreon.com/libretro Patreon] [https://liberapay.com/Libretro/donate Liberapay]
|source = [https://github.com/libretro/ GitHub]
|license = {{license|MIT}}
|website = [http://www.libretro.com/ libretro.com] [https://twitter.com/Libretro Twitter]
}}

'''libretro''' (formerly '''libsnes''') is an API designed mainly for games and emulators. It allows games and emulators to be compiled as dynamically linked libraries known as "libretro cores", which can be used in a frontend that implements libretro, such as [[RetroArch]]. The frontend is responsible for providing all the implementation specific details, such as video/audio/input drivers. This means that a developer does not have to worry about writing different video drivers for Direct3D or OpenGL, or supporting all known joypads or input/sound APIs. All of these details are handled by the front-end.
==libretro Frontends==
[[RetroArch]] is the flagship project for libretro, however there are plenty of other available frontends.

{{Main|Frontends#Libretro}}

==Cores==
===Emulation===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! scope="col"|System
! scope="col"|Core
! scope="col"|Version
! scope="col"|[https://store.steampowered.com/dlc/1118310/ Steam]
! scope="col"|Notes
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[higan]] (火眼)
|{{higanVer}}
|{{?}}
|Separate cores for each profile.
C++98 version is bsnes v085 Performance profile.
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[higan|bsnes-mercury]]
|v094
|{{n}}
|Fork of [[higan|bsnes]] with modifications for speed. Separate cores for each profile
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[Mednafen]] bsnes
|0.9.26
|{{?}}
|Fork of [[higan|bsnes]] v059 with a few modifications.
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[higan|nSide Balanced]]
|v106
|{{?}}
|[https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 Fork] of [[higan]] v106 with additional hardware support. Good for slower computers that cannot run the Accuracy core-only releases from higan v098 onwards with full speed.
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[Snes9x]]
|{{Snes9xVer}}
|{{✓}}
|Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[Snes9x|Snes9x 2002]] (previously PocketSNES)
|1.39
|{{✗}}
|Snapshot of Snes9x for use on very slow platforms
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[Snes9x|Snes9x 2005]]
|1.43
|{{✓}}
|Snapshot of Snes9x useful for Mario World hacks that have broken custom music.
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[Snes9x|Snes9x 2005 Plus]]
|1.43
|{{✗}}
|Snapshot of [https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 Snes9x 1.43 plus BLARRG APU].
|-
|[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES]]
|[[Snes9x|Snes9x 2010]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/snes9x-next 1.52.4]
|{{✓}}
|Fork of [[Snes9x]] 1.52 WIP focused on speed.
|-
|[[WonderSwan emulators|WonderSwan]]
|[[Mednafen]] [[Cygne]]
|?
|{{✓}}
|Modified fork of [[Cygne]].
|-
|[[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]]
|[[DuckStation]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/swanstation git]
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]]
|[[Mednafen]] PSX
|0.9.39.2
|{{✓}}
|Fork has [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/retroarchlibretro-project-status-update/#more-44789 significant modifications] for [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/mednafenbeetle-psx-pgxp-arrives/ enhancements] as well as [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/introducing-vulkan-psx-renderer-for-beetlemednafen-psx/ Vulkan renderer] support. Sometimes referred to as "Beetle PSX."
|-
|[[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]]
|[[Mednafen]] PSX HW
|Alpha
|{{✓}}
|Adds an [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/retroarchlibretro-project-status-update/#more-44789 OpenGL renderer] to Mednafen PSX based on the [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/mednafenbeetle-psx-hw-alpha-version/ GPU renderer from Rustation]. Sometimes referred to as "Beetle PSX HW." Still contains the software rendering mode as an option, so this core can effectively replace the "Mednafen PSX" core listed above.
|-
|[[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]]
|PCSX-ReARMed
|[https://github.com/libretro/pcsx_rearmed r22]
|{{✓}}
|ARM optimized fork of [[PCSX-Reloaded]]. Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|[[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]]
|[[Rustation]]
|Git
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[PocketStation emulators|PocketStation]]
|pockystation
|Git
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine]] & PCE-CD
|[[Mednafen]] PCE-Fast
|?
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine]] & PCE-CD
|[[Geargrafx]]
|?
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) emulators|PC Engine]] SuperGrafx
|[[Mednafen]] SuperGrafx
|?
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[PC-FX emulators|PC-FX]]
|[[Mednafen]] PC-FX
|?
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[Neo Geo Pocket emulators|Neo-Geo Pocket]]
|[[Mednafen]] [[NeoPop]]
|?
|{{?}}
|Modified fork of [[NeoPop]].
|-
|[[Virtual Boy emulators|Virtual Boy]]
|[[Mednafen]] VB
|?
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Atari 2600 emulators|Atari 2600]]
|[[Stella]]
|3.9.3
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Atari 5200 emulators|Atari 5200]]
|Atari800
|3.1.0
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Atari 7800 emulators|Atari 7800]]
|[[ProSystem]]
|1.3e
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Atari Lynx emulators|Atari Lynx]]
|[[Handy]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/libretro-handy 0.95]
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Atari Lynx emulators|Atari Lynx]]
|[[Mednafen]] [[Handy]]
|?
|{{?}}
|Modified fork of [[Handy]].
|-
|[[Atari Jaguar emulators|Atari Jaguar]]
|Virtual Jaguar
|[https://github.com/libretro/virtualjaguar-libretro 2.1.0]
|{{?}}
|Very low FPS.
|-
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES]]
|[[higan|bnes]]
|v083
|{{✗}}
|
|-
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES]]
|FCEUmm
|98.13mm (SVN)
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES]]
|[[QuickNES]]
|1.0
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES]]
|[[Mesen]]
|Git
|{{✓}}
|Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES]]
|[[Nestopia]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/nestopia 1.46-WIP]
|{{✓}}
|Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|[[Game_Boy/Game_Boy_Color emulators|Game Boy/Color]]
|[[Gambatte]]
|0.5.0
|{{✓}}
|Has an option to disable color correction.
|-
|[[Game_Boy/Game_Boy_Color emulators|Game Boy/Color]]
|[[Gearboy]]
|Git
|{{✓}}
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/gearboy/ Open source, multi-platform, GB (DMG) / GBC (CGB) emulator written in C++].
|-
|[[Game_Boy/Game_Boy_Color emulators|Game Boy/Color]]
|[[TGB Dual]]
|0.8.3
|{{✓}}
|Has a split-screen mode for game linking.
|-
|[[Game_Boy/Game_Boy_Color emulators|Game Boy/Color]]
|[[SameBoy]]
|Git
|{{✓}}
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/sameboy/ Extremely accurate GB (DMG) & GBC (CGB) emulator written in portable C]. [https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 Latest core update in 2018].
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]]
|[[VisualBoy Advance|VBA-Next]]
|1.0.2
|{{?}}
|Fork of [[VisualBoy Advance#VBA-M|VBA-M]] focused on speed.
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]]
|[[VisualBoy Advance#VBA-M|VBA-M]]
|SVN
|{{✓}}
|Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]]
|Meteor
|1.4
|{{?}}
|Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]]
|[[Mednafen]] [[VisualBoy Advance|VBA]]
|0.9.33.3
|{{?}}
|Fork of an old version of [[VisualBoy Advance|VBA]].
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]]
|[[gpSP#TempGBA|TempGBA]]
|Git
|{{✗}}
|PSP-only fork of [[gpSP]].
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]]
|[[gpSP]]
|0.91
|{{✓}}
|Dynarec available for ARM.
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]]
|[[Mednafen]] [[VisualBoy Advance|VBA]]
|0.9.33.3
|{{?}}
|Fork of an old version of [[VisualBoy Advance|VBA]].
|-
|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]], [[Game_Boy/Game_Boy_Color emulators|Game Boy/Color]]
|[[mGBA]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/mgba 0.9.2]
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Nintendo 64 emulators|Nintendo 64]]
|[[Mupen64Plus]]
|2.0-rc2
|{{✓}}
|Fork, has significant modifications.
|-
|[[Nintendo 64 emulators|Nintendo 64]]
|paraLLEl
|pre-alpha
|{{?}}
|New fork/rewrite of the Mupen64Plus core with a [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/nintendo-64-vulkan-low-level-emulator-parallel-pre-alpha-release/ port] of the Angrylion video plugin ([https://www.libretro.com/index.php/parallel-n64-with-multithreaded-angrylion-released/ Multi-threaded version] also exists) to Vulkan for [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/tag/parallel-n64/ massive speed improvements]. Highly accurate on compatible games, extremely broken on incompatible games.
|-
|Sega Systems ([[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]], [[Master System emulators|Master System]], [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis]], [[Sega Genesis emulators|Sega CD]], [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]])
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX {{GenPlusGXVerLibretro}}]
|{{✓}}
|Exclusive to libretro on non-GC/Wii platforms. Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|Sega Systems ([[Master System emulators|Master System]], [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis]], [[Sega Genesis emulators|Sega CD]], 32X, [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]], Pico)
|[[PicoDrive]]
|1.81
|{{✓}}
|Exclusive to libretro on PC platforms. Supports libretro in upstream.
|-
|[[Sega Genesis emulators|Sega Genesis]]
|[[BlastEm]]
|?
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Sega Saturn emulators|Sega Saturn]]
|[[Mednafen]] Saturn
|?
|{{✓}}
|Sometimes referred to as "Beetle Saturn"
|-
|[[Sega Saturn emulators|Sega Saturn]]
|[[Yabause]]
|0.9.13
|{{n}}
|Lacks dynarec and GL renderer. Heavily outdated.
|-
|[[Sega Saturn emulators|Sega Saturn]]
|[[Yabause|Kronos]]
|{{KronosVer}}
|{{✓}}
|2nd-degree Yabause fork. Has [https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-sega-saturn-22300379 OpenGL ES 3.0 (for mobile) / 3.1 rendering & cached interpreter CPU core (Faster than Yabause's core). Supports STV arcade.]
|-
|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]
|[[FinalBurn Alpha]]
|0.2.97.24
|{{?}}
|Older version for use on slower platforms.
|-
|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]
|[[FinalBurn Alpha]]
|0.2.97.38
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]
|[[MAME]] 2000
|0.37b5
|{{✗}}
|Old version for use on very slow platforms.
|-
|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]
|[[MAME]] 2003
|0.78
|{{✗}}
|Old version for use on slow platforms. [https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 Core updated in 2018].
|-
|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]
|[[MAME]] 2003 Plus
|0.78
|{{✗}}
|[https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 Updated 2018 version of MAME (0.78)] for libretro, with added game support and improvements.
|-
|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]
|[[MAME]] 2010
|0.139
|{{✗}}
|Old but more recent version for mobile devices.
|-
|[[Arcade emulators|Arcade]]
|[[MAME]] 2014
|0.159
|{{✗}}
|Very recent version for PC and other fast devices.
|-
|[[Arcade LaserDisc emulators|Arcade (LaserDisc)]]
|[[DAPHNE]]
|Git
|{{?}}
|WIP. [[Arcade LaserDisc emulators|Arcade LaserDisc emulator]] [https://www.patreon.com/posts/libretro-status-20471393 adapted to a libretro core].
|-
|[[Sega Model 3|Arcade (Sega Model 3)]]
|[[Supermodel]]
|Git
|{{?}}
|WIP. Sega Model 3 arcade emulator. [https://www.patreon.com/posts/libretro-status-20471393 OpenGL-only core] for now.
|-
|Everything
|[[MAME]]
|{{MAMEVerLibretro}} (Git)
|{{?}}
|Based on bleeding edge Git. Official merge of MESS into MAME codebase.
|-
|[[Nintendo DS emulators|Nintendo DS]]
|[[DeSmuME]] 2015
|SVN
|{{✓}}
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/desmume_2015/ Based on DeSmuME 2015 SVN]. Has options for single-screen fullscreen with swapping.
|-
|[[Nintendo DS emulators|Nintendo DS]]
|[[DeSmuME]] (New)
|Git
|{{✓}}
|Has options for single-screen fullscreen with swapping. [https://docs.libretro.com/library/desmume/ Latest core] [https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 update in 2018].
|-
|[[Nintendo DS emulators|Nintendo DS]]
|[[melonDS]]
|Git
|{{?}}
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/melonds/ WIP]. Different emulator that aims to be more accurate than DeSmuME.
|-
|[[Nintendo 3DS emulators|Nintendo 3DS]]
|[[Citra]]
|Git
|{{✗}}
|Has an [https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 updated 2018 core].
|-
|[[PlayStation Portable emulators|PSP]]
|[[PPSSPP]]
|Git
|{{✓}}
|2018: Now has working {{YouTubeVideo|9zCeqRyT_P8|Vulkan, OpenGL}} & [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/libretro-api-now-supports-experimental-direct3d11-hardware-rendering/ Direct3D 11] renderers. 1st core to use D3D 11.
|-
|[[POS_(Pong_Consoles)_CPUs_and_Other_Chips#Intel_CPU.27s|286 and 386]]
|[[DOSBox]]
|SVN
|{{✗}}
|
|-
|[[Commodore 64 emulators|Commodore 64]]
|vice-libretro
|3.0
|{{✓}}
|[https://github.com/libretro/vice-libretro WIP].
|-
|[[Amiga emulators|Amiga]]
|PUAE
|2.8.0
|{{?}}
|[https://github.com/libretro/PUAE Very old, shallow fork]; based on [[WinUAE]].
|-
|[[Amiga emulators|Amiga]]
|libretro-fsuae
|Git
|{{?}}
|[https://github.com/libretro/libretro-fsuae Cross-platform Amiga emulator]; newer than old PUAE core. Based on FS-UAE 2.8.1u5.
|-
|[[Atari ST emulators|Atari ST/STE/TT/Falcon]]
|[[Hatari]]
|1.7
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[MSX emulators|MSX]]/SVI/[[ColecoVision emulators|ColecoVision]]/[[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]]
|[[blueMSX]]
|2.8.2 (SVN)
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[MSX emulators|MSX]]
|[[fMSX]]
|3.9
|{{✗}}
|
|-
|[[3DO emulators|3DO]]
|[[Opera]]
|1.3.2.4
|{{~}}
|
|-
|[[Vectrex_emulators|Vectrex]]
|[[vecx]]
|SVN
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[Magnavox Odyssey² emulators|Magnavox Odyssey²]]/Videopac
|[[O2EM]]
|1.18
|{{?}}
|
|-
|[[ZX Spectrum emulators|ZX Spectrum]]
|[[FUSE]]
|1.11
|{{✓}}
|
|-
|[[GameCube emulators|Nintendo GameCube]] and [[Wii emulators|Wii]]
|[[Dolphin]]
|Git
|{{✗}}
|2018: Now has working [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/libretro-status-updates/ Direct3D 11, OpenGL & Vulkan renderers]. 2nd core to use D3D 11 after PPSSPP's core.
|-
|[[GameCube emulators|Nintendo GameCube]] and [[Wii emulators|Wii]]
|[[Dolphin]] (Ishiiruka builds) (いし海豚)
|Git
|{{✗}}
|WIP. Based on a custom build version of Dolphin. [https://www.patreon.com/posts/libretro-status-20471393 OpenGL] renderer works, Direct3D 11 & Vulkan renderers coming soon. Can have better frame pacing/performance than the Dolphin libretro core.
|-
|[[Game & Watch]]
|gw-libretro
|Git
|{{✓}}
|This emulator is actually a simulator of Game & Watch systems. This core has code from MADrigal.
|-
|[[Amstrad CPC emulators|Amstrad CPC]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/libretro-cap32 Cap32]
|Git
|{{✓}}
|WIP
|-
|[[Sega Dreamcast emulators|Sega Dreamcast]]
|[[reicast#Libretro_core|Flycast]]
|Git
|{{✓}}
|Greatly enhanced core based on reicast. Also runs [[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|NAOMI]] and Atomiswave games.
|-
|[[Sega Dreamcast emulators|Sega Dreamcast]]
|[[redream]]
|?
|{{✗}}
|
|-
|[[Sinclair ZX81 emulators|Sinclair ZX81]] (for now)
|[[EightyOne]] (81)
|Git
|{{?}}
|WIP
|-
|[[Intellivision emulators|Mattel Intellivision]]
|[[FreeIntv]]
|Git
|{{✓}}
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/freeintv/ WIP]. [https://www.patreon.com/posts/lakka-2-1-1-with-20727887 Mattel Intellivision emulator]. Designed for SNES era and later joypads.
|-
|[[Sharp X68000 emulators|Sharp X68000]]
|px68k-libretro
|Git
|{{?}}
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/px68k/ Portable Sharp X68000 Emulator for PSP, Android and other platforms].
|-
|[[List of computers|Thomson TO8/TO8D]]
|Theodore
|Git
|{{✓}}
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/theodore/ Libretro core for Thomson TO8/TO8D emulation], based on Daniel Coulom's DCTO8D emulator.
|}

===Game Engine===
{| class="wikitable"
! scope="col"|Game
! scope="col"|Core
! scope="col"|Version
! scope="col"|Notes
|-
|Cave Story
|NXEngine
|1.0.0.4
|
|-
|ChaiLove
|libretro-chailove
|0.20.0
|Open-source [https://docs.libretro.com/library/chailove/ framework for making 2D games in C++ with ChaiScript] (eg. Floppy Bird).
|-
|Doom
|PrBoom
|2.5.0
|Does not have the advanced features of GZDoom and cannot run WADs designed for it. However, it's highly portable, very stable, and is compatible with every officially released patch of Doom up until Final Doom,
|-
|Flashback
|REminiscence
|[https://github.com/libretro/REminiscence Git]
|[https://www.patreon.com/posts/reminiscence-new-18712357 Port] of the game engine recreation of the spiritual successor to ''Another World/Out of this World''.
|-
|Lua Engine (Lutro)
|libretro-lutro
|v1
|WIP. [https://docs.libretro.com/library/lutro/ Experimental lua game framework that follows the LÖVE API]. Sample games include Snake, Tetris and Pong.
|-
|LucasArt Game Engines
|[[ScummVM]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/scummvm 1.6.0]
|Requires loading games inside its own GUI, does not load games from RetroArch's Load Content option.
|-
|OutRun
|CannonBall
|0.3
|[http://docs.libretro.com/library/cannonball/ Complete rewrite] of the Outrun arcade game into portable C++ written in 2014 by Chris White. Has [https://github.com/djyt/cannonball/wiki many enhancements]. The libretro version has [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/libretroretroarch-progress-reportupdate-november-2018/ analog axis and triggers support alongside a new 120Hz mode].
|-
|Quake
|TyrQuake
|0.61
|
|-
|Quake II
|vitaQuakeII
|2.2
|
|-
|Rick Dangerous
|xrick-libretro
|1.0.0.6
|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/xrick/ Open-source implementation of the game '''Rick Dangerous''']. Core based on BigOrno's work.
|-
|RPG Maker 2000/2003
|[[EasyRPG]]
|[https://github.com/libretro/easyrpg-libretro/releases 0.4.1]
|
|-
|-
|Tomb Raider #1-5
|OpenLara
|[https://github.com/libretro/OpenLara 2017-04-24]
|WIP. Available for [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/new-core-openlara-windowslinux/ 32bit/64bit Windows & Linux]. Has {{YouTubeVideo|ohH6EI4jtk8|many enhancements}} over the original games.
|}

===Standalone Game===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col"|Game
! scope="col"|Genre
|-
|Dinothawr
|Puzzle
|}

===Other===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col"|Core
! scope="col"|Description
|-
|FFmpeg
|Media Player
|-
|Modelviewer
|3D Tech Demo
|-
|SceneWalker
|3D Tech Demo
|-
|Imageviewer
|Image Viewer
|}

==External Links==
* [http://www.libretro.com/ libretro.com] - Main website of the libretro project.
* [https://github.com/libretro/ libretro GitHub organization] - Source code for RetroArch and the various cores maintained by the libretro project.
* [https://db.libretro.com/ Online libretro database] (RetroArch uses the [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/a-website-to-browse-the-libretro-database-db-libretro-com/ same database] for scanning your game collection)
* {{YouTubeChannelOwner|Libretro|Official Youtube channel}}
* [http://retroarch.com/index.php?page=donate Various donation sources] (Not just Patreon only)

[[Category:RetroArch]]

Talk:Citra

2025-09-25T14:09:44Z

Carolina Heart: /* Azahar's Own Page */

=== Meaning and Pronunciation ===

What does Citra actually mean? Is it the Indonesian word for Image? What is the pronunciation of Citra?

It's just the 3DS's codename, and it's pronounced Sit-ra. Nothing else matters in this case. --[[User:MoochMcGee|MoochMcGee]] ([[User talk:MoochMcGee|talk]]) 11:37, 28 February 2016 (EST)

CTR = CiTRa

=== Syllabification ===

What is the syllabification of Citra?

=== Last Citra Release and New Ñ Release?? ===
https://github.com/PabloMK7/citra/releases

(I'm not sure what the Ñ is supposed to be, but there's the source code of Citra with hundreds of forks of "PabloMK7/citra" and a new release of this Ñ based on Citra.)

https://github.com/PabloMK7/citra/issues/14

Ñ

PabloMK7 was a contributor of Citra. The repository has also seen work from GPUCode, who was one of the most active contributors for Citra before the repository was deleted. It seems to me like this new repository is simply the new place for Citra development. To begin with, it was premature to consider Citra dead. Yes, Yuzu was started by Citra devs and was responsible for the Citra website and repository (hence the reason why the were deleted), but there was very little remaining developer overlap between both projects at the time Yuzu was shut down. [[User:Poudink|Poudink]] ([[User talk:Poudink|talk]]) 02:29, 17 March 2024 (UTC)

== Azahar's Own Page ==

Do you all think it's time to spinoff Azahar into it's own page? Or too early? I think info could be added about the dev's copyright measures to expand current info [[User:Carolina Heart|Carolina Heart]] ([[User talk:Carolina Heart|talk]]) 14:09, 25 September 2025 (UTC)

2024-06-26T07:39:29Z

Carolina Heart:

{{Infobox emulator
|title = SameBoy
|logo = SameBoy-icon.png
|logowidth = 200px
|version = {{Version|SameBoy}}
|active = Yes
|platform = Multi-platform
|target = [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy Color]]
|developer = [https://github.com/LIJI32 Lior Halphon]
|accuracy = Highly-Accurate
|prog-lang = C, Objective-C
|website = [https://sameboy.github.io/ sameboy.github.io]
|license = MIT License
|source = [https://github.com/LIJI32/SameBoy GitHub]
}}

'''SameBoy''' is a free and open-source [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy]] and [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy Color]] emulator for macOS, Windows, iOS and Unix-like platforms.

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Mac}}
|'''[https://sameboy.github.io/downloads/ Latest Release]'''
|}

==Overview==
Top features include very high accuracy, [https://sameboy.github.io/debugger/ debugging tools] via a command line, and most standard features found in other top emulators. The UI is very crisp and clean looking.

Sameboy is also available as a [[libretro|Libretro Core]]. ([https://docs.libretro.com/library/sameboy/ more info])

==Issues==
All menu options are handled via the on screen gui, with no menu buttons at the top of the window.

Sameboy can change operating mode (GB, GBC, sometimes GBA) on the fly but restarts the currently playing game on event.

The splash screen of all Gameboy games is replaced with the words Sameboy, and animated accordingly.

==WideGB==
[https://kzone.winosx.com/posts/widegb-playing-game-boy-games-on-wide-screens/ WideGB] is a fork of SameBoy with widescreen support. This allows you to peek beyond the screen boundaries of GB games. Downloads are available on [https://github.com/kemenaran/SameBoy/releases this GitHub].

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Handheld console emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]

User:Carolina Heart

2023-06-20T19:13:58Z

Carolina Heart: Created page with "Do not know much about technology but I use emulators"

Do not know much about technology but I use emulators

SameBoy

2023-06-15T23:11:39Z

Carolina Heart: /* Issues */ Not actually true, ROMs can be opened from the ESC button menu rather than dragged and dropped

{{Infobox emulator
|title = SameBoy
|logo = SameBoy-icon.png
|logowidth = 200px
|version = {{Version|SameBoy}}
|active = Yes
|platform = Multi-platform
|target = [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy Color]]
|developer = [https://github.com/LIJI32 Lior Halphon]
|accuracy = Highly-Accurate
|prog-lang = C, Objective-C
|website = [https://sameboy.github.io/ sameboy.github.io]
|license = MIT License
|source = [https://github.com/LIJI32/SameBoy GitHub]
}}

'''SameBoy''' is an open-source [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy]] and [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy Color]] emulator for macOS, Windows and Unix-like platforms.

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Mac}}
|'''[https://sameboy.github.io/downloads/ Latest Release]'''
|}

==Overview==
Top features include very high accuracy, [https://sameboy.github.io/debugger/ debugging tools] via a command line, and most standard features found in other top emulators. The UI is very crisp and clean looking.

Sameboy is also available as a [[libretro|Libretro Core]]. ([https://docs.libretro.com/library/sameboy/ more info])

==Issues==
All menu options are handled via the on screen gui, with no menu buttons at the top of the window.

Sameboy can change operating mode (GB, GBC, sometimes GBA) on the fly but restarts the currently playing game on event.

The splash screen of all Gameboy games is replaced with the words Sameboy, and animated accordingly.

==WideGB==
[https://kzone.winosx.com/posts/widegb-playing-game-boy-games-on-wide-screens/ WideGB] is a fork of SameBoy with widescreen support. This allows you to peek beyond the screen boundaries of GB games. Downloads are available on [https://github.com/kemenaran/SameBoy/releases this GitHub].

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Handheld console emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]