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Mesen ist active again - it's now a community-driven project called MesenCE: https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1te6mgg/mesen_is_now_a_communitydriven_project_called/
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__FORCETOC__
__FORCETOC__
{{Infobox emulator
{{Infobox emulator
|developer = [https://github.com/SourMesen M. Bibaud (aka Sour)]
|developer = [https://github.com/SourMesen M. Bibaud (aka Sour)] & [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewforum.php?f=3 NesDev]
|title = Mesen
|title = Mesen
|logo = Mesen2logo.png
|logo = MesenCE.png
|logowidth = 64
|logowidth = 64
|version = {{Version|Mesen}}
|version = {{Version|Mesen}} (MesenCE)
|active = Yes
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]]<br/>[[Emulators on Linux|Linux]]<br/>[[Emulators on macOS|macOS 11/12]]
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]]<br/>[[Emulators on Linux|Linux]]<br/>[[Emulators on macOS|macOS 11/12]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]]<br/>Famicom Disk System<br/>[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]]<br/>[[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]]<br/>[[Game_Boy_Advance_emulators|Game Boy Advance]]<br/>[[TurboGrafx-16 emulators|PC-Engine (TurboGrafx-16)]]<br/>[[Master_System_emulators|Master System]]<br/>[[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]]<br/>[[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]]<br/>[[WonderSwan emulators|WonderSwan (Color)]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]]<br/>Famicom Disk System<br/>[[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]]<br/>[[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]]<br/>[[Game_Boy_Advance_emulators|Game Boy Advance]]<br/>[[TurboGrafx-16 emulators|PC-Engine (TurboGrafx-16)]]<br/>[[Master_System_emulators|Master System]]<br/>[[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]]<br/>[[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]]<br/>[[ColecoVision emulators|ColecoVision]]<br/>[[WonderSwan emulators|WonderSwan (Color)]]
|accuracy = Cycle-Accurate
|accuracy = Cycle-Accurate
|website = [https://www.mesen.ca/ Mesen.ca]
|website = [https://www.mesen.ca/ Mesen.ca]
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|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}, {{Proglang|C#}}, {{Proglang|C}}
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|C++}}, {{Proglang|C#}}, {{Proglang|C}}
|license = {{license|GPLv3}}
|license = {{license|GPLv3}}
|source = [https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2 GitHub]
|source = [https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE/ Github]<br>[https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2 GitHub]<sup><small>(archived)</small></sup>
|issuetracker = [https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2/issues GitHub]
|bios      = [[Emulator_files#Game_Boy_Advance_/_e-Reader|Required for GBA]]
}}
}}
'''Mesen''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon). It can emulate the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|Famicom (NES)]], Famicom Disk System (FDS), Super Famicom (SNES), GB/GBC, GBA, PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16, [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]], [[Master System emulators|Master System]]/[[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] and WonderSwan/Color consoles.
'''Mesen''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon). It can emulate the [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|Famicom (NES)]], Famicom Disk System (FDS), Super Famicom (SNES), GB/GBC, GBA, PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16, [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]]/[[ColecoVision emulators|ColecoVision]], [[Master System emulators|Master System]]/[[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] and WonderSwan/Color consoles.


The version currently under development is Mesen 2.x, first released as a preview build in 2023. The older Mesen 0.x branch could only emulate NES, and SNES/GB(C) emulation was found in a separate emulator named [[Mesen S]]. The current Mesen [[Libretro]] core for [[RetroArch]] is still based on the 0.x branch, but receiving backports from the newer branch. For the sake of disambiguation, we will refer to the 0.x branch as Mesen 1 and the 2.x branch as Mesen 2.
The version currently under development is Mesen 2.x, first released as a preview build in 2023. The older Mesen 0.x branch could only emulate NES, and SNES/GB(C) emulation was found in a separate emulator named [[Mesen S]]. The current Mesen [[Libretro]] core for [[RetroArch]] is still based on the 0.x branch, but receiving backports from the newer branch. For the sake of disambiguation, we will refer to the 0.x branch as Mesen 1 and the 2.x branch as Mesen 2.


Mesen's development and bug report is actively discussed by Sour at the [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=24391 NesDev forums].
Mesen's development and bug reports are actively discussed on the [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=24391 NesDev forums] by Sour.


As of April 2026, the main Mesen 2 development has stalled. The last successful automated build and commit from the lead developer (Sour) occurred on July 16, 2025 ([https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2/actions/runs/16314313088 Build #698]). However, the Nesdev Mesen 2 fork [https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE MesenCE] continues to be updated by Sour and other community members.
As of June 2026, the main Mesen 2 repos development has ended. The last successful automated build and commit from the lead developer (Sour) occurred on July 16, 2025 ([https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2/actions/runs/16314313088 Build #698]). However, the Mesen fork [https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE MesenCE] has continued development, being updated by Sour with other community members. As of June 4th, Mesen officially became MesenCE through a release by Sour<ref>https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE/releases/tag/2.2.0</ref>.


==Download==
==Download==
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|-
|-
Mesen:
Mesen:
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|macOSx64|macOSARM}}
|{{Icon|Win|Lin|macOSx64|macOSARM}}
|[https://www.mesen.ca/#Downloads '''Dev builds (official website)''']
|[https://www.mesen.ca/#Downloads '''official website''']
|-
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|macOSx64|macOSARM}}
|{{Icon|Win|Lin|macOSx64|macOSARM|W7|LinuxARM}}
|[https://github.com/SourMesen/Mesen2#development-builds Dev builds (GitHub)]
||[https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE#development-builds Github repo]
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|macOSx64|macOSARM}}
|[https://www.emucr.com/search/label/Mesen Dev builds (EmuCR)]
|}
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
MesenCE:
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|macOSx64|macOSARM}}
|[https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE#development-builds Dev builds (GitHub)]
|}
|}
EmuCR keeps track and archives of every single release and describes the changes between them.


[[File: Mesen UI and Screens.png|thumb|300px|Mesen UI and Screens]]
[[File: Mesen UI and Screens.png|thumb|300px|Mesen UI and Screens]]
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==Overview==
==Overview==


According to test ROMs, it is ranked as the most compatible NES/FDS emulator, slightly above [[puNES]] with a score of 100%.<ref>https://www.mesen.ca/#Compatibility</ref>


It has [[Emulation Accuracy|cycle-accurate]] emulation and offers numerous features, including:
It has [[Emulation Accuracy|cycle-accurate]] emulation and offers numerous features, including:
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An exclusive feature '''not available in older versions''' is support for the PC-Engine, the CD-ROM², as well as the WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color.
An exclusive feature '''not available in older versions''' is support for the PC-Engine, the CD-ROM², as well as the WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color.


==Screenshots==
==Gallery==
<gallery widths="175" position="center" captionalign="center" >MesenScreenshot.PNG|Screenshot of Mesen1.
<gallery widths="175" position="center" captionalign="center" >MesenScreenshot.PNG|Screenshot of Mesen1.
Mesen_logo.png|Mesen1 Logo.
Mesen_logo.png|Mesen1 Logo.
Mesen2logo.png|Mesen2 logo
Mesen2logo.png|Mesen2 logo
MesenCE.png|MesenCE logo
</gallery>
</gallery>


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! scope="col"|[[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]
! scope="col"|[[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]
|-
|-
|rowspan=4|Mesen 2-based
|rowspan=2|Mesen 2-based
|[https://github.com/nesdev-org/Mesen2 Mesen 2 (NESdev)]
|[https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE MesenCE]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/nesdev-org/Mesen2/commits/master Maintenance Builds]
|[https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE/actions/workflows/build.yml Maintenance Builds]
|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
|-
|[https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen2 Mesen 2 (NovaSquirrel)]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen2/commits/master Commits]
|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
|-
|[https://github.com/mkwong98/Mesen Mesen 2 (mkwong98)]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/mkwong98/Mesen/releases Beta Builds]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|- style="background:red"
|- style="background:red"
|[https://github.com/TheAnsarya/Nexen Nexen]
|[https://github.com/TheAnsarya/Nexen Nexen]
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|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=1|Mesen 1-based
|rowspan=2|Mesen 1-based
|[https://github.com/mkwong98/Mesen Mesen (mkwong98)]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/mkwong98/Mesen/releases Beta Builds]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|-
|[https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen-X Mesen-X]
|[https://github.com/NovaSquirrel/Mesen-X Mesen-X]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
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|}
|}


<b style="color:red">DO NOT USE Nexen FORK BECAUSE IT'S CODED USING AI, UNLESS YOU WANT TO</b><ref>https://github.com/TheAnsarya/Nexen/issues/2189#issuecomment-4442487427</ref>
<b style="color:red">WE STRONGLY DISCOURAGE THE NEXEN FORK BECAUSE IT'S BEING CODED USING AI. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.</b><ref>https://github.com/TheAnsarya/Nexen/issues/2189#issuecomment-4442487427</ref>


===Comparisons===
===Comparisons===
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[[Category:Netplay]]
[[Category:Netplay]]
[[Category:Custom assets]]
[[Category:Custom assets]]
[[Category:Stalled emulation software]]

Latest revision as of 22:56, 15 September 2026

Mesen
Developer(s) M. Bibaud (aka Sour) & NesDev
Latest version 2.2.1 [+] (MesenCE)
Active Yes
Platform(s) Windows
Linux
macOS 11/12
Emulates NES / Famicom
Famicom Disk System
SNES / Super Famicom
Game Boy (Color)
Game Boy Advance
PC-Engine (TurboGrafx-16)
Master System
Game Gear
SG-1000
ColecoVision
WonderSwan (Color)
Accuracy Cycle-Accurate
Website Mesen.ca
Support ($) Patreon
Programmed in C++, C#, C
License GPLv3
Source code Github
GitHub(archived)
BIOS/Keys Required for GBA

Mesen is a free and open-source multi-system emulator for Windows, Linux and macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon). It can emulate the Famicom (NES), Famicom Disk System (FDS), Super Famicom (SNES), GB/GBC, GBA, PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16, SG-1000/ColecoVision, Master System/Game Gear and WonderSwan/Color consoles.

The version currently under development is Mesen 2.x, first released as a preview build in 2023. The older Mesen 0.x branch could only emulate NES, and SNES/GB(C) emulation was found in a separate emulator named Mesen S. The current Mesen Libretro core for RetroArch is still based on the 0.x branch, but receiving backports from the newer branch. For the sake of disambiguation, we will refer to the 0.x branch as Mesen 1 and the 2.x branch as Mesen 2.

Mesen's development and bug reports are actively discussed on the NesDev forums by Sour.

As of June 2026, the main Mesen 2 repos development has ended. The last successful automated build and commit from the lead developer (Sour) occurred on July 16, 2025 (Build #698). However, the Mesen fork MesenCE has continued development, being updated by Sour with other community members. As of June 4th, Mesen officially became MesenCE through a release by Sour[1].

Download

[edit | edit source]
Mesen:
Windows Linux macOS macOS official website
Windows Linux macOS macOS Windows 7 Linux ARM Github repo
Mesen UI and Screens

Overview

[edit | edit source]

It has cycle-accurate emulation and offers numerous features, including:

  • Support for over 290 mappers, (all licensed games supported.)
  • FDS (Famicom Disk System) support
  • Top loader NES variant support
  • VS. System support
  • Dendy support
  • HDNes HD packs
  • NTSC/PAL support
  • NSF/NSFe support
  • Video recording/playback
  • Video filters (xBRZ, NTSC, etc.)
  • Netplay
  • Debugging tools
  • Overclocking
  • Custom palettes
  • Sound effects (fake stereo, reverb, etc.)
  • Rewind

Mesen 2 can also run GBA and also SNES games, which features some of the enhancements and hardware features such as Super FX and Satellaview support. Game Boy (DMG) and Game Boy Color (CGB) games can also be played on Mesen 2, but only Game Boy Color can play CGB games. For DMG games, you can choose either Game Boy or Game Boy Color, or run the game in Super Game Boy mode by loading the Super Game Boy BIOS (1 or 2) into the SNES core.

An exclusive feature not available in older versions is support for the PC-Engine, the CD-ROM², as well as the WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color.

[edit | edit source]
  • Screenshot of Mesen1.
    Screenshot of Mesen1.
  • Mesen1 Logo.
    Mesen1 Logo.
  • Mesen2 logo
    Mesen2 logo
  • MesenCE logo
    MesenCE logo

Hardware support

[edit | edit source]

Mappers

[edit | edit source]
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 28 29 30 31
32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47
48 49 50 51 52 53 54 56 57 58 60 61 62 63
64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79
80 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95
96 97 99 101 103 104 105 106 107 108 111
112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 123 125 126
132 133 134 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143
144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159
162 163 164 165 166 167 168 170 171 172 173 174 175
176 177 178 179 180 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191
192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207
208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222
224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 238
240 241 242 243 244 245 246 249 250 252 253 254 255

List of forks

[edit | edit source]
Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended
Mesen 2-based MesenCE Windows Linux macOS Maintenance Builds ✗ ✓ ✓
Nexen Windows Linux macOS Releases ✗ ✓ ✗
Mesen 1-based Mesen (mkwong98) Windows Linux Beta Builds ✗ ✗ ✗
Mesen-X Windows Linux 2023-09-11
libretro core 		✓ ✗ ✗

WE STRONGLY DISCOURAGE THE NEXEN FORK BECAUSE IT'S BEING CODED USING AI. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.[2]

Comparisons

[edit | edit source]
Mesen-X
This fork was meant to centralise development efforts that were happening in multiple different forks of Mesen 1. No longer under active development, and now officially deprecated as of Mesen 2's release.

Trivia

[edit | edit source]

Origins of the name essentially come from two things:

  • It's "NES EMulator", backwards -> Mesen.
  • It's the Japanese word used to talk about a person's gaze or point of view, (目線 - めせん - Mesen), which is the reason why the logo is an eye icon.[3]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ↑ https://github.com/nesdev-org/MesenCE/releases/tag/2.2.0
  2. ↑ https://github.com/TheAnsarya/Nexen/issues/2189#issuecomment-4442487427
  3. ↑ Mesen's Name Origins
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