Atari Jaguar emulators: Difference between revisions

From Emulation General Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
← Older editNewer edit →
undoIlyagredasov (talk | contribs)
8,461 edits
VisualWikitext
Ilyagredasov (talk | contribs)
8,461 edits
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Ilyagredasov (talk | contribs)
8,461 edits
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Line 358: Line 358:
|
|
|-
|-
| rowspan="9" |Peripherals
| rowspan="10" |Peripherals
| colspan="2" |[[#Jaguar CD|Atari Jaguar CD]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Jaguar CD|Atari Jaguar CD]]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
Line 390: Line 390:
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|-
|Unofficial
| colspan="2"|''Ultra Vortek'' Voice Modem<ref group="lower-alpha">Around a hundred unreleased prototype units were produced for multiplayer functionality in ''Ultra Vortek''.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Unofficial
|[[Atari Lynx]] connectivity<ref group="lower-alpha">Jaguar's board has ComLynx signal I/O, and you can get a ComLynx cable hooked up with some soldering as Atari planned connectivity support between the two, but there's no official software to run and the feature is unused. Homebrew can be potentially written to utilize it.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|[[Atari Lynx]] connectivity<ref group="lower-alpha">Jaguar's board has ComLynx signal I/O, and you can get a ComLynx cable hooked up with some soldering as Atari planned connectivity support between the two, but there's no official software to run and the feature is unused. Homebrew can be potentially written to utilize it.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|-
| colspan="2"|''Ultra Vortek'' Voice Modem||{{Dunno}}
|CatBox or ScatBox<ref group="lower-alpha">Needed to max out AirCars at 8 players and BattleSphere at 16 players (32 players when two players are playing co-op on a single console). JagLink alone without this will only support 2.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}

Revision as of 17:05, 10 February 2026

Atari Jaguar
Jaguar with original PowerPad controller
Developer Atari Corporation
Manufacturer IBM
Type Home video game console
Generation Fifth
Release date NA: November 23, 1993
EU: June 27, 1994
DE: September 1994
JP: December 8, 1994
ESP: April 1995
Discontinued 1996
Predecessor 7800
XEGS
Panther (canceled)
Emulated ✓

The Atari Jaguar (AJ) was a fifth generation home video game console released by Atari in 1993. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU and 2 custom RISC CPUs. It has 2MB of RAM. Despite the intense marketing efforts by Atari, the Jaguar is, in fact, a 32-bit console with a 64-bit bus. The system's convoluted architecture didn't help matters either, which led most developers to just use the 68000 for gameplay logic. The console would prove to be the final home console release for Atari until the VCS in 2021. There was also a CD addon called the Atari Jaguar CD (AJ-CD).

In 2000, the console's patents were released into the Public domain, which effectively made it an open system - the homebrew scene for the Jaguar is particularly active compared to its competitors (e.g. the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer and Sega 32X) as a result.

Emulators

Before editing, review the Getting involved and Recommended pages. See system requirements page for performance demand of the emulators.
See tables for Atari CoJag, enhancements, hardware features and peripherals.
For more details such as licensing, programming language, emulation method, visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
Name Platform(s) Latest version Compatibility License Active Recommended
x86
BigPEmu Windows Linux 1.221 100% Proprietary ✓ ✓
BizHawk
(Virtual Jaguar) 		Windows Linux Dev builds
2.11.1 		? MIT
GPL		 ✓ ~
Virtual Jaguar
virtualjaguar_libretro 		Windows Linux macOS libretro core
2.1.2
Unofficial builds 		? GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~ [N 1] ~
Phoenix Windows Linux macOS 2.8.JAG 95% Proprietary ✗ ✗
MAME Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git artifacts[N 2]
0.289
libretro core 		? GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause		 ✓ ✗
Project Tempest Windows 0.95 ? Proprietary ✗ ✗
Tempest 2000 Emulator/T2K Windows 0.06 ? Proprietary ✗ ✗ [N 3]
ARM
BigPEmu Windows on ARM Linux ARM iOS iPadOS 1.221 100% Proprietary ✓ ✓
Manic EMU iOS iPadOS 2.0.0
git		 ? AGPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ?
Virtual Jaguar
virtualjaguar_libretro 		Android iOS libretro core
1.01git 		? GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~[N 1] ✓
IrataJaguar Android 1.0.7 ? Proprietary ✗ ~
Virtual Jaguar X2 GP2X 0.1a ? Proprietary ✗ ~
Virtual Jaguar EX Pandora 1.0 ? Proprietary ✗ ~
Provenance iOS iPadOS 3.3.0
git		 ? ✓ ?
MAME Linux Pandora libretro core ? GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause		 ✓ ✗
Console
virtualjaguar_libretro PlayStation 4 Nintendo 3DS Switch libretro core ? ? ✓[N 1] ✓
DCJag
(Virtual Jaguar port) 		Dreamcast ✗ ? Proprietary ✗ ✗
pJag
(Virtual Jaguar port) 		PlayStation Portable 0.1 ? Proprietary ✗ ✗
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Libretro core is still active.
  2. ↑ CI-Windows CI-Linux CI-Macos
  3. ↑ Works perfectly for Tempest 2000 and the Jaguar CD VLM, but does not support other games.

Comparisons

BigPEmu
The newest and most compatible Atari Jaguar emulator by Rich Whitehouse, boasting 100% compatibility, and one of the best emulator when it comes to enhancement capabilities and supports all of the hardware features, peripherals. Written for Digital Eclipse as the Jaguar emulator for Atari 50, meaning it's not Open-source due to its private contractual obligations.
Virtual Jaguar
An open-source emulator based on the original by the same name. Use the link given as "libretro core" on this page and choose the most current version from there.
Phoenix
About 95% of Jaguar titles are compatible. No support for AJ-CD/AJ-VR games. The PC version of the emulator is only available in Russian, but an English patch is available.
MAME
Preliminary support. Some games boot but the emulation is far from perfect.
Project Tempest
Was the first ever working Atari Jaguar emulator. It emulates some games, but most have issues. As its name suggests it was primarily made for Tempest 2000, with other games as secondary goals. Project Tempest is the first Jaguar emulator that supports Jaguar CD games, but only two are compatible; Primal Rage and Baldies (the latter has sound distortion though). It has not been updated since 2004.
IrataJaguar
The Phoenix emulation project is released as separate emulators for Android, this is the Jaguar version. Identical compatibility to PC version according to the author. Requires fast 64-bit CPU 2GHz+ or better for full speed.

Enhancements

Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
Name BigPEmu BizHawk VirtualJaguar
Controls Input lag-mitigating technique ✓ ? ?
Mouse injector compatible ~[N2 1] ✗ ✗
True/dual analog control ~[N2 1] ? ?
Turbo button ? ? ?
Graphics Resizable internal resolution ✓ ? ?
Texture replacement ✓[N2 1] ? ?
Widescreen hack ? ? ?
Performance Internal frame rate hack ✓[N2 1] ? ?
Overclock ✓[N2 1] ? ?
Post-processing AI-powered filter compatible
(Freestyle) 		? ? ?
Filters ✓ ✓ ~[N2 2]
Inverse tone mapping compatible ✓ ? ✓*
Post-rendering anti-aliasing
(FXAA, TXAA and MLAA/SMAA) 		✓[N2 3] ? ?
Post-rendering scaling
(Sharp bilinear, Lanczos and FSR 1) 		✓ ? ✓
Shader chain ✓[N2 4] ✗ ~[N2 2]
Quality of life Automatic updater ? ? ?
Built-in custom resolution/CRTSwitchRes
For using this on Windows OS you need CRT Emudriver.
Another option is using EDID editor tool such as "Custom Resolution Utility". 		~[N2 5] Exclusive to libretro cores and GroovyMAME at the moment.
Also there is a 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.
Big Picture Mode ✓ ✗ ~[N2 2]
Built-in cheat manager ? ? ?
Built-in graphics mod editor/manager ? ? ?
Built-in patch manager ? ? ?
Capable image format support ✓ ? ?
Command-line options ✓* ✓* ✓
Pause/resume emulation ✓ ✓ ✓
Per-game profiles ✓* ✓ ?
Portable and Stealth
Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary prerequisites and dependencies for your operating system if it is not statically linked. 		✓ ? ?
Streamable compression format ✗ ? ~[N2 2]
TAS features Fast-forward/turbo speed ✓ ✓ ?
Frame step
(forwards and backwards) 		? ? ?
Macros/Scripts/Lua ✓ ✓ ?
Movie recording/playback ✓ ✓ ?
Rewind ✓ ✓ ?
Save states ✓ ✓ ?
Misc 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. 		You can use RetroArch's AI Service or the standalone offline bquenin's Interpreter.
Debug features ✓ * ? ?
EmuVR support Exclusive to libretro cores at the moment.
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. 		✗ ✗ ✗
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. 		Exclusive to libretro cores at the moment.
Free Look
Free Look is an enhancement feature that allows manipulation of the in-game camera. 		While freecam would be technically possible, it will require per-game patches.
Said patches would require a significant amount of time to reverse the game's engine, which means that only someone talented with enough dedication to a single game could do it.
Netplay
Should not be confused with JagLink emulation. See hardware features and peripherals. 		✓ ? ?
RetroAchievements ✗ ✓ ~[N2 2]
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. 		? ? ~[N2 2]
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 BigPEmu offers an option to increase blitter speed, making low frame rate titles (e.g., Alien vs. Predator) much more playable. Also features a powerful scripting system. BigPEmu version 1.092 added analog/mouselook support to the AvP, Wolfenstein 3D, Iron Soldier scripts (includes always-strafe and always-run options). To use the new AvP/Wolf3D mouselook, enable the respective script, set either input device 1 or 2 to "Analog" as the device type, and bind the first 2 analog inputs to whatever you choose. Mouse, analog stick, whatever.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Only available for libretro core. Virtual Jaguar libretro core RetroAchievement support.
  3. ↑ Existing RetroArch AA shaders work with it after automatic conversion with the tool.
  4. ↑ There is a project called duimon-bigpemu which implements some of the Mega Bezel shader presets to BigPEmu, by Duimon.
  5. ↑ BigPEmu will auto-detect available display modes (resolutions at ideal frequency) and present them, which should include vertical resolutions down to 200p.

Hardware features and peripherals

Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
Name BigPEmu BizHawk VirtualJaguar
Hardware features System BIOS ✓ ? ?
Peripherals Atari Jaguar CD ✓ ~[lower-alpha 1] ?
Controllers Light gun[lower-alpha 2] ? ? ?
Rotary controller[lower-alpha 3] ✓ ? ?
JagLink ✓ * ✗ ?
Memory Track Cartridge ✓ ? ?
TeamTap ✓ ✗ ?
Ultra Vortek Voice Modem[lower-alpha 4] ? ? ?
Unofficial Atari Lynx connectivity[lower-alpha 5] ? ? ?
CatBox or ScatBox[lower-alpha 6] ✓ ? ?
VR ✓ * ✗ ?
Misc. Jaguar Game Drive Cartridge[lower-alpha 7] ✓ ? ?
? ? ?
  1. ↑ Only a few Jaguar CD games work and playable. All other Jaguar CD games have issues and are nearly unplayable.
  2. ↑ Homebrew only
  3. ↑ Spinner controller with analog stick input instead of (or complimentary to) the standard D-Pad was apparently to be released by Atari but scrapped. Tempest 2000 has hidden rotary mode which supports it. Homebrew game Kobayashi Maru is also known to support it. There're unlicensed 3rd-party controllers, though.
  4. ↑ Around a hundred unreleased prototype units were produced for multiplayer functionality in Ultra Vortek.
  5. ↑ Jaguar's board has ComLynx signal I/O, and you can get a ComLynx cable hooked up with some soldering as Atari planned connectivity support between the two, but there's no official software to run and the feature is unused. Homebrew can be potentially written to utilize it.
  6. ↑ Needed to max out AirCars at 8 players and BattleSphere at 16 players (32 players when two players are playing co-op on a single console). JagLink alone without this will only support 2.
  7. ↑ Enables bank switching in ROMs below 6MB

The Pro Controller is excluded from this list as its extra buttons are mapped to keypad buttons. L and R are mapped to 4 and 6, and Z,Y,X are mapped to 7,8,9. Therefore, there are no game requiring the use of the Pro Controller, and it acts like the standard controller for the purpose of emulation.

Jaguar CD with Audio CD emulation using Duimon shader preset for BigPEmu

Atari Jaguar CD

The Atari Jaguar CD has a double-speed (2×) drive and built-in VLM (Virtual Light Machine) software by Jeff Minter, using a spectrum analyzer for a sophisticated video light show for audio CDs.[1]

Atari CoJag

Main article: Arcade emulators#Home console-based hardware

MAME supports this variant.

Hardware features and peripherals

Name MAME
Different CPUs[N3 1] ?
Extra RAM[N3 2] ?
64-bit ROM bus[N3 3] ?
HDD[N3 4] ?
Compact Flash-To-IDE support[N3 5] ?
Dual lightgun support[N3 6] ?
  1. ↑ Motorola 68020 and MIPS R3000-based instead of Jaguar's Motorola 68000
  2. ↑ 4MB instead of Jaguar's 2MB
  3. ↑ Instead of Jaguar's 32-bit bus
  4. ↑ 1 gigabyte for Area 51 and 2 gigabytes for Maximum Force
  5. ↑ Used by modders instead of HDD
  6. ↑ Jaguar supports only 1 lightgun

Atari(edit)

Retrieved from "https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php?title=Atari_Jaguar_emulators&oldid=137194"