Atari Jaguar emulators

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Atari Jaguar
Developer Atari
Type Home video game console
Generation Fifth generation
Release date November 23, 1993
Discontinued 1996
Predecessor 7800 ProSystem, Panther
Successor VCS
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

Name Platform(s) Latest version Atari CoJag Hardware features and peripherals Enhancements 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 		✓[N 3] ✗ ~ ? GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause		 ✓ ✗
Project Tempest Windows 0.95 ✗ ~* ✗ ? Proprietary ✗ ✗
Tempest 2000 Emulator/T2K Windows 0.06 ✗ ~* ✗ ? Proprietary ✗ ✗ [N 4]
ARM
BigPEmu Windows on ARM Linux ARM iOS 1.221 ✗ ✓ ✓ 100% Proprietary ✓ ✓
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 ✗ ~
MAME Linux Pandora libretro core ✓[N 3] ✗ ~ ? GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause		 ✓ ✗
Console
virtualjaguar_libretro PlayStation 4 Nintendo 3DS Switch libretro core ✗ ✗ ~ ? Proprietary ✓[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. ↑ 3.0 3.1 MAME 0.289 version compatibility status for CoJag.
  4. ↑ 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

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, it still requires necessary prerequisites and dependencies for your operating system. 		✓ ? ?
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 AI service
With the help of OCR and other techniques, the AI service can provide a live translation of a game, or text-to-speech capabilities for the visually impaired among other things, either on demand or automatically. 		Exclusive to libretro cores at the moment.
Debug features ✓ * ? ?
EmuVR support 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]
  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 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

Name BigPEmu BizHawk VirtualJaguar
Hardware features System BIOS ? ? ?
Peripherals Atari Jaguar CD ✓ ~[N3 1] ?
JagLink ✓ * ✗ ?
MemoryTrack Cartridge ✓ ? ?
TeamTap ✓ ✗ ?
VR ✓ * ✗ ?
Misc.
  1. ↑ Only a few Jaguar CD games work and playable. All other Jaguar CD games have issues and are nearly unplayable.

The pro controller is excluded from the list because 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, any Pro Controller can be treated as standard controller for the purpose of emulation.

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

Jaguar CD

The 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]

  • BigPEmu supports both Jaguar CD images and Audio CDs, although for Audio CDs you need to use bios image.
  • See this dedicated page for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
  • See Ripping games.

Atari(edit)

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