Emulators on BSD

From Emulation General Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
BSD
BSD Daemon.png
Type Operating Systems
Discontinued [N 1]
Earliest release BSD 1978
FreeBSD 1993
OpenBSD 1996
NetBSD 1993
Latest release BSD 4.4-Lite2 (1995)
FreeBSD 14.0
OpenBSD 7.4
NetBSD 9.3
Successor FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD.
Other BSD descendants
This page is about software on BSD Variants that emulates other hardware, like video game consoles.
For software that can run BSD variants on other Operating Systems, see Hypervisors.

BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution) was originally developed by the University of California, Berkeley where the Berkeley in BSD comes from. there are many BSD descendents. such as the ones focused here, FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD. And ones not focused here due to due to BSD's permissive licensing. BSD code has been used in macOS, PS3, PS4, PS5 and the Nintendo Switch.

Before diving in;
  • This list is currently taken from console specific pages. If you want to add to this list test emulators work on BSD (FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc.) and add them to this list and add BSD to the console specific list of supported platforms. Some emulators that target Linux might have community made instructions/ports for some variants of BSD. Like Linux, Windows programs might run under Wine on FreeBSD. FreeBSD has the widest support for emulation software currently, because of this fact this article has a bias towards FreeBSD. See this page for recommended specifications.
  • See each Wiki Category Consoles, Computers and Arcade for individual dedicated system pages to see provided up-to-date listings and in-depth information on specific aspects like hardware features, peripheral support, compatibility and also enhancements features etc.
  • Some games have Game engine recreations and source ports that run on BSD, which can be the better than emulators for their specific games.

Contents

Atari

Atari 8-bit family

Name Latest version Models XEGS libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Atari800 5.2.0 400, 800, XL, XE Cycle GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Atari++ 1.84 400, 800, XL, XE Cycle TPL (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 Good: 400, 800
Basic: XL, XE
? GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
~

Atari ST

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
Hatari 2.5.0 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
ARAnyM git GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Steem Engine 3.2 GPLv3 (Copyleft)
PCE/atarist pce-20191006 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
CaSTaway 0.9.2 GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Atari 2600

Name Latest version libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Stella 7.0 Cycle GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 Cycle GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
z26 4.07 High GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~
CLK 2024-10-19 Mid MIT (Permissive)
Stellarator git ? BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)

Atari 5200

Name Latest version libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Atari800 5.2.0 Cycle GPLv2 (Copyleft)
kat5200 0.8.1 ? GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 Mid GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Jum52 git ? Custom (Source-available)

Atari 7800

Name Latest version libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 High GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
A7800 5.2 High GPLv2 (Copyleft)
ProSystem git (libretro) ? GPLv2 (Copyleft) [N 2]

Atari Jaguar

Name Latest version AJ-CD libretro License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 ~ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Atari Lynx

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
Mednafen 1.32.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Nintendo

Nintendo Entertainment System

Name Latest version FDS libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Mesen 2.0.0 (preview) Cycle GPLv3 (Copyleft)
Nestopia UE 1.52.1 Cycle
puNES 0.111 Cycle GPLv2 (Copyleft)
FinalBurn Neo WIP builds ? Non-commercial
iNES 6.1 High ?
FCEUX 2.6.6 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 Mid GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
QuickNES git (libretro) ? Low GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Name Version Satellaview libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
bsnes
(Official)
v115 Cycle GPLv3 (Copyleft)
bsnes-hd
(forked bsnes)
beta 10.6 Cycle GPLv3 (Copyleft)
higan (火眼) v110 Cycle GPLv3 (Copyleft)
Snes9x 1.63 High Non-commercial ~
Mednafen (SNES-Faust) 1.32.1 ? GPLv2 (Copyleft)
nSide (forked higan) git Cycle GPLv3 (Copyleft)
Mednafen (bsnes v059) 1.32.1 High GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 Low GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
CATSFC 1.36 Low Non-commercial
GPLv2

Nintendo 64

Name Latest version Plugins Controller Pak Rumble Pak Transfer Pak 64DD libretro License Active Recommended
Mupen64Plus git GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

GameCube / Wii / Triforce

Name Latest version GameCube Wii Triforce libretro License Active Recommended
Dolphin Dev ~[N 3] [N 4] GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Nintendo DS

Name Latest version DSi libretro License Active Recommended
melonDS 0.9.5
Dev Builds
~ GPLv3 (Copyleft)

Game Boy Advance

Name Latest version Game Link Support e-Reader libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
mGBA 0.10.3 Mid MPL 2.0 (Copyleft)
higan (火眼) v110 ? GPLv3 (Copyleft)
VBA-M 2.1.11 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Virtual Boy

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
Mednafen 1.32.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Rustual Boy git Dual licensed ({{License|Permissive) (Apache 2.0 or MIT) ~
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Planet Virtual Boy emulator 2019-03-27 zlib License (Permissive)
Red Dragon 0.38 Final ?

Game Boy / Game Boy Color

Name Latest version Game Link Support libretro License Active Recommended
SameBoy 0.16.7 [N 5] MIT (Permissive)
Gearboy 3.5.0 GPLv3 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
~
Emulicious 2024-08-31 Proprietary ~

Game & Watch

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
DSP 0.23Final Non-commercial

Sega

SG-1000

Name Latest version SC-3000 SF-7000 libretro License Active Recommended
MasterGear 4.9.3 Proprietary
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Genesis Plus GX[N 6] 1.7.5 RC1 Non-commercial ~
higan (火眼) v110 ~ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~
Gearsystem 3.5.0 GPLv3 (Copyleft)
blueMSX 2.8.2 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MEKA 0.8-alpha (2023-08-26) Non-commercial
DarcNES 9b0401/9b0313 ~ Non-commercial
CoolCV 0.6.9 Proprietary

Master System / Game Gear

Name Latest version GG libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Genesis Plus GX[N 6] 1.7.5 RC1 Very high Non-commercial
MAME 0.271 High GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Emulicious 2024-08-31 Very high Proprietary ~
higan (火眼) v110 High GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~
Gearsystem 3.5.0 High GPLv3 (Copyleft)
MasterGear 4.9.3 High Proprietary
PicoDrive 1.93 [N 7] Mid Non-commercial

Genesis / MegaDrive / CD / 32X

Name Latest version CD 32X Pico libretro License Active Recommended
Genesis Plus GX[N 6] 1.7.5 RC1 Non-commercial
PicoDrive 1.93 Non-commercial
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Gens/GS r7 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
DGen 1.33 BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)
GENS 2.14 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
higan (火眼) v110 ~ (bsnes) GPLv3 (Copyleft)

Saturn / ST-V

Name Latest version ST-V libretro License Active Recommended
Mednafen 1.32.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Yabause 0.9.15 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Dreamcast / Naomi

Name Latest version Naomi Atomiswave Windows CE libretro License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 ~ ~ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Sega VMU

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
SoftVMS 1.10 (source only) ? ~
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

NEC

NEC PC-6000

Emulator Latest Version libretro License Active Recommended
PC6001VX 4.2.9 LGPLv2.1 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

NEC PC-8800

Emulator Latest Version libretro License Active Recommended
XM8 1.70 ?
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
~[N 8]
QUASI88
quasi88_libretro
libretro core
0.6.4
~[N 9] ~
X88000 1.5.3 ?

NEC PC-9800

Name Latest version libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Neko Project II kai (猫Project II改) git High ? ~
Neko Project II 0.86 Mid ?
MAME 0.271 Low GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
~

PC Engine / PC Engine CD / SuperGrafx

Name Latest version PCE-CD SuperGrafx libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Mednafen (PCE-Accurate) 1.32.1 High GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 High GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Mednafen (PCE-Fast) 1.32.1 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)
higan (火眼) v110 ~ ? GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~
DarcNES 9b0401/9b0313 ~ Low ?

PC-FX

Name Latest version GA libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
Mednafen 1.32.1 TBD Mid-High GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 ~ Mid GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
MagicEngine-FX 1.1.1 TBD Low Proprietary

Sony

PlayStation

Name Version Plugins License libretro RIR Accuracy Active Recommended
Mednafen 1.32.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft) High
PCSX-Redux git GPLv2 (Copyleft) ? (WIP)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Mid (WIP)

Pocket Station

Name Latest version libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 High GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

PlayStation Portable

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
PPSSPP 1.18.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Microsoft

MSX series

Name Latest version MSX 1 MSX 2 MSX 2+ TurboR Accuracy libretro License Active Recommended
openMSX git Cycle GPLv2 (Copyleft)
blueMSX 2.8.2 Cycle GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 ~ High GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
fMSX 6.0 Mid Non-commercial ~
DarcNES 9b0401/9b0313 ~ Low Non-commercial

Apple

Apple I

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
~

Apple II Line

Name Latest version ][ ][+ //e IIc //e Enhanced //e Platinum IIc Plus IIGS License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
MicroM8 Continuous Proprietary
Mednafen 1.32.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ (WIP)
DarcNES 9b0401/9b0313 Non-commercial

Apple /// Line

Name Latest version /// /// Revised /// Plus License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Apple IIGS

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Apple Lisa

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
LisaEm 1.2.7 GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~*
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Macintosh line

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
68k
vMac 0.19 ?

SNK Corporation

Neo Geo and variants

Name Latest version NG NG-CD HNG-64 libretro License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 ~ [N 10] GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Neo Geo Pocket

Name Latest version NGP NGPC libretro License Active Recommended
Mednafen 1.32.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
higan (火眼) v110 GPLv3 (Copyleft)

Commodore

Commodore 64 & 128

Name Latest version libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
VICE (x64sc) 3.8 Very high GPLv2 (Copyleft)
VICE (x64) 3.8[N 11] High GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~
MAME 0.271 Mid GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Commodore 65

Name Latest version libretro Accuracy License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 Low GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Amiga Line

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
FS-UAE 3.0.5 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
CLK 2024-10-19 MIT (Permissive)

x86 CPUs

Name Latest version 8086*¹ 286 386*² 486*³ Pentium*⁴ Pentium II*⁵ Celeron*⁶ libretro License Active Recommended
DOSBox 0.74-3
SVN
GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Bochs 2.8 LGPLv2.1 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 ~ ~ ~ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
QEMU 9.1.0 [N 12] GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Sinclair

ZX81

Name Latest version libretro License Relative Speed[N 13] Active Recommended
ZEsarUX 11.0 GPLv3 (Copyleft) 110.9%
SZ81
(xz80 & z81 based)
2.1.7
2.3.10 (Unofficial)
GPLv2 (Copyleft) 100.0% ~
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
Not tested

ZX Spectrum

Name Latest Version Libretro Core License Active Recommended
FUSE 1.5.7 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Speccy 5.9 Proprietary
ZEsarUX 11.0 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Xpeccy 0.6.20241015 MIT (Permissive)
DSP git Non-commercial
fbzx git GPLv3 (Copyleft)
JSpeccy git ?
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Acorn Computers

BBC Micro/BBC Master

Name Latest version BBC Micro BBC Master License Active Recommended
BeebEM git B, B+, M128 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
B-em 2.2, git A, B, B+, M128, MC MT, M512
B2 git B, B+, M128 GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Electron

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
CLK git MIT (Permissive)
eek git GPLv2 (Copyleft)
ElectrEm 0.6c GPLv2 (Copyleft)
ElkJS git ?
Elkulator git GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Multi (Atom, Micro, Electron)

Name Latest version Atom BBC Micro BBC Master Electron License Recommended
MAME 0.271 A, B, B+, M128 ? GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Archimedes

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
ArcEm 1.50 GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Risc PC / A7000

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
RPCEmu 0.9.4 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Miscellaneous

Panasonic (3DO)

Name Latest version Libretro Retro achievements License Active Recommended
4DO 1.3.2.4 Non-commercial
Opera libretro core Non-commercial
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause

Phillips (CD-i)

Name Latest Version DVC libretro Retro
Achievements
License Active Recommended
Same CDi
same_cdi_libretro
libretro core * GPLv2 (Copyleft)
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
*

GamePark Holdings

GP32

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
MAME 0.271 GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause
~

GP2X

THERE ARE NO EMULATORS FOR THIS PLATFORM.

IBM

System 370/390/z

Name Latest version libretro License Active Recommended
Hercules 3.07 Q Public License

See also

Emulators on other systems
Calculators
CasioNumWorksTIHP
Handheld computers
PandoraDragonBox PyraPocketChip
Mobile
AndroidiOSMREJava
Microcontrollers
STM32ESP8266ESP32TM4C
Home computers
Commodore 64VIC-20BBC MicroTandy Color Computer 2
Dragon 32/64Coleco AdamZX SpectrumCambridge Z88Atari 8-bitAtari STPC-8800PC-9800
Other
RockboxiPodtvOSUEFIbrowsersRetroFWArduinoPocketSpritePICO-8TIC-80
Operating systems
Modern: WindowsLinuxmacOSWindows on ARMRaspberry PiBSD

Legacy (Microsoft): DOSWindows 3.xWindows 9xEnterprise Windows NTWindows XPWindows 7
Legacy (other): IRIXBeOSTowns OSClassic Mac OSNeXTSTEPOS/2TempleOSSunsOS

Legacy mobile (Microsoft): Windows CEPocket PCWindows MobileWindows PhoneWindows RT
Legacy mobile (other): MeeGoPalm OSSymbianEPOCBlackberry OSMediOSZaurus

Other: AmigaOSRISC OSQNXKaiOSKolibriOSMorphOSHaikuMaemoToaruOSSolarisZealOSRedox

Notes

  1. The Original BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution) was discontinued in 1995 but still has active descendents
  2. Main branch is dead, but the libretro core is still alive.
  3. Requires the Triforce branch to work. It is very old and unsupported.
  4. At Alpha release and has bugs that are not present on standalone Dolphin.
  5. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Only available on PC as a libretro core (e.g. RetroArch).
  6. The Game Gear emulation doesn't work.
  7. As of Version 0.251, NEC PC-8801MA, NEC PC-8801MH, and NEC PC-8801mkIISR, and the clones: NEC PC-8801FA, NEC PC-8801MA2, NEC PC-8801mkIIFR and NEC PC-8801mkIIMR have been promoted to working status and is considered playable
  8. Only libretro core is still active.
  9. As 0.153 (2014), 0.139 (2010), 0.78 (2003)
  10. Source only, pass '--enable-x64' to configure
  11. Supports the Conroe model.
  12. As calculated by Carlo Delhez's clkfreq, originally distributed with his XTender emulator. The ZX81 has relatively complicated timing mechanics, depending on signalling of WAIT during NMI; relative speed is a measurement of how closely an emulator matches a real machine in terms of clock cycles spent processing within a frame. 100.0% denotes the same execution speed as a real machine.