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Mednafen only has a command line interface, so its interface might be hard to use to new users.
The best cores in Mednafen are those that are original - which are the PS1, PCE, PC-FX , and Virtual Boy cores. The PCE core is one of the best emulators for that system, with a Fast and Accurate version. The PS1 core is native resolution only, and features a high degree of accuracy and compatibility.<ref>[http://forum.fobby.net/index.php?t=msg&th=1114 Mednafen PSX bugs reports]</ref> The Virtual Boy core is one of the best for the system.
Other cores improve upon emulators that have been long abandoned and rarely updated. These include the Neo Geo Pocket, WonderSwan Color , and Atari Lynx cores.
Other cores are less useful, as there are better options in stand-alone emulators (NES, Genesis, Master System and SNES). These cores might even be based on out-dated versions. For instance, the SNES core is based on an old outdated version of bsnes. This is before the performance/accuracy/balanced cores — 0.50x territory — with a couple of changes by Ryphecha.
'''PlayStation'''
* SCPH5500.bin bin - (NTSC-J) Required for Japan-region games.* SCPH5501.bin bin - (NTSC-U) Required for North America/US-region games.* SCPH5502.bin bin - (PAL) Required for Europe-region games.
'''PCE-CD'''
* mpr-17933.bin
All of these come with the [[Emulator_Files#Multi-System|RetroArch BIOS pack]], and are correctly named.
===CUE===
For most systems, Mednafen only needs the rom ROM file; but to load PS1 games, Mednafen requires CUE sheets to know where the music data is. Ensure that the CUE sheet is properly set up in order for the game to run. See the [[Cue sheet (.cue)]] page for more info.
===Loading a game===
===Graphical enhancements===
====Sprite limit====
This is a feature on older systems, due to hardware limitations, that makes it only display so many sprites could be on screen at the same time. Most systems got around this limitation by alternating which sprites were on the screen each refresh, causing the sprite to flicker. Mednafen's default settings are true to the original system limits, but this can be disabled in the cfg file. Here is the list of options from the cfg file to change from 0 to 1 if you don't wish to have the limit.
* [{{MednafenURL|documentation/nes.html#nes.no8lim}} nes.no8lim]
Searching for new cheat codes is also possible. The general idea being comparing variables, going back to gameplay so that this variable changes then back to the cheat engine searching for any variables that changed in that particular way. For example:
* '''Infinite Health / Ammo / Time / Money:''' you start with 5 hearts, reset search (in the cheat engine, not reset the game you silly!), you get hurt to 4 hearts, search variables that decreased, get healed back to 5 hearts, search variables that increased, and so on. For money , you can start with 0 when you have 0 gold and try earning/spending money. You could try using save states as well when you don't have as much freedom changing the value.
* '''Infinite Lives:''' It's game over when the internal variable for "Lives" is 0. So in some cases, when it shows "REST/LEFT=1" in-game and you lose a life then it becomes 0 but you're still allowed to play on your last life, that means the internal counter for lives has actually changed from 2 to 1 and not from 1 to 0, but in other games (where if you die on "LIVESx1" it's game over) it's not the case. In the case of lives, you actually know the exact value: reset search initially, then (if you have 2 lives on a game that allows you to play on "LEFT=0") search for variables with values equal to 3. Lose a life, search for variables equal 2, and so on.
* '''Character Modifier / Level Modifier / Having an Item:''' reset search, play without changing whatever you're searching for (let's say the stage), do lots of searches for new value equals old value. In-game, change it, then do a new value doesn't equal old value. And so on.
* '''Walk Though Walls / Invincibility / In-game Cheats & Features :''' you need to find the value that tells the character if he can move or not (he can't really move when walking against a wall) / if he's blinking or being invincible right now after getting hurt. Same methods as before, but there are hints that could be useful here -- both states could be 0/1, or something else... for example, one could assume 0 is not enabled and 1 is enabled.
* '''Debug Modes:''' stuff that stays 0 no matter what, extra off-screen inaccessible options in menus, extra dialogue... you name it. Have fun experimenting.
The goal of these searches is to narrow down the list of results to a single or handful of addresses (variables) pertinent directly to whatever we're searching for. The search always starts with "Reset Search", going back in-game (Alt+C) to play and change stuff, then back to the cheat engine to compare the "Original" value with the "Current" value. Then you check the results page which must get smaller and smaller (if it's 0 results, you screwed up and need to reset search to try again). The comparing options offered by Mednafen are as follow, with O being the Original value, and C being the Current value (when you reset a search, they're the same):
# '''O==V1 && C==V2''' if you know the explicit numerical values for the variable you write it here. First The first time, just write the same value in both. Subsequent times, leave O blank and press Enter so that you don't write the old value again, and write the current value under C.
# '''O==V1 && |O-C|==V2''' same, but instead of writing the current value you write by how much it changed (0 if old value equals new value)
# '''|O-C|==V2''' you write by how much it changed (0 if old value equals new value)
Here's the full documentation: {{MednafenURL|documentation/fname_format.txt}}
Emulation bugs, crashes , and save states can corrupt your memory card data.
===Transfer===
Mednafen creates memory card files for each individual game, in contrast to PCSX-R/ePSXe where all game saves are stored into 2 memory card files. To transfer memory card files from PCSX-R/ePSXe to RetroArch:
* Start the game in RetroArch.* Go to the system folder. Copy the names of the .mcr files created for the game.
* Delete them.
* Rename the files you want to transfer with the names of the RetroArch memcard files.
* Netcode allows for people to join a game that's already in session
* In-game chat
* Playing it full -screen works (sometimes)
|-
| '''CONS''' ||
* Only supports 2 players on Genesis
* Frontend doesn't always save settings correctly
* Frontend defaults to detecting compressed ROM archives instead of the actual ROMs (you can still load uncompressed ROMs by selecting "All files *.*" from the dropdown drop-down menu)
|}
# Run MedGui.exe
# You'll get a small window. On your left, you'll see two arrow buttons with a console/handheld icon in between. Choose your desired platform.
# Click the button with the blue lightning icon and look for the folder that contains your game(s). The emulator looks for compressed archives by default, but you can still load uncompressed files by clicking on the drop -down menu.
# Pick your game.
# Click the button with a checkered red ball and joystick to start the game.
# When you're done fiddling with your settings, click Create standard.conf
# Click Create Server. A cmd window will appear.
# Click My IP to obtain your external IP address, and share it along with your port to your friend(s).
# Launch the game.
# Press T, and type /server localhost.
#* "Password", blank if there is none.
#* "Nickname" where you type whatever you want.
#* "Localplayer" is the number of players that will also be playing from on one computer.
#* "Small font" which makes the chat font smaller.
# When you're done fiddling with your settings, launch the game.
You can chat in-game by pressing T. Also, remember that you can drop in and out of the game at any time, so you don't need to reset the game if someone accidentally disconnects.
There are way too many settings, commands , and features to list, so take a look at the emulator's documentation.
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