Changes

The N64 emulation scene has had previously been described as a broken mess, the very definition of plugin hell. With recent developments in the scene, however, the situation has markedly improved, and it is no longer considered necessary to have multiple emulators and plugins on hand to get most games to work. This page is an attempt to make sense of will outline the madness best plugins currently available for the benefit of both the casual and enthusiast looking to get their N64 emulation fix.

Note ==The Plugin Specs==To understand the current plugin situation, and why there are several competing emulators that these all appear to use the same plugins will NOT work on [[Mupen64Plus]]but said plugins are not compatible across emulators, as its developers elected to move away from Zilmar's plugin spec and developed their owna bit of history is in order. As suchfor the terms HLE and LLE, it has its own pluginswhich will occur with frequency throughout this page, and recommendations can be found at its wiki the difference between them, it is recommended to read this pageon [[High/Low level emulation]] beforehand.

To illustrate the point, [http://wwwbhemuhelp.pj64-emuunaux.com/ Project64 2n64mgcl/N64ConfigList.1html here] - The most recent version of Project64is a site that, as late as 2012, was dedicated to documenting the exact emulator, now public plugin and settings combination necessary to get each and open source (though the official download asks you every game to install useless toolbars)at least a playable state, if at all possible. Its RDB is somewhat outdatedUnsurprisingly, and some games have issues with audio and timing regardless this situation often led to a lot of plugin setup unless you mess around with timing settings. Some confusion from users have also reported problems with BSODs, who often wondered why there were so many plugins, and which apparently may be an issue with outdated Windows system files. Howeverones were the best to use, only to find out it often depended on the user interface is quite a bit nicer game, and easier even then, some games would refuse to usework as intended no matter what was tried. Hence the label "plugin hell" was coined, and switching between RSP plugins is far easier than in 1.6. It also fixed stuck as a number description of the travails of trying to emulate N64 games that were completely broken in 1.6, such as Kirby 64well into the 2010's.

[http://wwwHowever, as time went on, things began to change, though slowly at first.pj64-emu1964's development eventually ceased, and it completely fell off the radar.com/ Project64 1.6Mupen64 was forked into [[Mupen64Plus]] - The and developed its own plugin spec that was incompatible with the older but more stable version. The interface is slightly clunkierzilmar spec, and switching between RSP making it unable to use existing plugins is a pain (the desired RSP plugin must be named rspunless they were specifically ported to it.dll for This left only Project64 as the only relevant and active emulator to see it and use it)still using the zilmar spec. For some time, but timing issues are less severethen, it has a more upthis left the fledgling Mupen64Plus missing out on most cutting-to-date RDB at the momentedge plugin development, and many of the later improvements as most people were ported back through Jabo's 1.6.1 patchstill using Project64.

A semblance of parity began to come about as a result of several major developments: first, Mupen64Plus itself was forked by the [http://1964js.com/ 1964[libretro]] - An open source team, which made many changes and improvements to the core emulator , and long-time competitor to Project64integrated its plugins into the core itself. Some Second, gonetz, the developer of its iterations Glide64, unveiled his newest plugin, GLideN64, which would officially support both the zilmar and Mupen64Plus specs from the beginning. Third, the Angrylion plugin, which is the most accurate and compatible (such as 1964 Ultrafastand slowest) have video plugin there is but was initially only available for the ability zilmar spec, was ported to overclock Mupen64Plus and integrated into the N64's CPUlibretro fork. Finally, Themaister, one of the creators of libretro and [[RetroArch]], began developing a unique plugin initially exclusive to libretro known as ParaLLEl-RDP, which results in smoother framerate essentially Angrylion running on games the GPU through Vulkan compute shaders, enabling near-perfect N64 graphics emulation at actually playable speeds. Add to this the fact that have a lot most PCs and many mobile devices are now more than capable enough of slowdownrunning the most advanced plugins, such as Perfect Dark and Conker's Bad Fur Day. The last stable version released by the original team was 1.1plugin situation, who then went on to remake it as once considered a web emulator written in JavaScriptlabyrinth, though some community members kept it going up has been greatly simplified to version [http://code.google.com/p/emu-1964/ 1.2 r146], with mixed results. It is generally recommended to stick to version 1.1 except on certain special just needing a few for the vast majority of use cases.

[http://mupen64.emulation64.com/ Mupen64 0.5.1] - An open sourceAll that said, multiplatform N64 emulator. Its last official update was in 2005, making it quite old, though it the issue is capable of properly playing many games that the other emulators do not. It features an HLE RSP there are now three plugin that is often faster than that found in Project64. Its modern, spiritual successor is [[Mupen64Plus]], which chose standards to depart from Zilmar's plugin spec, rendering it incompatible with the plugins discussed in this page.account for:

*The zilmar spec - Utilized by Project64 and most other legacy emulators; only Project64 still uses it today.* *The Mupen64Plus spec - Utilized by Mupen64Plus and most of its forks. *Libretro - Not really a spec per se, as the plugins are integrated directly into the libretro core, so there's no DLL files to download or add. As of right now, not all plugins are readily available on all three. Consult the tables below for reference: {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"! scope="col"|Name! scope="col"|Latest Version! scope="col"|Project64! scope="col"|Mupen64Plus! scope="col"|Libretro! scope="col"|HLE! scope="col"|LLE! scope="col"|Widescreen Hack! scope="col"|Custom Texture Packs! scope="col"|Recommended|-!colspan="13"|Video Plugins|-|ParaLLEl-RDP|[httphttps://wwwgithub.mediafirecom/Themaister/parallel-rdp git]|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|-|GLideN64|[https://github.com/downloadgonetz/GLideN64/releases/tag/github-actions github-actions]|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|-|Angrylion RDP Plus|[https://github.com/ata4/angrylion-rdp-plus/releases/tag/nightly-build Nightly builds]<br/>[https://github.com/ata4/angrylion-rdp-plus/releases/57bgvkraykpylswtag/N64_Emulator_Packv1.rar This pack6 1.6] has these four |{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|-|Glide64**|Final|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{~}}|-|Jabo's Direct3D8|1.7.0.57-ver5|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|-|Rice Video|0.4.4|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|-|glN64|0.4.1|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|-|z64gl|R17|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|-|Angrylion (Official)|r114|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|} <nowiki>*</nowiki>It should be noted that Project64 after version 2.x made some changes to the zilmar plugin spec, and while it remains backwards compatible with the older version of the spec (meaning most older plugins will still work with Project64), plugins targeting the newer version will not work on older versions of Project64 or other zilmar spec-based emulators. <nowiki>**</nowiki>Funnily enough, Glide64 actually DOES have LLE code (much of it apparently comes from z64gl) and can technically run in LLE mode by using it alongside an LLE RSP plugin such as CXD4. However, it is not a few older complete implementation, and special or modified versionsactually trying to run it in such a mode results in massive visual glitches, making it unusable. Practically speaking, then, Glide64 cannot be considered a true LLE plugin, and more obscure will not be designated as such, nor was it ever meant to be. {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"! scope="col"|Name! scope="col"|Latest Version! scope="col"|Project64! scope="col"|Mupen64Plus! scope="col"|Libretro! scope="col"|HLE Compatible*! scope="col"|LLE Compatible*! scope="col"|Recommended|-!colspan="13"|RSP Plugins|-|Project64 RSP|1.7|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|-|Mupen64Plus HLE RSP|[https://github.com/mupen64plus/mupen64plus-rsp-hle git]|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|-|Static Interpreter/CXD4|[https://github.com/cxd4/rsp git]|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|-|ParaLLEl-RSP|[https://github.com/Themaister/parallel-rsp git]|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|-|Mupen64 HLE RSP|0.5.1|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|-|z64|r17|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|{{✗}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|} <nowiki>*</nowiki>These terms signify whether an RSP plugin can work alongside HLE and/or LLE audio and largely irrelevant emulators added only video plugins. As for specific fringe casesthe type of emulation employed by the RSP plugins themselves, as well as every plugin discussed all but the Mupen64/plus HLE RSP plugins are LLE in this page nature. The LLE RSP plugins that can work with HLE plugins do so by passing the N64 display and moreaudio lists onto the plugins themselves.

GLideN64 requires at least OpenGL 3.3 in the latest versions to run, and OpenGL 4.x for some advanced functions, making this plugin more demanding than the plugins that came before it, though modern GPUs should be ok, even on mobile. It is not without its share of issues to this day, however. There are still several HLE bugs left to resolve, and its LLE mode, while much improved over z64gl's, is still not quite as developed as its HLE mode, and some of the plugin's enhancement features are disabled in this mode. Since it is hardware-rendered even in LLE, there are issues that may never be quite resolved due to inherent differences between the N64 hardware and the OpenGL API. It is advisable to use this over ParaLLEl-RDP only if you are unable to run the latter in HD at full speed or if further enhancements such as widescreen hacks and hi-res textures are desired. ====[https://github.com/ata4/angrylion-rdp-plus/releases Angrylion RDP Plus]====This is a fork of Angrylion's RDP that supports multithreading. It is included in [https://64dd.org/downloads.html this build] of Project64 and in both N64 libretro cores. The standalone plugin version uses OpenGL 3.3 for drawing the picture and also supports Linux. The multi-threading helps boost performance significantly, as does using it alongside an RSP plugin with a recompiler such as ParaLLEl-RSP, but some games are still not full speed even on a Core i7-8700K. It also allows you to disable VI filters for slightly better performance. This fork has at least one accuracy regression compared to the official version of Angrylion. Since it is a CPU-bound, software-rendered plugin, it has no enhancement options of any kind - what you see is what you get, exactly like on a real N64. Use this only if running a relatively fast CPU and ParaLLEl-RDP does not work with your GPU for whatever reason. ====Glide64====The former best general-use plugin. Versions of this are included in Project64, mainline Mupen64Plus, and the ParaLLEl-N64 libretro core. While it is no longer updated and is far less accurate and compatible than the newer offerings, it still has a few use cases, such as better support for older ROM hacks. It works relatively well for many (most?) games, has support for hi-res textures, and it is also faster than the newer plugins, which makes it suitable for slower devices such as the older Raspberry Pis. Otherwise, to ensure the highest possible compatibility, stick to either ParaLLEl-RDP or GLideN64. Note that the Project64 version of Glide64 has been renamed to Project64 Video and has undergone some changes and rewrites since it was initially forked, and thus may contain regressions compared to the last official standalone release of the plugin by Gonetz. Since this fork only works with current versions of Project64, should you wish to use this plugin on an older zilmar-spec emulator like 1964 or the original Mupen64, or if you want to avoid potential regressions with the Project64 version, use [https://storage.googleapis.com/google-code-archive-downloads/v2/code.google.com/glidehqplusglitch64/Glide64_Final.zip Glide64 Final] instead. ===Deprecated Plugins===The following video plugins are old and deprecated, and should not be used or considered unless you have a VERY old or underpowered device that cannot handle the recommended plugins, or there's a very specific use case not covered by modern implementations. *Jabo's Direct3D Direct3D8 - Comes with Project64, and was once its default video plugin. Very speedy, can potentially look the prettiest due to has built-in AA and AF options, and is the only plugin with includes a [[Widescreen_Hack|widescreen hack]]. The most recent version included with the most recent versions of Project64 2.x (1.7.0.57-ver5) is somewhat buggy and has regressions, however, so the version included in . [http://www.jabosoft.com/articles/114 Jabo's 1.6.1 patch] is recommended instead for most casesbetter, though the former version 1.7 can run in LLE mode, which can help with a few games. Sadly, it will likely never see another update again.*Glide64 - Also comes with Project64 as of version 2.1. Often much more accurate and compatible than Jabo's plugin, and has a wealth of options, though it can be slower on lower end machines, and may not work on integrated graphics. Stillis still included in Project64 to this day, it is overall no longer the best plugin for general use. The 2.0.0.1 version bundled with Project64 2.1 may default, and should not be used unless you have some regressions, however, so [http://code.google.com/p/glidehqplusglitch64/ a very old PC that cannot handle Glide64 Final] may be worth keeping around just in case. Is likely to see some updates in the future as Project64 developsor GLideN64.*[http://www.emutalk.net/threads/54166-Rice-Video-Community-version Rice Video] - A very fast, highly configurable video plugin primarily based around the Direct3D API. It was once famous for its ability being the first plugin that allowed the user to load [[Texture_Packs|custom hi-res textures]], making which made it a popular plugin within the N64 emulation community. The 1964 team eventually at one point annexed it as its official video plugin, renaming it 1964Video. There are many versions and forks of it floating around, either all aiming to fix issues or add features(one fork even featured early shader support), and forks of it are included in mainline Mupen64Plus and in the ParaLLEl-N64 libretro core. For the most part, howeverHowever, even during its heyday it has fallen lagged behind Glide64 and even Jabo in comparison to Jabo's both compatibility and accuracy, and once Glide64, which can now also gained the ability to load hi-res custom textures, there remained little reason to use it beyond its speed. A "Community Version" popped up that aimed at improving it and fixing its issues, but it ended up introducing many regressions compared to older versions and the effort was eventually abandoned. As such, none of its variations are recommended for general use unless there's a very specific fringe case (such as some really old texture packs or ROM hacks) or you're are trying to emulate on a toastervery old and/or severely underpowered PC or handheld device. If you are absolutely resolved to try it out, seek out the original versions by Rice, primarily 6.1.0 or 6.1.1b, and stick to the Direct3D renderer, as the OpenGL backend included in some versions is buggy and incomplete outside of the Mupen64Plus fork.*[http://www.emutalk.net/threads/40640-Z64-a-LLE-graphics-plugin z64gl] - A hardware-rendered, low-level plugin developed by ziggy, derived from MAME's N64 driver. A fork is maintained by the Mupen64Plus team, though not included in their official releases. It has was once notable for being one of the only plugins that could play games without an HLE microcode implementation such as Rogue Squadron. However, it was rather glitchy, had higher system requirements than the capability HLE plugins, needed an LLE RSP plugin to render at work (such as the N64bundled z64 RSP or Project64's native resolution in case you don't like super sharp polygons with low-res textures. Requirements may be heavier than Jabo's and Glide64RSP plugin set to LLE graphics), and configuration requires required editing the config file directly. Needs an accompanying RSP pluginA [https://github. Overallcom/purplemarshmallow/z64/tree/angrylion-integration fork] cropped up that aimed at improving it, but it tends to be a little glitchydid not get very far. Nowadays, but it 's obsolete, as GLideN64 can now play every game through HLE (thus subverting z64gl's only selling point), and its LLE has been surpassed by Angrylion-derived plugins and even GLideN64's LLE mode.*[https://sourceforge.net/p/angrylions-stuff/code/HEAD/tree/ Official Angrylion RDP] - A software-rendered, hardware-accurate plugin, developed by angrylion (though derived from MAME, much like z64gl). This is one the most accurate N64 video plugin in existence, emulating almost* every facet of the only plugins N64's RDP precisely and thus making it capable of properly displaying difficult games playing almost every single game in the N64 library with no issues, fixing even notorious cases such as Rogue Squadronthe ''Pokémon Snap'' red dot and the ''Body Harvest'' bridge. May see some updates or future plugins based This, however, comes at the cost of insane CPU requirements while making games look like, well, N64 games running on real hardware, which means native resolution, no widescreen, no hi-res textures - just the N64 in its codefull, vaseline-covered glory. Since this particular version is single-threaded, uses DirectDraw and is Windows only, it is recommended to use Angrylion RDP Plus or ParaLLEl-RDP instead, which offer much more reasonable performance. Only try it out if you have a tricked-out rig and want to test your CPU's mettle, or if you can compile it from source and need it for testing/debugging purposes, as the latest updates are always made to this version first.*[http://forumwww.emutalk.pj64net/threads/55481-angrylion-s-Per-Pixel-emu.comRDP-with-OpenGL HatCat/showthread.php?t=3739 Shunyuanangrylion's SoftGraphicPixel-Accurate N64 Plugin] - Based on angrylionThis is a fork of Angrylion's RDP , done by HatCat. It has some optimizations not present in the official code , but is outdated and lacking some accuracy improvements and optimizations written by Angrylion. It has the option to disable the MAME/MESS RDPVI filters (which gives a speed boost), it is hands down as well as the most accurate video plugin ability to set custom resolutions. Also, this version uses OpenGL 1.x instead of allDirect Draw and supports Linux. Renders pixel-perfect native resolution N64 graphicsObsoleted by newer forks such as Angrylion RDP Plus. However, as it  Below is a pure software renderergallery comparing how many of these plugins handle Mario Tennis, it requires a very powerful CPU hard-to run at an acceptable speed-emulate game with many special effects that few plugins get right. Has nothing in Pay attention to the scoreboard on the top left, the MPH indicator on the top right, the NPCs on the back, shadows below the characters, and the trail and sparkle effects on the way of options other than turning off tennis ball and rackets. Only GLideN64 and the Angrylion-derived plugins emulate it correctly: <gallery widths="300" mode="packed">Mario Tennis Rice.png|Mario Tennis running on ParaLLEl-N64 using Rice. Missing various effects, heavily glitched court.Mario Tennis Glide64.png|Mario Tennis running on ParaLLEl-N64's internal filtering using Glide64. Missing various effects and antishadows, some glitches.Mario Tennis glN64.png|Mario Tennis running on ParaLLEl-N64 using glN64. Missing various effects; shadows are present, but glitched.Mario Tennis GLideN64 HLE.png|Mario Tennis running on Mupen64Plus-Next using GLideN64 in HLE mode with 16xMSAA. Minor text cutoff on bottom of scoreboard.Mario Tennis GLideN64 LLE.png|Mario Tennis running on Mupen64Plus-Next using GLideN64 in LLE mode with 16xMSAA. Minor text cutoff on bottom of scoreboard. Has slight polygon jitter not present in HLE.Mario Tennis ParaLLEl 1x.png|Mario Tennis running on Mupen64Plus-Next using ParaLLEl-aliasingRDP at native resolution. Identical to Angrylion, which gives and thus a good performance boostpixel-perfect representation of real hardware.Mario Tennis ParaLLEl 4x Downsampled.png|Mario Tennis running on Mupen64Plus-Next using ParaLLEl-RDP rendering at 4x resolution, then downsampled back to native resolution.Mario Tennis ParaLLEl 4x.png|Mario Tennis running on Mupen64Plus-Next using ParaLLEl-RDP rendering at 4x resolution. Has very slight polygon jitter, though less than GLideN64 in LLE.</gallery> <nowiki>*</nowiki> There is at least [https://sourceforge. Still under active developmentnet/p/angrylions-stuff/tickets/10/ one known, so expect future performance optimizations and optionsrelatively minor graphical glitch in Pokemon Snap] (go figure) using Angrylion that requires currently-unimplemented cycle-accurate behavior to fix without resorting to hacks.

This section will only cover the zilmar spec plugins, as Mupen64Plus does not have any alternative audio plugins besides the default, and neither do the libretro forks. *Project64 Audio - The default audio plugin for Project64, apparently loosely based off of code from Mupen64Plus's HLE RSP. Very barebones, with no options to speak off.*Jabo's DirectSound - Comes with Project64. It works fine for the most part, but some games may not play nice with it. It is a low-level plugin, so it needs an accompanying LLE RSP plugin. Will probably never be updated again.*[http://www.emutalk.net/threads/27610-Audio-v0-56-WIP2-Download-Feedback Azimer's HLE Audio] - This popular HLE audio plugin boasts high compatibility. Version 0.56WIP2 is old as hell, but it is the tried and true standard to which audio plugins are compared against. Recently, Azimer came out with [httphttps://wwwgithub.emutalk.netcom/threadsAzimer/54525-Audio-v0-60-Feedback version 0.60WIP2AziAudio Azimer open sourced his plugin], and there were plans to integrate it into Project64, though it this has yet to happen. While the latest development versions have a few issues, it now works in LLE, and has integrated code from Mupen64Plus's HLE RSP plugin, allowing it to work with the Factor 5 and BOSS games even in HLE.*[http://forum.pj64-emu.com/showthread.php?t=3644 Shunyuan's HLE Audio] - Needs more testingAn audio plugin, but so far it appears to be a great sound apparently based on 1964Audio and HatCat's RSP plugin. Can run in both LLE and HLE modes despite the name, though the HLE mode just makes it run an outdated, baked-in version of HatCat's RSP, which makes it not a true HLE plugin. Under constant development, so expect further improvementsHas been abandoned after charges of just taking others' code without revealing a source. If games run at a weird speed using this plugin, go to the ROM's Game Settings, and disable Fixed Audio Timing and Sync using Audio. Though it worked surprisingly well despite its Frankenstein nature, modern development versions of Project64 no longer work with it, apparently due to it depending on a bug that has now been fixed. As such, it is probably better to use Azimer's plugin instead.

*Project64 Input - Comes with Project64 as of the latest versions. Very simple input plugin which looks suspiciously a lot like Jabo's, but at least has XInput support, which is nice.*[https://sourceforge.net/projects/nragev20/ NRage Input] - Also comes with Project64 as of version 2.2. Hands down the best input plugin as it is more feature complete than Jabo's DirectInput. Has a ton of options and great controller compatibility, including XInput support for use with Xbox 360 controllers. It can't emulate the microphone that is required by ''Hey You, Pikachu'' or the printer required for the ''Pokémon Snap Station''. It has the ability to emulate Controller Pak (''Mario Kart 64'''s ghost saves), Rumble Pak (''Star Fox 64''), and Transfer Pak (''Pokémon Stadium'' series) functionality fairly well. Version 2.3 of Project64 introduced a version of the plug-in that can emulate the N64's mouse accessory designed for the 64DD to coincide with Project64's newest ability to emulate the 64DD accessory. Surprisingly, ''Mario Artist: Paint Studio'' can use the Japanese ''Game Boy Camera'' (called ''Pocket Camera'') in Transfer Pak mode, but the camera function doesn't work as it displays static, although importing captured images still works technically.*Jabo's DirectInput - Comes Used to come with Project64, but now removed in favor of NRage Input. It isn't too bad, but it may have some compatibility problems with some controllers. Should work just fine with the keyboard if you're one of those masochists who emulates without a controller. Only standard controller emulation with nothing attached to it. As usual, do not expect any updates.*[https://githubwww.raphnet-tech.com/deathproducts/raphnetraw/index.php/ Raphnetraw] -droidThis open source plugin allows streamlined use of N64 controller(s) via raphnet [https://nragewww.raphnet-input Ntech.com/products/n64_usb_adapter_gen3/index.php N64-to-Rage InputUSB v3+ adapters] - Probably the best input plugin. Has a ton of options It supports rumble and is available for Project64 and great controller compatibility, including XInput support mupen64plus. Also contains various DLLs for use with Xbox 360 controllersspecial port arrangements [https://www.raphnet.net/programmation/mupen64plus-input-raphnetraw/index_en. It sees occasional updatesphp#4 (link)].

===Recommended Plugins===*Zilmar's Project64 RSP - Comes with Project64, and until recently was usually known simply as zilmar's RSP. Quite Reasonably accurate, quite fast in Recompiler mode(enabled by default), and will work fine for the majority of games, only having issues with a lot few games in LLE. The version included in Project64 2.x and beyond can work with both LLE and HLE plugins by toggling the relevant options in the Plugins settings menu. This plugin is exclusive to the zilmar spec.*Mupen64Plus HLE RSP - Comes with Mupen64Plus. Based off of gamesthe old Mupen64 HLE RSP plugin, but may need much improved. Though it is only compatible with HLE audio and video plugins, when paired with GLideN64, it can play almost every single N64 game without issues, and it now has MusyX support as well for games that used it. If you wish to use it with Project64, a zilmar-spec port is available and can be set to obtained by using [https://github.com/Rosalie241/BetterMajorasMaskInstaller/releases/tag/4.0.2 this installer]. It works out of the box with both the default Project64 Audio plugin as well as Azimer's, but it will not work with Jabo's, as that is a pure LLE audio plugin and requires LLE RSP emulation.*[http://www.emutalk.net/threads/56919-quot-Static-quot-RSP-Interpreter-Plugin "Static" RSP Interpreter/CXD4 RSP] - Made by HatCat/CXD4 and originally released in [http://forum.pj64-emu.com/showthread.php?t=3618 Project64 Forum]. Comes with some forks of Mupen64Plus as well as both libretro cores, and is included in [https://64dd.org/downloads.html this build] of Project64. For whatever reason, the zilmar-spec version usually goes by Static Interpreter , while the Mupen64Plus-spec and libretro versions go by CXD4. As of the most recent release version, it is one of the most accurate RSP plugins, though Project64 RSP in Recompiler mode as well as ParaLLEl-RSP both trump it in speed. It can take advantage of SSSE3 for a difficult fewgreater performance, though it also comes in SSE2 and non-SSE variations in which case you may as well use one your PC does not support those instruction sets. In both the zilmar and Mupen64Plus versions (though not in libretro, it seems), it is capable of working with both HLE and LLE audio and video plugins via the following settings:**Simulate RSP graphics from external plugin - Check if using an HLE graphics plugin, uncheck if using LLE**Simulate RSP audio from external plugin - Check if using an HLE audio plugin, uncheck if using LLE**Force semaphore locking - Check to fix issues with Mario no Photopie. Only works with Project64 2.x and beyond.*ParaLLEl-RSP - A fast and accurate RSP written by [https://github.com/Themaister/parallel-rsp Themaister], though it borrows heavily from both CXD4 and CEN64's RSP code. It is about as accurate and compatible as the Static Interpreter/CXD4 RSP, while being much faster owing to its inclusion of a dynamic recompiler. It is an RSP option mainly used in the [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/parallel-n64-with-parallel-rsp-dynarec-release-fast-and-accurate-n64-emulation/ ParaLLEl-N64 and Mupen64Plus-Next libretro cores]; however, it is also possible to use it with Mupen64Plus, its forks [[simple64]] and [[RMG]], and now even Project64 as a plugin ([https://64dd.org/downloads.html this version] comes bundled with it). Note that it only works with LLE video and audio plugins, though it is highly recommended if using such. ===Deprecated Plugins===*Mupen64 HLE RSP - Comes with the old zilmar-spec Mupen64. A very fast and compatible HLE RSP plugin. Written by Hacktarux and Azimer. Might be better for Has issues with some games than Zilmar's RSP, particularly those using MusyX microcode. MusyX support and many other compatibility fixes were later added to the Mupen64Plus version, which has now been ported to the zilmar spec after years of exclusivity on the Mupen64Plus side of things. As such, this version is officially obsolete.*z64 RSP plugin pack - Largely deprecated by the Static Interpreter/CXD4 RSP plugin. This set of RSP plugins comes with the z64 video plugin, each with their own purpose:**Ziggy-z64RSP - This RSP is based on the MAME/MESS RSP code. It is slower, but more accurate.

**Angrylion angrylion - This RSP is a simple Interpreter, and is required for a few games like World Driver Championship to work correctly with z64gl. ==Recommended N64 Setups== ===Overview===While in general only a small handful of plugins are necessary to play the vast majority of N64 games these days, there are nevertheless a variety of use cases which may necessitate using some plugins in specific combinations over others. The following section will be divided primarily by plugin specs, then further subdivided by the following use case "profiles":*General Use - A profile that strikes a good balance of speed, accuracy and compatibility. Most games will be playable on average hardware and should run with few to no issues.*Performance - Focuses primarily on speed for lower-end devices that cannot handle the General Use profile. Many games will be playable, but expect lower overall compatibility, glitches and missing effects.*[httpAccuracy - Attains the maximum compatibility and accuracy made possible by the emulator. Almost all games will be playable and look as intended, but requires much higher system specifications.As a rule of thumb, start with the General Use profile. If it's too slow, move down to the Performance profile. Conversely, if there's a problem with the game (or you just want to be as close to real hardware as possible), move up to the Accuracy profile. It should be said there may be configurations within the emulator or plugin settings that may help with speed or compatibility, but it is generally not recommended to mess with them unless you know what you're doing, as both emulators and plugins are usually already optimized on a per-game basis, so moving settings around could result in breaking things. Should you wish to try to eke out more performance out of a given profile, it may be wise to consult with the emulator/plugin developers or communities centered around N64 emulation first. ===Project64 and Others===Project64 comes bundled with the following plugins:*Video: Jabo's Direct3D8, Project64 Video (Glide64 under another name), GLideN64*Audio: Jabo's DirectSound, Project64 Audio*Input: NRage for Project64, Project64 Input*RSP:Project64 RSPShould you wish to use other plugins, they must be downloaded from a third party source and dropped into their respective plugin folder categories in the Project64 directory. Video plugins go under Plugin/GFX, audio plugins under Plugin/forumAudio, etc. *'''General Use'''**GLideN64**Azimer's Audio NEW (set to LLE)**Project64 RSP**For the majority of games, the default Project64 RSP will work just fine, at least in HLE mode. Should you wish to use GLideN64 in LLE mode (or any LLE video plugin for that matter) with the Project64 RSP, simply uncheck "Graphics HLE" in the Plugin configuration screen.pj64Alternatively, use ParaLLEl-emuRSP, though that only works in LLE, so GLideN64's HLE mode will be unavailable with that plugin.com/showthread.php?t=3618 FatCat*'''Performance'''**Project64 Video or Glide64 Final**Azimer's HLE Audio**Project64 RSP or Mupen64Plus HLE RSP **Make sure you configure the graphics plugin pack] to show texture enhancement options. Then you'll have an extra tab to change more options. Go to the texture enhancement tab and click on the button that gives the best performance and it should improve framerate once you saved the settings. There's also another button for best texture quality. Recommended for the older zilmar- Hoo boyspec emulators as well (replace Project64 Video with Glide64 Final for those, though you may want to do that even with Project64 should you run into a regression). If you absolutely need more performance, this oneyou can try Jabo's plugin (specifically version 1.6.1, NOT the buggy version bundled with Project64), though it comes at a doozycost to compatibility. This is Also, try out the Mupen64Plus HLE RSP if you'd like to eke out that extra bit of performance.*'''Accuracy'''**Angrylion RDP Plus**Azimer's Audio NEW**Static RSP Interpreter**If you have a pack decent quad-core CPU, you can run many N64 games with pixel-perfect graphics at full speed, thanks to the new multithreaded version of extremely optimized angrylion's software plugin. The new Azimer's plugin (still WIP) works well in LLE. To use the Static Interpreter RSP plugins in LLE, you'll have to run the spconfig.exe that comes with very specific purposesthat plugin, and tell it to NOT "simulate RSP graphics from attaining the greatest possible external plugin" (in other words, type "0"). Since there's almost no accuracy difference, you may as well use ParaLLEl-RSP to get better performance, and/or move to ParaLLEl-RDP outright for even greater speed and upscaling options to boot (though it goes without saying upscaling would no longer be accurate). Conversely, if you want even greater accuracy , disable "Hide advanced settings" under Configuration, then enable "Always use interpreter core" under Advanced, and under Angrylion's options, disable multi-threading and set compatibility to getting as much performance as possible"Slow". HerePerformance WILL crash, but hey, it's how ll be accurate! ===Mupen64Plus===The official releases of Mupen64Plus only come bundled with a handful of video and RSP plugins, namely Glide64mk2, Rice, and the HLE RSP. The developers also maintain forks of the CXD4 RSP and the z64 video and RSP plugins, but they boil downare not included in the official release bundles for some reason. Should you wish to use those plugins or third party ones such as GLideN64 or the ParaLLEl plugins, you must build them yourself or get them from most resource intensive outside sources. Due to this fact, the mediocre nature of the "official" video plugins, and the overall lack of user-friendliness, it may be better to use a fork such as [[simple64]] or [[RMG]], though note that simple64 only comes and works with the ParaLLEl plugins, so RMG is a better choice if you wish to use something else, as that comes with more plugins and allows you to leastuse whichever ones you want.*'''General Use'''**Video: GLideN64 or ParaLLEl-RDP**RSP:RSP-HLE (for GLideN64) or ParaLLEl-RSP (for ParaLLEl-RDP)**Interpreter Either one of these combinations will enable you to play the vast majority of N64 games while having reasonable system requirements. GLideN64 is faster and has more enhancement options, but ParaLLEl- This RDP is a pure much more accurate to the real console. You can also use the CXD4 RSP with GLideN64 if you want, but be sure to set it to pass display lists to the graphics plugin in mupen64plus.cfg, else GLideN64 will switch to its LLE pluginmode, which is not generally recommended to use.*'''Performance'''**Video: Glide64mk2**RSP: RSP-HLE**These are Mupen64Plus's default plugins. Glide64mk2 is based on Glide64 Final, and is named so as to differentiate it from the original, now obsolete fork of Glide64 that Mupen64Plus used at its inception. It requires is not up to GLideN64's level, but it does well enough for many games and is quite fast. Use this combination if you have a lower end PC that can't handle the General Use setup. If your device STILL can't handle this setup, try the use of both LLE Rice video plugin, but expect many missing effects, glitches and audio pluginsincompatibilities.*'''Accuracy'''*LLE *Video: Angrylion Plus or ParaLLEl-RDP**RSP: CXD4-ssse3 or ParaLLEl- For use RSP**Any combination of these should result in very high accuracy. Technically, the most accurate setup is Angrylion combined with CXD4, but the difference between these and the ParaLLEl plugins is almost negligible, while being a combination of an LLE video plugin lot slower. Be sure to set the CPU core to Pure Interpreter for even greater accuracy, along with an HLE audio pluginplummeting framerates. Note: In some cases the cfg file may not appear, in which case you may do this:*Open terminal in emulator folder on in its respective directory*MLE ''mupen64plus - For -configdir'' /directory/where/you/want/it/to/be ===Libretro===There are two N64 libretro emulator cores for use with a combination of an HLE video plugin with an LLE audio pluginon libretro frontends such as [[RetroArch]]: Mupen64Plus-Next and ParaLLEl-N64. This The former is mostly up-to-date and is recommended for general most usecases, while the latter is no longer updated and is only around for performance reasons.They also have access to the following plugins:*Shared by both cores**Video: ParaLLEl-RDP , Angrylion**RSP: ParaLLEl-RSP, HLE , CXD4*Exclusive to Mupen64Plus- For Next**GLideN64*Exclusive to ParaLLEl-N64**glN64, Rice, Glide64Due to these differences, it is advisable to use Mupen64Plus-Next for general use , and ParaLLEl-N64 for performance.*'''General Use (LLE)'''**Core: Mupen64Plus-Next**Video: ParaLLEl-RDP**RSP: ParaLLEl-RSP**By default ParaLLEl-RDP will output at native resolution with both all the VI filters on, making it look exactly like Angrylion and the real N64 console. Upscaling must therefore be enabled in the core options. You can also alternatively render at a high resolution and downsample to a lower one if you want to improve 3D without making it stick out from 2D elements too much.*'''General Use (HLE)'''**Core: Mupen64Plus-Next**Video: GLideN64**RSP: HLE video **While GLideN64 also works with the ParaLLEl and audio CXD4 RSP plugins, using them will cause GLideN64 to switch to its LLE mode, which is currently glitchier and slower than the HLE mode, for few (if any) compatibility or accuracy benefits. May trigger error messages in some gamesAs such, it is recommended to stick with the HLE RSP for GLideN64.*'''Performance'''**PJ64 Core: ParaLLEl- N64**Video: Glide64**RSP: HLE**For slow, low-end devices and old PCs only. If further speed is desired or needed, you may try glN64 or Rice, but using them comes at a steep cost in compatibility and accuracy, and many low-end devices in use today ought to be able to handle Glide64 just fine (well, with Gauntlet Legendsthe exception of certain underpowered "retro gaming" handhelds).*'''Accuracy'''**Core: Mupen64Plus-Next**Video: Angrylion**RSP: CXD4**Just like the developers intended! If you want to go all out, Stunt Racer 64set the CPU core to Pure Interpreter, turn off multi-threading and World Driver Championshipset thread sync level to High in Angrylion's options for the real 30 VI/s experience. Only works on Project64 2.x with LLE video and audioClosest you'll get to real hardware until a complete cycle-accurate N64 emulator surfaces.