RetroArch utilizes cores to emulate various game consoles, and for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), several excellent options are available, each catering to different needs in terms of accuracy, performance, and features.
Key SNES Cores in RetroArch
Snes9x (Current)
This is often the most recommended and widely used SNES core. It represents the latest stable development branch of the Snes9x emulator.
- Accuracy: High. While not as cycle-accurate as bsnes, it accurately emulates the vast majority of the SNES library, including games with enhancement chips like the Super FX, SA-1, S-DD1, and CX4.
- Performance: Excellent. It runs full speed on a wide range of hardware, from modern PCs to lower-powered devices like Raspberry Pi and Android handhelds.
- Features: Supports save states, rewind, cheats, MSU-1 audio packs, and has good overall stability.
- Use Case: The go-to core for most users seeking a balance of high compatibility, good performance, and rich features.
bsnes (and its variants)
bsnes is renowned for its focus on emulation accuracy, aiming for cycle-accurate replication of the original SNES hardware. Several bsnes-derived cores might be available:
- bsnes: This core typically prioritizes accuracy above all else. It aims to emulate the SNES hardware as perfectly as possible, including obscure behaviors and edge cases.
- Accuracy: Highest. Considered the gold standard for SNES emulation accuracy.
- Performance: Very demanding. Requires a relatively powerful CPU to run full speed, especially its "accuracy" profile.
- Features: Supports MSU-1, Satellaview, and provides the most authentic SNES experience. Some bsnes cores (like "bsnes HD beta") may offer experimental features like HD Mode 7 rendering.
- Use Case: For users who demand the utmost accuracy and have powerful hardware. Also essential for developers or those interested in how games actually ran on original hardware.
- bsnes-mercury: An older fork of bsnes that attempted to balance accuracy with performance. It may offer different compatibility or performance characteristics compared to the main bsnes core.
Snes9x (Year-Tagged Versions)
RetroArch also offers older, performance-oriented snapshots of Snes9x, such as:
- Snes9x 2010: A version based on Snes9x 1.52. Offers good compatibility but is less accurate and has fewer features than the current Snes9x. It is significantly less demanding.
- Snes9x 2005 Plus / Snes9x 2005: Even older versions (based on Snes9x 1.43 / 1.39 respectively). These are designed for very low-power devices where performance is paramount, sacrificing accuracy and compatibility for speed.
- Use Case: Primarily for extremely underpowered hardware (e.g., very old single-board computers, older consoles with homebrew capabilities) where newer Snes9x versions or bsnes are too slow.
Choosing the Right Core
The selection of an SNES core in RetroArch largely depends on your hardware capabilities and priorities:
- For most users with reasonably modern hardware (mid-range PCs, newer Android devices, Raspberry Pi 3/4): Snes9x (Current) is the best starting point, offering an excellent blend of compatibility, performance, and features.
- For accuracy purists with powerful hardware: bsnes (specifically a profile focused on accuracy if available) provides the most authentic experience.
- For users with very low-spec devices: Snes9x 2010 or, in extreme cases, Snes9x 2005 Plus might be necessary to achieve playable speeds, though with compromises.
It's often beneficial to have multiple SNES cores installed, allowing you to switch if a particular game has issues or if you want to experiment with different levels of accuracy or performance.
