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AR15.COM
3/9/2026 11:14:14 AM EDT
[Last Edit: CharlesFinley][Edited]
I "inherited" my son's old gaming PC since he built a freaking super computer. lol
I've since discovered this site, rec0ded88.com, and started playing old NES and SNES games on it.
Now I'm wanting to get some old game roms and, I guess, an emulator program?
Maybe something like snes9x, zsnes, retroarch, etc.
Any recommendations on which to use?
Also, where do I get the roms?
Any help is appreciated!

"Want to bet a case of PMAGS on it?"
3/15/2026 7:50:00 PM EDT
[#1]
I used to use ZSNES. It was reliable and had been around many may years now. No idea what the current best is.
Esstac’s Retarded Social Media Influencer
3/20/2026 7:36:28 AM EDT
[#2]
Thanks, NachoDip.
I used to play emulators, but it's been a while.

I did do some digging and found "Retroarch".
It's working pretty well and has a nice interface (albeit it a little confusing at first.)
I've been playing Super Mario World and Contra, just like the old days!
"Want to bet a case of PMAGS on it?"
3/20/2026 7:48:35 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote History
Originally Posted By CharlesFinley:
Thanks, NachoDip.
I used to play emulators, but it's been a while.

I did do some digging and found "Retroarch".
It's working pretty well and has a nice interface (albeit it a little confusing at first.)
I've been playing Super Mario World and Contra, just like the old days!
View Quote

I need to read up on how to reprogram a PS3 controller. I did it years ago and had one programmed to my Samsung tablet for use with an emulator. Tablet is junk at this point as they dropped all support for it and it’s frankly pretty slow. I keep it around for an OBD2 scanner and that’s it. The controller interface is part of what brings the retro part of this back to me. I’m sure there’s a variety of ones on Amazon that look and feel similar to the originals.
Esstac’s Retarded Social Media Influencer
3/20/2026 8:32:30 AM EDT
[#4]
I'm currently using a PS4 controller via bluetooth and/or plugged in via usb.
Works great and button are assignable in RetroArch.
I also have my eye on the 8bitdo SNES controllers, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
"Want to bet a case of PMAGS on it?"
3/23/2026 7:43:33 PM EDT
[#5]
ZSNES is still my go-to emulator. Simple, works. Several available visual filters to make games look better on non-crt monitors.

Roms are going to be the tricky part due to what they are. As much of a cess-pool as it is, try Reddit and do some digging. Past that, good luck.

Depending on the type of game, especially RPGs, some translations are better than others as a few of the titles that were not released in the US on the SNES are fan translations.
3/24/2026 12:35:12 PM EDT
[#6]
Launchbox loaded with mame and windows95, amigavision,  dos box. It will also do all the consoles.
3/27/2026 7:30:07 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote History
Originally Posted By ShOcKeRpb:
ZSNES is still my go-to emulator. Simple, works. Several available visual filters to make games look better on non-crt monitors.

Roms are going to be the tricky part due to what they are. As much of a cess-pool as it is, try Reddit and do some digging. Past that, good luck.

Depending on the type of game, especially RPGs, some translations are better than others as a few of the titles that were not released in the US on the SNES are fan translations.
View Quote


Yeah, ZSNES is gtg.
BSNES is another good one that I've found.
"Want to bet a case of PMAGS on it?"
3/27/2026 7:31:03 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote History
Originally Posted By 2W0X1:
Launchbox loaded with mame and windows95, amigavision,  dos box. It will also do all the consoles.
View Quote


I'll have to check that out.
Thanks.
"Want to bet a case of PMAGS on it?"
3/27/2026 2:44:40 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote History
Originally Posted By CharlesFinley:


I'll have to check that out.
Thanks.
View Quote



This has a section on its integration with dos. There are a lot of projects coming out.

5/14/2026 7:55:14 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Mugzilla][Edited] [#10]
I realize subforums don't get much love sometimes. HOWEVER, hope you don't mind the BTT.

BATOCERA linux is AWESOME.  My mini PC is able to play anything PS2 and lower.  It would probably play PS3, but I have many, many of those games already.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Are-we-allowed-to-talk-about-Batocera-here-/119-2819776/

8bitDo has many, many amazing controllers and mod boards.  I'll play SNES or NES with ORIGINAL controllers that I put a mod board inside of them to make them wireless and bluetooth.

N64? No lag. No input glitches.  Save your game anywhere. (Rick & Morty "Vat of Acid"-style).  

Then, I started building control panels to control arcade games running on MAME. I love Tron, so I hade a dedicated panel to run just it and Disks of Tron.  

What do I play now?  Seaquest emulated from Atari 2600.



BUT, to answer your question: If you want to play just NES and SNES, look in to 8BitDo mod boards for NES and SNES controllers.

https://shop.8bitdo.com/collections/mod-kits
Thank you to DukeFan23 and dbrad197.
5/17/2026 3:12:58 PM EDT
[#11]
I just bit the bullet and bought the SNES and NES mini classics. Hakchi and done, with none of the glitches and issues in some ROMs.
5/21/2026 3:19:26 PM EDT
[#12]
I just use Stella with a USB joystick adapter I put together from those zero-delay boards (have a few of them inside project boxes) and whatever joystick I have hanging around.  I probably have a dozen or two Atari/Commodore/Wico/Suncom/Epyx/Amiga joysticks in the house.  Also bought one of the new USB/DE9 wireless atari joysticks.

If you're looking for roms, search for "rompack" on archive.org.  Everything but Lawtendo will be on there.
Award: 24/365 Most likely to be an appendix.

"Dealing with Congress is like trying to have an adult conversation about the credit card with your alcoholic bi-polar Ukranian import wife."
5/21/2026 4:04:46 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Pennsilfaanisch][Edited] [#13]
I've posted in other gaming emulator related threads, but I used to use zsnes 9x, messen for NES, and Exodus for genesis on my PC in the early 2000s.

I built a RetroPie/Retroarch frontend system using a Raspberry Pi board about 10 years ago and use 8Bitdo controllers. It took me about 3 hours to set up from scratch and has wifi/ethernet/USB/HDMI output. The entire system and a few thousand games are stored on a mini SD card. I can play everything from ATARI up to PS1. I also have a few MAME/NeoGeo arcade cabinet emulators, but they're a little trickier to get working than the home systems like NES.


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