Version: Next

Launchers

MiSTer FPGA uses a built-in launcher that automatically detects games from your games folders. Games launch via MGL files generated by Zaparoo, following the official folder structure set by Downloader.

Supported Systems

Console Systems

System ID	Folders	Extensions
`3DO`	3DO	`.iso`, `.cue`, `.chd`
`AdventureVision`	AVision	`.bin`
`Arcadia`	Arcadia	`.bin`
`AmigaCD32`	AmigaCD32	`.cue`, `.chd`, `.iso`
`Astrocade`	Astrocade	`.bin`
`Atari2600`	ATARI7800, Atari2600	`.a26`, `.bin`
`Atari5200`	ATARI5200	`.car`, `.a52`, `.bin`, `.rom`
`Atari7800`	ATARI7800	`.a78`, `.bin`
`AtariLynx`	AtariLynx	`.lnx`
`CasioPV1000`	Casio_PV-1000	`.bin`
`CDI`	CD-i	`.cue`, `.chd`
`ChannelF`	ChannelF	`.rom`, `.bin`
`ColecoVision`	Coleco	`.col`, `.bin`, `.rom`
`CreatiVision`	CreatiVision	`.rom`, `.bin`, `.bas`
`FDS`	NES, FDS	`.fds`
`Gamate`	Gamate	`.bin`
`Gameboy`	GAMEBOY	`.gb`
`GameboyColor`	GAMEBOY, GBC	`.gbc`
`Gameboy2P`	GAMEBOY2P	`.gb`, `.gbc`
`GameGear`	SMS, GameGear	`.gg`
`GameNWatch`	GameNWatch	`.bin`
`GBA`	GBA	`.gba`
`GBA2P`	GBA2P	`.gba`
`Genesis`	MegaDrive, Genesis	`.gen`, `.bin`, `.md`
`Intellivision`	Intellivision	`.int`, `.bin`
`Jaguar`	Jaguar	`.jag`, `.j64`, `.rom`, `.bin`
`JaguarCD`	Jaguar	`.cdi`
`MasterSystem`	SMS	`.sms`
`MegaCD`	MegaCD	`.cue`, `.chd`
`MegaDuck`	GAMEBOY, MegaDuck	`.bin`
`NeoGeo`	NEOGEO	`.neo`, `.zip` (folders)
`NeoGeoCD`	NeoGeo-CD, NEOGEO	`.cue`, `.chd`
`NeoGeoPocket`	NGP	`.ngp`
`NeoGeoPocketColor`	NGPC	`.ngc`
`NES`	NES	`.nes`
`NESMusic`	NES	`.nsf`
`Nintendo64`	N64	`.n64`, `.z64`
`Odyssey2`	ODYSSEY2	`.bin`
`PocketChallengeV2`	WonderSwan, PocketChallengeV2	`.pc2`
`PokemonMini`	PokemonMini	`.min`
`PSX`	PSX	`.cue`, `.chd`, `.exe`
`Saturn`	Saturn	`.cue`, `.chd`
`Sega32X`	S32X	`.32x`
`SG1000`	SG1000, Coleco, SMS	`.sg`
`SNES`	SNES	`.sfc`, `.smc`, `.bin`, `.bs`
`SNESMusic`	SNES	`.spc`
`SuperGameboy`	SGB	`.sgb`, `.gb`, `.gbc`
`SuperGrafx`	TGFX16	`.sgx`
`SuperVision`	SuperVision	`.bin`, `.sv`
`TurboGrafx16`	TGFX16	`.pce`, `.bin`
`TurboGrafx16CD`	TGFX16-CD	`.cue`, `.chd`
`VC4000`	VC4000	`.bin`
`Vectrex`	VECTREX	`.vec`, `.bin`, `.rom`
`VirtualBoy`	VirtualBoy	`.vb`
`WonderSwan`	WonderSwan	`.ws`
`WonderSwanColor`	WonderSwan, WonderSwanColor	`.wsc`

Computer Systems

System ID	Folders	Extensions
`AcornAtom`	AcornAtom	`.vhd`
`AcornElectron`	AcornElectron	`.vhd`
`AliceMC10`	AliceMC10	`.c10`
`Amiga`	Amiga	`.adf`
`Amstrad`	Amstrad	`.dsk`, `.cdt`, `.sna`
`AmstradPCW`	Amstrad PCW	`.dsk`
`Apogee`	APOGEE	`.rka`, `.rkr`, `.gam`
`AppleI`	Apple-I	`.txt`
`AppleII`	Apple-II	`.dsk`, `.do`, `.po`, `.nib`, `.hdv`
`Aquarius`	AQUARIUS	`.bin`, `.caq`
`Atari800`	ATARI800	`.atr`, `.xex`, `.xfd`, `.atx`, `.car`, `.rom`, `.bin`
`BBCMicro`	BBCMicro	`.ssd`, `.dsd`, `.vhd`
`BK0011M`	BK0011M	`.bin`, `.dsk`, `.vhd`
`C16`	C16	`.d64`, `.g64`, `.prg`, `.tap`, `.bin`
`C64`	C64	`.d64`, `.g64`, `.t64`, `.d81`, `.prg`, `.crt`, `.reu`, `.tap`
`CasioPV2000`	Casio_PV-2000	`.bin`
`CoCo2`	CoCo2	`.dsk`, `.cas`, `.ccc`, `.rom`
`DOS`	AO486, /media/fat/_DOS Games	`.mgl`, `.vhd`, `.img`, `.ima`, `.vfd`, `.iso`, `.cue`, `.chd`
`EDSAC`	EDSAC	`.tap`
`Galaksija`	Galaksija	`.tap`
`Interact`	Interact	`.cin`, `.k7`
`Jupiter`	Jupiter	`.ace`
`Laser`	Laser	`.vz`
`Lynx48`	Lynx48	`.tap`
`MacPlus`	MACPLUS	`.dsk`, `.img`, `.vhd`
`MSX`	MSX	`.vhd`
`MSX1`	MSX1	`.dsk`, `.rom`
`MultiComp`	MultiComp	`.img`
`Orao`	ORAO	`.tap`
`Oric`	Oric	`.dsk`
`PCXT`	PCXT	`.img`, `.vhd`, `.ima`, `.vfd`
`PDP1`	PDP1	`.bin`, `.rim`, `.pdp`
`PET2001`	PET2001	`.prg`, `.tap`
`PMD85`	PMD85	`.rmm`
`QL`	QL	`.mdv`, `.win`
`RX78`	RX78	`.bin`
`SAMCoupe`	SAMCOUPE	`.dsk`, `.mgt`, `.img`
`SordM5`	Sord M5	`.bin`, `.rom`, `.cas`
`Specialist`	SPMX	`.rks`, `.odi`
`SVI328`	SVI328	`.cas`, `.bin`, `.rom`
`TatungEinstein`	TatungEinstein	`.dsk`
`TI994A`	TI-99_4A	`.bin`, `.m99`
`TomyTutor`	TomyTutor	`.bin`, `.cas`
`TRS80`	TRS-80	`.dsk`, `.jvi`, `.cmd`, `.cas`
`TSConf`	TSConf	`.vhd`
`UK101`	UK101	`.txt`, `.bas`, `.lod`
`Vector06C`	VECTOR06	`.rom`, `.com`, `.c00`, `.edd`, `.fdd`
`VIC20`	VIC20	`.d64`, `.g64`, `.prg`, `.tap`, `.crt`
`X68000`	X68000	`.d88`, `.hdf`, `.mgl`
`ZX81`	ZX81	`.p`, `.0`
`ZXSpectrum`	Spectrum	`.tap`, `.csw`, `.tzx`, `.sna`, `.z80`, `.trd`, `.img`, `.dsk`, `.mgt`, `.vhd`
`ZXNext`	ZXNext	`.vhd`, `.tzx`, `.csw`

Other Systems

System ID	Folders	Extensions
`Arcade`	_Arcade	`.mra`
`Arduboy`	Arduboy	`.hex`, `.bin`
`Chip8`	Chip8	`.ch8`
`Groovy`	Groovy	`.gmc`
`ScummVM`	ScummVM	(special)
`Video`	Video, Movies, TV	`.mp4`, `.mkv`, `.avi`, `.mov`, `.webm`

Special Features

ao486

If a .vhd file is launched via Zaparoo and is in its own folder with an .iso or .chd file, that disc image will be automatically mounted alongside the hard drive.

AmigaVision (Amiga)

Launching games in the AmigaVision image on the Amiga core is supported via the games.txt and demos.txt files located in the Amiga/listings folder on your SD card.

For example, to launch Beneath a Steel Sky in AmigaVision:

Amiga/listings/games.txt/Beneath a Steel Sky (OCS)[en]

The games.txt and demos.txt files contain a listing of all supported games and demos, generated by AmigaVision, and can be treated as a virtual folder for launching via Zaparoo.

Game & Watch

Two cores are supported:

Folder	Extensions	Core
GameNWatch	`.bin`	GnW
Game and Watch	`.gnw`	GameAndWatch

NeoGeo

NeoGeo supports launching .zip files and folders directly with Zaparoo, as supported by the MiSTer core itself.

For example, a .zip file:

NeoGeo/mslug.zip

Or a folder:

NeoGeo/mslug2

ScummVM

ScummVM support uses the bbond007 script. Install the script, add your games to the ScummVM folder, and update the media database. Games are automatically detected from the ScummVM configuration file.

Video Playback

Video playback uses nextfvp, a framebuffer video player. To set up video playback:

Download fvp-mister_arm-15ea265.zip
Extract the fvp binary to /media/fat/linux/
Create a Video folder in your games directory (e.g., /media/fat/games/Video/)
Add your video files to the Video folder
Update the media database

Supported formats: MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WEBM

Alternate Launchers

Some alternate or unofficial versions of cores are supported and can be used by explicitly setting a launcher in the ZapScript on a token. Zaparoo assumes they're installed in either the default location from Update All or in the appropriate menu folder.

To use them, add the following to the end of the file path or launch command: ?launcher=<launcher ID>. For example: N64/some/game.n64?launcher=80MHzNintendo64

MiSTer launch commands also support set_name and set_name_same_dir advanced arguments. These map to MiSTer's MGL <setname> tag and same_dir attribute. Use set_name_same_dir=1 when you want a separate config name while keeping the normal games folder. Without set_name_same_dir=1, MiSTer also uses the set name as the games folder.

NES/Mega Man 2.nes?set_name=RA_NES&set_name_same_dir=1

To set an alternate core as the default for all tokens of a launcher (instead of per-token), use the load_path field in config.toml:

[[launchers.default]]
launcher = "Nintendo64"
load_path = "_LLAPI/N64_LLAPI"

load_path is an MGL-form RBF path relative to /media/fat, without extension. A config reload is sufficient after changing this — no service restart required.

RetroAchievements

RetroAchievements cores from Odelot's MiSTer FPGA RetroAchievements Cores are supported when installed in _RA_Cores/Cores.

These launchers automatically use an RA_* set name with same_dir enabled. This gives each RetroAchievements core its own MiSTer config while still loading games from the normal system folder.

Launcher ID	System
`RAAtari7800`	Atari 7800
`RAGameboy`	Game Boy
`RAGBA`	Game Boy Advance
`RAMegaDrive`	Genesis/Mega Drive
`RAMegaCD`	Mega CD
`RASMS`	Master System
`RANeoGeo`	Neo Geo
`RANES`	NES
`RANintendo64`	Nintendo 64
`RAPSX`	PlayStation
`RAS32X`	Sega 32X
`RASNES`	SNES
`RATurboGrafx16`	TurboGrafx-16

LLAPI

Bliss-Box LLAPI cores. Alternate Arcade cores can be referenced directly with their .mra files.

Launcher ID	System
`LLAPIAtari2600`	Atari 2600
`LLAPIAtari7800`	Atari 7800
`LLAPIGameboy`	Game Boy
`LLAPIGBA`	Game Boy Advance
`LLAPIMegaDrive`	Genesis/Mega Drive
`LLAPISMS`	Master System
`LLAPIMegaCD`	Mega CD
`LLAPINeoGeo`	Neo Geo
`LLAPINES`	NES
`LLAPINintendo64`	Nintendo 64
`LLAPI80MHzNintendo64`	Nintendo 64 (80MHz)
`LLAPIPSX`	PlayStation
`LLAPIS32X`	Sega 32X
`LLAPISuperGameboy`	Super Game Boy
`LLAPISaturn`	Saturn
`LLAPISNES`	SNES
`LLAPITurboGrafx16`	TurboGrafx-16
`LLAPISuperGrafx`	SuperGrafx

PWM

24-bit video PWM cores.

Launcher ID	System
`PWMNintendo64`	Nintendo 64
`PWM80MHzNintendo64`	Nintendo 64 (80MHz)
`PWMPSX`	PlayStation
`PWM2XPSX`	PlayStation (2X CPU)
`PWMSaturn`	Saturn

Overclock

Robert Piep's experimental overclock cores.

Launcher ID	System
`80MHzNintendo64`	Nintendo 64
`2XPSX`	PlayStation

DualRAM

Dual-SDRAM cores from TheJesusFish/Dual-Ram-Console-Cores.

Launcher ID	System
`DualRAM3DO`	3DO
`DualRAMJaguar`	Jaguar
`DualRAMPSX`	PlayStation
`DualRAMSaturn`	Saturn

Sinden Lightgun

Sinden Lightgun cores.

info

The Sinden cores must be installed in a custom _Sinden folder at the top of the SD card, or in the Light Gun folder if using newer core versions. Otherwise Zaparoo won't see them and they will conflict with official cores.

Launcher ID	System
`SindenGenesis`	Genesis
`SindenMegaDrive`	Mega Drive
`SindenSMS`	Master System
`SindenMegaCD`	Mega CD
`SindenNES`	NES
`SindenPSX`	PlayStation
`SindenSNES`	SNES

Supported Systems​

Console Systems​

Computer Systems​

Other Systems​

Special Features​

ao486​

AmigaVision (Amiga)​

Game & Watch​

NeoGeo​

ScummVM​

Video Playback​

Alternate Launchers​

RetroAchievements​

LLAPI​

PWM​

Overclock​

DualRAM​

Sinden Lightgun​