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OpenEmu
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <h3>Beginnings</h3> <p>OpenEmu was first released on Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 as <i>OpenNestopia</i>, a <a href="/facts/Cocoa_(API)/p10p5aFI">Cocoa</a>-port written by Josh Weinberg for then <a href="/facts/Mac_OS_X_Tiger/q6vKCpvq">Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger</a> of the <a href="/facts/NES/YD59GCQQ">NES</a>/<a href="/facts/Famicom/YD59GCQQ">Famicom</a> emulator <a href="/facts/Nestopia/PRoSCP4Y">Nestopia</a> (written by Martin Freij).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> Weinberg and his friend, Ben Devacel, began searching for more developers to port other emulators to macOS, which led to the name change to OpenEmu in 2009, to better describe the multi-system emulator.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <h3>1.0</h3> <p>OpenEmu 1.0 released on Monday, December 23, 2013 with 12 "cores" emulating <a href="/facts/Nintendo/dMrLpaHu">Nintendo</a>, <a href="/facts/Sega/f9TY2kyl">Sega</a>, <a href="/facts/NEC/YnlUsMBA">NEC</a>, and <a href="/facts/SNK/SJ95qGKk">SNK</a>'s <a href="/facts/Home_video_game_console/zP1RTC84">home</a>, <a href="/facts/Virtual_Boy/thqpveuk">tabletop</a>, and <a href="/facts/Handheld_game_console/l1hmKVPx">handheld</a> consoles from the <a href="/facts/Third_generation_of_video_game_consoles/UAbnBDlz">3rd</a> through <a href="/facts/Seventh_generation_of_video_game_consoles/GqDzTFmr">7th</a> <a href="/facts/History_of_video_games/JaEYMLCy">video game console generations</a>. OpenEmu 1.0 needed <a href="/facts/OS_X_Lion/CHyxXg8X">Mac OS X Lion</a> (10.7.x) to run. A Wednesday, October 15, 2014 (296 days later) midstream update to the OpenEmu library (1.0.4) would introduce <a href="/facts/Stella_(emulator)/eYlQtpTU">Stella</a>, a core emulating the <a href="/facts/Atari_2600/wSTCRAvp">2600</a>, a <a href="/facts/Second_generation_of_video_game_consoles/98kebVIk">2nd generation console</a> from <a href="/facts/Atari,_Inc./CQh1gphs">Atari</a>. </p> <h3>2.0</h3> <p>Introduced on Wednesday, Dec 23, 2015, (exactly two years after 1.0) OpenEmu 2.0 was released. OpenEmu 2.0 began requiring a minimum of <a href="/facts/OS_X_El_Capitan/4NAIbG7c">OS X El Capitan 10.11</a>, dropping support for Mac OS X Lion (10.7.x) through <a href="/facts/OS_X_Yosemite/nUzgd9Il">OS X Yosemite</a> (10.10.x). OpenEmu 2.0 introduced 16 new cores along with hundreds of bug fixes and lesser features. The new cores added several <a href="/facts/Second_generation_of_video_game_consoles/98kebVIk">2nd generation</a> cores, support for <a href="/facts/CD-ROM/JwuaYLJv">optical media</a>-based-image games, additionally emulating systems from <a href="/facts/Sony_Interactive_Entertainment/tnH01NqQ">Sony</a>, <a href="/facts/Mattel/WM3blRN4">Mattel</a>, <a href="/facts/Bandai/Muy3E7QK">Bandai</a>, <a href="/facts/Magnavox/Xu9qxbIS">Magnavox</a>, <a href="/facts/Milton_Bradley_Company/ws51eMfQ">Milton-Bradley</a>, and <a href="/facts/Coleco/e0PekMbB">Coleco</a>. Another midstream update, <i>2.0.6.1</i>, released Tuesday, Dec 19, 2017 (727 days after 2.0) added support for <a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a>'s <a href="/facts/Sega_Saturn/x9fhrGgk">Sega Saturn</a> branch, with a suggested quad-core i7 CPU to emulate. </p> <h3>2.1 and 2.2</h3> <p>OpenEmu 2.1 (Friday, October 15, 2019, 675 days after version <i>2.0.6.1</i>; "coincidentally," exactly 5 years after the <i>1.0.4</i> Stella update) was significant, not for any new cores, but for supporting <a href="/facts/Metal_(API)/DIbAxKF6">Metal</a>, <a href="/facts/Apple_Inc./oTJYta3k">Apple</a>'s visual <a href="/facts/Application_programming_interface/GMlN4vUr">API</a> successor to OpenGL and OpenCl, giving OpenEmu significant gains in both performance and battery life. </p><p>OpenEmu 2.2 (Friday December 27, 2019, 63 days later) added support for a <a href="/facts/Branching_(version_control)/1m0qK9tv">downstream</a>, Metal-forked version of <a href="/facts/Dolphin_(emulator)/JsyepdHl">Dolphin</a>'s <a href="/facts/GameCube/acH9qVxz">GameCube</a> <a href="/facts/Trunk_(software)/AhNovaNw">branch</a>, building on 2.1's foundation. This brings OpenEmu's number of supported cores to 31. </p> <h2 id="limitations">Limitations</h2> <h3>32X Hybrid Games</h3> <p>As confirmed by the OpenEmu developers on their official <a href="/facts/Reddit/PAJjm63I">subreddit</a>, Sega 32X-CD hybrid games (versions of games that could use a 32X cartridge and Sega CD at once, such as <i><a href="/facts/Night_Trap/t1xrYkqc">Night Trap</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Corpse_Killer/Jc0dc3E9">Corpse Killer</a></i>, and <i><a href="/facts/Fahrenheit_(1995_video_game)/Qtjydfdn">Fahrenheit</a></i>) are not supported. Users are prompted with a "This game requires the Sega 32X attachment" error if attempted.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h3>GameCube Limitations</h3> <p>At present, GameCube emulation doesn't support <a href="/facts/Saved_game/s05dfbad">Save States</a> (due to continual updates breaking compatibility with saved states); users are encouraged to use in-game saves. </p><p>OpenEmu GameCube emulation also does not support the <a href="https://gamicus.gamepedia.com/List_of_GameCube_video_games_with_multiple_discs">22 multi-disc GameCube titles</a> at present (despite the main Dolphin branch doing so). </p> <h2 id="features">Features</h2> <p>OpenEmu features a backend that uses multiple game engines while maintaining the familiar, native macOS frontend <a href="/facts/User_interface/e9sPEWVD">UI</a>. It also uses modern macOS technologies such as <a href="/facts/Cocoa_(API)/p10p5aFI">Cocoa</a> and <a href="/facts/Quartz_(graphics_layer)/FLvFwpYt">Quartz</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> A unique feature of OpenEmu is its <a href="/facts/ROM_image/D7ngQLxV">ROM</a> library, which allows one to import ROM files and view them in a gallery type setting, similar to <a href="/facts/ITunes/pdXPE33T">iTunes</a>. Game info and cover art can be automatically added from OpenEmu's databases. </p><p>OpenEmu includes the following features: </p> <ul><li>High-quality <a href="/facts/Metal_(API)/DIbAxKF6">Metal</a> (formerly <a href="/facts/OpenGL/xQoMWePr">OpenGL</a>) scaling, <a href="/facts/Multithreading_(software)/hh8WHyPd">multithreaded</a> playback, and other optimizations<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></li> <li>Real-time 3D effects and image processing</li> <li><a href="/facts/Filter_(video)/IXuWjoGc">Graphic filters</a> to enhance display</li> <li>Full-screen support</li> <li>Ability to play multiple ROMs at once</li> <li>Ability to scan attached disks for ROMs</li> <li>Automatic downloading of game info and cover art</li> <li>Ability to use custom cover art</li> <li>Can play <a href="/facts/ROM_hacking/gp3Qmdc7">ROM hacks</a> for multiple systems.</li> <li>A fully featured library, supporting multiple views, collections (categories), and game ratings</li> <li>Optional automatic organization of ROM files within the library folder</li> <li>Full <a href="/facts/Saved_game/s05dfbad">save state</a> support, including automatic save states</li> <li>Enhanced <a href="/facts/Gamepad/WeNdbxjt">gamepad</a> support for <a href="/facts/USB/XcIKWLyg">USB</a> controllers and accessibility to <a href="/facts/Bluetooth/sWAjpMrj">Bluetooth</a> (including <a href="/facts/DualShock/ktU5MaFs">DualShock 3 controllers, DualShock 4 controllers</a>, <a href="/facts/Xbox_360_controller/DUc1xl6y">Xbox 360 controllers</a> and <a href="/facts/Xbox_One_controller/RJXncRoP">Xbox One controllers</a>)</li> <li>Custom cores for custom systems (For systems like <a href="/facts/Wii/BxUgl2da">Wii</a>)</li></ul> <h2 id="compatibility">Compatibility</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Video_game_console/K72D1NSS">Video game console</a></th><th rowspan="2">Core</th><th rowspan="2">OE Version</th><th colspan="2"><a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">macOS</a> compatibility</th></tr><tr><th>10.7–10.10</th><th>10.11–10.14</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Arcade_game/oBYn85uk">Arcade</a> (experimental version)</td><td><a href="/facts/MAME/4VkQ6d9z">M.A.M.E</a></td><td>2.0.8</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Atari_2600/wSTCRAvp">Atari 2600</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Stella_(emulator)/eYlQtpTU">Stella</a></td><td>1.0.4</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Atari_5200/QlQbxMEx">Atari 5200</a></td><td>Atari800</td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Atari_7800/3ePkUWxo">Atari 7800</a></td><td>ProSystem</td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Atari_Lynx/40k4Mmvz">Atari Lynx</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/ColecoVision/m6GreuwA">ColecoVision</a></td><td>CrabEmu</td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Family_Computer_Disk_System/Tp6Cp7SY">Famicom Disk System</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Nestopia/PRoSCP4Y">Nestopia</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Game_Boy/GlyN6e2W">Game Boy</a> / <a href="/facts/Game_Boy_Color/ewfPtCNQ">Color</a></td><td>Gambatte</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Game_Boy_Advance/oRJksVAa">Game Boy Advance</a></td><td>mGBA</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/GameCube/acH9qVxz">GameCube</a>**</td><td><a href="/facts/Dolphin_(emulator)/JsyepdHl">Dolphin</a></td><td>2.2</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Game_Gear/RmXkbC3t">Game Gear</a></td><td>Genesis Plus GX</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Intellivision/tAp8QDU6">Intellivision</a></td><td>Bliss</td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Neo_Geo_Pocket/Gpt9lLR2">Neo Geo Pocket</a> / <a href="/facts/Neo_Geo_Pocket_Color/IkPlCAlL">Color</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Nintendo_64/p1rI4VQ2">Nintendo 64</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mupen64Plus/fonTHaTx">Mupen64Plus</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Nintendo_Entertainment_System/YD59GCQQ">Nintendo Entertainment System</a></td><td><a href="/facts/FCEUX/q95oMdVh">FCEUX</a> or <a href="/facts/Nestopia/PRoSCP4Y">Nestopia</a>*</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Nintendo_DS/4uVHPrnp">Nintendo DS</a></td><td>DeSmuME</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Magnavox_Odyssey%C2%B2/AgvmMWVj">Odyssey²</a> / <a href="/facts/Philips_Videopac%2B_G7400/CpTv20ht">Videopac+</a></td><td><a href="/facts/O2EM/AgvmMWVj">O2EM</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/PC-FX/tSUkKHqs">PC-FX</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/32X/vyVcWIJA">Sega 32X</a>***</td><td>PicoDrive</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Sega_CD/dM4RPA8g">Sega CD / Mega-CD</a>***</td><td>Genesis Plus GX</td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Sega_Genesis/7GuPYDhM">Sega Genesis / Mega Drive</a></td><td>Genesis Plus GX</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Master_System/7zW0dMIG">Sega Master System / Mark III</a></td><td>Genesis Plus GX</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Sega_Saturn/x9fhrGgk">Sega Saturn</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>2.0.6/2.0.6.1</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/SG-1000/rUmHYNVL">Sega SG-1000</a></td><td>Genesis Plus GX</td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/PlayStation_(console)/z1vlbrvo">Sony PlayStation</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/PlayStation_Portable/dj4sa6wo">Sony PlayStation Portable</a></td><td><a href="/facts/PPSSPP/LyqNwWCR">PPSSPP</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System/uRT5Sa6s">Super Nintendo Entertainment System</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Higan_(emulator)/0gjqLqdx">higan</a> or <a href="/facts/Snes9x/IA1ezTgL">Snes9x</a>*</td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/TurboGrafx-16/MBWz7xPU">TurboGrafx-16</a> / <a href="/facts/PC_Engine/MBWz7xPU">PC Engine</a> / <a href="/facts/PC_Engine_SuperGrafx/rBsx0vDV">SuperGrafx</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/TurboGrafx-CD/MBWz7xPU">TurboGrafx-CD</a> / <a href="/facts/PC_Engine_CD/MBWz7xPU">PC Engine CD</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Vectrex/t5zaHqtG">Vectrex</a></td><td>VecXGL</td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Virtual_Boy/thqpveuk">Virtual Boy</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>1.0</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/WonderSwan/vKPPruXE">WonderSwan</a> / <a href="/facts/WonderSwan_Color/vKPPruXE">Color</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mednafen/B4pn5fIp">Mednafen</a></td><td>2.0</td><td>Does not appear</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>* Default core plugin.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>** Version 2.1 and lower must have custom system core. </p><p>*** Unable to play the six (6) known Sega 32X CD Titles. </p> <h2 id="reception">Reception</h2> <p>Upon its 1.0 release, OpenEmu was positively received, and subject to much online press coverage, praising the software's UI, features, and ease of use.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> In particular, it was praised by the gaming community for "[bringing] the idea of an emulator for a mainstream, general audience to reality".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p><p>As of August 16, 2018, OpenEmu has been downloaded over 10,000,000 times since its version 1.0 release, making it one of the most popular multi-system emulators on macOS.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Video games portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_video_game_emulators/BY7g6Xvg">List of video game emulators</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://openemu.org">Official website</a> </li> <li><a href="https://github.com/OpenEmu">OpenEmu</a> on <a href="/facts/GitHub/n1hNCsc3">GitHub</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Releases · OpenEmu/OpenEmu". GitHub. <a href="https://github.com/OpenEmu/OpenEmu/releases" target="_blank">https://github.com/OpenEmu/OpenEmu/releases</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"OpenNestopia". Archived from the original on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2012-10-27. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141021015908/http://opennestopia.staulkor.com/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20141021015908/http://opennestopia.staulkor.com/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"The Archive - An Emulator for the Rest of Us—How OpenEmu Changes Everything". Archived from the original on 2022-07-08. Retrieved 2018-08-17. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220708190217/https://archive.vg/blog/openemu-feature" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20220708190217/https://archive.vg/blog/openemu-feature</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"32X CD support?". 7 January 2016. <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenEmu/comments/3zwu0t/32x_cd_support/" target="_blank">https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenEmu/comments/3zwu0t/32x_cd_support/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"MacScene Listing". <a href="http://macscene.net/emulators/item/open-emu" target="_blank">http://macscene.net/emulators/item/open-emu</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Create Digital Motion". 22 June 2009. <a href="http://createdigitalmotion.com/2009/06/open-emu-free-game-emulation-on-mac-quartz-composer-even-vj-with-games/" target="_blank">http://createdigitalmotion.com/2009/06/open-emu-free-game-emulation-on-mac-quartz-composer-even-vj-with-games/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"OpenEmu Wiki - Home". GitHub. Retrieved 16 August 2018. <a href="https://github.com/OpenEmu/OpenEmu/wiki" target="_blank">https://github.com/OpenEmu/OpenEmu/wiki</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Thorin Klosowski (2013-12-24). "OpenEmu Emulates Nearly Every Classic Console on Mac". Life Hacker. Retrieved 2014-04-10. <a href="https://lifehacker.com/openemu-emulates-nearly-every-classic-console-on-mac-1489122040" target="_blank">https://lifehacker.com/openemu-emulates-nearly-every-classic-console-on-mac-1489122040</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Alex Heath (2013-12-26). "OpenEmu Is The Ultimate Old School Game Emulator For OS X". Cult of Mac. Retrieved 2014-04-10. <a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/259844/openemu-ultimate-old-school-game-emulator-os-x/" target="_blank">http://www.cultofmac.com/259844/openemu-ultimate-old-school-game-emulator-os-x/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Andrew Cunningham (2013-12-28). "ArsTechnica OpenEmu Hands On". Ars Technica. <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/12/hands-on-with-openemu-1-0-a-gorgeous-classic-console-emulator-for-os-x/" target="_blank">https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/12/hands-on-with-openemu-1-0-a-gorgeous-classic-console-emulator-for-os-x/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Sean Hollister (2013-12-28). "Play classic video games in style with OpenEmu for Mac". The Verge. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/26/5245864/openemu-mac-elegant-open-source-video-game-emulator" target="_blank">https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/26/5245864/openemu-mac-elegant-open-source-video-game-emulator</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"OpenEmu feature on The Archive". Archived from the original on 2012-08-21. Retrieved 2012-10-27. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120821053324/http://archive.vg/blog/12-feature/33-openemu-feature" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120821053324/http://archive.vg/blog/12-feature/33-openemu-feature</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"Github OpenEmu Release Download Stats". <a href="https://api.github.com/repos/OpenEmu/OpenEmu/releases" target="_blank">https://api.github.com/repos/OpenEmu/OpenEmu/releases</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>