The Nintendo Entertainment System is one of the best emulated systems in Recalbox: everything works, on every board. This page gathers the few settings that are worth knowing about.
Emulator / core (RUN WITH) |
Why pick it |
|---|---|
LIBRETRO NESTOPIA |
default choice, very accurate |
LIBRETRO FCEUMM |
excellent compatibility, supports netplay |
LIBRETRO MESEN |
the only one that reads HD packs |
LIBRETRO QUICKNES |
the lightest one, for small boards |
LIBRETRO FBNEO |
for games from the PlayChoice-10 arcade system |
Accepted formats: .nes, .unf, .unif, plus .zip and .7z archives.
HD packs replace the original graphics with redrawn versions, often along with a rearranged soundtrack. Only the Mesen core can read them.
Get (or build) an HD pack for your game, then unpack it.
Rename the pack folder to the exact rom file name, without its extension.
Drop that folder into:
/recalbox/share/bios/HdPacks/
Select the game, START → EDIT GAME → RUN WITH → LIBRETRO MESEN.
Start the game: the HD graphics show up.
┣ 📁 bios
┃ ┣ 📁 HdPacks
┃ ┃ ┣ 📁 Super Mario Bros. (World)
┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 🗒 hires.txt
┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 🗒 …
The folder name must match the rom file name, not the name displayed after scraping. If your rom is
Super Mario Bros. (World).nes, the folder must be calledSuper Mario Bros. (World).
Mesen's Enable HD Packs option is on by default: there is nothing to tick in the RetroArch menus.
The NES is one of the systems recognised in light gun mode: Duck Hunt and friends configure themselves as soon as a compatible gun is plugged in. See Light guns on Recalbox.
Every NES core except FinalBurn Neo supports softpatching: drop an .ips or .bps patch next to your rom and Recalbox will apply it on the fly, without touching the original file. See Softpatching.