ZSNES (Super Nintendo Emulator)

I was on my laptop one day and had the urge to play Super Mario World. And that's pretty much how I found out about this whole emulator business.

The way I see it is, you can either buy a Wii system, and then download Super Nintendo games straight to your Wii console (which I can't afford because I'm a student), go to your local second hand store and buy a SNES system (you then have to get hold of the games you want) and then there's the ZSNES Emulator, provided you have a laptop or home PC and also a standard joy pad, this is the much more convenient and free way to go about it.

So, what the hell is an Emulator, well, an emulator duplicates the functions of one system using a different system, so that the second system behaves like the first... basically, it's a software program that lets you play computer games on your computer, to put it simply!!!

There are a range of Super Nintendo Emulator's, but, in my own option, the Zsnes, is the best one, the games load without any problem, the sound is perfect sync, the use of game play is responsive without any delays and once you know what you're doing, it's incredibly easy to use. I will be giving a detailed setup in this review on how to download the Zsnes, configuring your joy pad, where to get the games and how to set them up

Firstly, these are the minimum system requirements to download the Zsnes emulator, but, with the computer nowadays, this shouldn't present a problem:

-Pentium Processor (P133 or higher
-32MB of RAM (min 17.0MB free)
-SVGA card
-Sound Blaster 16 or 100% compatible

Downloading the Zsnes

The first thing that needs to be done, is downloading the actual Zsnes Emulator, the best website to go to is, http://www.emulator-zone.com, this not only offers a range of Super Nintendo Emulators, but also other emulators for home consoles and hand held computer game devices that can be downloaded, all of the range of emulators have a grade system and how many people have downloaded them... so it's not a problem finding the best one. In the SNES category, the Zsnes is number one!

Now, before you download the emulator, for convenience reasons, I would recommend, creating a folder to place your Zsnes emulator in, also within that folder, create another folder for your games.

Once you have downloaded this emulator from the website, extract the files to your Zsnes folder that you have created and open up Zsnesw to make sure it's working.

Zsnes Settings

So you've opened up the Zsnes application and it looks like a DOS prompt screen, but, don't let the looks deceive you, the snow style background is pretty cool and its pretty easy to use, once you get the hang of it.

Everything should already be set up on your Zsnes, so there really isn't any need to change anything, one of the things I have changed for my own personal use, is the screen size. My current setting for my laptop is '768 x 672 R W'. It takes up less than half my screen and I can still keep track of other stuff I'm doing, so, find the screen setting that your happy with. You can find this on Config tab and click on video. But, if you want to go full screen, click on the enlarge box next to the close.... standard windows set up.

Okay, last part of your settings, the control pad. Obviously get something similar to the Super Nintendo pad, i.e. four standard action buttons and shoulder buttons; also make sure it has a USB port. Your easiest bet, is to get a pad similar to the Playstation, you can get these out of most gaming stores, i.e. Gamestation, Game, etc, their cheap and do the job, I got my Logic 3 USB Pad for only £5, so they won't cause that much of a dent in your wallet.

Plug in your joypad to a USB port, open up your Zsnes and go to 'Config' tab and select 'Input'.
Once selected, a window should come up to start the configuration with your pad, on the left hand side, select the 'Keyboard/Gamepad' option by clicking on it with your mouse, then, click on the 'set' button, then 'set keys'.
You should get a message saying 'Enter the key or button used for .....', so if it says 'Up', press up on the joypad, if it says 'Select', press the select button and so on.
Once you've completed the configuration on your joypad, BOOM, your emulator is all set up and ready to go, if you want more joypads, just click on tab number 2 and repeat sequence; now, all you need are the games.

Finding the Games

One of the most simplest ways to go about this are, go to Google, type in 'SNES Emulator Games', and you should get a decent sized list of possible places to pick up various computer game titles to download directly onto your computer, so I can advise to do this in your own time.

But, for the alternative, I can give you a few websites that I have tried out myself and can say that I've not had a problem with them

Rom Nation: Good website for all manner of games and pretty much my primary source for finding various titles for my own gaming pleasure. Take a bit of practise to get used to the navigation of this site (but not much of a problem) and gives a hit rating to the most downloaded games, also an easy to way to discover the best working titles - www.romnation.net

Rom Bay: You have to sign up with these guys and for some games, you have to pay for monthly usage, thankfully though, the Super Nintendo makes it under the fence, but you are restricted on how much you download with ex amount of mega bytes per usage, but a really good source for all gaming needs, plus the usage starts from the beginning after 24hrs - www.rombay.com

That's pretty much all the ones you need, their certainly the only ones I need to use, but, you may find a better website out there for your gaming needs.

Finally, setting up to play the games

Okay, last part, I'll take you through this step by step, and remember what I said at the beginning of the set up, to create a folder within your Zsnes folder to place the games (but, that's where I place it personally).

Let's say for example you go to 'Rom Nation' and you want to download 'Street Fighter II'.
You search for Street Fighter II, click on the link, then download the rom, when it gives you the option in your zip file to 'Open', 'Save' or 'Cancel', click on the 'Open' button and let it run its course.
Once this comes up in your zip folder, highlight the game, e.g. Street Fighter II (U).smc and extract to your games folder, then once its extracted, close the zip folder and you have your first game.

Okay, very last part, load the game up and start playing.

Open up your Zsnes emulator and go to the 'Game' tab and select 'Load'.
A window will open up and have two boxes, one with 'Filename' on the left and 'Directory' on the right, depending on your file location, the only thing I can do is give you my own as an example, so for me, I would go over to the 'Directory' window and double click [C:], then 'User', 'User', 'SNES', 'SNES Games' and on the left hand side is a list of my games, then simply double click on 'Street Fighter II' and that's it, you're ready to start playing a slice of retro history.
You don't need to keep repeating the directory directions every time you go to play your Zsnes, provided you don't move your game files or Zsnes emulator, the games will be there ready to load and play all the time no matter how many you add to your gaming folder.

Essentials for the SNES

There's a vast library of games for the Super Nintendo, still continued to this day on hand held's and consoles , but, sometimes it's easy to overlook where they originated from and even more so if you lived in the UK, simply because, some of the game titles, never made it to our shores, strictly kept for Japanese and American use.

So, if you've just downloaded your emulator and struggling to remember any games for the SNES, then here are my own personal top ten recommendations ( in no particular order) to go and download:

1. Final Fantasy VI: Some people, who started Final Fantasy 7, just seem to go forward from there on and ignore the games before it, but, it is argued by some as the best in the Final Fantasy genre. A detailed and compelling story, a mass amount of land, power ups, magic, summons, items, character, etc. If you consider yourself a fan of the series, this is essential playing for you

2. Chrono Trigger: Not a lot of people have heard of this game, but, it's in a lot of people's number one spots. An RPG that involved time travel, multiple endings and a great fighting system, it was forgotten for a long time and just recently got a re-release on the Nintendo DS. Back by popular demand, but, try it out where it original started from!

3. Secret of Mana: Probably one of the best scores of music for a computer console, Secret of Mana is an RPG with multi-player capability. Following the same style as 'Zelda: A Link to the Past', this adventure takes up over 20 hours of gameplay

4. Donkey Kong Country: Just when people thought the Super Nintendo was done for, Donkey Kong came out and pushed the system to its limits, with great graphics and one of the best and challenging platformers your likely to play and compare to on any game console, plus the sequels kicked ass to

5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: Going back to the original style from the first Zelda, the Snes version got a fresh coat of graphics and sound slapped on it, it was quality. With tons of new items to obtain and exploring a light and dark world, the Zelda series, is yet to disappoint (CDi, anyone!!!)

6. Super Mario World: If you haven't heard of this game, then you really are living under a rock. A brilliant Mario plat former that came as standard when you bought a Super Nintendo, from the introduction to Yoshi, brilliant 16-bit graphics, secrets, bizarre levels and bosses. This is yet again, another classic slice of Super Mario

7. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars: Yes, Mario as an RPG, why not! He's done everything else! And people loved it this role playing adventure!

8. Super Metroid: One hell of an adventure game, with multiple types of bosses to fight and huge areas to explore and various different power ups. A lot of people have described Super Metroid with one word after they've finished it 'Satisfied'

9. Street Fighter II: Turbo: Pretty much the template of all beat em up genres to date and re-released so many times, the turbo version was by far the best for one on one, fast paced action on the Super Nintendo, there really wasn't, that much difference between the console and arcade version.

10. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: The cuteness of the game may have put some gamers off, but, easily a worthy sequel to the original with gorgeous graphics and interesting style of gameplay. You play Yoshi trying to reunite baby Mario with his brother, pooping out eggs and firing them, never seemed like so much fun

Okay, a few more quick ones

Super Mario Kart (says it all in the title, birth of the terror that is the red shell)
Super Mario All Stars (What better way to play all the classics from the original NES)
The Legend of Mystic Ninja (Excellent RPG, essential for two players)
F-Zero (Fast paced racing game classic)
Actraiser (side scrolling adventure meets world building strategy)
Uniracers (insane racing game with uni-cycles)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (Surprised, well this is one cool side scrolling beat em up)
Contra III: The Alien Wars (Side scrolling shoot em up classic)
Megaman X (Cool platformer with robots to shoot up)
Castlevania IV (Vampire hunting platformer)

And for the least known Super Nintendo games I recommended checking out this website
www.racketboy.com/retro/2007/02/best-und​iscovered-super-nintendo-s nes.html

Well, what are you doing still doing reading, go and get your SNES you retro monkey.