bsnes vs RetroArch
bsnes
bsnes.orgRetroArch
retroarch.comSide by side
| Figure | bsnes | RetroArch |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · SNES Emulators | 8.2 (#7) | 8.5 (#4) |
| Platforms | The site lists Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS as supported platforms. | The official downloads page lists Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, web browsers and various game consoles. |
| Purpose | bsnes is an open-source emulator for the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System. | RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players that runs classic games through a graphical interface with unified settings. |
| Support | The site offers installation guides, a knowledge base, a troubleshooting guide, and email contact for assistance. | The FAQ directs users to the forums, Discord and documentation for help. |
Plans
In their own words
bsnes
bsnes is a free, open-source emulator for the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is listed for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Speed settings range from 50% to 200%, with smooth audio output retained. Its feature list includes Super Game Boy emulation and low-level emulation of SNES coprocessors. Visual options include HD Mode 7 graphics with optional supersampling, OpenGL multi-pass pixel shaders, and built-in software filters. Save-state tools provide screenshot previews and naming, plus undo and redo. The emulator supports Xbox, Nintendo, PC, and PlayStation controllers, as well as screenshot capture and movie recording and playback. It also lists 7-zip decompression and BPS and IPS soft-patching, along with rewind and cheat support. Android setup uses RetroArch: install it from its official website, then add the bsnes core within RetroArch. The project offers installation guides, a knowledge base, troubleshooting information, and email contact for assistance.
RetroArch
RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players, bringing them under a unified settings system. The RetroArch/Libretro project includes more than 200 cores across those categories. Its menu can group scanned games by system and display thumbnails and animated backgrounds. Common game controllers configure automatically when plugged in, and button actions can also be assigned manually.
Stackable shaders can change rendered graphics or imitate the look of CRT monitors. Built-in netplay supports hosting or joining network gaming sessions, including spectator mode. RetroArch can record gameplay to video files and stream games to Twitch or YouTube. Versions are listed for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, and web browsers. RetroArch is free and open source under GPL version 3; the libretro API uses an MIT license. Features differ by platform and store version: the browser edition has lower performance and fewer capabilities than the full version, while Steam lacks Core Updater and thumbnail scraping and offers a selected core set.