My Game Settings & Mods

The exact setup I play on.

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See the games Game archive

Per game

Settings & mods, game by game.

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Set up, not yet played

Death Stranding Director's Cut

4K with a slightly widened field of view, using a community fix configured deliberately narrowly - only the parts that help a 16:9 screen are enabled, and the ultrawide-specific fixes are left off.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Display device my monitor

Community fix (DeathStrandingDCFix)

Intro Skip false

Custom Resolution false

Force Entity Updates true

Gameplay FOV multiplier 1.10

Center HUD false

Fix Movies false

Fix FOV false

Fix HUD false

ReShade

Disabled add-ons Generic Depth, Effect Runtime Sync

Read directly from DeathStrandingDCFix.ini and ReShade.ini in the game folder.

Mods

DeathStrandingDCFix Community fix. Only the field-of-view multiplier and entity-update fix are enabled; the ultrawide, movie and HUD fixes are deliberately off because they are for aspect ratios this setup does not use.

ReShade Installed with the add-ons that conflict with capture switched off.

Process Lasso CPU set pinned to the cache-heavy core cluster.

HDR correction for this one is still outstanding - unlike Returnal, its native HDR needs work, and that has not been done yet. It is listed here rather than left out, so the gap is visible.

Set up, not yet played

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Mega Drive / Game Gear)

The Mega Drive cartridge and the Game Gear cartridge, each from its own dump, on the same core at 4K in HDR with no filtering. A fixed-screen puzzle game, so it stays in its native aspect.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Mega Drive game file Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (USA).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (USA).zip"

Game Gear game file Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (USA, Europe).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (USA, Europe).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

I Hate Running Backwards

4K with scRGB HDR retrofitted by Special K onto the existing swap chain.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Exclusive fullscreen

Display device my monitor

HDR (Special K)

16-bit swap chain true

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

Read directly from the Special K profile beside the game.

Mods

Special K Loaded as dxgi.dll beside the executable.

Set up, not yet played

Knuckles' Chaotix (32X)

The 32X cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering, in its native 4:3.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core PicoDrive

Game file Knuckles' Chaotix (Japan, USA) (En).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\picodrive_libretro.dll" "Knuckles' Chaotix (Japan, USA) (En).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (PicoDrive)

Aspect PAR

Audio filter disabled

Drc enabled

Fm filter off

Fmchip ym2612

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Ggghost off

Input1 3 button pad

Input2 3 button pad

Lowpass range 60

Overclk68k disabled

Ramcart disabled

Region Auto

Renderer accurate

Smsfm off

Smsmapper Auto

Smstms SMS

Smstype Auto

Sound rate 44100

Sprlim disabled

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)

The 3DS cartridge on Azahar at 9x (an exact 4K fit for the top screen), both screens in their native stacked layout, no texture filter, vsync.

Emulator and version

Launch azahar.exe -f "Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (USA) (En,Fr,Es).3ds"

Cartridge image (decrypted dump) Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (USA) (En,Fr,Es).3ds

Emulator

Emulator Azahar

Launch azahar.exe -f <the cartridge image> (fullscreen)

qt-config.ini, the values that decide the picture

graphics_api 1

resolution_factor 9

texture_filter 0

use_hw_shader true

async_shader_compilation true

use_disk_shader_cache true

use_vsync_new false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

layout_option 0

swap_screen false

upright_screen false

screen_gap 0

custom_layout false

is_new_3ds true

cpu_clock_percentage 100

region_value -1

render_3d 0

factor_3d 0

filter_mode true

pp_shader_name None (builtin)

anaglyph_shader_name Dubois (builtin)

Read directly from Azahar's qt-config.ini.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Nothing filtered or post-processed; the 3D effect is off (a flat screen).

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,Es).rvz"

Disc image Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,Es).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Nintendo DS)

The DS cartridge on melonDS with its OpenGL renderer at 8x (2048x1536 per screen), both screens stacked at their native shape, no filtering, direct boot.

Emulator and version

Launch melonDS.exe -f "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (USA) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"

Game file Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (USA) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds

Emulator

Emulator melonDS 1.1

Launch melonDS.exe -f <the game file> (fullscreen)

melonDS.toml, the values that decide the picture

3D.Renderer 1

3D.GL.ScaleFactor 8

3D.GL.BetterPolygons true

3D.GL.HiresCoordinates true

Screen.UseGL true

Screen.VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Instance0.Window0.ScreenFilter false

Instance0.Window0.IntegerScaling false

Instance0.Window0.ScreenLayout 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenSizing 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenGap 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectTop 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectBot 0

Emu.ConsoleType 0

Emu.DirectBoot true

Emu.ExternalBIOSEnable false

LimitFPS true

AudioSync false

Read directly from melonDS.toml.

No console BIOS or firmware dump is used: the emulator's replacement BIOS with direct boot. No HDR from this emulator; a later retrofit item, as for the arcade entries. The picture is not filtered.

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (USA) (En,Fr,Es).rvz"

Disc image Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (USA) (En,Fr,Es).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (Switch)

The Switch title on Eden (Vulkan) in docked mode at 2x, which is 2160p on this display, 16x anisotropic filtering, SMAA, vsync, fullscreen; its 1.0.1 update installed.

Emulator and version

Launch eden.exe -f -g "<the title's NSP>"

Base NSP (US). Update v1.0.1 (v65536) installed into the emulator's user NAND from the update NSP (title keys already held) The base game NSP, US region (its title id is a 16-digit number the site gate reads as a phone number, so it stays out of the page)

Emulator (qt-config.ini)

backend Vulkan

resolution_setup 2x (docked 1080p rendered at 2160p, the display's own 4K)

use_vsync 0 (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

scaling_filter bilinear (no-op at an exact 4K output)

aspect_ratio 0

anti_aliasing SMAA (edge-only, no texture blur)

fullscreen_mode borderless

gpu_accuracy high

max_anisotropy 16x

use_disk_shader_cache true

use_asynchronous_shaders false

language_index English (American)

region_index USA

use_docked_mode docked

fullscreen true

enable_discord_presence false

confirmStop never ask on stop

pauseWhenInBackground false

hideInactiveMouse true

check_for_updates false

Read from the emulator's qt-config.ini after the run.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). No mods, cheats or speed hacks.

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)

The DS cartridge on melonDS with its OpenGL renderer at 8x (2048x1536 per screen), both screens stacked at their native shape, no filtering, direct boot.

Emulator and version

Launch melonDS.exe -f "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (USA) (En,Fr,Es).nds"

Game file Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (USA) (En,Fr,Es).nds

Emulator

Emulator melonDS 1.1

Launch melonDS.exe -f <the game file> (fullscreen)

melonDS.toml, the values that decide the picture

3D.Renderer 1

3D.GL.ScaleFactor 8

3D.GL.BetterPolygons true

3D.GL.HiresCoordinates true

Screen.UseGL true

Screen.VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Instance0.Window0.ScreenFilter false

Instance0.Window0.IntegerScaling false

Instance0.Window0.ScreenLayout 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenSizing 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenGap 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectTop 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectBot 0

Emu.ConsoleType 0

Emu.DirectBoot true

Emu.ExternalBIOSEnable false

LimitFPS true

AudioSync false

Read directly from melonDS.toml.

No console BIOS or firmware dump is used: the emulator's replacement BIOS with direct boot. No HDR from this emulator; a later retrofit item, as for the arcade entries. The picture is not filtered.

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,Es).rvz"

Disc image Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,Es).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)

The Wii U title on Cemu (Vulkan) with the community graphic pack's 3840x2160 preset and 16x anisotropic filtering, fullscreen, vsync.

Emulator and version

Launch Cemu.exe -g "<the title's rpx>" -f

Title folder dump (code/content/meta), with its Update installed into the emulator's title store unison.rpx

Emulator (settings.xml)

Emulator Cemu

Graphics API Vulkan

Fullscreen true

VSync 0 (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Upscale filter bicubic

Async shader compile true

Accurate barriers true

Graphic packs enabled for this title

TV resolution (graphic pack) 3840x2160

Anisotropic filtering (graphic pack) 16x

Read from Cemu's settings.xml and the enabled graphic pack presets.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Graphic packs are used only for resolution, filtering and emulator-accuracy workarounds; no mod, cheat or FPS pack is enabled.

Set up, not yet played

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Wii U)

The Wii U title on Cemu (Vulkan) with the community graphic pack's 3840x2160 preset and 16x anisotropic filtering, fullscreen, vsync.

Emulator and version

Launch Cemu.exe -g "<the title's rpx>" -f

Title folder dump (code/content/meta), with its Update installed into the emulator's title store urals.rpx

Emulator (settings.xml)

Emulator Cemu

Graphics API Vulkan

Fullscreen true

VSync 0 (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Upscale filter bicubic

Async shader compile true

Accurate barriers true

Graphic packs enabled for this title

TV resolution (graphic pack) 3840x2160

Anisotropic filtering (graphic pack) 16x

Read from Cemu's settings.xml and the enabled graphic pack presets.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Graphic packs are used only for resolution, filtering and emulator-accuracy workarounds; no mod, cheat or FPS pack is enabled.

Played on stream (2 sessions, last 5 Jul 2026)

Resident Evil Requiem

Maxed-out path-traced 4K with a clean, grain-free image tuned for streaming. Every single setting from the game's own config is listed below so you can replicate it 1:1 - display, ray tracing, image quality, HDR sliders, the engine/render block, the exact DLSS versions I swapped in, and the driver profile. Film grain, motion blur, bloom, and lens distortion are off so the picture stays sharp on the encode.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Borderless

Display device my monitor

Refresh rate 60 Hz

Frame rate Variable (uncapped)

V-Sync On

Color space Rec. 2020

Display gamma 10

Display safe area 10

Button icon type Xbox Series (XBS)

Image quality rate 5

HDR & brightness (in-game HDR - read the notes below)

HDR On (mode: Auto)

Max Brightness Slide fully RIGHT to the max stop (= +20)

Min Brightness Slide fully LEFT to the min stop (= -20)

Brightness HDR Leave the slider centered / middle - the default (= 0, ~300 nits)

Upscaling & frame generation

Upscaling algorithm DLSS

DLSS quality Max Quality

Frame generation DLSS 4x

Reflex low latency (DLSS) On

Upscaling sharpness 0 (off)

FSR1 upscaling quality (fallback) Quality

Ray tracing & lighting

Ray tracing On - Path Tracing (Standard)

Screen-space reflections (SSR) On

Contact shadows On

Dynamic shadows On

Shadow quality Highest

Shadow cache On

Ambient occlusion (AO) quality High

Volumetric fog quality Highest

Particle lighting On

Image quality

Overall draw-quality preset Custom

Visual quality level High

Texture quality High

Texture filtering Anisotropic 16x

Transparent buffer quality Standard

Mesh quality High

Effect quality High

Subsurface scattering (SSS) quality High

Lens flare quality High

Hair / strands On

Anti-aliasing TAA

Depth of field On

Turned off for a cleaner stream image

Film grain Off

Motion blur Off

Bloom Off

Lens distortion Off

Engine / render (advanced - the game's render block)

Graphics API DirectX 12

Mesh shaders Allowed (force off)

Parallel command-list build On (8 worker threads)

Compute queue pairing On

Independent render worker On

Tight-fit shader cache On

Eco shader cache On

Render worker thread priority above normal Off

Why my HDR sliders look like that (and why yours might differ)

Resident Evil Requiem uses IN-GAME HDR - you calibrate it inside the game, not just in Windows. The catch: the in-game calibration image is misleading. The sliders show no numbers, and the picture you adjust against doesn't reflect what the game actually outputs, so it nudges you toward the wrong values on a bright display.

My monitor is an OLED that peaks around 1000 nits in HDR. Analysis of the game's actual output shows the Max Brightness slider reaches roughly 950 nits when pushed fully right (+20), while the default center (0) only puts out around 700 nits. So on a ~1000-nit screen I slide Max Brightness all the way right to use the full range my panel can show - the calibration image makes that look 'too bright,' but the real output is right where it should be.

Min Brightness goes fully left (-20) to hold a true black point. On an OLED, black pixels are genuinely off, so keeping the floor down preserves real inky blacks instead of lifting shadows into grey.

Brightness HDR I leave dead center at the default (0, about 300 nits). That's the mid/paper-white balance for the tone-map - the cleanest, easiest-on-the-eyes middle ground; pushing it just crushes or washes the mid-tones.

Important: these are tuned to MY 1000-nit OLED. If your monitor peaks lower (say 400-600 nits) you should NOT slam Max Brightness fully right - match it to your own panel's peak. Treat my numbers as the reference for a 1000-nit OLED, not a universal preset.

driver control panel settings

These are my actual driver control panel settings, read straight off my screen - not defaults. I do most of the tuning at the global level so every game inherits it, and Resident Evil Requiem reads from that same global profile (no separate per-game overrides). Driver: GeForce Game Ready 610.62. The headline ones: Power Management on Prefer maximum performance, Texture Filtering on High quality, V-Sync On with G-SYNC, a 237 FPS frame cap, and the DLSS model-preset override below.

DLSS version swap (via DLSS Swapper)

I updated all of Requiem's DLSS DLLs to the latest version using the DLSS Swapper app - upscaling, Ray Reconstruction, and Frame Generation - then set DLSS to Max Quality and Frame Generation to DLSS 4x in-game. The game shipped with the 310.3 DLLs; these are what I run now:

DLSS Super Resolution (nvngx_dlss.dll) v310.7 (game shipped with v310.3)

DLSS Ray Reconstruction (nvngx_dlssd.dll) v310.7 (game shipped with v310.3)

DLSS Frame Generation (nvngx_dlssg.dll) v310.7 (game shipped with v310.3)

In-game DLSS preset Max Quality

In-game Frame Generation DLSS 4x

Every setting above is read directly from the game's own config (config.ini, GameOption + render blocks), the NVIDIA driver profile database, and the DLSS Swapper database - so it matches exactly what runs on stream. Resident Evil Requiem keeps its audio levels, language, and subtitle settings inside the encrypted Steam Cloud save rather than the readable config file, so those few aren't listed here. Audio for the stream is handled on the mixer side (SM7B + RODECaster), not in-game.

Mods

REFramework The modding framework for RE Engine games - required to load the script mods below. Installed here as dinput8.dll in the game folder.

No Film Grain (REFramework script) Disables the film-grain filter at runtime for a clean, sharp picture on stream - on top of the in-game film grain already being off.

Requiem FOV (REFramework script) Adds the field-of-view control the game ships without. Set wide but not fish-eye: 100 degrees horizontal for both Leon and Grace; aim-down-sights left at stock so it still zooms in. Per-character Leon/Grace profiles, and the interaction prompts and item markers stay anchored across the camera change.

Single-player, offline only. Every one of these is a PRESENTATION or capture adjustment - film grain, motion blur, lens distortion, vignette, field of view - never content, art, enemies, or difficulty. Same principle as running the game sharper than the hardware of its day could: the game the developers built is untouched; only how it reaches the camera changes. Installed with Vortex plus hand-placed REFramework scripts.

Now playing

Returnal

4K with native HDR and every image-smearing effect disabled through engine overrides rather than by lowering quality. Texture streaming is switched off because it was the actual cause of textures failing to load in long sessions.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Exclusive fullscreen

Display device my monitor

In-game V-Sync False

Frame rate limit 0.000000 (uncapped in-game; the driver owns the cap)

Dynamic resolution False

HDR

HDR output True

HDR peak brightness 1000 nits

Note Native HDR is good here, so nothing is layered on top of it.

DLSS

Mode DLSS_Quality

Sharpness 0.000000

Frame generation True

DLL preset Preset K, updated with DLSS Swapper

Effects disabled by engine override (Engine.ini)

Depth of field (default feature) 0 - off

Lens flare (default feature) 0 - off

Motion blur (default feature) 0 - off

Depth of field 0 - off

Lens flare 0 - off

Motion blur (max) 0 - off

Motion blur 0 - off

Chromatic aberration (max) 0 - off

Chromatic aberration 0 - off

Tonemapper extras (grain, vignette) 0 - off

Launch options

-notexturestreaming Texture streaming off. This is a FIX, not a quality change: with streaming on, textures stopped loading correctly after several hours of play.

Read directly from the game's GameUserSettings.ini and the [SystemSettings] block of its Engine.ini.

Mods

DLSS Swapper Used to keep the DLSS libraries current and to pin the preset.

Process Lasso A CPU set pins the game to the cache-heavy core cluster, and its automatic priority balancing is excluded for this game.

Nothing here reduces visual quality. The disabled effects are the ones that blur or dirty the image - motion blur, depth of field, lens flare, chromatic aberration and grain - and everything else stays maxed.

Display measured; personal review pending

SegaSonic Bros. (Arcade prototype)

The preserved 1992 puzzle prototype with English attract and versus instructions, working save states, Wolverine controls and a custom 16:9 presentation. Both original puzzle boards and counters remain intact. The blocks can be held to a slower fall while the game itself runs at full speed; every other rule and the native 60 fps stay unchanged.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core FinalBurn Neo v1.0.0.03, build 260928, GITa4012b1; isolated per-game presentation adapter

ROM Original ssonicbr arcade prototype, with the English program-chip patch loaded through the patched-romset option

Launch Numbered desktop icon 01-04.5, existing frame-generation launcher, cores/fbneo_ssonicbr_16x9_libretro.dll and ssonicbr.zip

Expanded 16:9 presentation

Output 427x224, 16:9 display aspect

Original view Every original 320x224 pixel is retained at x54. Both boards, counters and menus retain their original artwork and layout.

Added sides During play, the game's own dark-blue backdrop continues around both boards, with existing off-screen sprites drawn over it. Title, tutorial and menu screens extend their clean original scenery. Cabinet artwork is never repeated into the sides.

Unchanged rules Original puzzle dimensions, collisions, scoring, audio, inputs and 60 fps timing. Only the falling speed can be held slower (see Falling speed).

Background verification Fifteen scenes matched every original pixel and all 201,032 system-memory bytes against an independent native-core run. Save restoration reproduced the frame exactly. The full 8,508-frame headless test ran faster than real time.

Falling speed

How the game sets it Each level loads a fall delay from the game's own table: the pair drops half a block every 50 frames at level 1, every 12 at level 10, every 3 at level 20 and every frame from level 60.

Floor The adapter never lets that delay fall below the chosen value, so slower levels keep their own speed. Default 17 frames per half block, about one row every 0.57 seconds.

Adjust LB slower, RB faster, about 25% per press. RB all the way down restores the game's own speed. The setting is remembered.

Soft drop Down still drops the pair half a block every frame.

Whole-game speed LT slower, RT faster, 1% to 400%, at 100%. Remembered.

English instructions

Attract mode All five native tutorial pages, including their original diagrams and icons

Versus mode Attack page: clearing 8 or more sends poison gas; larger clears send more. Victory page: first to 300,000 points wins; solo emerald pieces are absent in versus.

Rendering The game writes English with its own text routines, original ink/paper and matching 16-dot Latin glyphs. Original frame, gas icon, emerald icon and all pictures preserved.

Patch scope Dedicated glyph/script data and existing data pointers; original executable game instructions and sound unchanged

Preservation Builder source and proven program-chip IPS deltas are retained on F:; full original/patched cartridge copies are not needed to preserve the work.

Saving and automatic backups

Core state support FinalBurn Neo state support retained; same original state format

Save policy Suspend anywhere to stop; continue forward. Reusable retries start at completed level boundaries, never after individual moves. Completion branches retain legitimately earned progress.

Backup coverage Existing automatic watcher covers FinalBurn Neo save/state folders for normal and frame-generation RetroArch launches.

RetroArch video and timing (effective game settings)

video_driver d3d11

video_fullscreen true

video_windowed_fullscreen true

video_hdr_enable true

video_hdr_max_nits 1000.000000

video_hdr_paper_white_nits 200.000000

video_hdr_expand_gamut true

aspect_ratio_index 22

video_scale_integer false

video_smooth false

video_shader_enable false

video_vsync false

vrr_runloop_enable true

audio_driver wasapi

audio_latency 64

Core options from the game-specific file

fbneo-allow-depth-32 enabled

fbneo-allow-patched-romsets enabled

fbneo-analog-speed 100%

fbneo-cpu-speed-adjust 100%

fbneo-diagnostic-input None

fbneo-dipswitch-ssonicbr-Coin_A 1 Coin 1 Credits

fbneo-dipswitch-ssonicbr-Coin_B 1 Coin 1 Credits

fbneo-dipswitch-ssonicbr-Demo_Sounds On

fbneo-dipswitch-ssonicbr-Difficulty Medium

fbneo-fixed-frameskip 0

fbneo-fm-interpolation 4-point 3rd order

fbneo-force-60hz disabled

fbneo-frameskip-manual-threshold 33

fbneo-frameskip-type disabled

fbneo-lightgun-crosshair-emulation hide with lightgun device

fbneo-lowpass-filter disabled

fbneo-resolution 640x480

fbneo-sample-interpolation 4-point 3rd order

fbneo-samplerate 48000

fbneo-socd 3

fbneo-vertical-mode disabled

Measured display output, 3 October 2026

Tested launch The numbered desktop shortcut, with its selected cartridge, core and game settings

Native game rate 60.00 Hz. Game logic retains its native timing.

Generated display rate 236.5 displayed fps from Lossless Scaling in the sampled foreground run; adaptive target 237 on the 240 Hz display

HDR sample 762.5 nits peak in the sampled scene, measured from the actual display output

Image width 3840x2160 output; image content reached both outer columns

Personal review Mappings are configured and the display has been measured. Final physical controller presses and visual approval remain with the player.

Game-specific Wolverine controls

Move group D-pad or left stick

Rotate / confirm A

Drop faster Down

Falling speed LB slower / RB faster

Whole-game speed LT slower / RT faster

Insert coin View

Start Menu; allow the title animation to finish first

Save state View+RB

Load state View+LB

Next / previous slot View+Y / View+X

Emulator menu View+Menu

Service shortcut Disabled for this game, so holding Start does not enter operator diagnostics

Effective shared and per-game settings read from the installed files. The revised desktop launch was measured in the foreground after the player stopped streaming. Sources, compiled adapter and proven translation deltas remain preserved separately from the cartridge.

English attract and versus instructions and expanded native-scenery presentation are installed. Actual generated display output measured 236.5 fps with HDR in the revised build. No filtering or artificial scanlines. LB and RB set how slowly the blocks may fall while the game runs at full speed; LT and RT change the whole game's speed between 1% and 400%. Both settings are remembered.

Setup checked and guide ready; physical review available

SegaSonic Cosmo Fighter Galaxy Patrol (Arcade)

Original English World cartridge, with a tested native-scenery16:9 presentation, HDR, frame generation and native save/load support through FinalBurn Neo.

Selected game and emulator

Game SegaSonic Cosmo Fighter, original World/English set sonicfgt

Emulator Installed FinalBurn Neo, unchanged native game logic; an isolated per-game adapter draws the extra sides

Native timing 60fps, unchanged by the presentation adapter

Guide Two completion objectives, with current controls and complete-flight retry instructions

Display

Resolution 3840x2160 fullscreen,16:9, original320x224 picture retained inside427x224 native-scenery rendering

Picture integrity Original picture pixels and complete game-memory snapshots matched at12 checkpoints; no cropping, stretched game art or changed rules

Rendering D3D11, nearest pixels, no smoothing, shaders, scanlines or artificial blur

HDR Native RetroArch HDR,1000-nit setting,200-nit paper white and expanded gamut; sampled peak1035nits

Frame generation Existing RetroArch Lossless Scaling profile; live shooting scene measured235.8displayedfps on the240Hz display

Language Original World-release English text and voices. No translation patch required.

Wolverine controls

Steer D-pad or left stick, left/right

Shoot A

Transform B

Lever input X

Insert coin View

Pause / emulator menu Menu

Save / load Hold L3 and press RB/LB; keyboard F2/F4. Retain only whole-challenge starting boundaries or permitted suspends.

Next / previous slot Hold L3 and press Y/X

Verified persistence and launch

Save support Native state restoration matched image and game memory in private tests. Actual frontend F2 saving and F4 loading also succeeded.

Backup tool Automatic FinalBurn Neo state watcher captured the real test boundary save; its backup matched the complete file hash.

Launch Numbered Desktop entry01-07 opens the World game through the isolated FinalBurn Neo widescreen adapter.

Player review Display and mappings checked. Personal artifact preference and physical presses remain available for review.

Per-game display and Wolverine configuration is installed. Whole original/wide runs and state restoration were checked privately, then the live shooting scene was measured. The English World cartridge is unchanged; the earlier standalone-MAME setup is superseded.

Native VDP scenery extends the display sides while every original picture pixel remains intact. The adapter forwards input, audio, timing and save operations to the unchanged emulator. Source, build, verified adapter and exact configuration are preserved separately from the game cartridge.

Setup checked and guide ready; physical review available

SegaSonic Popcorn Shop (Arcade)

OriginalRevB vending software with its nativeUS interface, expanded native-scenery16:9 presentation, HDR and frame generation. The original Japanese voices are retained.

Selected software

Build Original Rev B sonicpop cartridge, unchanged; native US region interface selected

Emulator MAME0.289 through RetroArch, with an isolated per-game presentation adapter

Timing Native59.9227Hz, unchanged

Language Native English US interface; original Japanese spoken samples retained

Completion guide Three menu selections across complete transactions, plus the verified walk-by sensor animation

Display

Presentation 3840x2160 fullscreen; original320x224 pixels retained inside427x224 native-scenery16:9 rendering

Integrity All original picture pixels and complete gameplay-RAM snapshots matched at ten checkpoints across a native vending cycle

Pixel rendering Nearest pixels, no smoothing, shaders, scanlines or artificial blur

HDR RetroArch HDR1000-nit setting,200-nit paper white, expanded gamut; live sampled peak1035nits

Frame generation Existing RetroArch Lossless Scaling profile; selection panel measured230.9displayedfps on the240Hz display

Wolverine controls

Insert coin View

Left / middle / right selection A / B / X, held through the relay confirmation

Cabinet relay handoff Y

Handle phases Alternate LB and RB when prompted

Walk-by sensor L3 during attract mode

Pause Menu opens the emulator menu

Persistence and launch

Retry Fresh whole vending cycle. Save states are not claimed for this mechanical driver.

Backup coverage The running automatic watcher covers MAME configuration and NVRAM; it does not turn unsupported states into supported ones.

Launch Desktop entry01-08 uses the per-game native-scenery MAME adapter and originalRevB content

Review Display and native cabinet bindings checked; physical button and artifact preference review remains available

Shared approved games and global system settings are unchanged. Native controller cycles and original/wide picture/RAM comparisons were checked privately. The live selection panel was measured. Source/build/core/configuration and inspection evidence are preserved separately from the cartridge.

An isolated read-only VDP presentation adapter adds native background and existing sprite material to the display sides, preserving the original picture. Per-game native cabinet signals are mapped to the controller; unused sold-out/service signals are left unassigned.

Setup checked and guide ready; physical review available

SegaSonic the Hedgehog (Arcade)

Japan revision C with restored original English artwork, a wider native display, HDR, controller trackball input and working native save/load. The latest generated-frame cadence was about181.5fps;240fps is not claimed.

Selected game

Build Original Japan revision C, sonic; earlier prototype excluded

Emulator FinalBurn Neo1.0.0.03 through RetroArch, with an isolated per-game display and input adapter

Native timing 60Hz game logic, unchanged

Language Restored original English graphic text; original Eggman artwork and spoken samples retained

Display

Presentation Full3840x2160,16:9. Hardware drawing widened from320 to416columns, with11edge-material framing columns for correct pixel shape

Integrity All original320x224 picture pixels and full667648-byte game RAM matched at12native/wide checkpoints. Extra scenery does not expand traversable level boundaries.

Filtering Nearest pixels; smoothing, shaders and artificial blur disabled; no cropping

HDR 1000-nit setting,200-nit paper white, expanded gamut; live sampled peak1035nits

Frame generation Separate LSFG3 profile, adaptive target237,20-second startup delay. Latest measured181.5displayedfps on the240Hz display. Quiet launch avoids capturing the diagnostic console.

Wolverine controls

Move Left stick, native analog trackball input

Jump A or B; combine movement with the button for a spin jump

Coin / Start View / R3

Pause Menu opens the emulator menu

Save / load L3 plus RB/LB; keyboard F2/F4

Slots L3 plus Y/X changes the next/previous slot

Persistence and launch

Save support Native state replay matched picture and complete RAM. Real frontend F2/F4 also passed.

Backup tool Automatic state and NVRAM watcher. Test state and backup hashes matched; inspection state removed from live player slot0.

Retry rule Permitted suspend, cleared boundary, or fresh whole-challenge retry. No retained incremental final-escape progress.

Desktop entry 01-10 SegaSonic the Hedgehog arcade, English; original revision C content

Review Physical button presses and personal interpolation-artifact preference remain available for review; player completion is not claimed.

Controller direction and both jump inputs were tested privately. Native save restoration and actual frontend save/load were checked, with a verified automatic backup. The production launcher suppresses the diagnostic console that caused a capture problem. Source, IPS, build instructions, configurations and test evidence are preserved separately.

A per-game adapter widens only the selected driver drawing dimensions inside its process; the shared emulator file is unchanged and compatibility checked. The native picture is preserved. An isolated single-chip overlay restores unused English artwork, with original character design retained.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam (Original Xbox)

The Xbox version, which contains both campaigns plus content that exists nowhere else, patched for real anamorphic 16:9.

Emulation

Emulator xemu

Renderer Vulkan

Internal resolution scale 8x

Aspect ratio 16:9

Disc image Converted to the format the emulator reads directly

Read directly from the emulator's own config.

Mods

Widescreen patch Applied to the game executable inside the disc image, in place. This renders a genuinely wider view rather than stretching a 4:3 image - verified by measuring a circular HUD element and confirming it is still round.

This version is not a straight port. It adds a weapon and an item that the PC versions do not have, and a lives system, but has fewer enemies on screen and smaller levels.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam (Palm OS)

The handheld version, emulated. Its screen is square, not widescreen or 4:3.

Emulation

Emulator RetroArch, Mu core

Emulated device Palm m515/Palm OS 4.1

Graffiti input area enabled - hiding it leaves a true 1:1 square image

CPU speed 1.0

Joystick as mouse enabled

Window mode Exclusive fullscreen

Read directly from the emulator core's option file.

Because the image is square rather than 4:3, it leaves a wide empty band on each side of a 16:9 screen. That is filled on the stream side with a dark, blurred extension of the game's own edge colours, so nothing is stretched or cropped.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam 2

4K with a derived 16:9 field of view and Float16 scRGB HDR through dgVoodoo2. Its config file is deliberately read-only, because the engine deletes any line it does not recognise the moment it saves.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Display device my monitor

Graphics API 2

Engine HDR rendering On

Image quality

Texture quality 0 (highest)

Lightmap quality 0 (highest)

Dynamic shadow quality 3

Lens flare quality 3

View

Field of view 96.4183 (derived for 16:9)

Weapon FOV fix On

Menu safe zone 544 x 408

dgVoodoo2 (D3D9 to D3D11 wrapper)

Output API d3d11_fl11_0

Colour space argb16161616_hdr (Float16 HDR output)

Presentation model flip_discard

Emulated VRAM 2GB) MB

Filtering appdriven

Read directly from Sam2.ini and dgVoodoo.conf. Field of view is derived, never copied between games: hfov(16:9) = 2*atan(tan(hfov(4:3)/2) * 3/4 * 16/9). Every engine has a different 4:3 default, so the same number is a different view in a different game.

Mods

dgVoodoo2 D3D9.dll in the Bin folder, outputting Float16 scRGB HDR.

Large Address Aware patch Same 2 GB address-space fix as the HD games.

One quirk worth knowing: because a wrapper changes the reported graphics device, the game shows a 'your graphic card has been changed' notice on every launch unless the stored device name in its config is updated to match.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam 3: BFE

4K with every post-processing effect that smears the image switched off, and a derived 16:9 field of view. HDR is added by the graphics driver, since the game has none.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Platform PC

Display device my monitor

Tuned settings (from the game's own user.cfg)

gfx_bFullScreen 1 - exclusive fullscreen - lowest latency

gfx_pixResWidth 3840 - 4K is the floor

gfx_pixResHeight 2160

gfx_iWaitVSyncs 0 - in-game VSync OFF - the driver owns it

gfx_iMaxFPSActive 10000 - cap unlimited - driver owns the 237 cap

ren_fMax3DRenderingMPix 8.3 - QL5 caps 3D at 2.0 MPix (~1885x1060); 4K needs 8.2944

tex_iAnisotropy 16 - 16x anisotropic

tex_pixMaxSize 4096 - allow 4096 textures

efx_bMotionBlur 0 - BANNED

efx_bDepthOfField 0 - BANNED

sha_bAllowZoomBlurring 0 - BANNED - blur

plr_fFOVOverride 106.2602 - derived: base 90 -> 16:9

Read directly from the game's user.cfg. The comments are the actual reasons the value was chosen, not added afterwards. Field of view is derived, never copied between games: hfov(16:9) = 2*atan(tan(hfov(4:3)/2) * 3/4 * 16/9). Every engine has a different 4:3 default, so the same number is a different view in a different game.

Nothing is modded here - these are the engine's own console variables, written to user.cfg so they load after the saved settings and win.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam 4

4K with the game's own native HDR switched on. Worth knowing: the GOG build is a version AHEAD of the Steam one.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Platform PC (GOG)

Display device my monitor

Tuned settings (from the game's own user.cfg)

gfx_bFullScreen 1 - exclusive fullscreen - lowest latency

gfx_pixResWidth 3840 - 4K is the floor

gfx_pixResHeight 2160

gfx_iWaitVSyncs 0 - in-game VSync OFF - the driver owns it

gfx_iMaxFPSActive 10000 - cap unlimited - driver owns the 237 cap

ren_fMax3DRenderingMPix 8.3 - QL5 caps 3D at 2.0 MPix (~1885x1060); 4K needs 8.2944

tex_iAnisotropy 16 - 16x anisotropic

tex_pixMaxSize 4096 - allow 4096 textures

efx_bMotionBlur 0 - BANNED

efx_bDepthOfField 0 - BANNED

gfx_bHDROutput 1 - NATIVE HDR ON (then RTX HDR must be OFF for this exe)

Read directly from the game's user.cfg. The comments are the actual reasons the value was chosen, not added afterwards. Field of view is derived, never copied between games: hfov(16:9) = 2*atan(tan(hfov(4:3)/2) * 3/4 * 16/9). Every engine has a different 4:3 default, so the same number is a different view in a different game.

Nothing is modded here - these are the engine's own console variables, written to user.cfg so they load after the saved settings and win.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam Advance

The Game Boy Advance entry - an original story, not a port - on a cycle-accurate emulator.

Emulation

Emulator NanoBoyAdvance (cycle-accurate)

Scale 2

Fullscreen true

Filter sharp

Colour correction agb - matches the original handheld screen's colour response

LCD ghosting false

Display device my monitor

Read directly from the emulator's own config file.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam Classics: Revolution

The classic 2001 engine running at native 4K with hardware-accurate EAX reverb restored and real scRGB HDR added on top. Every value below is read from the game's own PersistentSymbols.ini.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Fullscreen

Display device my monitor

Renderer OpenGL

Colour depth Desktop default

Textures & filtering

Texture filtering Anisotropic, highest quality (21)

Anisotropic filtering 16x

Texture quality Maximum the 32-bit engine allows (3x); 4x is not reachable

Audio

Sound interface DirectSound (wrapped by DSOAL)

Sound format 3

EAX reverb Enabled - confirmed by 'EAX: Enabled' in the game's own log

Input & view

Field of view 106.2602 (derived for 16:9, not copied)

Mouse filtering Off

Horizontal sensitivity 1

Vertical sensitivity 0.75

Invert vertical Off

HDR (added by Special K)

16-bit swap chain true

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

How Special K as OpenGL32.dll. On this one it is load-bearing beyond HDR - without it the game renders a black screen under Windows HDR, because it is an OpenGL-only fork with no Direct3D fallback.

Read directly from PersistentSymbols.ini and the Special K profile. Field of view is derived, never copied between games: hfov(16:9) = 2*atan(tan(hfov(4:3)/2) * 3/4 * 16/9). Every engine has a different 4:3 default, so the same number is a different view in a different game.

Mods

Special K Renamed to OpenGL32.dll in the game's Bin folder. Supplies the 16-bit scRGB swap chain.

DSOAL dsound.dll + alsoft.ini. Restores the EAX hardware reverb that Windows Vista removed when it deleted hardware audio mixing. Without it these games are dry.

Both are restoration layers, not enhancements - they put back what modern Windows took away. Nothing about the gameplay is altered.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam Double D (2011 original)

The original 2011 release, which has to be played alongside the later expanded version because that one removed things. It is a 2D game built on an old framework, so the work here was getting real HDR out of it and choosing the best aspect-correct mode it will accept.

Display

Full Screen On

Resolution 1600 x 900, the highest 16:9 mode the game offers

Vsync Enabled

Draw Shaders On, it ships disabled, which quietly drops the game's visual effects

HDR

Output Real scRGB high dynamic range

Swap chain format R16G16B16A16_SFLOAT (16-bit float per channel)

Colour space Extended sRGB linear

How it is reached A translation layer converts the game's old graphics calls to a modern one and upgrades the swap chain to floating point.

Two things about this game are worth knowing, because neither is obvious. The first is where the graphics layer has to live. Games built on this framework do not load their graphics library from their own folder, the framework pulls it from a shared system location instead, so a file dropped next to the game is simply ignored. The layer therefore has to sit in that shared location. But its configuration file is read from the game's own folder, so a game with the layer available but no configuration beside it gets no high dynamic range at all and gives no warning. That was the entire difference between this version and the expanded one: one file. The second is the resolution ceiling. The list of resolutions is built into the game itself rather than read from the screen, and it stops at a size that was generous in 2011. The display offers far more, and the game will not show any of it. 1600 x 900 is the largest 16:9 option available, so it is the one that keeps everything the correct shape with nothing stretched, and the graphics card scales it up to fill the screen. The later expanded version has an updated list and does not have this limit.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam Double D XXL

An XNA game in HDR, which took a third approach entirely: DXVK translates Direct3D 9 to Vulkan and upgrades ONLY the swap chain, so the game itself never sees a change.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Display device my monitor

DXVK (D3D9 to Vulkan, HDR build)

Swap chain upgrade true

Swap chain format rgba16_sfloat

Swap chain colour space scRGB

Window mode enforcement disabled

Why this one needed a different tool

XNA validates its back buffer format strictly. Any HDR method that reformats the buffer makes the .NET runtime throw and the game closes instantly - both 16-bit and 10-bit attempts failed that way. A D3D9-to-D3D11 wrapper failed differently, crashing on a device reset the game cannot handle.

The DXVK HDR build upgrades only the swap chain - the surface actually handed to the display - and leaves the game's own render targets untouched. The game is none the wiser, and the output is Float16 scRGB.

One placement detail: XNA loads its Direct3D from a shared framework folder rather than the game folder, so the wrapper has to live where the framework looks, not next to the executable.

Read directly from dxvk.conf.

Mods

DXVK (HDR build) Translates D3D9 to Vulkan and upgrades the swap chain to Float16 scRGB.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

A DirectX 9 game with no HDR of its own, running 4K HDR anyway: dgVoodoo2 re-implements D3D9 on top of D3D11 and emits a Float16 scRGB swap chain itself.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Fullscreen

Display device my monitor

Refresh rate 240 Hz

In-game V-Sync Off

Frame cap 10000 (effectively uncapped in-game)

Image

Post-processing On

Engine HDR rendering On

Gamma 1

Output levels 256

dgVoodoo2 (D3D9 to D3D11 wrapper)

Output API d3d11_fl11_0

Colour space argb16161616_hdr (Float16 HDR output)

Presentation model flip_discard

Forced resolution max, refrate:60

Emulated VRAM 2GB) MB

Filtering appdriven

Anti-aliasing appdriven

Watermark false

How a 2009 DirectX 9 game ends up in HDR

Direct3D 9 has no concept of an HDR swap chain, so there is nothing for an HDR injector to attach to. The trick is to change the API underneath the game: dgVoodoo2 re-implements D3D9 on Direct3D 11, and then emits a Float16 scRGB swap chain of its own.

The important detail is that dgVoodoo does the HDR itself. Layering a second HDR injector on top to override the buffer format is what crashed this engine for weeks - the game cannot survive its back buffer being reformatted under it.

The other half is memory. A 32-bit game only gets 2 GB of address space, and at 4K with a wrapper holding its own resources the engine runs out and reports 'Direct3D: Out of memory' while tens of gigabytes are still free. The executable is patched Large Address Aware to raise that ceiling.

Read directly from the game's own config and from dgVoodoo.conf.

Mods

dgVoodoo2 D3D9.dll beside the executable. Translates the game to Direct3D 11 and outputs Float16 scRGB HDR.

Large Address Aware patch A single header flag on the executable, raising the 32-bit address-space ceiling from 2 GB to 4 GB.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter

The 2009-era remake of the second campaign, running at native 4K with real high dynamic range and its add-on campaign installed. Every value below is read from the game's own configuration file.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Fullscreen

Display device my monitor

Refresh rate 240 Hz

In-game V-Sync Off

Frame cap 10000 (effectively uncapped in-game)

Image

Post-processing On

Engine HDR rendering On

Gamma 1

Output levels 256

Tuned settings (from the game's own user.cfg)

gfx_bFullScreen 1 - exclusive fullscreen - lowest latency

gfx_pixResWidth 3840 - 4K is the floor

gfx_pixResHeight 2160

gfx_iWaitVSyncs 0 - in-game VSync OFF - the driver owns it

gfx_iMaxFPSActive 10000 - cap unlimited - driver owns the 237 cap

ren_fMax3DRenderingMPix 8.3 - QL5 caps 3D at 2.0 MPix (~1885x1060); 4K needs 8.2944

tex_iAnisotropy 16 - 16x anisotropic

tex_pixMaxSize 4096 - allow 4096 textures

efx_bMotionBlur 0 - BANNED

efx_bDepthOfField 0 - BANNED

sha_bAllowZoomBlurring 0 - BANNED - blur

inp_bMouseAcceleration 0 - BANNED

inp_bMouseSmoothing 0 - BANNED

plr_fFOVOverride 106.2602 - derived: base 90 -> 16:9

HDR

Output Real scRGB high dynamic range

How it is reached A single compatibility layer beside the game, which upgrades the presentation path, nothing else is needed

Peak luminance 1000 nits

Paper white 200 nits

Measured result Brightest pixel reaches 3.0 where standard range tops out at 1.0, with roughly 1.4% of the picture above standard white

Content

Add-on campaign Installed, three extra levels plus additional versus and survival maps

First Encounter pack Installed, lets the earlier campaign be played inside this game

Verified Both confirmed mounted by the engine at startup, marked as official content

How a 2009 DirectX 9 game ends up in HDR

Direct3D 9 has no concept of an HDR swap chain, so there is nothing for an HDR injector to attach to. The trick is to change the API underneath the game: dgVoodoo2 re-implements D3D9 on Direct3D 11, and then emits a Float16 scRGB swap chain of its own.

The important detail is that dgVoodoo does the HDR itself. Layering a second HDR injector on top to override the buffer format is what crashed this engine for weeks - the game cannot survive its back buffer being reformatted under it.

The other half is memory. A 32-bit game only gets 2 GB of address space, and at 4K with a wrapper holding its own resources the engine runs out and reports 'Direct3D: Out of memory' while tens of gigabytes are still free. The executable is patched Large Address Aware to raise that ceiling.

Getting high dynamic range out of this game took three attempts, and the two that failed are worth recording because they look correct on paper. The first attempt put a wrapper in front of the game to translate its old graphics calls to a modern interface, and told that wrapper to produce a floating-point output. It ran, and measuring the picture showed the brightest pixel sitting at exactly 1.0, the ceiling of standard range. So the container was high dynamic range while the contents were not. That is the trap: the pipeline reports success and the image is unchanged. The second attempt kept the wrapper but handed the output stage to a second layer, which did produce genuine high dynamic range. It also crashed, repeatedly and with a divide-by-zero inside the wrapper, which no amount of configuration fixed. The third attempt removed the wrapper entirely and used the second layer on its own. That is the arrangement in place now: one file beside the game, real floating-point output, and two consecutive clean launches with no crash reports. Fewer moving parts turned out to be both more correct and more stable. One practical note that is easy to lose an evening to: this game must be started through the store client rather than by running the executable directly. Launched directly it exits immediately with no window and no error, because the engine unpacks part of itself at startup and needs that context. The failure looks exactly like a crash and is not one.

Mods

dgVoodoo2 D3D9.dll beside the executable. Translates the game to Direct3D 11 and outputs Float16 scRGB HDR.

Large Address Aware patch A single header flag on the executable, raising the 32-bit address-space ceiling from 2 GB to 4 GB.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam's Bogus Detour

4K with scRGB HDR. This one ignores any library placed next to it, so the HDR layer has to be injected a different way.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Display device my monitor

HDR (Special K, global injection)

Swap chain format Float16 (R16G16B16A16_FLOAT)

Colour space scRGB (G10_NONE_P709)

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

Confirmed from Special K's own log for this game.

Mods

Special K (global injection) The engine resolves its graphics libraries by absolute system path, so a renamed library in the game folder is never even looked at. A system-wide hook is the only thing that reaches it - armed at launch and removed again when the game exits, so nothing stays resident.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam: Kamikaze Attack!

4K with scRGB HDR retrofitted by Special K onto the existing swap chain.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Exclusive fullscreen

Display device my monitor

HDR (Special K)

16-bit swap chain true

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

Read directly from the Special K profile beside the game.

Mods

Special K Loaded as dxgi.dll beside the executable.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam: Next Encounter (GameCube)

Emulated at six times the original internal resolution, in its true 4:3 shape.

Emulation

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend Direct3D 12

Internal resolution 6x native (about 4K)

Aspect ratio Auto - the game is 4:3 and stays 4:3

Widescreen hack False - it clips the game's own menu, so it is deliberately off

Anisotropic filtering 4x

In-emulator V-Sync False

Safe texture cache 128

System BIOS Not required to play

Read directly from the emulator's own graphics config.

The widescreen hack does render a genuinely wider view rather than stretching, but this game's menus are authored for 4:3 and get pushed off screen, so it is left off. Pillarboxing is handled on the stream side instead.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem

Same engine and the same treatment as Serious Sam 4, with native HDR on.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Platform PC (GOG)

Display device my monitor

Tuned settings (from the game's own user.cfg)

gfx_bFullScreen 1 - exclusive fullscreen - lowest latency

gfx_pixResWidth 3840 - 4K is the floor

gfx_pixResHeight 2160

gfx_iWaitVSyncs 0 - in-game VSync OFF - the driver owns it

gfx_iMaxFPSActive 10000 - cap unlimited - driver owns the 237 cap

ren_fMax3DRenderingMPix 8.3 - QL5 caps 3D at 2.0 MPix (~1885x1060); 4K needs 8.2944

tex_iAnisotropy 16 - 16x anisotropic

tex_pixMaxSize 4096 - allow 4096 textures

efx_bMotionBlur 0 - BANNED

efx_bDepthOfField 0 - BANNED

gfx_bHDROutput 1 - NATIVE HDR ON (then RTX HDR must be OFF for this exe)

Read directly from the game's user.cfg. The comments are the actual reasons the value was chosen, not added afterwards. Field of view is derived, never copied between games: hfov(16:9) = 2*atan(tan(hfov(4:3)/2) * 3/4 * 16/9). Every engine has a different 4:3 default, so the same number is a different view in a different game.

Nothing is modded here - these are the engine's own console variables, written to user.cfg so they load after the saved settings and win.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam: The First Encounter (Gold)

The classic 2001 engine running at native 4K with hardware-accurate EAX reverb restored and real scRGB HDR added on top. Every value below is read from the game's own PersistentSymbols.ini.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Fullscreen

Display device my monitor

Renderer OpenGL

Colour depth Desktop default

Textures & filtering

Texture filtering Anisotropic, highest quality (22)

Anisotropic filtering 16x

Texture quality Maximum the 32-bit engine allows (3x); 4x is not reachable

Audio

Sound interface DirectSound (wrapped by DSOAL)

Sound format 3

EAX reverb Enabled - confirmed by 'EAX: Enabled' in the game's own log

Input & view

Field of view 106.2602 (derived for 16:9, not copied)

Mouse filtering Off

HDR (added by Special K)

16-bit swap chain true

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

How Special K loaded as OpenGL32.dll, which replaces the presentation path and gives the classic engine a real HDR swap chain.

Read directly from PersistentSymbols.ini and the Special K profile. Field of view is derived, never copied between games: hfov(16:9) = 2*atan(tan(hfov(4:3)/2) * 3/4 * 16/9). Every engine has a different 4:3 default, so the same number is a different view in a different game.

Mods

Special K Renamed to OpenGL32.dll in the game's Bin folder. Supplies the 16-bit scRGB swap chain.

DSOAL dsound.dll + alsoft.ini. Restores the EAX hardware reverb that Windows Vista removed when it deleted hardware audio mixing. Without it these games are dry.

Both are restoration layers, not enhancements - they put back what modern Windows took away. Nothing about the gameplay is altered.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam: The Random Encounter

A pixel-art game that draws through plain Windows GDI - no 3D swap chain at all - running in HDR through a two-stage chain.

Display

Forced resolution max, refrate:60

Display device my monitor

dgVoodoo2 (GDI capture to D3D11)

Output API d3d11_fl11_0

System hook gdi (routes GDI drawing into D3D11)

Filtering pointsampled (keeps the pixel art crisp)

Emulated VRAM 2GB) MB

HDR (Special K)

16-bit swap chain true

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

Read directly from dgVoodoo.conf and the Special K profile.

Mods

dgVoodoo2 Hooks GDI drawing and re-presents it through Direct3D 11, which creates the swap chain that did not exist before.

Special K Retrofits Float16 scRGB HDR onto that swap chain.

Point sampling is deliberate. Any smoothing filter would blur pixel art that is meant to stay hard-edged.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam: The Second Encounter (Gold)

The classic 2001 engine running at native 4K with hardware-accurate EAX reverb restored and real scRGB HDR added on top. Every value below is read from the game's own PersistentSymbols.ini.

Display & window

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Fullscreen

Display device my monitor

Renderer OpenGL

Colour depth Desktop default

Textures & filtering

Texture filtering Anisotropic, highest quality (22)

Anisotropic filtering 16x

Texture quality Maximum the 32-bit engine allows (3x); 4x is not reachable

Audio

Sound interface DirectSound (wrapped by DSOAL)

Sound format 3

EAX reverb Enabled - confirmed by 'EAX: Enabled' in the game's own log

Input & view

Field of view 106.2602 (derived for 16:9, not copied)

Mouse filtering Off

HDR (added by Special K)

16-bit swap chain true

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

How Special K loaded as OpenGL32.dll, same as the First Encounter.

Read directly from PersistentSymbols.ini and the Special K profile. Field of view is derived, never copied between games: hfov(16:9) = 2*atan(tan(hfov(4:3)/2) * 3/4 * 16/9). Every engine has a different 4:3 default, so the same number is a different view in a different game.

Mods

Special K Renamed to OpenGL32.dll in the game's Bin folder. Supplies the 16-bit scRGB swap chain.

DSOAL dsound.dll + alsoft.ini. Restores the EAX hardware reverb that Windows Vista removed when it deleted hardware audio mixing. Without it these games are dry.

Both are restoration layers, not enhancements - they put back what modern Windows took away. Nothing about the gameplay is altered.

Set up, not yet played

Serious Sam: Tormental

4K with scRGB HDR retrofitted by Special K onto the existing swap chain.

Display

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)

Window mode Exclusive fullscreen

Display device my monitor

HDR (Special K)

16-bit swap chain true

scRGB luminance 12.5 (= 1000 nits)

scRGB paper white 2.5 (= 200 nits)

Read directly from the Special K profile beside the game.

Mods

Special K Loaded as dxgi.dll beside the executable.

Set up, not yet played

Shadow the Hedgehog (GameCube)

The GameCube disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, the game's own aspect (16:9 where the game offers it in its options).

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Shadow the Hedgehog (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz"

Disc image Shadow the Hedgehog (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop False

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PC, Steam)

The Steam release at 3840x2160 full screen with every quality level at its top step, FXAA, ambient occlusion, vsync, motion blur off.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 212480

Build Steam install on C: (app 212480), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Config file Documents\SART\settings.xml

Resolution 3840 x 2160, 60 Hz, fullscreen 1

Quality graphics, water, texture, model and shadow levels all 2 (the top step)

Ambient occlusion on

Anti-aliasing on (FXAA, the only kind offered)

Motion blur OFF (his rule)

Screen splash (water on the camera) left on: the game's look, not blur

V-Sync on

Anisotropic filtering not offered by the game; a driver-level item for the HDR/driver pass

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic & Knuckles (Mega Drive)

The cartridge with the pass-through slot. The standalone game and its three lock-on combinations (Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Knuckles in Sonic 2, Blue Sphere) each get their own shortcut, from pre-combined dumps, at 4K in HDR with no filtering. A second, native way to play it is set up too: Sonic 3 & Knuckles rebuilt around the original cartridge data: native widescreen and 60 fps, fullscreen at 4K, no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file (standalone cartridge; the archive holds both the cartridge and its lock-on chip data, so the cartridge image is extracted beside it) Sonic & Knuckles (World).md

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic & Knuckles (World).md"

Also set up from this entry (own desktop shortcuts)

Lock-on: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (USA) (Lock-on Combination).zip

Lock-on: Knuckles in Sonic 2 Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (World) (Rev A) (Lock-on Combination).zip

Lock-on: Blue Sphere (with Sonic 1) Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic The Hedgehog (USA, Europe) (Lock-on Combination).zip

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Angel Island Revisited, native port): program and version

Launch Sonic3AIR.exe

Game data The Sonic 3 + Sonic & Knuckles lock-on cartridge dump, read by the A.I.R. program (26.03.28)

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Angel Island Revisited, native port): the port's own settings file

Fullscreen 1 (borderless fullscreen)

FrameSync 1 (V-Sync On)

Upscaling 0 (aspect fit, no stretch)

Filtering 0 (sharp pixels, no smoothing)

Scanlines 0 (off)

RenderMethod auto

SimulationFrequency 60

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting. The zip's first member is the 256 KB lock-on chip dump, which the core loaded as the game (black screen); the 2 MB cartridge image is extracted next to it and is what the shortcut launches. Wide-core test: the game only draws the original 320 px and the extra columns show stale tiles while scrolling; native 4:3 kept.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (Nintendo DS)

The DS cartridge on melonDS with its OpenGL renderer at 8x (2048x1536 per screen), both screens stacked at their native shape, no filtering, direct boot.

Emulator and version

Launch melonDS.exe -f "Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (USA) (En,Fr,Es).nds"

Game file Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (USA) (En,Fr,Es).nds

Emulator

Emulator melonDS 1.1

Launch melonDS.exe -f <the game file> (fullscreen)

melonDS.toml, the values that decide the picture

3D.Renderer 1

3D.GL.ScaleFactor 8

3D.GL.BetterPolygons true

3D.GL.HiresCoordinates true

Screen.UseGL true

Screen.VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Instance0.Window0.ScreenFilter false

Instance0.Window0.IntegerScaling false

Instance0.Window0.ScreenLayout 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenSizing 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenGap 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectTop 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectBot 0

Emu.ConsoleType 0

Emu.DirectBoot true

Emu.ExternalBIOSEnable false

LimitFPS true

AudioSync false

Read directly from melonDS.toml.

No console BIOS or firmware dump is used: the emulator's replacement BIOS with direct boot. No HDR from this emulator; a later retrofit item, as for the arcade entries. The picture is not filtered.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic 3D Blast (Mega Drive)

The Mega Drive cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering, in its native 4:3.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Sonic 3D Blast (USA, Europe, Korea) (En).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic 3D Blast (USA, Europe, Korea) (En).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn)

The Saturn disc (its own special stages and score system) on an accurate core with the console BIOS, at 4K in HDR with no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Beetle Saturn

Disc image (cue + bin tracks) Sonic 3D Blast (USA).cue

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\beetle_saturn_libretro.dll" "Sonic 3D Blast (USA).cue"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Beetle Saturn)

Analog stick deadzone 0%

Autortc enabled

Autortc lang english

Cart Auto Detect

Cdimagecache disabled

Crosshair color p1 red

Crosshair color p2 blue

Deinterlacer weave

Horizontal blend disabled

Horizontal overscan 0

Initial scanline 8

Initial scanline pal 16

Last scanline 231

Last scanline pal 271

Mesh transparency disabled

Midsync enabled

Mouse sensitivity 100%

Mpeg card disabled

Multitap port1 disabled

Multitap port2 disabled

Opposite directions disabled

Region Auto Detect

Save method libretro

Shared ext disabled

Shared int disabled

Trigger deadzone 0%

Virtuagun crosshair Cross

Virtuagun input Lightgun

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Advance (Game Boy Advance)

The Game Boy Advance cartridge on the mGBA core with the console's own boot ROM, at 4K in HDR with no filtering, no colour correction and no frame blending, at its native screen shape.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core mGBA

Game file Sonic Advance (USA) (En,Ja).gba

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\mgba_libretro.dll" "Sonic Advance (USA) (En,Ja).gba"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (mGBA)

Allow opposing directions no

Audio low pass filter disabled

Audio low pass range 60

Color correction OFF

Force gbp OFF

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip interval 0

Frameskip threshold 33

Gb colors Grayscale

Gb colors preset 0

Gb model Autodetect

Idle optimization Remove Known

Interframe blending OFF

Sgb borders ON

Skip bios OFF

Solar sensor level 0

Use bios ON

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Advance 2 (Game Boy Advance)

The Game Boy Advance cartridge on the mGBA core with the console's own boot ROM, at 4K in HDR with no filtering, no colour correction and no frame blending, at its native screen shape.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core mGBA

Game file Sonic Advance 2 (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\mgba_libretro.dll" "Sonic Advance 2 (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (mGBA)

Allow opposing directions no

Audio low pass filter disabled

Audio low pass range 60

Color correction OFF

Force gbp OFF

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip interval 0

Frameskip threshold 33

Gb colors Grayscale

Gb colors preset 0

Gb model Autodetect

Idle optimization Remove Known

Interframe blending OFF

Sgb borders ON

Skip bios OFF

Solar sensor level 0

Use bios ON

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Advance 3 (Game Boy Advance)

The Game Boy Advance cartridge on the mGBA core with the console's own boot ROM, at 4K in HDR with no filtering, no colour correction and no frame blending, at its native screen shape.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core mGBA

Game file Sonic Advance 3 (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\mgba_libretro.dll" "Sonic Advance 3 (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (mGBA)

Allow opposing directions no

Audio low pass filter disabled

Audio low pass range 60

Color correction OFF

Force gbp OFF

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip interval 0

Frameskip threshold 33

Gb colors Grayscale

Gb colors preset 0

Gb model Autodetect

Idle optimization Remove Known

Interframe blending OFF

Sgb borders ON

Skip bios OFF

Solar sensor level 0

Use bios ON

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast)

The Dreamcast disc (the International build, which finished what the first Japanese release shipped unfinished) on the Flycast core at 4K in HDR.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Flycast

Disc image: Sonic Adventure International, the refined worldwide build (the original Japanese disc is filed beside it) Sonic Adventure International (Japan) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es).cue

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\reicast_libretro.dll" "Sonic Adventure International (Japan) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es).cue"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Flycast)

Allow service buttons disabled

Alpha sorting per-triangle (normal)

Analog stick deadzone 15%

Anisotropic filtering 16

Auto skip frame disabled

Boot to bios disabled

Broadcast NTSC

Cable type TV (Composite)

Coin limit 0

Custom textures disabled

Dc 32mb mod disabled

Dcnet enabled

Delay frame swapping disabled

Detect vsync swap interval disabled

Device port1 slot1 VMU

Device port1 slot2 Purupuru

Device port2 slot1 VMU

Device port2 slot2 Purupuru

Device port3 slot1 VMU

Device port3 slot2 Purupuru

Device port4 slot1 VMU

Device port4 slot2 Purupuru

Digital triggers disabled

Dump replaced textures disabled

Dump textures disabled

Emulate bba disabled

Emulate framebuffer disabled

Enable dsp enabled

Enable rttb disabled

Fix upscale bleeding edge enabled

Fog enabled

Force freeplay enabled

Frame skipping disabled

Gdrom fast loading disabled

Hle bios disabled

Internal resolution 3840x2880

Language Default

Lightgun1 crosshair disabled

Lightgun2 crosshair disabled

Lightgun3 crosshair disabled

Lightgun4 crosshair disabled

Lightgun crosshair size scaling 100%

Linked vmu storage disabled

Mipmapping enabled

Native depth interpolation disabled

Network output disabled

Oit abuffer size 512MB

Oit layers 32

Per content vmus disabled

Preload custom textures disabled

Pvr2 filtering disabled

Region Default

Render to texture upscaling 4x

Screen rotation horizontal

Sh4clock 200

Show lightgun settings disabled

Show vmu screen settings disabled

Synchronous rendering enabled

Texture filtering 0

Texupscale 1

Texupscale max filtered texture size 256

Threaded rendering enabled

Trigger deadzone 0%

Upnp enabled

Vmu1 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu1 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu1 screen display disabled

Vmu1 screen opacity 100%

Vmu1 screen position Upper Left

Vmu1 screen size mult 1x

Vmu2 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu2 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu2 screen display disabled

Vmu2 screen opacity 100%

Vmu2 screen position Upper Right

Vmu2 screen size mult 1x

Vmu3 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu3 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu3 screen display disabled

Vmu3 screen opacity 100%

Vmu3 screen position Lower Left

Vmu3 screen size mult 1x

Vmu4 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu4 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu4 screen display disabled

Vmu4 screen opacity 100%

Vmu4 screen position Lower Right

Vmu4 screen size mult 1x

Vmu sound disabled

Volume modifier enable enabled

Widescreen cheats enabled

Widescreen hack enabled

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast)

The Dreamcast disc on the Flycast core at 4K in HDR.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Flycast

Disc image Sonic Adventure 2 (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es).cue

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\reicast_libretro.dll" "Sonic Adventure 2 (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es).cue"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Flycast)

Allow service buttons disabled

Alpha sorting per-triangle (normal)

Analog stick deadzone 15%

Anisotropic filtering 16

Auto skip frame disabled

Boot to bios disabled

Broadcast NTSC

Cable type TV (Composite)

Coin limit 0

Custom textures disabled

Dc 32mb mod disabled

Dcnet enabled

Delay frame swapping disabled

Detect vsync swap interval disabled

Device port1 slot1 VMU

Device port1 slot2 Purupuru

Device port2 slot1 VMU

Device port2 slot2 Purupuru

Device port3 slot1 VMU

Device port3 slot2 Purupuru

Device port4 slot1 VMU

Device port4 slot2 Purupuru

Digital triggers disabled

Dump replaced textures disabled

Dump textures disabled

Emulate bba disabled

Emulate framebuffer disabled

Enable dsp enabled

Enable rttb disabled

Fix upscale bleeding edge enabled

Fog enabled

Force freeplay enabled

Frame skipping disabled

Gdrom fast loading disabled

Hle bios disabled

Internal resolution 3840x2880

Language Default

Lightgun1 crosshair disabled

Lightgun2 crosshair disabled

Lightgun3 crosshair disabled

Lightgun4 crosshair disabled

Lightgun crosshair size scaling 100%

Linked vmu storage disabled

Mipmapping enabled

Native depth interpolation disabled

Network output disabled

Oit abuffer size 512MB

Oit layers 32

Per content vmus disabled

Preload custom textures disabled

Pvr2 filtering disabled

Region Default

Render to texture upscaling 4x

Screen rotation horizontal

Sh4clock 200

Show lightgun settings disabled

Show vmu screen settings disabled

Synchronous rendering enabled

Texture filtering 0

Texupscale 1

Texupscale max filtered texture size 256

Threaded rendering enabled

Trigger deadzone 0%

Upnp enabled

Vmu1 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu1 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu1 screen display disabled

Vmu1 screen opacity 100%

Vmu1 screen position Upper Left

Vmu1 screen size mult 1x

Vmu2 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu2 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu2 screen display disabled

Vmu2 screen opacity 100%

Vmu2 screen position Upper Right

Vmu2 screen size mult 1x

Vmu3 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu3 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu3 screen display disabled

Vmu3 screen opacity 100%

Vmu3 screen position Lower Left

Vmu3 screen size mult 1x

Vmu4 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu4 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu4 screen display disabled

Vmu4 screen opacity 100%

Vmu4 screen position Lower Right

Vmu4 screen size mult 1x

Vmu sound disabled

Volume modifier enable enabled

Widescreen cheats enabled

Widescreen hack enabled

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (GameCube)

The GameCube disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, the game's own aspect (16:9 where the game offers it in its options).

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic Adventure DX - Director's Cut (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es).rvz"

Disc image Sonic Adventure DX - Director's Cut (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic and the Black Knight (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic and the Black Knight (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz"

Disc image Sonic and the Black Knight (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic and the Secret Rings (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz"

Disc image Sonic and the Secret Rings (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Battle (Game Boy Advance)

The Game Boy Advance cartridge on the mGBA core with the console's own boot ROM, at 4K in HDR with no filtering, no colour correction and no frame blending, at its native screen shape.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core mGBA

Game file Sonic Battle (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\mgba_libretro.dll" "Sonic Battle (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (mGBA)

Allow opposing directions no

Audio low pass filter disabled

Audio low pass range 60

Color correction OFF

Force gbp OFF

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip interval 0

Frameskip threshold 33

Gb colors Grayscale

Gb colors preset 0

Gb model Autodetect

Idle optimization Remove Known

Interframe blending OFF

Sgb borders ON

Skip bios OFF

Solar sensor level 0

Use bios ON

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Blast (Game Gear)

The Game Gear cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Sonic Blast (World).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic Blast (World).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (Nintendo 3DS)

The 3DS cartridge on Azahar at 9x (an exact 4K fit for the top screen), both screens in their native stacked layout, no texture filter, vsync.

Emulator and version

Launch azahar.exe -f "Sonic Boom - Fire & Ice (USA) (En,Fr,Es).3ds"

Cartridge image (decrypted dump) Sonic Boom - Fire & Ice (USA) (En,Fr,Es).3ds

Emulator

Emulator Azahar

Launch azahar.exe -f <the cartridge image> (fullscreen)

qt-config.ini, the values that decide the picture

graphics_api 1

resolution_factor 9

texture_filter 0

use_hw_shader true

async_shader_compilation true

use_disk_shader_cache true

use_vsync_new false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

layout_option 0

swap_screen false

upright_screen false

screen_gap 0

custom_layout false

is_new_3ds true

cpu_clock_percentage 100

region_value -1

render_3d 0

factor_3d 0

filter_mode true

pp_shader_name None (builtin)

anaglyph_shader_name Dubois (builtin)

Read directly from Azahar's qt-config.ini.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Nothing filtered or post-processed; the 3D effect is off (a flat screen).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)

The Wii U title on Cemu (Vulkan) with the community graphic pack's 3840x2160 preset and 16x anisotropic filtering, fullscreen, vsync.

Emulator and version

Launch Cemu.exe -g "<the title's rpx>" -f

Title folder dump (code/content/meta), with its Update and DLC installed into the emulator's title store WiiULauncher.rpx

Emulator (settings.xml)

Emulator Cemu

Graphics API Vulkan

Fullscreen true

VSync 0 (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Upscale filter bicubic

Async shader compile true

Accurate barriers true

Graphic packs enabled for this title

TV resolution (graphic pack) 3840x2160

Anisotropic filtering (graphic pack) 16x

Read from Cemu's settings.xml and the enabled graphic pack presets.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Graphic packs are used only for resolution, filtering and emulator-accuracy workarounds; no mod, cheat or FPS pack is enabled.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (Nintendo 3DS)

The 3DS cartridge on Azahar at 9x (an exact 4K fit for the top screen), both screens in their native stacked layout, no texture filter, vsync. The eShop CIA filed beside the cartridge is encrypted (not installable without the console's keys); the cartridge dump runs.

Emulator and version

Launch azahar.exe -f "Sonic Boom - Shattered Crystal (USA).3ds"

Cartridge image (decrypted dump) Sonic Boom - Shattered Crystal (USA).3ds

Emulator

Emulator Azahar

Launch azahar.exe -f <the cartridge image> (fullscreen)

qt-config.ini, the values that decide the picture

graphics_api 1

resolution_factor 9

texture_filter 0

use_hw_shader true

async_shader_compilation true

use_disk_shader_cache true

use_vsync_new false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

layout_option 0

swap_screen false

upright_screen false

screen_gap 0

custom_layout false

is_new_3ds true

cpu_clock_percentage 100

region_value -1

render_3d 0

factor_3d 0

filter_mode true

pp_shader_name None (builtin)

anaglyph_shader_name Dubois (builtin)

Read directly from Azahar's qt-config.ini.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Nothing filtered or post-processed; the 3D effect is off (a flat screen).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic CD (original Mega-CD, Japan)

The original 1993 Mega-CD release on its Japanese disc (its own music, 60 Hz) at 4K in HDR with no filtering. Origins Plus follows for what it adds: Tails, Knuckles, Amy, missions and the boss rush.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Disc image (Japan, serial G-6021; all 35 tracks match the verified catalogue entry) Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Japan).cue

Launch desktop icon "Sonic CD (Mega-CD, Japan)": a small launcher starts Lossless Scaling, then RetroArch with "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Japan).cue"

Console start-up program (BIOS)

Mega-CD BIOS (Japan) bios_CD_J.bin, 131,072 bytes

Frame generation (to 240 fps)

Tool Lossless Scaling 3.2.2 (a separate program that captures the game's window and generates the in-between frames; the game itself still runs at its own speed)

Frame generation LSFG3, Adaptive, aiming at 237 frames a second

Flow scale 50 %

Performance mode off (full quality)

Capture WGC

Capture queue 1

HDR support true

Scaling Off

Sync mode DEFAULT

Max frame latency 1

Switches on by itself, 8 s after the game window is in front

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in this game's own option file (Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Japan).opt)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache enabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per game

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting. Start-up is the console's own: Start at the Mega-CD screen, then Start on CD-ROM. Widescreen is not used yet: boss arenas, time travel and the special stages are still to be checked in the wide core.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. Frame generation to 240 fps (Lossless Scaling, below): the game runs at its own speed and the frames in between are generated; moving sprites can show slight warping. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Chaos (Master System / Game Gear)

Both 8-bit versions of Sonic Chaos, each from its own cartridge dump, on the same core at 4K in HDR with no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Master System game file Sonic Chaos (Europe, Brazil) (En).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic Chaos (Europe, Brazil) (En).zip"

Game Gear game file Sonic Chaos (USA, Europe, Brazil) (En).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic Chaos (USA, Europe, Brazil) (En).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (Nintendo DS)

The DS cartridge on melonDS with its OpenGL renderer at 8x (2048x1536 per screen), both screens stacked at their native shape, no filtering, direct boot.

Emulator and version

Launch melonDS.exe -f "Sonic Chronicles - The Dark Brotherhood (USA) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"

Game file Sonic Chronicles - The Dark Brotherhood (USA) (En,Fr,De,Es,It).nds

Emulator

Emulator melonDS 1.1

Launch melonDS.exe -f <the game file> (fullscreen)

melonDS.toml, the values that decide the picture

3D.Renderer 1

3D.GL.ScaleFactor 8

3D.GL.BetterPolygons true

3D.GL.HiresCoordinates true

Screen.UseGL true

Screen.VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Instance0.Window0.ScreenFilter false

Instance0.Window0.IntegerScaling false

Instance0.Window0.ScreenLayout 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenSizing 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenGap 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectTop 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectBot 0

Emu.ConsoleType 0

Emu.DirectBoot true

Emu.ExternalBIOSEnable false

LimitFPS true

AudioSync false

Read directly from melonDS.toml.

No console BIOS or firmware dump is used: the emulator's replacement BIOS with direct boot. No HDR from this emulator; a later retrofit item, as for the arcade entries. The picture is not filtered.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Colors (Nintendo DS)

The DS cartridge on melonDS with its OpenGL renderer at 8x (2048x1536 per screen), both screens stacked at their native shape, no filtering, direct boot.

Emulator and version

Launch melonDS.exe -f "Sonic Colors (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"

Game file Sonic Colors (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).nds

Emulator

Emulator melonDS 1.1

Launch melonDS.exe -f <the game file> (fullscreen)

melonDS.toml, the values that decide the picture

3D.Renderer 1

3D.GL.ScaleFactor 8

3D.GL.BetterPolygons true

3D.GL.HiresCoordinates true

Screen.UseGL true

Screen.VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Instance0.Window0.ScreenFilter false

Instance0.Window0.IntegerScaling false

Instance0.Window0.ScreenLayout 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenSizing 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenGap 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectTop 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectBot 0

Emu.ConsoleType 0

Emu.DirectBoot true

Emu.ExternalBIOSEnable false

LimitFPS true

AudioSync false

Read directly from melonDS.toml.

No console BIOS or firmware dump is used: the emulator's replacement BIOS with direct boot. No HDR from this emulator; a later retrofit item, as for the arcade entries. The picture is not filtered.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Colors (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic Colors (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz"

Disc image Sonic Colors (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Drift (Game Gear)

The Japanese Game Gear cartridge, the only release, at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file (Japan; the only release, English inside) Sonic Drift (Japan) (En).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic Drift (Japan) (En).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Drift 2 (Game Gear)

The Game Gear cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Sonic Drift 2 (World).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic Drift 2 (World).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Finished 4 Oct 2026

Sonic Eraser (Mega Drive)

Finished on 4 October 2026 with the English v1.0 instruction book and the custom 16:9 presentation. The puzzle grids and rules remain unchanged. Native emulator HDR was enabled; frame generation was disabled because of its artifacts. Final settings and unique saves are preserved below.

Played and archived

Finished 4 October 2026

Saves preserved 145 distinct state/save files, including 7 final player slots; earlier versions and inspection checkpoints are separate

Previews preserved 120 distinct preview images

Translation English v1.0 instruction book; original gameplay unchanged

Preserved modifications Translation patches, widescreen adapter source, native-art top border, exact emulator cores and final configuration

Current installation Game copies and launch shortcuts removed after completion; archived saves, settings and modifications retained.

Play time The verified total will be added when the completed broadcast record is available.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file (English translation applied) Sonic Eraser (Japan) (SegaNet) (English v1.0).md

Launch Desktop entry 01-03 launches plain RetroArch with genesis_plus_gx_eraser_16x9_cap2_libretro.dll and the preserved English v1.0 game file. No frame-generation launcher is used.

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in this game's own option file (Sonic Eraser (Japan) (SegaNet) (English v1.0).opt)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit enabled

Overclock 150

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Game-specific controller controls

Move or select D-pad or left stick

Primary action A: Mega Drive C, rotate

Second action B: Mega Drive B, cancel

Other action X: Mega Drive A; X+A resets a round attempt

Menu button Start, select menus or pause

Save controls Hold View and press RB to save, LB to load, Y for next slot, X for previous slot. View+Menu opens the emulator menu. Save only under the completion-checkpoint, whole-challenge retry or suspend rules.

Scope Per-game override; shared controller and Palm-emulator profile preserved

Custom widescreen presentation

Output 434 x 224, core-provided 16:9 aspect, scaled to the full display

Game speed 59.92 fps native, with frame generation disabled for this entry

Preservation checks Original puzzle wells and HUD pixels are copied intact; identical input traces produce identical game-memory hashes. A saved state restores identically.

Preview status Locally tested and opened for visual and controller review. This is a presentation adapter using the original emulator, not an added gameplay mode.

Upper cover User-requested fixed native metal trim fills the upper eight-row margin. Incoming blocks draw in front of it. All original pixels below that margin and every original coloured incoming pixel remain unchanged.

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting. The custom presentation core is isolated to this game. The original core and save-state format are preserved. Controller button response was confirmed during the display review. The final desktop launches bypassed the frame-generation profile. The original wells are open at the top. A matching native metal cover was added at the player request; it stays behind incoming blocks. Game logic and state format remain unchanged. Final archive: the final configuration, exact emulator cores, every unique save and the translation and presentation sources are preserved after completion. The custom output is 434x224 at 16:9. Emulator runtime includes tests and is not asserted as player duration.

The English instruction-book translation is applied. A local 16:9 presentation rearranges the interface and extends original artwork while preserving puzzle grids and rules. Native emulator HDR is enabled. Frame generation is disabled because it produced distracting interpolation artifacts. Smoothing and artificial display filters remain off.

Saves

Final player save slots and previews (zip)

Every unique save and preview (265 files, zip)

Game cartridges are not included. Final player slots, earlier versions and inspection checkpoints are labelled separately. Inspection checkpoints must not be treated as completed player progress.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Forces (PC)

The PC game at 3840x2160 full screen, vsync, the game's own 60 fps cap (its stage events break above it), anti-aliasing at its highest step, 16x anisotropic filtering, bloom at its highest step, 4096 shadow maps, light scattering on; motion blur and depth of field OFF.

Emulator and version

Launch Sonic Forces.exe

Build Final PC build (Steam public branch 2344591, 13 Dec 2017, never updated since) with all six DLC archives present (wars_dlc01-06.cpk, Episode Shadow included)

The game's own configuration file

vsync 1 (on)

resolutionwidth 3840

resolutionheight 2160

maxfps 60 (the game's own cap; higher breaks stage events)

screenmode 1 (the full-screen mode the game itself selects; a 3840x2160 window)

selectedmonitor 0

qualitypreset 3 (custom: the values below)

aaquality 2 (highest step)

afquality 16x

bloomquality 2 (highest step)

enableblur 0 (motion blur off)

enabledof 0 (depth of field off)

dofquality 1

brightness 0

shadowmapsize 4096 (accepted and kept by the game)

lightscatteringenabled 1 (on)

Read from savedata\GraphicsConfig.txt after the run. The file must be tab-separated or the game discards it.

No HDR (the game has none; later retrofit item). Motion blur and depth of field are switched off in the game's own config.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Free Riders (Xbox 360, Kinect)

A Kinect-only game: it cannot be played without the camera, which no emulator provides. Filed, not set up; open until a Kinect route exists.

Emulator and version

Launch xenia_canary.exe <the disc image>

Disc image (archived) Sonic Free Riders (USA, Europe) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).zip

Status

Playable No: Kinect body tracking is the only control scheme and Xenia does not emulate the sensor

What would change it a Kinect on the PC with a driver Xenia can read, or a control patch; neither exists today

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Frontiers (PC, Steam)

The Steam release at 3840x2160 full screen, 60 fps (the game's cap), TAA, every quality setting at High, blur effect off. Settings live in the game's Options menu (Space reaches the tab row, arrows switch tabs); the display file screen_setting.xml confirms 3840x2160.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 1237320

Build Steam install on C: (app 1237320), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (set in Options > Graphics; the game had defaulted to 1280 x 720)

Screen mode Fullscreen

Frame rate limit 60 (the game's own top setting)

Anti-aliasing TAA

Graphics quality High

Shadow quality High

Ambient occlusion on

Local reflection on

Bloom High

Volumetric lighting High

Rendering scale 100%

Blur effect OFF (his no-blur rule)

Center cursor display off (as shipped)

Subtitle display on

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Gems Collection (PlayStation 2, Japan)

The Japanese PS2 disc (the audit's pick: the Western release cut content), converted losslessly to CHD, on PCSX2 at 6x internal resolution with the Japanese console BIOS, progressive output, no widescreen patch (the collection is 4:3).

Emulator and version

Launch pcsx2-qt.exe -batch -fullscreen "Sonic Gems Collection (Japan) (En,Ja).chd"

Disc image (CHD, lossless, verified) Sonic Gems Collection (Japan) (En,Ja).chd

Emulator

Emulator PCSX2 (portable install)

Console BIOS ps2-0230j-20080220.bin

Launch pcsx2-qt.exe -batch -fullscreen <the disc image>

Graphics (PCSX2.ini, EmuCore/GS)

Renderer 15

upscale_multiplier 6

AspectRatio Auto 4:3/3:2

FMVAspectRatioSwitch Off

filter 2

MaxAnisotropy 16

VsyncEnable 0 (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

FrameLimitEnable true

accurate_blending_unit 1

hw_mipmap true

TriFilter 0

linear_present_mode 0

Emulation (PCSX2.ini, EmuCore)

EnableWideScreenPatches false

EnableNoInterlacingPatches true

EnablePatches true

EnableCheats false

Read directly from PCSX2.ini; the disc image is a CHD made losslessly from the dump and verified against its own checksum.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). No widescreen patch: the collection is a 4:3 game. The no-interlacing patch gives a stable progressive picture.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Generations (Nintendo 3DS)

The 3DS cartridge on Azahar at 9x (an exact 4K fit for the top screen), both screens in their native stacked layout, no texture filter, vsync. OPEN: the eShop update (title version 1) is filed as a CIA but it is encrypted and the emulator cannot install it without the console's keys, so the cartridge's version 0 is what runs until a decrypted update or the keys exist.

Emulator and version

Launch azahar.exe -f "Sonic Generations (USA) (En,Fr,Es) (Rev 1).3ds"

Cartridge image (decrypted dump) Sonic Generations (USA) (En,Fr,Es) (Rev 1).3ds

Emulator

Emulator Azahar

Launch azahar.exe -f <the cartridge image> (fullscreen)

qt-config.ini, the values that decide the picture

graphics_api 1

resolution_factor 9

texture_filter 0

use_hw_shader true

async_shader_compilation true

use_disk_shader_cache true

use_vsync_new false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

layout_option 0

swap_screen false

upright_screen false

screen_gap 0

custom_layout false

is_new_3ds true

cpu_clock_percentage 100

region_value -1

render_3d 0

factor_3d 0

filter_mode true

pp_shader_name None (builtin)

anaglyph_shader_name Dubois (builtin)

Read directly from Azahar's qt-config.ini.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Nothing filtered or post-processed; the 3D effect is off (a flat screen).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Heroes (GameCube)

The GameCube disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, the game's own aspect (16:9 where the game offers it in its options).

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic Heroes.iso"

Disc image Sonic Heroes.iso

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Jam (Saturn)

The Saturn compilation (the four Mega Drive games with their extra modes, plus the 3D Sonic World) on an accurate core with the console BIOS, at 4K in HDR with no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Beetle Saturn

Disc image (cue + bin tracks) Sonic Jam (USA).cue

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\beetle_saturn_libretro.dll" "Sonic Jam (USA).cue"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Beetle Saturn)

Analog stick deadzone 0%

Autortc enabled

Autortc lang english

Cart Auto Detect

Cdimagecache disabled

Crosshair color p1 red

Crosshair color p2 blue

Deinterlacer weave

Horizontal blend disabled

Horizontal overscan 0

Initial scanline 8

Initial scanline pal 16

Last scanline 231

Last scanline pal 271

Mesh transparency disabled

Midsync enabled

Mouse sensitivity 100%

Mpeg card disabled

Multitap port1 disabled

Multitap port2 disabled

Opposite directions disabled

Region Auto Detect

Save method libretro

Shared ext disabled

Shared int disabled

Trigger deadzone 0%

Virtuagun crosshair Cross

Virtuagun input Lightgun

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Jam (Tiger Game.com)

The Tiger Game.com handheld emulated in MAME with its system ROM: the shortcut boots the handheld with the cartridge inserted; pick CARTRIDGE on its menu to start the game. Fullscreen, integer scaled, no filtering.

Emulator and version

Launch mame.exe gamecom -cart1 <the cartridge file> -rompath <MAME's roms folder; the entry's folder>

Cartridge dump (plus the handheld's system ROM, gamecom.zip, beside it) Sonic Jam (USA).zip

Emulator

Emulator MAME 0.289 (driver gamecom, cartridge slot 1)

System ROM gamecom.zip, verified good

Cartridge Sonic Jam (USA).zip

The values I changed from the defaults (mame.ini)

video auto

window 0

keepaspect 1

unevenstretch 0

filter 0

prescale 4

skip_gameinfo 1

The changed values are read from mame.ini; the driver and slot names are MAME's own (mame -listmedia gamecom).

The handheld's own menu comes first (cartridge, phone book, calendar...): choose CARTRIDGE. No HDR from the emulator; integer scaling with black borders, no filter.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Labyrinth (Game Gear)

The Game Gear cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Sonic Labyrinth (World).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic Labyrinth (World).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Lost World (Wii U)

The Wii U title on Cemu (Vulkan) with the community graphic pack's 3840x2160 preset and 16x anisotropic filtering, fullscreen, vsync, plus the emulator workaround packs the game needs (Darkness, DisableLightScattering).

Emulator and version

Launch Cemu.exe -g "<the title's rpx>" -f

Title folder dump (code/content/meta), with its Update and DLC installed into the emulator's title store sonic2013.rpx

Emulator (settings.xml)

Emulator Cemu

Graphics API Vulkan

Fullscreen true

VSync 0 (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Upscale filter bicubic

Async shader compile true

Accurate barriers true

Graphic packs enabled for this title

TV resolution (graphic pack) 3840x2160

Anisotropic filtering (graphic pack) 16x

Workaround pack Darkness (an emulator-accuracy fix, not a game change)

Workaround pack DisableLightScattering (an emulator-accuracy fix, not a game change)

Read from Cemu's settings.xml and the enabled graphic pack presets.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). Graphic packs are used only for resolution, filtering and emulator-accuracy workarounds; no mod, cheat or FPS pack is enabled.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Mania Plus (native port)

The game rebuilt as a native PC program from the Steam data file (Plus/Encore owned), with the decompiled engine and game library compiled from source so the Plus content is enabled (the prebuilt release deliberately disables it): borderless fullscreen at the desktop's 4K, vsync, no screen shader, the game's own 424-px widescreen.

Emulator and version

Launch RSDKv5U.exe

Game data Data.rsdk from the Steam install (Mania Plus, Encore DLC owned); engine and game library compiled from the decompilation source on 2026-09-17 with Plus enabled (RSDKv5U revision 3, DX9), because the prebuilt release deliberately disables Plus

The port's own settings file

Game.language 0

Video.windowed n

Video.border n

Video.exclusiveFS n

Video.vsync n (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Video.tripleBuffering n

Video.winWidth 424

Video.winHeight 240

Video.refreshRate 60

Video.shaderSupport y

Video.screenShader 0

Video.maxPixWidth 424

Audio.streamsEnabled y

Audio.streamVolume 1.000000

Audio.sfxVolume 1.000000

Read directly from the port's own configuration file.

No HDR from these ports (later retrofit item). No filter, no scanlines, no shader.

Sonic 1 part finished; Sonic 2 extras setup checked and guide ready

Sonic Origins Plus (PC, Steam)

The Steam release at 3840x2160 from C:, HDR added by Special K (999-nit peak, 200-nit paper white) and frame generation to 240 fps. Its Sonic the Hedgehog part is played as an extra to the Mega Drive game.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 1794960

Build Steam install on C: (app 1794960), current public build, owned with its DLC

Played

Sonic the Hedgehog part Finished 30 September 2026, as an extra to the Mega Drive game (entry 01): every mission at rank S, the three routes this version adds, Special Stage 7, Super Sonic, the 50-ring tube route and the two animated films

Play time 20 h 49 min in the last two weeks by Steam's own count (59 h 58 min in total), all of Origins Plus on that account

Saves kept 135 versions of the save, every one different, downloadable below

The game's own settings

Anti-aliasing OFF (this is the game's image smoothing: off keeps the pixels sharp)

Anti-aliasing (Game Gear) OFF

Screen mode Fullscreen

Resolution 3840x2160

VSync OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30)

Box art option North America

Where Museum island, Options, Graphics, read off the game's own screen on 2026-09-30 (the options file is a checksummed binary)

HDR (Special K retrofit, measured on the live screen)

Injection Special K v26.9.17 beside SonicOrigins.exe as dxgi.dll (the game renders with Direct3D 11 and has no HDR of its own)

Swapchain 16-bit scRGB (Use16BitSwapChain=true): the game's R8G8B8A8_UNORM swapchain overridden to R16G16B16A16_FLOAT, per Special K's own log

Peak scalar 3.75, measured 999.4 nits at peak on the main menu; the nominal 12.5 over-signalled to 3,331 nits

Paper white scalar 2.5 (200-nit reference)

Content EOTF 2.2

Colour saturation 1.0, gamut expansion 0.0, colour boost 0.0, overbright tone mapping false, adaptive tone map false: nothing added to the colours as authored

Frame limiter OFF (Special K's automatic 222.9 fps limit set to 0; the NVIDIA app is the only limiter)

Frame generation (240 fps)

Tool Lossless Scaling 3.2.2, a separate program that captures the game's window; the game itself runs its own 60 fps (its speed is tied to 60, and no mod raises it)

Frame generation LSFG2, x4 (60 in, 240 out)

Capture WGC

Flow scale 50 %

Switches on by itself, 8 s after the game window is in front

Max frame latency 1

HDR support true

Measured 239.1 fps shown on screen (1% low 212) with HDR at 999 nits, 2026-09-30

Sonic 2 additional content (01-05b)

Guide Ready: 108 entries, 86 own location pictures and eight maps; a separate checklist from Sonic 1

Selected mode Sonic 2 Anniversary Mode, native 16:9 with the default Sonic 2 shields

Game timing Native 60 fps logic. Existing 4x Lossless Scaling frame generation targets the 240 Hz display without speeding up the game.

Measured output 238.6 displayed fps and 999.4-nit HDR peak in the previously measured live Stinger Swarm mission

Controller D-pad or left stick: move; A, B or X: jump; Y: Super; Menu: pause. Native XInput controller detected in slot 0.

Save backups Automatic backup watcher verified running; restored player game and options files matched the latest backup on 5 October 2026

Launch Desktop entry 01-05b opens Origins Plus. Select Sonic 2 in the collection menu; select Mission Mode for its additional missions.

Readiness Setup checked and guide ready. Visual artifact and physical button review remains available to the player.

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

Special K adds HDR and nothing else: the colours are left as authored, and the peak was set by measuring the live screen, not by the nominal value.

Saves

The final save (progress and options files, zip)

Every version of the save (135 files, zip)

The game's own save files (Steam, PC). They hold the progress of all four games in Origins Plus, not only Sonic the Hedgehog.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Pinball Party (Game Boy Advance)

The Game Boy Advance cartridge on the mGBA core with the console's own boot ROM, at 4K in HDR with no filtering, no colour correction and no frame blending, at its native screen shape.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core mGBA

Game file Sonic Pinball Party (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\mgba_libretro.dll" "Sonic Pinball Party (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).gba"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (mGBA)

Allow opposing directions no

Audio low pass filter disabled

Audio low pass range 60

Color correction OFF

Force gbp OFF

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip interval 0

Frameskip threshold 33

Gb colors Grayscale

Gb colors preset 0

Gb model Autodetect

Idle optimization Remove Known

Interframe blending OFF

Sgb borders ON

Skip bios OFF

Solar sensor level 0

Use bios ON

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic R (Saturn)

The Saturn disc on an accurate core with the console BIOS, at 4K in HDR with no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Beetle Saturn

Disc image (cue + bin tracks) Sonic R (USA, Brazil).cue

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\beetle_saturn_libretro.dll" "Sonic R (USA, Brazil).cue"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Beetle Saturn)

Analog stick deadzone 0%

Autortc enabled

Autortc lang english

Cart Auto Detect

Cdimagecache disabled

Crosshair color p1 red

Crosshair color p2 blue

Deinterlacer weave

Horizontal blend disabled

Horizontal overscan 0

Initial scanline 8

Initial scanline pal 16

Last scanline 231

Last scanline pal 271

Mesh transparency disabled

Midsync enabled

Mouse sensitivity 100%

Mpeg card disabled

Multitap port1 disabled

Multitap port2 disabled

Opposite directions disabled

Region Auto Detect

Save method libretro

Shared ext disabled

Shared int disabled

Trigger deadzone 0%

Virtuagun crosshair Cross

Virtuagun input Lightgun

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (PC, Steam)

The Steam release at 3840x2160 full screen, 60 fps, on the account you logged in for it.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 2486820

Build Steam install on C: (app 2486820), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Display 3840 x 2160 full screen, 60 fps (the game's options: 30 or 60), as the game set itself on this display

In-game options checklist at first play: Options > Graphics, anything blur-like off, quality presets at their top step

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Riders (GameCube)

The GameCube disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, the game's own aspect (16:9 where the game offers it in its options).

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic Riders.iso"

Disc image Sonic Riders.iso

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic Riders - Zero Gravity (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz"

Disc image Sonic Riders - Zero Gravity (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Rivals (PSP)

The PSP disc on PPSSPP at 8x internal resolution (3840x2176), Vulkan, 16x anisotropic, no texture upscaling and no post shaders, at the PSP's own 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch PPSSPPWindows64.exe --fullscreen "Sonic Rivals (USA).iso"

Disc image Sonic Rivals (USA).iso

Emulator

Emulator PPSSPP (portable install)

Launch PPSSPPWindows64.exe --fullscreen <the disc image>

Graphics (ppsspp.ini)

GraphicsBackend 3 (VULKAN)

InternalResolution 8

AnisotropyLevel 4

TextureFiltering 1

TexScalingLevel 1

TexScalingType 0

VSync False (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

FrameSkip 0

FrameSkipType 0

AutoFrameSkip False

FullScreen True

SmallDisplayZoomType 0

PostShader Off

HardwareTransform True

SoftwareRendering False

MultiSampleLevel 0

TexDeposterize False

BufferFiltering 1

ShowFPSCounter 0

ImmersiveMode True

Read directly from ppsspp.ini.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). No texture upscaling, no post-processing shader: the game's own art, drawn at 8x.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Rivals 2 (PSP)

The PSP disc on PPSSPP at 8x internal resolution (3840x2176), Vulkan, 16x anisotropic, no texture upscaling and no post shaders, at the PSP's own 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch PPSSPPWindows64.exe --fullscreen "Sonic Rivals 2 (USA).iso"

Disc image Sonic Rivals 2 (USA).iso

Emulator

Emulator PPSSPP (portable install)

Launch PPSSPPWindows64.exe --fullscreen <the disc image>

Graphics (ppsspp.ini)

GraphicsBackend 3 (VULKAN)

InternalResolution 8

AnisotropyLevel 4

TextureFiltering 1

TexScalingLevel 1

TexScalingType 0

VSync False (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

FrameSkip 0

FrameSkipType 0

AutoFrameSkip False

FullScreen True

SmallDisplayZoomType 0

PostShader Off

HardwareTransform True

SoftwareRendering False

MultiSampleLevel 0

TexDeposterize False

BufferFiltering 1

ShowFPSCounter 0

ImmersiveMode True

iShowStatusFlags 0

DisabledGraphicsBackends

VulkanDevice

D3D11Device

CameraDevice

CameraMirrorHorizontal False

AndroidFramerateMode 1

UseGeometryShader False

SkipBufferEffects False

DisableRangeCulling False

DepthRasterMode 0

SoftwareRenderer False

SoftwareRendererJit True

SoftwareSkinning True

Smart2DTexFiltering False

AndroidHwScale 1

HighQualityDepth 1

StereoRendering False

StereoToMonoShader RedBlue

FrameRate 0

FrameRate2 -1

AnalogFrameRate 240

TextureBackoffCache False

FullScreenMulti False

DisplayCropTo16x9 True

SustainedPerformanceMode False

ReplaceTextures True

SaveNewTextures False

IgnoreTextureFilenames False

ReplacementTextureLoadSpeed 0

TexHardwareScaling False

VerticalSync False (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

LowLatencyPresent False

BloomHack 0

SplineBezierQuality 2

HardwareTessellation False

TextureShader Off

ShaderChainRequires60FPS False

SkipGPUReadbackMode 0

LogFrameDrops False

InflightFrames 3

RenderDuplicateFrames False

MultiThreading True

ShaderCache True

GpuLogProfiler False

UberShaderVertex True

UberShaderFragment True

DisplayRefreshRate 60

Read directly from ppsspp.ini.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). No texture upscaling, no post-processing shader: the game's own art, drawn at 8x.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Rumble (PC, Steam)

The Steam release of the online party game at 4K; it opens on its account-link screen.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 2951690

Build Steam install on C: (app 2951690), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Install verified by Steam (no missing files) after an access-violation crash at the very first start; the second start ran

Display 3840 x 2160 borderless, uncapped (237 fps at the account screen)

Account an online party game: its own Link Data screen asks for a new or linked player account at first play; that choice is yours

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS)

The DS cartridge on melonDS with its OpenGL renderer at 8x (2048x1536 per screen), both screens stacked at their native shape, no filtering, direct boot.

Emulator and version

Launch melonDS.exe -f "Sonic Rush (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"

Game file Sonic Rush (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).nds

Emulator

Emulator melonDS 1.1

Launch melonDS.exe -f <the game file> (fullscreen)

melonDS.toml, the values that decide the picture

3D.Renderer 1

3D.GL.ScaleFactor 8

3D.GL.BetterPolygons true

3D.GL.HiresCoordinates true

Screen.UseGL true

Screen.VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Instance0.Window0.ScreenFilter false

Instance0.Window0.IntegerScaling false

Instance0.Window0.ScreenLayout 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenSizing 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenGap 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectTop 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectBot 0

Emu.ConsoleType 0

Emu.DirectBoot true

Emu.ExternalBIOSEnable false

LimitFPS true

AudioSync false

Read directly from melonDS.toml.

No console BIOS or firmware dump is used: the emulator's replacement BIOS with direct boot. No HDR from this emulator; a later retrofit item, as for the arcade entries. The picture is not filtered.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Rush Adventure (Nintendo DS)

The DS cartridge on melonDS with its OpenGL renderer at 8x (2048x1536 per screen), both screens stacked at their native shape, no filtering, direct boot.

Emulator and version

Launch melonDS.exe -f "Sonic Rush Adventure (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).nds"

Game file Sonic Rush Adventure (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).nds

Emulator

Emulator melonDS 1.1

Launch melonDS.exe -f <the game file> (fullscreen)

melonDS.toml, the values that decide the picture

3D.Renderer 1

3D.GL.ScaleFactor 8

3D.GL.BetterPolygons true

3D.GL.HiresCoordinates true

Screen.UseGL true

Screen.VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

Instance0.Window0.ScreenFilter false

Instance0.Window0.IntegerScaling false

Instance0.Window0.ScreenLayout 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenSizing 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenGap 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectTop 0

Instance0.Window0.ScreenAspectBot 0

Emu.ConsoleType 0

Emu.DirectBoot true

Emu.ExternalBIOSEnable false

LimitFPS true

AudioSync false

Read directly from melonDS.toml.

No console BIOS or firmware dump is used: the emulator's replacement BIOS with direct boot. No HDR from this emulator; a later retrofit item, as for the arcade entries. The picture is not filtered.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Shuffle (Dreamcast)

The Dreamcast disc on the Flycast core at 4K in HDR.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Flycast

Disc image Sonic Shuffle (USA).cue

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\reicast_libretro.dll" "Sonic Shuffle (USA).cue"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Flycast)

Allow service buttons disabled

Alpha sorting per-triangle (normal)

Analog stick deadzone 15%

Anisotropic filtering 16

Auto skip frame disabled

Boot to bios disabled

Broadcast NTSC

Cable type TV (Composite)

Coin limit 0

Custom textures disabled

Dc 32mb mod disabled

Dcnet enabled

Delay frame swapping disabled

Detect vsync swap interval disabled

Device port1 slot1 VMU

Device port1 slot2 Purupuru

Device port2 slot1 VMU

Device port2 slot2 Purupuru

Device port3 slot1 VMU

Device port3 slot2 Purupuru

Device port4 slot1 VMU

Device port4 slot2 Purupuru

Digital triggers disabled

Dump replaced textures disabled

Dump textures disabled

Emulate bba disabled

Emulate framebuffer disabled

Enable dsp enabled

Enable rttb disabled

Fix upscale bleeding edge enabled

Fog enabled

Force freeplay enabled

Frame skipping disabled

Gdrom fast loading disabled

Hle bios disabled

Internal resolution 3840x2880

Language Default

Lightgun1 crosshair disabled

Lightgun2 crosshair disabled

Lightgun3 crosshair disabled

Lightgun4 crosshair disabled

Lightgun crosshair size scaling 100%

Linked vmu storage disabled

Mipmapping enabled

Native depth interpolation disabled

Network output disabled

Oit abuffer size 512MB

Oit layers 32

Per content vmus disabled

Preload custom textures disabled

Pvr2 filtering disabled

Region Default

Render to texture upscaling 4x

Screen rotation horizontal

Sh4clock 200

Show lightgun settings disabled

Show vmu screen settings disabled

Synchronous rendering enabled

Texture filtering 0

Texupscale 1

Texupscale max filtered texture size 256

Threaded rendering enabled

Trigger deadzone 0%

Upnp enabled

Vmu1 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu1 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu1 screen display disabled

Vmu1 screen opacity 100%

Vmu1 screen position Upper Left

Vmu1 screen size mult 1x

Vmu2 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu2 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu2 screen display disabled

Vmu2 screen opacity 100%

Vmu2 screen position Upper Right

Vmu2 screen size mult 1x

Vmu3 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu3 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu3 screen display disabled

Vmu3 screen opacity 100%

Vmu3 screen position Lower Left

Vmu3 screen size mult 1x

Vmu4 pixel off color DEFAULT_OFF 01

Vmu4 pixel on color DEFAULT_ON 00

Vmu4 screen display disabled

Vmu4 screen opacity 100%

Vmu4 screen position Lower Right

Vmu4 screen size mult 1x

Vmu sound disabled

Volume modifier enable enabled

Widescreen cheats enabled

Widescreen hack enabled

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Superstars (PC, Steam)

The Steam release from the repaired C: install, 3840x2160 borderless; menus run uncapped (237 fps measured), gameplay at the game's own rate.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 2022670

Build Steam install on C: (app 2022670), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Resolution 3840 x 2160 (Unity registry, HKCU\Software\sega co. ltd\SonicSuperstars)

Fullscreen mode 1 (borderless full-screen window)

Install repaired by Steam's verify (18 Sep 2026) after the E: index corruption; 11 depots mounted incl. the DLC

In-game graphics options checklist at first play: Options > Graphics, confirm 3840x2160 and anything blur-like off

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Fighters (Arcade, Model 2)

The Sega Model 2 board, on the dedicated Model 2 emulator: MAME's driver cannot run it yet (a co-processor error at boot), the dedicated emulator boots it in about 40 seconds. Windowed 4:3 for now; the aspect-correct fullscreen and an HDR path are the open items.

Emulator and version

Launch EMULATOR.EXE schamp

Romset (schamp, the world release; sfight, the Japanese set, is filed beside it) schamp.zip

Emulator

Emulator Model 2 Emulator 1.1a

Romset schamp (verified good against MAME 0.289's set definition)

Launch EMULATOR.EXE schamp

Rom directory (emulator.ini Dir1) the entry's own folder

Renderer (emulator.ini, every value)

SoftwareVertexProcessing 0

Wireframe 0

FakeGouraud 0

Bilinear 1

Trilinear 0

FilterTilemaps 0

ForceManaged 0

ForceSync 0

FullScreenWidth 3840

FullScreenHeight 2160

AutoMip 0

MeshTransparency 0

DrawCross 1

GammaR 1.0

GammaG 1.0

GammaB 1.0

WideScreenWindow 0

FSAA 1

FullMode 0

Sound 1

Frameskip -1

AutoFull 0

Filter 1919

Input (emulator.ini)

XInput 0

EnableFF 0

HoldGears 0

UseRawInput 0

Read directly from the emulator's emulator.ini; the romset check is MAME's own verdict on the same set.

MAME 0.289 rates this board preliminary and stops at a co-processor error; the dedicated Model 2 emulator runs it. Its fullscreen mode stretches the 4:3 picture to the chosen resolution and has no HDR, so the game runs windowed at 4:3 for now; a wrapper that keeps the aspect at 4K and an HDR path are the open items for this entry.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (Xbox 360)

The Xbox 360 disc on Xenia (canary) at three times the console's resolution (2160p), D3D12, vsync, with the game's own radial blur removed through the emulator's patch system and everything else as shipped. The seven content packs are filed beside the disc.

Emulator and version

Launch xenia_canary.exe <the disc image>

Disc image (the 360 disc: the only version with every content pack, see the notes) Sonic the Hedgehog (USA, Europe) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).iso

Emulator

Emulator Xenia canary (portable)

Launch xenia_canary.exe <the disc image>

xenia-canary.config.toml, the values that decide the picture

gpu "d3d12"

draw_resolution_scale_x 3

draw_resolution_scale_y 3

fullscreen true

vsync true

license_mask 1

apply_patches true

postprocess_antialiasing ""

postprocess_scaling_and_sharpening ""

postprocess_dither true

render_target_path_d3d12 ""

gpu_allow_invalid_fetch_constants true

texture_cache_memory_limit_hard 768

apu "any"

Game patches (patches folder, the emulator's own patch file for this title)

Disable Radial Blur enabled (the standing rule: no motion or per-object blur)

Disable Bloom / Shadows / MSAA left off: the game as shipped

Read directly from xenia-canary.config.toml and the title's patch file.

No HDR from this emulator (later retrofit item). The radial speed blur is the one thing switched off, by the standing no-blur rule; bloom, shadows and anti-aliasing stay as the game ships them.

Finished 2 Oct 2026

Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System)

Played to the end on the Master System cartridge in RetroArch, at 4K in HDR with a genuine 16:9 view drawn by the emulator core. Everything below is what the finished playthrough used, read from the files archived when it ended; the game itself has been deleted.

Played

Finished 2 October 2026

Play time on stream 9 h 16 min over 2 days (broadcast time with the game on screen)

RetroArch's running clock 4 h 37 min over the playthrough's 18 launches (the AIs' test launches removed)

Not in that clock 1 session that crashed before RetroArch wrote its time, at least 57 min

Saves kept 46 unique save states (0.58 MB): the final save slots plus every earlier version a slot held, downloadable below

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX (a 16:9 build, below)

Widescreen (genuine 16:9)

Core Genesis Plus GX, a 16:9 build made for the 8-bit Sonic cartridges: it draws the real level in extra columns at both sides and moves the HUD into the corners (nothing stretched)

Game file The Master System cartridge dump, unchanged: the wider view is drawn by the core, nothing is patched into the game.

Picture 298 pixels across: the console's own 248 (its blank left column hidden) and 25 more at each side, shown as 16:9.

A FAULT FIXED DURING PLAY Rooms entered through a door (the maze and the Ballhog room of Scrap Brain Act 2) showed black sides, because the core looked the map up by the act number and the game leaves that number unchanged in those rooms. The core now reads the room the game actually loaded; fixed on 2 October 2026, during the playthrough.

Frame generation (240 fps, most of the playthrough)

Tool Lossless Scaling (a separate program that captures the game's window and generates the in-between frames; the game itself still runs at its own 60)

Frame generation LSFG3, adaptive, aiming at 237 frames a second

Flow scale 50 %

Performance mode off (full quality)

Capture WGC

HDR support true

Scaling Off

Switches on by itself, 8 s after the game window is in front

Switched off near the end Turned off for this game on 2 October 2026 because of the warping it put on moving sprites; the last part was played at the game's own 60.

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (as played)

Video driver d3d11

Fullscreen true

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000

HDR expand gamut true

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false

Shader false

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in this game's own option file

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit enabled

Overclock 150

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Read from the configuration files archived at the end of the playthrough (RetroArch's own configuration, the core override, this game's override and option file and the frame generation profile).

Mods

Emulated CPU at 150 % The emulated console's processor runs faster, so the game's own slowdown in busy scenes is gone; the PC is not overclocked.

Sprite limit removed No sprite flicker when many objects share a line.

Console boot ROM on The console's own start-up screen plays first, as on the hardware.

HDR is RetroArch's own output (1,000 nits peak, 200 paper white); no CRT, LCD or scanline filter; the image is scaled with no smoothing.

Saves

Every save (all 46 unique save states, zip)

The final save slots only (zip)

RetroArch save states for the 16:9 Genesis Plus GX build and the USA, Europe and Brazil cartridge: they load only with that exact game file and core.

Finished 29 Sep 2026

Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive)

Played to the end on the 1991 cartridge (revision 01) in RetroArch, at 4K in HDR with a 16:9 widescreen patch and frame generation to 240 fps. Everything below is what the finished playthrough used, read from the files archived when it ended; the game itself has been deleted.

Played

Finished 29 September 2026

Play time on stream 18 h 32 min over 3 days (broadcast time with the game on screen)

RetroArch's running clock 14 h 6 min over the playthrough's 31 launches (the AIs' test launches removed)

Not in that clock 13 sessions that crashed before RetroArch wrote its time, at least 1 h 49 min

Saves kept 71 unique save states (3.0 MB): the final save slots plus every earlier version a slot held, downloadable below

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch 1.22.2

Core Genesis Plus GX Wide

Widescreen (genuine 16:9)

Core Genesis Plus GX Wide, 10 extra tile columns (a true 16:9 view, nothing stretched)

Game file The REV01 cartridge dump with a widescreen patch applied offline (562-byte patch file): the drawing boundaries, object culling, HUD position and checksum bypass; the camera bounds moved 40 px in on both sides; and the special stages' side clipping widened 40 px per side.

A FAULT OF THE PATCH The camera-bounds part stopped some bosses from appearing (their triggers wait for the camera to reach a spot the narrowed bounds never reach; Green Hill 3's was corrected live during play) and put an invisible wall in front of one red spring, because Sonic's walls follow the same bounds. Neither happens in the unpatched game.

Frame generation (240 fps)

Tool Lossless Scaling 3.2.2 (a separate program that captures the game's window and generates the in-between frames; the game itself still runs at its own 60)

Frame generation LSFG2, x4 (60 in, 240 out)

Capture WGC

Flow scale 50 %

Quality BALANCED

HDR support true

Scaling Off

Switches on by itself, 8 s after the game window is in front

Max frame latency 1

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (as played)

Video driver d3d11

Fullscreen true

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000

HDR expand gamut true

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false

Shader false

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync true

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in this game's own option file

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm enhance off

Fm preamp 100

Fm voice recovery off

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

H40 extra columns 10

H40 extra columns alpha 100

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border disabled

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit enabled

Overclock 150

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

Sound samplerate auto

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp fix dma boundary bug disabled

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Read from the configuration files archived at the end of the playthrough (the game's own launch configuration, the core override, this game's core option file and the frame generation profile).

Mods

Widescreen patch Presentation changes on the cartridge dump (see above). Its camera bounds caused the missing bosses and the invisible wall.

Emulated CPU at 150 % The emulated console's processor runs faster so the game's own slowdown in busy scenes is gone; the PC is not overclocked.

Sprite limit removed Turned off to stop Sonic's sprite splitting at the end of Marble Zone Act 1 in the wide view.

Lossless Scaling frame generation 60 fps in, 240 out. Moving sprites show some warping from the generated frames.

HDR is RetroArch's own output (1,000 nits peak, 200 paper white); no CRT, LCD or scanline filter; the image is scaled with no smoothing.

Saves

Every save (all 71 unique save states, zip)

The final save slots only (zip)

RetroArch save states for the Genesis Plus GX Wide core and the widescreen-patched REV01 cartridge: they load only with that exact game file and core.

Setup checked and guide ready; physical review available

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System)

The 8-bit sequel on its European Master System cartridge (version 0), at its own 50 Hz, at 4K in HDR with no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Master System game file Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Europe, Brazil) (En).zip

Launch desktop icon "01-06a Sonic the Hedgehog 2 8-bit (Master System)": a small launcher starts Lossless Scaling, then RetroArch with "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Europe, Brazil) (En).zip"

Frame generation (to 240 fps)

Tool Lossless Scaling 3.2.2 (a separate program that captures the game's window and generates the in-between frames; the game itself still runs at its own speed)

Frame generation LSFG3, Adaptive, aiming at 237 frames a second

Flow scale 50 %

Performance mode off (full quality)

Capture WGC

Capture queue 1

HDR support true

Scaling Off

Sync mode DEFAULT

Max frame latency 1

Switches on by itself, 8 s after the game window is in front

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in this game's own option file (Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Europe, Brazil) (En).opt)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit enabled

Overclock 150

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Measured display output, 3 October 2026

Tested launch The numbered desktop shortcut, with its selected cartridge, core and game settings

Native game rate 49.70 Hz. Game logic retains its native timing.

Generated display rate 236.3 displayed fps from Lossless Scaling in the sampled foreground run; adaptive target 237 on the 240 Hz display

HDR sample 690.0 nits peak in the sampled scene, measured from the actual display output

Image width 3840x2160 output; image content reached both outer columns

Personal review Mappings are configured and the display has been measured. Final physical controller presses and visual approval remain with the player.

Game-specific Wolverine controls

Movement D-pad or left stick

Jump A or B; Mega Drive X also jumps

Start / pause Menu

Save / load state View+RB / View+LB

Next / previous slot View+Y / View+X

Emulator menu View+Menu

Full-screen fit verification, 5 October 2026

Presentation Explicit16:9 for this game only. The native248x192 active picture is preserved; a less-than0.8percent vertical fit adjustment removes the thin top/bottom viewport border. No cropped art or invented extra world geometry.

Actual gameplay test Under Ground Zone Act1 opened through the numbered desktop shortcut, correct original version0 cartridge

Measured display 235.9 displayed fps from Lossless Scaling,1035-nit sampled HDR peak; native PAL logic retains49.70Hz

Controller Existing Wolverine mapping: D-pad/left stick move, A/B jump, Menu pause; View+RB saves, View+LB loads; View+Y/X changes slot

Guide 114entries,110own pictures, verified live; unchanged by the display adjustment

Wolverine mappings and automatic save/state backups are verified. Expanded guide references are published. The all-box single-run verdict and player review remain pending. The measured active image uses the original PAL aspect; an extra-world patch has not been installed.

Original Europe/Brazil Version 0 cartridge with per-game CPU/sprite options and PAL 49.70 Hz game timing. The stock core preserves PAL pixel-aspect correction; its active image already has a display aspect of about 1.7905, close to16:9. No additional world columns are drawn. Lossless Scaling displayed about 236.3fps in the sampled run, with HDR from the emulator.

Display measured; route check and personal review pending

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive)

The 1992 cartridge, revision B, emulated at 4K in HDR with a genuine 16:9 view: the wide core draws extra columns at both sides and a small patch on the game file lets the game fill them, draw its objects out to the new edges and keep its camera inside the level.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX Wide

Game file (Rev B, widescreen patch applied) Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Rev B, 16-9 widescreen patch).md

Launch desktop icon "01-05 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive)": a small launcher starts Lossless Scaling, then RetroArch with "cores\genesis_plus_gx_wide_sonic2_layout_libretro.dll" "Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Rev B, 16-9 widescreen patch).md"

Widescreen (genuine 16:9, nothing stretched)

Core Genesis Plus GX Wide, which renders extra tile columns at both sides instead of stretching

Extra columns in H40 mode 10

Game file The Rev B cartridge dump with a widescreen patch applied offline, 267 bytes: drawing boundaries, object culling distance and no wraparound, the HUD 40 px left, the ring manager's boundaries, the checksum bypass, and the camera bounds moved 40 px in on both sides so the wide view never looks past the level's own edges. No content added or removed.

Level start Clean edge to edge from the first frame, measured on a recording of the first six seconds of Emerald Hill Zone Act 1 (the unpatched dump showed the same left band Sonic 1 had).

Frame generation (to 240 fps)

Tool Lossless Scaling 3.2.2 (a separate program that captures the game's window and generates the in-between frames; the game itself still runs at its own speed)

Frame generation LSFG3, Adaptive, aiming at 237 frames a second

Flow scale 50 %

Performance mode off (full quality)

Capture WGC

Capture queue 1

HDR support true

Scaling Off

Sync mode DEFAULT

Max frame latency 1

Switches on by itself, 8 s after the game window is in front

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in this game's own option file (Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Rev B, 16-9 widescreen patch).opt)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm enhance off

Fm preamp 100

Fm voice recovery off

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

H40 extra columns 10

H40 extra columns alpha 100

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border disabled

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit enabled

Overclock 150

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

Sound samplerate auto

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp fix dma boundary bug disabled

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Measured display output, 3 October 2026

Tested launch The numbered desktop shortcut, with its selected cartridge, core and game settings

Native game rate 59.92 Hz. Game logic retains its native timing.

Generated display rate 236.3 displayed fps from Lossless Scaling in the sampled foreground run; adaptive target 237 on the 240 Hz display

HDR sample 592.8 nits peak in the sampled scene, measured from the actual display output

Image width 3840x2160 output; image content reached both outer columns

Personal review Mappings are configured and the display has been measured. Final physical controller presses and visual approval remain with the player.

Game-specific Wolverine controls

Movement D-pad or left stick

Jump A or B; Mega Drive X also jumps

Start / pause Menu

Save / load state View+RB / View+LB

Next / previous slot View+Y / View+X

Emulator menu View+Menu

Special Stage presentation

Selected game-specific core genesis_plus_gx_wide_sonic2_layout_libretro.dll, backed by the existing fixed wide core

Original view retained The complete 256x224 native view is centered at column 46 in a 348x224 frame at 16:9; the original pixel shape is retained.

Added sides The backend renders the additional scenery and sprites. Two newly added pixels per outside edge are trimmed.

Special Stage sample 236.3 displayed fps from Lossless Scaling, sampled while the solo Special Stage remained active throughout.

Normal desktop sample 236.5 displayed fps, HDR peak 592.8 nits in the sampled scene; image content at both outside columns.

Remaining checks Player visual/controller review and the full-game all-box route verdict remain pending.

The numbered desktop shortcut now selects the tested adapter. Save-state format and folders remain those of the existing wide core. Expanded guide references are published; the all-box single-run goal is still being checked. Final player review remains pending.

Mods

Widescreen patch Applied offline to the cartridge dump: 267 bytes, presentation only (drawing boundaries, object culling, HUD position, ring manager bounds, checksum bypass, camera bounds). The game is unchanged, the presentation is corrected.

Rev B widescreen cartridge with corrected Metropolis Act 3 camera events. A dedicated adapter expands the Special Stage using native scenery while preserving its complete original view and game timing. Normal desktop and actual Special Stage generated output measured about 236 displayed fps. HDR comes from the emulator.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Mega Drive)

The 1994 cartridge on its own, emulated at 4K in HDR with no filtering. The lock-on combination with Sonic & Knuckles is a separate entry, because it is a different game. A second, native way to play it is set up too: Sonic 3 & Knuckles rebuilt around the original cartridge data: native widescreen and 60 fps, fullscreen at 4K, no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (USA).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (USA).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Angel Island Revisited, native port): program and version

Launch Sonic3AIR.exe

Game data The Sonic 3 + Sonic & Knuckles lock-on cartridge dump, read by the A.I.R. program (26.03.28)

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Angel Island Revisited, native port): the port's own settings file

Fullscreen 1 (borderless fullscreen)

FrameSync 1 (V-Sync On)

Upscaling 0 (aspect fit, no stretch)

Filtering 0 (sharp pixels, no smoothing)

Scanlines 0 (off)

RenderMethod auto

SimulationFrequency 60

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (PC, Steam)

The Steam release through its own launcher at 3840x2160 full screen, 60 fps (the game's design rate).

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 202530

Build Steam install on C: (app 202530), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Launcher the game's own launcher (Java): Display 1, Resolution 3840x2160, Full screen ticked, saved

Frame rate 60 (game speed is tied to it; the launcher's fullscreen sets the display to 60 Hz)

Anti-aliasing / filtering none offered by the game

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (PC, Steam)

The Steam release through its own launcher at 3840x2160 full screen, 60 fps; owning both episodes unlocks Episode Metal inside it.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 203650

Build Steam install on C: (app 203650), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Launcher the game's own launcher: Display 1, 3840 x 2160 @ 60 Hz, Full Screen ticked, saved

Frame rate 60 (game speed is tied to it)

Anti-aliasing / filtering none offered by the game

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (Neo Geo Pocket Color)

The Neo Geo Pocket Color cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Beetle NeoPop

Game file Sonic The Hedgehog - Pocket Adventure (World).ngc

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\ngp_libretro.dll" "Sonic The Hedgehog - Pocket Adventure (World).ngc"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Beetle NeoPop)

Language english

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (Mega Drive)

The 1993 cartridge, emulated at 4K in HDR with no filtering, in its native 4:3.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Sonic Spinball (USA).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic Spinball (USA).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic the Hedgehog's Gameworld (Sega Pico)

The Japanese Pico cartridge (the American one was cut), on a core with real pen input, at 4K in HDR with no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core PicoDrive

Game file (Japan, Rev A: the complete game; the US release cut six minigames, a floor and Story Mode) Sonic The Hedgehog's Gameworld (Japan) (Rev A).md

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\picodrive_libretro.dll" "Sonic The Hedgehog's Gameworld (Japan) (Rev A).md"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (PicoDrive)

Aspect PAR

Audio filter disabled

Drc enabled

Fm filter off

Fmchip ym2612

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Ggghost off

Input1 3 button pad

Input2 3 button pad

Lowpass range 60

Overclk68k disabled

Ramcart disabled

Region Auto

Renderer accurate

Smsfm off

Smsmapper Auto

Smstms SMS

Smstype Auto

Sound rate 44100

Sprlim disabled

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Triple Trouble (Game Gear)

The Game Gear cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Sonic The Hedgehog - Triple Trouble (USA, Europe, Brazil) (En).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Sonic The Hedgehog - Triple Trouble (USA, Europe, Brazil) (En).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Unleashed (Recompiled from the Xbox 360 build, native port)

The Xbox 360 game recompiled to a native PC program from the owned disc, update and all six DLC packs: fullscreen at 4K (scale 1.0), vsync, 120 fps, 8x MSAA with transparency AA, 16x anisotropic, 8192 shadow maps, bicubic GI filtering, motion blur off.

Emulator and version

Launch UnleashedRecomp.exe

Game data The Xbox 360 disc, its title update and all six DLC packs, converted once by the port's own installer

The port's own settings file

Monitor 0

AspectRatio Auto

ResolutionScale 1

Fullscreen true

VSync false (OFF (the NVIDIA app owns VSync and the 237 fps cap; switched off 2026-09-30))

TripleBuffering Auto

FPS 120

ShowFPS false

MaxFrameLatency 2

Brightness 0.5

AntiAliasing 8x MSAA

TransparencyAntiAliasing true

AnisotropicFiltering 16

ShadowResolution 8192

GITextureFiltering Bicubic

DepthOfFieldQuality Ultra

MotionBlur Off

XboxColorCorrection false

CutsceneAspectRatio Original

UIAlignmentMode Edge

Depth of field quality steps only in this port (Auto/Low/Medium/High/Ultra); it cannot be switched off

FPS note 120 on the 240 Hz display; the port's own default is 60 and it documents 60 as the safest target, so drop to 60 in its Video menu if anything misbehaves

Read directly from the port's own configuration file.

No HDR from these ports (later retrofit item). No filter, no scanlines, no shader.

Set up, not yet played

Sonic Unleashed (Wii)

The Wii disc on Dolphin at 6x internal resolution (about 4K) with the emulator's own HDR output, native 16:9.

Emulator and version

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e "Sonic Unleashed (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz"

Disc image Sonic Unleashed (USA) (En,Ja,Fr,De,Es,It).rvz

Emulator

Emulator Dolphin

Graphics backend D3D12

Launch Dolphin.exe -b -e <the disc image>

Graphics: settings (GFX.ini)

InternalResolution 6

AspectRatio 0

MSAA 1

SSAA False

wideScreenHack False

Crop False

ShaderCompilationMode 0

WaitForShadersBeforeStarting True

BackendMultithreading True

VSync False

ShowFPS False

Graphics: enhancements and HDR (GFX.ini)

MaxAnisotropy 4

PostProcessingShader AutoHDR

HDROutput True

ForceTrueColor True

DisableCopyFilter True

ArbitraryMipmapDetection True

HDRPaperWhiteNits 200

Graphics: hacks (GFX.ini)

EFBAccessEnable True

EFBToTextureEnable True

ImmediateXFBEnable False

SkipDuplicateXFBs True

DeferEFBCopies True

General (Dolphin.ini)

Fullscreen True

RenderToMain False

SkipIPL True

EnableCheats False

SyncGPU False

OverclockEnable False

MMU False

ConfirmStop True

Controller (WiimoteNew.ini, emulated Wii Remote 1 on the gamepad)

Device XInput gamepad

Extension Nunchuk

A / B A button / right trigger

1 / 2 X / Y

- / + / Home Back / Start / right stick click

D-Pad the pad

Pointer (IR) right stick

Wii Remote shake right shoulder

Tilt right stick, with the left stick click as modifier

Nunchuk stick left stick

Nunchuk C / Z left shoulder / left trigger

Nunchuk shake left shoulder

Emulated GameCube controller still on the same gamepad; the games that accept a GameCube controller (Unleashed, Colors, Riders: Zero Gravity) can use it from their own options

Read directly from Dolphin's GFX.ini and Dolphin.ini. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch.

Nothing layered on the emulator. The widescreen hack stays off: Wii games are 16:9 on their own and the GameCube ones that offer 16:9 do it in their own options; a hack would push menus off screen. The Wii Remote is emulated on the gamepad with the Nunchuk attached (a base mapping; the motion games are tuned one by one at first play).

Set up, not yet played

Sonic X Shadow Generations (PC, Steam)

The Steam release at 3840x2160 full screen from C:. Both games in the package (Sonic Generations 2011 remaster and Shadow Generations) load from this one launch. A second, native way to play it is set up too: The 2011 PC release, required beside X Shadow Generations because the 2024 remaster removes the playable Sonic 1 port, the 30-Second Trial mode and a music track. Set through the game's own configuration tool: 3840x2160, FXAA, shadows and reflections High, vsync.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 2513280

Build Steam install on C: (app 2513280), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Resolution 3840 x 2160 full screen (screen_setting.xml, fullscreenStyle 1, vsync 0, off: the NVIDIA app owns VSync)

In-game graphics options checklist at first play: Options > Graphics, motion blur and depth of field off if offered, frame rate to the highest stable setting for the Shadow campaign (up to 120)

Sonic Generations (2011, PC): the original, played beside the remaster: program and version

Launch Steam, app 71340

Build Steam install on C: (app 71340, the delisted 2011 release, installed 18 Sep 2026 from the owning account); the Casino Night DLC package held separately

Sonic Generations (2011, PC): the original, played beside the remaster: the game's own settings (configurationtool)

Configuration tool GraphicsConfig.cfg in the install folder, written by the game's own ConfigurationTool.exe

Resolution 3840 x 2160 @ 240 Hz (display 1)

Anti-aliasing FXAA (the tool's only choice besides None)

Display mode Widescreen

Shadow quality High

Reflection quality High

V-Sync On

Frame rate the game is built for 60 fps; leave it (the 2011 port's frame limiter misbehaves above 60 Hz displays only when uncapped by mods)

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Finished 3 Oct 2026

Sonic's Edusoft (Master System prototype)

Finished the surviving European Master System prototype on 3 October 2026, using Genesis Plus GX in RetroArch at its original PAL speed. Native emulator HDR was enabled; frame generation was disabled because of its artifacts. Final settings and every distinct saved state are preserved below.

Played and archived

Finished 3 October 2026

Save states preserved 183 unique states, including 3 final player slots; earlier snapshots and inspection checkpoints are separate

State previews 149 unique images retained with the saves

Play time The verified total will be added when the completed broadcast record is available.

Current installation Game files and desktop shortcuts removed after completion; verified archived settings and saves retained.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Preserved prototype Sonic's Edusoft (Europe) (Proto).zip

Launch Final playthrough: plain retroarch.exe, genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll and the original Europe prototype. The frame-generation launcher was bypassed.

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (as played)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Configured display refresh reference (Hz; game timing remains PAL) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options from the archived game-specific file (as played)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit enabled

Overclock 150

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect pal

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Game-specific controller controls

Move or select D-pad or left stick

Primary action A: button 1, enter or answer

Second action B: button 2

Other action Not required

Menu button Console pause

Save controls Hold View and press RB to save, LB to load, Y for next slot, X for previous slot. View+Menu opens the emulator menu. Save only under the completion-checkpoint, whole-challenge retry or suspend rules.

Scope Per-game override; shared controller and Palm-emulator profile preserved

Final configuration files, the exact emulator core, earlier configuration versions and the shared frame-generation profile snapshot were archived after the game closed. The final playthrough used plain RetroArch, so the shared frame-generation profile was inactive. Player duration is not inferred from emulator logs that include testing.

CPU overclock 150%, sprite limit disabled, and the required console boot ROM enabled. The original PAL game speed is retained. Smoothing and artificial display filters are off. Emulator HDR is enabled. Frame generation is disabled for this entry because it produced distracting interpolation artifacts.

Saves

Final player save slots (zip)

Every unique save and preview (332 files, zip)

These states require Genesis Plus GX and the original European prototype. Final player slots are separate from earlier versions and inspection checkpoints. Identical files appear once in each bundle; the complete bundle also contains saved-state previews.

Set up, not yet played

Tails Adventure (Game Gear)

The Game Gear cartridge at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file Tails Adventure (World) (En,Ja).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Tails Adventure (World) (En,Ja).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Tails and the Music Maker (Sega Pico)

The Pico cartridge on a core with real pen input, at 4K in HDR with no filtering.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core PicoDrive

Game file Tails and the Music Maker (USA).md

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\picodrive_libretro.dll" "Tails and the Music Maker (USA).md"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen false (core override)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop false

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (PicoDrive)

Aspect PAR

Audio filter disabled

Drc enabled

Fm filter off

Fmchip ym2612

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Ggghost off

Input1 3 button pad

Input2 3 button pad

Lowpass range 60

Overclk68k disabled

Ramcart disabled

Region Auto

Renderer accurate

Smsfm off

Smsmapper Auto

Smstms SMS

Smstype Auto

Sound rate 44100

Sprlim disabled

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Tails' Skypatrol (Game Gear)

The Japanese Game Gear cartridge, the only release, at 4K in HDR with no filtering at its native screen size.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Genesis Plus GX

Game file (Japan; the only release) Tails' Skypatrol (Japan) (En).zip

Launch retroarch.exe -L "cores\genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll" "Tails' Skypatrol (Japan) (En).zip"

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, every value in the core's option file (Genesis Plus GX)

Add on auto

Addr error enabled

Aspect ratio auto

Audio eq high 100

Audio eq low 100

Audio eq mid 100

Audio filter disabled

Bios enabled

Blargg ntsc filter disabled

Cart bram per cart

Cart size 4meg

Cd latency enabled

Cd precache disabled

Cdda volume 100

Enhanced vscroll disabled

Enhanced vscroll limit 8

Fm preamp 100

Force dtack enabled

Frameskip disabled

Frameskip threshold 33

Gg extra disabled

Gun cursor disabled

Gun input lightgun

Invert mouse disabled

Lcd filter disabled

Left border left border

Lock on disabled

Lowpass range 60

Md channel 0 volume 100

Md channel 1 volume 100

Md channel 2 volume 100

Md channel 3 volume 100

Md channel 4 volume 100

Md channel 5 volume 100

No sprite limit disabled

Overclock 100

Overscan disabled

Pcm volume 100

Psg channel 0 volume 100

Psg channel 1 volume 100

Psg channel 2 volume 100

Psg channel 3 volume 100

Psg preamp 150

Region detect auto

Render single field

Show advanced audio settings disabled

Sms fm channel 0 volume 100

Sms fm channel 1 volume 100

Sms fm channel 2 volume 100

Sms fm channel 3 volume 100

Sms fm channel 4 volume 100

Sms fm channel 5 volume 100

Sms fm channel 6 volume 100

Sms fm channel 7 volume 100

Sms fm channel 8 volume 100

Sound output stereo

System bram per bios

System hw auto

Vdp mode auto

Ym2413 auto

Ym2413 core mame

Ym2612 mame (ym2612)

Console boot ROMs (the core's boot ROM option is on, so each console starts with its own start-up screen, as the hardware did)

Mega Drive boot ROM (its licence screen) bios_MD.bin, 2,048 bytes

Master System boot ROM (USA) bios_U.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Europe) bios_E.sms, 8,192 bytes

Master System boot ROM (Japan) bios_J.sms, 8,192 bytes

Game Gear boot ROM bios.gg, 1,024 bytes

Read directly from retroarch.cfg, the core override file and the core option file. The keys marked core override are the ones set for this core only: video_driver, video_fullscreen, video_hdr_enable, video_hdr_expand_gamut, video_hdr_max_nits, video_hdr_paper_white_nits, video_scale_integer, video_shader_enable, video_smooth, video_vsync, video_windowed_fullscreen, vrr_runloop_enable. HDR output was measured on the live screen after launch, not assumed from the setting.

The filters that fake a CRT or an LCD are off, the sprite limit is kept, as the hardware had it, and the image is scaled with no smoothing so the pixel art stays sharp. HDR is the emulator's own HDR output; match the nits to your own screen.

Set up, not yet played

Team Sonic Racing (PC)

The PC game at 3840x2160 borderless, vsync, the high preset with anti-aliasing, texture, model and shadow quality at their highest steps, 16x anisotropic filtering, SSAO on; motion blur OFF. Gameplay ticks at 60 in this port; menus and intros run uncapped.

Emulator and version

Launch GameApp_PcDx11_x64Final.exe

Build Final PC build (Steam public branch 7593058, 4 Nov 2021); the game shipped no DLC

The game's own configuration file

SelectedDisplay 0

SelectedResolutionWidth 3840

SelectedResolutionHeight 2160

SelectedDisplayMode 2 (borderless, no display-mode switch)

SelectedVSync 1 (on)

PresetQuality 2 (high, the top preset)

AntiAliasing 1 (on)

TextureQuality 2 (highest)

TextureFiltering 4 (16x anisotropic, the top step)

ModelQuality 2 (highest)

ShadowQuality 2 (highest)

MotionBlur 0 (off)

SSAO 1 (on)

Read from the game's options.ini after the run.

No HDR (the game has none; later retrofit item). Motion blur is switched off in the game's own options file.

Set up, not yet played

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog (PC, Steam)

The Steam release from the repaired C: install, full screen at 4K.

Emulator and version

Launch Steam, app 2324650

Build Steam install on C: (app 2324650), current public build, owned with its DLC

The game's own settings

Install repaired by Steam's verify on the account that holds its licence, 38 MB -> 448 MB (178 files); the E: index corruption had emptied it

Display borderless at the desktop's 4K (the game has no resolution menu of its own)

Frame rate uncapped; 237 fps measured at the title, harmless for a visual novel

Read from the game's own settings store and menus after the run.

No HDR from this release (later retrofit item).

Display approved; native 60 fps verified

Waku Waku Sonic Patrol Car (Arcade)

The 1991 arcade ride with English on-screen graphics and custom English character dialogue, Wolverine controls and a custom 16:9 presentation. The original 320x224 view stays intact; native scenery and existing off-screen sprites fill the sides. Game logic remains at its original 59.92 fps. The English text and expanded picture were personally approved. The approved foreground session ran at about60fps with measured HDR; frame generation was not active.

Emulator and version

Emulator RetroArch

Core Per-game 16:9 presentation adapter over the unchanged MAME 0.289 RetroArch core

Romset soniccar.zip

Launch Numbered desktop icon 01-04: the existing frame-generation launcher opens RetroArch with cores/mame_patrol_16x9_libretro.dll and soniccar.cmd. The command applies the English graphics and starts the graphics-state bridge.

Frame generation profile (inactive in approved session)

Tool Lossless Scaling 3.2.2 (a separate program that captures the game's window and generates the in-between frames; the game itself still runs at its own speed)

Frame generation LSFG3, Adaptive, aiming at 237 frames a second

Flow scale 50 %

Performance mode off (full quality)

Capture WGC

Capture queue 1

HDR support true

Scaling Off

Sync mode DEFAULT

Max frame latency 1

Switches on by itself, 8 s after the game window is in front

Current verification Configured profile remains; no generated output in the approved foreground session. Native presentation measured about60.1fps. Do not treat the240Hz monitor as proof of frame generation.

RetroArch video, timing and drivers (retroarch.cfg with the core override applied)

Video driver d3d11 (core override; the global file says glcore)

Fullscreen true (core override)

Borderless (windowed) fullscreen true (core override; the global file says false)

Fullscreen width (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

Fullscreen height (0 = the desktop's, 4K here) 0

HDR true (core override; the global file says false)

HDR peak brightness (nits) 1000.000000 (core override)

HDR paper white (nits) 200.000000 (core override)

HDR expand gamut true (core override)

Aspect ratio index (22 = core provided) 22

Integer scaling false (core override)

Bilinear filtering (smoothing) false (core override)

Shader false (core override)

CPU video filter

Rotation 0

V-Sync false (core override)

Swap interval 1

Adaptive V-Sync false

VRR run loop true (core override; the global file says false)

Refresh rate the core is timed to (Hz) 60.000000

Max swapchain images 3

GPU hard sync false

Frame delay 0

Black frame insertion 0

Run-ahead false

Audio driver wasapi

Audio latency (ms) 64

Input driver dinput

Core options, including this game's override (MAME)

Alternate renderer disabled

Altres 640x480

Auto save disabled

Autoloadfastforward disabled

Boot to bios disabled

Boot to osd disabled

Buttons profiles disabled

Cheats enable disabled

Coin limit 0

Cpu overclock default

Cpu sound overclock default

Joystick deadzone 0.15

Joystick saturation 0.85

Joystick threshold 0.30

Lightgun mode none

Lightgun offscreen mode free

Mame 4way enable disabled

Mame paths enable disabled

Media type rom

Mouse enable enabled

Read config enabled (per-game override, for the controller mapping)

Rotation mode libretro

Saves game

Softlists auto media enabled

Softlists enable enabled

Thread mode enabled

Throttle disabled

Write config disabled

Expanded 16:9 presentation

Output 427x224; 16:9 display aspect; original pixel shape retained

Original view Every original 320x224 pixel retained, centered at x54; no stretching or cropping

Added sides Original VDP scenery and existing off-screen sprites. Empty cells in static maps are extended with native scenery or material. This does not create additional traversable game space.

HUD and rules Original HUD, camera, collisions, events, scoring, audio and input remain unchanged

Measured headless checks A full ride ran faster than real time at the original 59.92274475 fps. Nine checkpoints preserved every original pixel compared with an independent native-core run.

English graphics

Translated screens Title, coin and currency prompts, police-station sign, steering prompt, result ribbon

Font and artwork Original ROM Latin glyphs, native scene inks, outlines and shadows; original prices, stars and illustrations retained

Audio Original Japanese voices retained

Game logic check Two complete input-only rides from identical initial conditions: the original and translated builds had identical full 64 KB game memory at seven checkpoints

ROM Original ROM files and executable game code unchanged; graphics applied at runtime

Game-specific controller controls

Steering D-pad or left stick

Jump A

Siren X

Accelerator RT

Boost B

Turn signals LB left; RB right

Coin View

Emulator menu Menu

Verification Per-game frontend/remap and MAME mapping parser checked; player approved the review.

Save backups

Persistent data Existing automatic watcher backs up the RetroArch MAME cfg and NVRAM folders

Save states This driver does not support save states. A retry begins with a new coin and the complete ride.

Player approved the customized English graphics and expanded picture. Actual game foreground capture filled all3840screen columns and measured HDR peak375nits in the sampled scene. Native presentation was about60.1fps; no LosslessScaling output was present. Headless checks preserved game logic and the original picture. Custom sources, binaries, graphics patches and verification are preserved onF separately from the game cartridge.

English on-screen graphics and a local 16:9 presentation adapter are installed. The original central picture, game code and rules are retained. Native emulator HDR settings and the existing frame-generation profile remain configured; updated foreground HDR and generated-frame output have not yet been verified. Smoothing and artificial display filters remain off. Spoken dialogue now uses a custom English dub based on the original character voices. Original music, nonverbal sounds and speech cue duration are retained. This is a local modification, not an official English release.