Best SNES Emulator for Your PC

Last Updated on November 11, 2022

Soon Super Nintendo will turn 30, but the name of this retro console still makes the hearts of so many gamers beat faster when they hear it. The games created by Nintendo have become an integral part of popular culture. Such cult titles as Super Mario, the Legend of Zelda, Kirby, Tiny Toon, or Mortal Kombat captivated millions of players from different corners of our planet several decades ago and still haven’t lost their popularity. Every time we switched on our SNES console back in the day, we got immersed into the atmosphere of excitement, fun, and splendor.

No wonders, there are a great many players eager to experience those emotions again. Still, how can you do it without a SNES console and cartridges? It’s not a problem anymore! With the advent of such useful programs as emulators that mimic the functions retro consoles, you can start playing cult games on your personal computer. Still, in our article, we are not going to tell you about the wide selection of SNES emulators available on the Internet. Instead, we suggest that you take a look at the most stable, reliable, time-tested emulator, RetroArch, which will allow you to get maximum pleasure from playing your favorite SNES classics.

Downloading RetroArch

The first step you need to take to get the emulation system of your dream is to download it to your computer. You are free to search the Internet for the appropriate website to download RetroArch from. But stay vigilant and don’t download anything from newly created and non-reputable sites. Thus, you won’t get any malicious software on your PC.

  • Please, note that you may be required to indicate the type of the operating system you’re using prior to launching the download process. By doing so you let the system choose the most appropriate version of RetroArch that will be compatible with your software.

When the download is complete, go to your Downloads folder. Locate the new file there and unpack it by means of any unarchiver program you have.

Make sure to follow further installation instructions to the point to get the program properly installed.

Setting Up Controllers

So, now you got the emulator installed on your comp. Your next step will be connecting a USB controller to your computer. The emulation system should automatically detect your controller and subsequently configure the buttons. If not, you can always do it manually:

Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate to main menu to select the “Settings” option. From there you will be able to remap the keys to your liking to make the process of controlling the game more convenient.

Getting ROMs for RetroArch

As with any emulator, your RetroArch will ask you to provide SNES ROMs, the images of retro games, to start running them on your computer. If you haven’t decided what games you want to play to download or just want to explore different options, you can visit Romsmania, the online source that knows exactly what your emulator requires in order to provide you with the best possible gaming experience. Go ahead with getting the best games and emulators from RomsMania.cc.

Once you have found the ROM you want to play on RetroArch, don’t hesitate to download it. (Just make sure it comes from a reliable site!). Checking the new files with an Antivirus program also would be a wise thing to do.

Note that the newly downloaded files come in compressed formats, such as ZIP or RAR. Avail yourself of an unarchiver to extract the content from the files. Note that it is also possible to leave the file compressed and then place in its own folder.

RetroArch will automatically create a default folder for its games. Make sure that you save your ROM files in this folder, as well.

Now you are ready to start playing terrific retro games with RetroArch.