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ares – Multi System Emulator

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ares is a free and open-source multi-system emulator, focusing on accuracy and preservation. It is a descendant of higan and bsnes, initially developed by Near and Luke Usher. ares emulates numerous systems, including SNES, NES, Sega Genesis, and PlayStation, among others. It features high compatibility, especially notable for SNES, WonderSwan, and Neo Geo Pocket emulation. With support for multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux, ares offers features like save states, run-ahead, rewind, and dynamic rate control.

ares Download

Select which version you require below to be taken to either the official website or app store for your device where you can download:

Windows
apple [#173] Created with Sketch. macOS
Linux

ares Emulated Systems

  • ASCII Corp MSX2
  • Atari 2600
  • Bandai WonderSwan (Color), Pocket Challenge V2
  • Coleco ColecoVision
  • NEC PC Engine (SuperGrafx) / TurboGrafx-16
  • Nichibutsu My Vision
  • Nintendo Famicom / NES
  • Nintendo Game Boy (Color)
  • Nintendo Game Boy Advance
  • Nintendo Nintendo 64
  • Nintendo Super Famicom / SNES
  • Sega Mark III / Master System, Game Gear
  • Sega Mega Drive / Genesis
  • Sega SG-1000
  • Sinclair ZX Spectrum
  • SNK Neo Geo
  • SNK Neo Geo Pocket (Color)
  • Sony PlayStation

ares Setup Instructions

This guide help help you set up ares on your system, whether you’re using Windows, Mac, or Linux. You’ll find details on downloading and running ares, configuring settings, and loading your own ROMs.

Step 1: Downloading ares

ares is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. For Windows, the download is lightweight at only 6 megabytes.

  1. Using the download links above, download the version required.
  2. Once downloaded, extract the files into a dedicated folder. No installation is necessary.

Step 2: Running ares for the First Time

  1. Open the extracted ares folder.
  2. Launch the ares application. The menu system will appear, showcasing its minimalistic but effective design.

Step 3: Loading a Game

  1. Click on “Load”.
  2. Select the system for which you have a ROM.
  3. Choose your ROM file (Note: ares does not include ROMs; you must provide your own).

Step 4: System Naming Conventions

  • Super Nintendo is listed as Super Famicom.
  • Sega Genesis is listed as Sega Mega Drive.

Step 5: Configuring Video Settings

  1. Go to the video settings to adjust the display size (2x, 3x, or 4x).
  2. Set the shader preference (default is blur; none is recommended for clarity).

Step 6: Configuring Boot Options

  1. Navigate to settings.
  2. Under boot options, set the region preference (e.g., prefer US for North American ROMs).

Step 7: Status Bar Configuration

  1. Choose whether to show the FPS status bar by checking or unchecking the “Show Status Bar” option.

Step 8: Advanced Video Settings

  1. Explore the video menu for advanced options like pixel accuracy mode and N64 settings.
  2. Enable Vulkan for N64 or Ultra HD quality, but note these may stress older CPUs.

Step 9: Configuring Audio and Input Settings

  1. Audio settings can remain at default.
  2. Map your controller under the input settings. Adjust mappings for different systems as needed.

Step 10: Setting Hotkeys

  1. Assign hotkeys for functions like fast forward, save state, and load state.

Step 11: Hiding Unused Emulators

  1. Go to the emulators menu and uncheck systems you don’t use to hide them from the main menu.

Step 12: Enabling Run Ahead

  1. In the options menu, enable run ahead to reduce input latency. Note that this will double the system requirements.

Step 13: Enabling Rewind

  1. Enable the rewind feature in options.
  2. Assign a hotkey for rewind under hotkeys.

Step 14: Configuring Firmware and Paths

  1. Set up specific BIOS files under firmware if needed.
  2. Specify paths for home, saves, screenshots, and debugging files under paths.

Step 15: Configuring Drivers

  1. Keep the default video driver as OpenGL 3.2.
  2. Change to Direct3D 9, Direct Draw 7, or GDI if you encounter issues.
  3. Adjust audio settings if necessary and configure behavior when clicking off the emulator.

Step 16: Loading and Playing a Game

  1. Go to “Load”, select your system (e.g., Nintendo, Super Nintendo).
  2. Choose and load your game.
  3. Adjust the screen size by dragging the window.
  4. Access save states, load states, and screenshot capture under tools.