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DuckStation – PlayStation (PS1) Emulator

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Available on a wide range of systems, DuckStation offers an easy access PS1 emulator, making it a favorite among both casual and more hardcore fans of PS1 emulation. DuckStation includes features like customizable controls, save states, and support for high-resolution rendering.

DuckStation 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
Android
apple [#173] Created with Sketch. macOS
Linux

DuckStation Setup Instructions

This guide will walk you through the process of setting up DuckStation, the excellent PlayStation (PS1) emulator. By following these step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn how to download, install, and configure DuckStation, including setting up BIOS files, adding game directories, and optimising graphics and controller settings.

Step 1: Download DuckStation Emulator

  1. Visit the DuckStation homepage at duckstation.org.
  2. Click on the “Windows” download link.
  3. If you don’t have Visual C++ installed on your PC, download and install it first.
  4. If you don’t have 7-Zip installed, download it as well from 7-zip.org.

Step 2: Extract DuckStation Emulator

  1. Locate the downloaded DuckStation compressed file on your desktop.
  2. Right-click on the file, select “Show more options”, then go to “7-Zip” and choose “Extract to ‘duckstation'”.
  3. A new folder containing all extracted files will be created. Delete the original zip file to save space.

Step 3: Prepare the BIOS Files

  1. Create a new folder inside the DuckStation folder by right-clicking, selecting “New Folder”, and renaming it to “bios”.
  2. Obtain a PS1 BIOS file by searching online (e.g., scph1001.bin).
  3. Extract the BIOS file if necessary by right-clicking on it, selecting “Show more options”, then “7-Zip” and choosing “Extract Here”.
  4. Move the extracted BIOS file into the “bios” folder.

Step 4: Launch DuckStation Emulator

  1. Open the DuckStation folder.
  2. Double-click the DuckStation executable file to launch the emulator.
  3. Upon first opening, you will see a message indicating no games were found. Click “OK”.

Step 5: Add Game Directory

  1. Click on “Settings” > “Paths” > “Game Directory”.
  2. Click on “Add Directory”.
  3. Navigate to the folder where your PS1 games are stored and select it.
  4. Click “Select Folder” and then “Yes” to scan the directory.
  5. Your games will now be listed in the emulator.

Step 6: Extract and Organize PS1 ROMs

  1. Right-click on the downloaded PS1 ROM file, select “Show more options”, then go to “7-Zip” and choose “Extract Here”.
  2. Delete the original zip file to save space.
  3. Create a new folder on your desktop named “PS1 games”.
  4. Move the extracted game files (bin and cue) into the “PS1 games” folder.

Step 7: Add Cover Art

  1. Visit steamgriddb.com and search for the cover art of your game.
  2. Download the desired cover art image.
  3. Save the image to a dedicated folder for game cover art.
  4. In DuckStation, right-click on the game, select “Set Cover Image”, and locate the downloaded image file.

Step 8: Configure BIOS

  1. Go to “Settings” > “BIOS”.
  2. Under “BIOS Directory”, click “Browse” and locate the “bios” folder.
  3. Select the folder and click “Select Folder”.
  4. Ensure the BIOS file is recognized under the BIOS selection dropdown.

Step 9: Configure Graphics Settings

  1. Go to “Settings” > “Display”.
  2. Set the renderer to “Hardware (D3D11)” for best performance, or experiment with other options if you encounter issues.
  3. Set the adapter to your graphics card if available.
  4. Enable “Full Screen Mode” and “V-Sync” to prevent screen tearing.
  5. Set the aspect ratio to “16:9” for widescreen or “Auto (Game Native)” for the original 4:3 ratio.
  6. Under “Enhancements”, set the internal resolution scale to match your monitor (e.g., 1080p).
  7. Adjust texture filtering to “XBR Very Slow” for smoother textures.

Step 10: Set Up Controller

  1. Go to “Settings” > “Controllers”.
  2. Select “Controller Port 1”.
  3. Map each button by clicking the corresponding box and pressing the desired button on your controller.
  4. Save the profile with a name (e.g., “Player 1”).
  5. Repeat the process for any additional controllers.

Step 11: Enable Full Screen Mode on Start

  1. Go to “Settings” > “General”.
  2. Check “Start Full Screen” under “Game Display”.

Step 12: Load a Game

  1. In the game list, double-click on the desired game to start playing.
  2. Enjoy playing your PS1 games on DuckStation!