Snes9x

SNES9x is a Windows program designed for playing Classic SNES games from the comfort of your computer.

Most actively under development in 2005 and 2006, SNES9x has nonetheless seen new stable releases as recently as 2011. It may sound like SNES9x would be outdated by now, but even its earlier versions hold up well today for their intended purpose, and the improvements made in each successful version are noticeable: its 1.5 release in 2010 added several new features, and its most recent release added support for special shaders. It's almost a pity that its older versions are the most common on the Internet and on users' computers.

SNES9x is compatible with virtually every SNES game from all regions, including Japan. It uses .sfc (Super Famicom) files, which are used to store both commercial SNES games from the 90s and user-made "homebrew" games that may not even run on a real SNES, but that will run perfectly in the constraints of SNES9x. Running such games is more than a curiosity, too: it is one of the easiest things you can do on your computer. If you have SNES9x and the right file, it is as simple as two clicks to run any SNES game. Even SNES9x does not need to be installed: it can be run from a folder.

There are several other SNES emulators available today. Of them, SNES9x is probably the most intuitive to average users. It runs in a window, while other options may be full screen by default, and it is easy to configure (although it is unlikely a user will need to configure anything but the controls). Although some of its features, such as netplay, are a little weaker than in other emulators, SNES9x is very rounded and a solid choice for anyone who wants to play games from their childhood.

Pros

• Easy to use, often without reconfiguration
• Nearly perfect gamepad support
• High compatibility with most SNES games

Cons

• Slower and poorer netplay than competitor ZSNES
• Default settings make keyboard play awkward