<WRAP group>
<WRAP round box twothirds column>
{{ :systems:plug-it-in-play-tv-games.jpg?nolink&300 |}}

====== Plug 'n' Play TV Games ======

A system to represent all the various "TV Games" out there. These little machines were self-contained devices that, as the name implies, you plug into your TV and start playing. The device itself was usually the controller, but not always. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PneFC0y9eS8|Here's a cool video about them.]]

One of the more prolific manufacturers of them was Jakks Pacific, of which [[https://plugplaytvgames.fandom.com/wiki/Jakks_Pacific|a community created wiki has some examples of]].

Due to their self-contained nature, they're usually only emulatable by highly specialized emulation software... it's no surprise that it's handled by [[systems:mame|MAME]].

This system scrapes metadata for the "tvgames" group and loads the ''plugnplay'' set from the currently selected theme, if available.
</WRAP>

<WRAP third column>
{{ :systems:tvgames.jpg?nolink&400 |You probably recognize at least one of these.}}
<wrap lo>Credit MetalJesusRocks https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/159385274285176031/</wrap>
</WRAP>
</WRAP>

==== Quick reference ====

  * **Emulator:** [[#mame|MAME]]
  * **Folder:** ''/userdata/roms/plugnplay''
  * **Accepted ROM formats:** ''.zip'', ''.7z''

===== BIOS =====

No TV Games emulator in Batocera needs a BIOS file to run.

===== ROMs =====

Place your TV Game ROMs in ''/userdata/roms/plugnplay''.

===== Emulators =====

==== MAME ====

[[https://www.mamedev.org/|MAME]], the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, is a multi-purpose emulation framework which facilitates the emulation of vintage hardware and software. Originally targeting vintage arcade machines, MAME has since absorbed the sister-project [[http://mess.redump.net/start|MESS]] (Multi Emulator Super System) to support a wide variety of vintage computers, video game consoles and calculators as well. MAME doesn't use an individual "core" for each system like RetroArch does, instead the ROM itself usually contains the necessary information to accurately emulate it, thus making it specific to the version of MAME it was made for. Overall it's a very complicated subject, we have a [[:arcade|guide specific to arcade]] just for it.

=== MAME configuration ===

MAME offers a **[[https://docs.mamedev.org/usingmame/ui.html|Menu]]** in-game (''[HOTKEY]'' + {{:wiki:south.png?nolink&20|South button (B SNES)}} or ''[Tab]'' on the keyboard). This can be used to manually adjust inputs or game settings. If you're having issues with a specific game, check the [[https://wiki.mamedev.org/index.php/FAQ:Games|MAMEdev FAQ for that game here.]] For MESS systems specifically, you might find more information on [[http://mess.redump.net/start|MESS's wiki]]. All options can also be edited by opening the ''mame.ini'' file.

Standardized features available to all versions of this emulator: ''plugnplay.videomode'', ''plugnplay.decoration'', ''plugnplay.padtokeyboard''

^ ES setting name ''batocera.conf_key'' ^ Description => ES option ''key_value'' ^
^ Settings that apply to all versions of this emulator ||
| **GRAPHICS BACKEND ''plugnplay.video''** | Choose your graphics rendering\\ => BGFX ''bgfx'', Accel ''accel'', OpenGL ''opengl''. |
| **BGFX BACKEND ''plugnplay.bgfxbackend''** | Choose your graphics API\\ => MAME Detect ''automatic'', OpenGL ''opengl'', OpenGL ES ''gles'', Vulkan ''vulkan''. |
| **BGFX VIDEO FILTER ''plugnplay.bgfxshaders''** | Apply a particular visual effect\\ => Off ''None'', Bilinear ''default'', CRT Geom ''crt-geom'', CRT Geom Deluxe ''crt-geom-deluxe'', Super Eagle ''eagle'', HLSL ''hlsl'', HQ2X ''hq2x'', HQ3X ''hq3x'', HQ4X ''hq4x''. |
| **CRT SWITCHRES ''plugnplay.switchres''** | CRT monitor SwitchRes support\\ => Off ''0'', On ''1''. |
| **TATE MODE ''plugnplay.rotation''** | Rotating display to vertical mode rendering\\ => Off ''None'', Rotate 90 ''autoror'', Rotate 270 ''autorol''. |
| **ALT DPAD MODE ''plugnplay.altdpad''** | If the D-Pad does not work properly\\ => Off (Default) ''0'', DS3 Orientation ''1'', X360 Orientation ''2''. |

===== Controls =====

The TV Game's controls were usually specific to the game itself. In general, the way MAME handles this is by simply numbering the buttons, incrementing them as needed, up to six standard buttons and a directional stick.

Here are the default TV Games's controls shown on a [[:configure_a_controller|Batocera Retropad]]:

{{ https://raw.githubusercontent.com/batocera-linux/batocera-controller-overlays/master/solid-4k/mame.png }}

===== Troubleshooting =====

==== Further troubleshooting ====

Most questions are answered in the [[:arcade|generic arcade guide]].

For further troubleshooting, refer to the [[:support|generic support pages]].