PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16

The PC Engine is a fourth-generation console developed by NEC. It was released in Japan on October 1987.

The console was redesigned for its North American release, and is known as the TurboGrafx-16 (the 16 representing how it uses 16-bit components (despite the fact that it only has an 8-bit CPU)) there.

Its later European/UK release in 1989 would use the original Japanese design and name. Unfortunately, due to its later release in the region it would end up competing against the other fourth-generation consoles despite its third-generation hardware. The PC Engine SuperGrafx would be released shortly after to address this.

The PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 would later get a CD-ROM attachment. For emulation of those games, use the system specific to PC Engine CD.

This system scrapes metadata for the “pcengine” group and loads the pcengine set from the currently selected theme, if available.

Quick reference

BIOS

This BIOS file is required.

MD5 checksum Share file path Description
38179df8f4ac870017db21ebcbf53114 bios/syscard3.pce Super CD-ROM2 System V3.xx

These BIOS files can also work, however they are known to have compatibility issues with certain games:

MD5 checksum Share file path Description
bios/syscard2.pce CD-ROM System V2.xx
bios/syscard1.pce CD-ROM System V1.xx
bios/gexpress.pce Game Express CD Card

ROMs

Place your PC Engine ROMs in /userdata/roms/pcengine.

For PC Engine CD-ROMs, instead place them in /userdata/roms/pcenginecd.

Certain ROMs may not work if compressed in a .zip or .7z file.

Emulators

RetroArch

RetroArch (formerly SSNES), is a ubiquitous frontend that can run multiple “cores”, which are essentially the emulators themselves. The most common cores use the libretro API, so that's why cores run in RetroArch in Batocera are referred to as “libretro: (core name)”. RetroArch aims to unify the feature set of all libretro cores and offer a universal, familiar interface independent of platform.

RetroArch configuration

RetroArch offers a Quick Menu accessed by pressing [HOTKEY] + South button (B SNES) which can be used to alter various things like RetroArch and core options, and controller mapping. Most RetroArch related settings can be altered from Batocera's EmulationStation.

Standardized features available to all libretro cores: pcengine.videomode, pcengine.ratio, pcengine.smooth, pcengine.shaders, pcengine.pixel_perfect, pcengine.decoration, pcengine.game_translation

ES setting name batocera.conf_key Description ⇒ ES option key_value
Settings that apply to all cores of this emulator
GRAPHICS API pcengine.gfxbackend Choose which graphics API library to use. Vulkan is better, when supported.
⇒ OpenGL opengl, Vulkan vulkan.
AUDIO LATENCY pcengine.audio_latency In milliseconds. Can reduce crackling/cutting out.
⇒ 256 256, 192 192, 128 128, 64 64, 32 32, 16 16, 8 8.
THREADED VIDEO pcengine.video_threaded Improves performance at the cost of latency and more video stuttering.
⇒ On true, Off false.

libretro: pce

libretro: pce configuration
ES setting name batocera.conf_key Description ⇒ ES option key_value
Settings that apply to all systems this core supports
REDUCE SPRITE FLICKERING global.pce_nospritelimit Enhancement. Remove the sixteen sprites per line limit.
⇒ Off disabled, On enabled.
CONTROLLER 1 TYPE global.controller1_pce
⇒ PCE Joypad 1, PCE Mouse 2.

libretro: pce_fast

libretro: pce_fast configuration
ES setting name batocera.conf_key Description ⇒ ES option key_value
Settings that apply to all systems this core supports
REDUCE SPRITE FLICKERING global.pce_nospritelimit Enhancement. Remove the sixteen sprites per line limit.
⇒ Off disabled, On enabled.
CONTROLLER 1 TYPE global.controller1_pce
⇒ PCE Joypad 1, PCE Mouse 2.

Controls

Here are the default PC Engine's controls shown on a Batocera Retropad:

Troubleshooting

Further troubleshooting

For further troubleshooting, refer to the generic support pages.

  • systems/pcengine.txt
  • Last modified: 13 months ago
  • by atari