SNES / Super Famicom
16-bit perfection with iconic games.
Overview
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990) delivered 16-bit graphics and some of gaming's most beloved titles: Super Mario World, A Link to the Past, Chrono Trigger, and Super Metroid. Emulation is perfect on Steam Deck.
| Year | 1990 (Japan), 1991 (NA) |
| Media | Cartridge |
| Steam Deck | Perfect |
| BIOS Required | No |
Emulators
| Emulator | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| bsnes | RetroArch core | Cycle-accurate, all games work perfectly |
| Snes9x | RetroArch core | Faster, excellent compatibility |
| Mesen-S | RetroArch core | Very accurate, great debugging |
Setup
ROM Folder
roms/snes/
File Formats
.sfc (preferred), .smc, .zip
BIOS
Not Required
Special Chips
Some SNES games used enhancement chips in their cartridges:
- Super FX: Star Fox, Yoshi's Island
- SA-1: Super Mario RPG, Kirby Super Star
- DSP: Various games
All enhancement chips are emulated perfectly. No extra files needed.
Recommended Settings
- bsnes for highest accuracy, Snes9x if you want slightly lower CPU usage
- CRT shaders enhance the retro look
- Integer scaling keeps pixels crisp
Where to Find Games
No-Intro SNES sets are on Myrient and Internet Archive. See the Download Guide.