Skip to content

Sega - MS/GG (SMS Plus GX)

Background

SMS Plus is an open-source Sega Master System and Game Gear emulator written by Charles MacDonald. SMS Plus GX is an enhanced version which includes improved accuracy, bug fixes with most games and others.

Added support for coleco system (experimental).

Author/License

The SMS Plus GX core has been authored by

  • Charles Mcdonald
  • Eke-Eke (GX)

The SMS Plus GX core is licensed under

A summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores can be found here.

Extensions

Content that can be loaded by the SMS Plus GX core have the following file extensions:

  • .sms
  • .bin
  • .rom
  • .gg
  • .col

Databases

RetroArch database(s) that are associated with the SMS Plus GX core:

BIOS

Required or optional firmware files go in the frontend's system directory.

Filename Description md5sum
bios.sms Master System BIOS - Optional 840481177270d5642a14ca71ee72844c
BIOS.col Coleco BIOS - Required 2c66f5911e5b42b8ebe113403548eee7

Features

Frontend-level settings or features that the SMS Plus GX core respects.

Feature Supported
Restart ✔
Screenshots ✔
Saves ✔
States ✔
Rewind ✔
Netplay ✕
Core Options ✔
RetroAchievements ✔
RetroArch Cheats ✔
Native Cheats ✕
Controls ✔
Remapping ✔
Multi-Mouse ✕
Rumble ✕
Sensors ✕
Camera ✕
Location ✕
Subsystem ✕
Softpatching ✔
Disk Control ✕
Username ✕
Language ✕
Crop Overscan ✕
LEDs ✕

Directories

The SMS Plus GX core's internal core name is 'SMS Plus GX'

Frontend's Save directory

File Description
*.srm Cartridge battery save

Frontend's State directory

File Description
*.state# State

Geometry and timing

  • The SMS Plus GX core's core provided FPS is 60 for NTSC games and 50 for PAL games
  • The SMS Plus GX core's core provided sample rate is 44100 Hz
  • The SMS Plus GX core's base width is dependent on loaded content and when using ntsc filter
  • The SMS Plus GX core's base height can be 192/224/240 for Master System/Coleco and 144 for Game Gear games
  • The SMS Plus GX core's max width is 602
  • The SMS Plus GX core's max height is 240
  • The SMS Plus GX core's core provided aspect ratio is 4:3

Core options

The SMS Plus GX core has the following option(s) that can be tweaked from the core options menu. The default setting is bolded.

Settings with (Restart) means that core has to be closed for the new setting to be applied on next launch.

  • Hardware (Restart) [smsplus_hardware] (auto/master system/master system II/game gear/game gear (sms compatibility)/coleco)

    Emulates which system hardware to use.

  • Region (Restart) [smsplus_region] (auto/ntsc-u/pal/ntsc-j)

    Runs console at a specific video timing based on region

  • Remove Border [smsplus_remove_left_border] (disabled/enabled)

    Removes the black border on the left of some games. (SMS Only)

  • Blargg NTSC Filter [smsplus_ntsc_filter] (disabled/monochrome/composite/svideo/rgb)

    Replicates the analog signal effects such as color bleeding and pixel artifacts to match the images a TV would show.

Controllers

The SMS Plus GX core supports the following device type(s) in the controls menu, bolded device types are the default for the specified user(s):

User 1 device types

  • None - Doesn't diable input. There's no reason to switch to this.
  • RetroPad - Joypad - Stay on this.
  • RetroPad w/Analog - Joypad - There's no reason to switch to this.

Controller tables

Joypad

RetroPad Inputs SMS Plus GX core Inputs
1
Pause
D-Pad Up
D-Pad Down
D-Pad Left
D-Pad Right
2

Keyboard

RetroKeyboard Inputs RetroKeyboard
Keyboard 1 1
Keyboard 2 2
Keyboard 3 3
Keyboard 4 4
Keyboard 5 5
Keyboard 6 6
Keyboard 7 7
Keyboard 8 8
Keyboard 9 9
Keyboard Dollar $
Keyboard Asterisk *

See also