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Sega - Saturn (Emir)

Quick start

New to Sega Saturn emulation? The Sega Saturn setup guide on retroarch.com covers what you need, which core to pick and how to get your first game running.

Background

A port of the Ymir Sega Saturn emulator to libretro. Ymir is a work-in-progress Saturn emulator focused on accuracy and compatibility. It features software rendering, SH2 emulation with optional cache emulation, and a modern codebase. A young but rapidly maturing alternative to Beetle Saturn.

The Emir core has been authored by

  • StrikerX3

The Emir core is licensed under

  • GPLv3

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

Extensions

Content that can be loaded by the Emir core have the following file extensions:

  • .cue
  • .chd
  • .mds
  • .ccd
  • .iso
  • .m3u

RetroArch database(s) that are associated with the Emir core:

Features

Frontend-level settings or features that the Emir core respects.

Feature Supported
Saves ✔
States ✔
Rewind ✔
Netplay ✔
Core Options ✔
Memory Monitoring (achievements) ✔
RetroArch Cheats ✔
Controls ✔
Subsystem ✕
Disk Control ✔

Core options

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

System

System-level emulation settings.

  • Region [ymir_region] (Auto|Japan|North America|Europe)

    Set the Saturn region. 'Auto' detects from the disc.

  • SH-2 Cache [ymir_sh2_cache] (Disabled|Enabled)

    Improves accuracy for specific games at a small performance cost.

  • SH-2 Clock [ymir_sh2_clock] (25%|50%|75%|100% (Recommended)|125%|150%|200%|300%|400%|500%)

    Adjusts the SH-2 CPU clock speed. Lower values improve performance but may cause slowdowns; higher values may reduce lag in CPU-heavy games. Values other than 100% may lower compatibility with some games.

  • RTC [ymir_rtc_mode] (Virtual (Recommended)|Host)

    Virtual: clock advances with emulation (correct for fast-forward/save states). Host: syncs to real time.

  • Cartridge [ymir_cartridge] (Auto (Recommended)|None|1 MB DRAM Expansion|4 MB DRAM Expansion|ROM: King of Fighters '95|ROM: Ultraman)

    Select the cartridge to insert. 'Auto' uses the game database to pick the correct one. DRAM carts are required by many fighting games.

Video

Graphics rendering settings.

  • Threaded VDP1 [ymir_threaded_vdp1] (Enabled|Disabled)

    Run the VDP1 renderer in a dedicated thread for improved performance.

  • Threaded VDP2 [ymir_threaded_vdp2] (Enabled|Disabled)

    Run the VDP2 renderer in a dedicated thread. Highly recommended for performance.

  • Deinterlace [ymir_deinterlace] (Disabled|Enabled)

    Render interlaced high-res modes in progressive mode. May cause artifacts in some games.

  • Threaded Deinterlace [ymir_threaded_deinterlacer] (Enabled|Disabled)

    Run the deinterlacer in a dedicated thread. Requires threaded VDP2 and deinterlace enabled.

  • Transparent Meshes [ymir_transparent_meshes] (Disabled|Enabled)

    Render mesh patterns as semi-transparent instead of checkerboard.

Audio

Audio emulation settings.

  • Interpolation [ymir_audio_interpolation] (Linear (Accurate)|Nearest Neighbor)

    Linear interpolation matches real hardware. Nearest neighbor is harsher.

  • Threaded SCSP [ymir_threaded_scsp] (Disabled|Enabled)

    Run the SCSP and its MC68EC000 sound CPU in a dedicated thread for improved performance.

  • SCSP Granularity [ymir_audio_step_granularity] (0 - Fastest|1|2|3|4|5 - Most Accurate)

    Controls SCSP emulation accuracy. Higher values are more accurate but slower.

CD Drive

CD Block emulation settings.

  • CD Speed [ymir_cd_speed] (2x (Accurate)|4x|8x)

    Higher values reduce loading times.

  • CD Block LLE [ymir_cdblock_lle] (Disabled|Enabled)

    Use low-level CD block emulation for improved accuracy. Requires CD block ROM in system directory.