Emulator Cores

An emulator core is the engine that actually runs the game, as distinct from the frontend or device that hosts it. The registry covers three kinds:

libretro — software cores hosted by RetroArch, OnionOS and most handheld firmwares. The canonical name is the core’s library_name, the exact string RetroArch uses to name a saves/<core>/ folder.
mister — MiSTer FPGA cores. The canonical name is the core’s repository name in the MiSTer-devel organization (NES_MiSTer), which derives to nes-mister; the MiSTer suffix namespaces the slug on its own.
openfpga — Analogue Pocket openFPGA cores. The canonical name is the Author.Platform folder the core installs to on the SD card, so the slug carries its author.

The slug is what a producer writes in the Universal Saves Format’s source.app field when a save was produced by that core. A core listed here MUST use its slug rather than a reverse-DNS name, even if it holds a domain, so that one core has one spelling. A slug is derived mechanically from the kind’s canonical name: lowercase, with every run of non-alphanumeric characters replaced by a single -, and any leading or trailing one dropped. The result conforms to the slug grammar every vocabulary here shares. Where a core also exists as a standalone emulator (mGBA, DuckStation), the slug covers both; the engine is the same.

The Systems column uses slugs from the System Slugs registry. The Also seen as column records other names for the same core: former names (the Mednafen cores were renamed Beetle, Genesis_MiSTer became MegaDrive_MiSTer), the SD-card saves folders a MiSTer core writes to (/media/fat/saves/<name>/), or Analogizer builds of a Pocket core, which count as the same core. They help mapping folders and old data, and are never emitted.

Cores are grouped by system family for browsing. Each core appears exactly once, and the Systems column is the authoritative coverage; some cores reach past their section (blueMSX also runs sg-1000, PicoDrive also runs mastersystem).

The list is non-normative and first-come; to add a core, open a PR with a row in the right section, alphabetical by slug.

NES

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`agg23-nes`	agg23.NES	`openfpga`	`nes`	`RndMnkIII.NES_Analogizer`
`fceumm`	FCEUmm	`libretro`	`nes`
`mesen`	Mesen	`libretro`	`nes`
`nes-mister`	NES_MiSTer	`mister`	`nes`, `fds`	`NES`
`nestopia`	Nestopia	`libretro`	`nes`
`quicknes`	QuickNES	`libretro`	`nes`
`spiritualized-nes`	Spiritualized.NES	`openfpga`	`nes`, `fds`

SNES

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`agg23-snes`	agg23.SNES	`openfpga`	`snes`	`agg23.SNES_Analogizer`
`bsnes`	bsnes	`libretro`	`snes`
`bsnes-hd-beta`	bsnes-hd beta	`libretro`	`snes`
`bsnes-mercury-accuracy`	bsnes-mercury Accuracy	`libretro`	`snes`
`mesen-s`	Mesen-S	`libretro`	`snes`
`nside`	nSide	`libretro`	`snes`
`snes9x`	Snes9x	`libretro`	`snes`
`snes9x-2002`	Snes9x 2002	`libretro`	`snes`
`snes9x-2005`	Snes9x 2005	`libretro`	`snes`
`snes9x-2010`	Snes9x 2010	`libretro`	`snes`
`snes-mister`	SNES_MiSTer	`mister`	`snes`	`SNES`
`timboettiger-pro-action-replay`	timboettiger.Pro Action Replay	`openfpga`	`snes`

Game Boy family

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`beetle-gba`	Beetle GBA	`libretro`	`gba`
`budude2-gb`	budude2.GB	`openfpga`	`gb`	`budude2.GB_Analogizer`
`budude2-gbc`	budude2.GBC	`openfpga`	`gbc`	`budude2.GBC_Analogizer`
`gambatte`	Gambatte	`libretro`	`gb`, `gbc`
`gameboy-mister`	Gameboy_MiSTer	`mister`	`gb`, `gbc`	`GAMEBOY`, `GAMEBOY2P`, `GBC`
`gba-mister`	GBA_MiSTer	`mister`	`gba`	`GBA`, `GBA2P`
`gpsp`	gpSP	`libretro`	`gba`
`mgba`	mGBA	`libretro`	`gba`, `gbc`, `gb`
`mincer-ray-gba`	mincer_ray.GBA	`openfpga`	`gba`
`sameboy`	SameBoy	`libretro`	`gb`, `gbc`
`sgb-mister`	SGB_MiSTer	`mister`	`gb`	`SGB`
`spiritualized-gb`	Spiritualized.GB	`openfpga`	`gb`
`spiritualized-gba`	Spiritualized.GBA	`openfpga`	`gba`
`spiritualized-gbc`	Spiritualized.GBC	`openfpga`	`gbc`
`spiritualized-supergb`	Spiritualized.SuperGB	`openfpga`	`gb`
`vba-m`	VBA-M	`libretro`	`gba`, `gbc`, `gb`
`vba-next`	VBA Next	`libretro`	`gba`

Nintendo 64

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`mupen64plus-next`	Mupen64Plus-Next	`libretro`	`n64`
`n64-mister`	N64_MiSTer	`mister`	`n64`	`N64`
`parallel-n64`	ParaLLEl N64	`libretro`	`n64`

Nintendo DS

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems
`desmume`	DeSmuME	`libretro`	`nds`
`desmume-2015`	DeSmuME 2015	`libretro`	`nds`
`melonds`	melonDS	`libretro`	`nds`
`melonds-ds`	melonDS DS	`libretro`	`nds`

Virtual Boy

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`beetle-vb`	Beetle VB	`libretro`	`virtualboy`	`Mednafen VB`

Sega 8- and 16-bit

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`blastem`	BlastEm	`libretro`	`genesis`
`drizzt-gg`	drizzt.GG	`openfpga`	`sega-gg`
`drizzt-megadrive`	drizzt.MegaDrive	`openfpga`	`genesis`
`drizzt-sg-1000`	drizzt.SG-1000	`openfpga`	`sg-1000`
`drizzt-sms`	drizzt.SMS	`openfpga`	`mastersystem`
`ericlewis-genesis`	ericlewis.Genesis	`openfpga`	`genesis`	`ericlewis.Genesis_Analogizer`
`genesis-plus-gx`	Genesis Plus GX	`libretro`	`genesis`, `mastersystem`, `sega-gg`, `sg-1000`, `sega-cd`
`genesis-plus-gx-wide`	Genesis Plus GX Wide	`libretro`	`genesis`, `mastersystem`, `sega-gg`, `sg-1000`, `sega-cd`
`jeremy-megacd`	jeremy.MegaCD	`openfpga`	`sega-cd`
`megacd-mister`	MegaCD_MiSTer	`mister`	`sega-cd`	`MegaCD`
`megadrive-mister`	MegaDrive_MiSTer	`mister`	`genesis`, `mastersystem`	`Genesis_MiSTer`, `MegaDrive`, `Genesis`
`picodrive`	PicoDrive	`libretro`	`genesis`, `sega-32x`, `sega-cd`, `mastersystem`
`s32x-mister`	S32X_MiSTer	`mister`	`sega-32x`	`S32X`
`sms-mister`	SMS_MiSTer	`mister`	`mastersystem`, `sega-gg`, `sg-1000`	`SMS`
`spiritualized-genesis`	Spiritualized.Genesis	`openfpga`	`genesis`
`spiritualized-gg`	Spiritualized.GG	`openfpga`	`sega-gg`
`spiritualized-sg-1000`	Spiritualized.SG-1000	`openfpga`	`sg-1000`
`spiritualized-sms`	Spiritualized.SMS	`openfpga`	`mastersystem`

Sega Saturn

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`beetle-saturn`	Beetle Saturn	`libretro`	`saturn`	`Mednafen Saturn`
`kronos`	Kronos	`libretro`	`saturn`
`saturn-mister`	Saturn_MiSTer	`mister`	`saturn`	`Saturn`
`yabasanshiro`	YabaSanshiro	`libretro`	`saturn`

PC Engine

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`agg23-pc-engine`	agg23.PC Engine	`openfpga`	`pcengine`, `supergrafx`	`agg23.PC Engine_Analogizer`
`beetle-pce`	Beetle PCE	`libretro`	`pcengine`, `pcenginecd`
`beetle-pce-fast`	Beetle PCE Fast	`libretro`	`pcengine`, `pcenginecd`	`Mednafen PCE Fast`
`beetle-supergrafx`	Beetle SuperGrafx	`libretro`	`supergrafx`, `pcengine`	`Mednafen SuperGrafx`
`mazamars312-pc-engine-cd`	Mazamars312.PC Engine CD	`openfpga`	`pcenginecd`	`Mazamars312.PC Engine CD_Analogizer`
`turbografx16-mister`	TurboGrafx16_MiSTer	`mister`	`pcengine`, `supergrafx`, `pcenginecd`	`TGFX16`, `TGFX16-CD`

PlayStation

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`beetle-psx`	Beetle PSX	`libretro`	`psx`
`beetle-psx-hw`	Beetle PSX HW	`libretro`	`psx`
`duckstation`	DuckStation	`libretro`	`psx`
`pcsx-rearmed`	PCSX-ReARMed	`libretro`	`psx`
`psx-mister`	PSX_MiSTer	`mister`	`psx`	`PSX`
`swanstation`	SwanStation	`libretro`	`psx`

PlayStation Portable

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`ppsspp`	PPSSPP	`libretro`	`psp`

WonderSwan and Neo Geo Pocket

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`agg23-wonderswan`	agg23.WonderSwan	`openfpga`	`wonderswan`, `wonderswan-color`
`beetle-neopop`	Beetle NeoPop	`libretro`	`ngp`, `ngpc`	`Mednafen NeoPop`
`beetle-wonderswan`	Beetle WonderSwan	`libretro`	`wonderswan`, `wonderswan-color`	`Mednafen WonderSwan`
`jotego-jtngp`	jotego.jtngp	`openfpga`	`ngp`
`jotego-jtngpc`	jotego.jtngpc	`openfpga`	`ngpc`
`wonderswan-mister`	WonderSwan_MiSTer	`mister`	`wonderswan`, `wonderswan-color`	`WonderSwan`

Neo Geo and arcade

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`fb-alpha`	FB Alpha	`libretro`	`neogeo`, `mame`
`finalburn-neo`	FinalBurn Neo	`libretro`	`neogeo`, `mame`
`mazamars312-neogeo`	Mazamars312.NeoGeo	`openfpga`	`neogeo`	`Mazamars312.NeoGeo_Analogizer`
`neogeo-mister`	NeoGeo_MiSTer	`mister`	`neogeo`	`NEOGEO`

Atari

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`atari7800-mister`	Atari7800_MiSTer	`mister`	`atari-7800`, `atari-2600`	`ATARI7800`
`atari800`	Atari800	`libretro`	`atari-5200`
`atari800-mister`	Atari800_MiSTer	`mister`	`atari-5200`	`ATARI5200`
`atarilynx-mister`	AtariLynx_MiSTer	`mister`	`atari-lynx`	`AtariLynx`
`beetle-lynx`	Beetle Lynx	`libretro`	`atari-lynx`	`Mednafen Lynx`
`budude2-lynx`	budude2.Lynx	`openfpga`	`atari-lynx`	`budude2.Lynx_Analogizer`
`handy`	Handy	`libretro`	`atari-lynx`
`prosystem`	ProSystem	`libretro`	`atari-7800`
`spiritualized-2600`	Spiritualized.2600	`openfpga`	`atari-2600`
`spiritualized-7800`	Spiritualized.7800	`openfpga`	`atari-7800`
`stella`	Stella	`libretro`	`atari-2600`
`stella-2014`	Stella 2014	`libretro`	`atari-2600`
`virtual-jaguar`	Virtual Jaguar	`libretro`	`atari-jaguar`

MSX and ColecoVision

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`bluemsx`	blueMSX	`libretro`	`msx`, `msx2`, `colecovision`, `sg-1000`
`boogermann-msx`	boogermann.msx	`openfpga`	`msx`
`colecovision-mister`	ColecoVision_MiSTer	`mister`	`colecovision`, `sg-1000`	`Coleco`
`fmsx`	fMSX	`libretro`	`msx`, `msx2`
`msx1-mister`	MSX1_MiSTer	`mister`	`msx`	`MSX1`
`msx-mister`	MSX_MiSTer	`mister`	`msx`, `msx2`	`MSX`
`spiritualized-coleco`	Spiritualized.Coleco	`openfpga`	`colecovision`

Other systems

Slug	Core	Kind	Systems	Also seen as
`3do-mister`	3DO_MiSTer	`mister`	`3do`	`3DO`
`c64-mister`	C64_MiSTer	`mister`	`c64`	`C64`
`freeintv`	FreeIntv	`libretro`	`intellivision`
`intv-mister`	Intv_MiSTer	`mister`	`intellivision`	`Intellivision`
`markus-zzz-myc64`	markus-zzz.MyC64	`openfpga`	`c64`
`o2em`	O2EM	`libretro`	`odyssey2`
`obsidian-vectrex`	obsidian.Vectrex	`openfpga`	`vectrex`
`odyssey2-mister`	Odyssey2_MiSTer	`mister`	`odyssey2`	`ODYSSEY2`
`opera`	Opera	`libretro`	`3do`	`4DO`
`spiritualized-intv`	Spiritualized.Intv	`openfpga`	`intellivision`
`spiritualized-odyssey2`	Spiritualized.Odyssey2	`openfpga`	`odyssey2`
`vectrex-mister`	Vectrex_MiSTer	`mister`	`vectrex`	`VECTREX`
`vecx`	vecx	`libretro`	`vectrex`