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How to Make an Emulator

When it comes to underground internet royalty, the creators of console game emulators come second to none. Programmers who create their own emulation software usually earn the respect of the internet gaming community, especially those members who enjoy the console the program emulates. To make an emulator, you will have to study the console you wish to emulate, code the emulator, release at least one beta version and make changes based upon the feedback you receive. The process of creating a successful console game emulator often takes several years.

Instructions

- 1
  Learn everything you can about the console you want to emulate. Play as many games for it as possible. Read the technical specifications for the system and find a schematic of it to study. Figure out what hardware components make up the console and how they work. Take apart one of the consoles and examine each component to see exactly what makes it tick. Doing all these things should give you an idea of how complex the console is, what its features are and which of them are most important in terms of emulation.
- 2
  Study the console's back catalog to figure out what games you would like your emulator to run. For example, if you are creating a Super Nintendo emulator, you probably want your program to run extremely popular titles like "Super Mario World," "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" and "Mario Kart." Concentrate on emulating the features of the console that the popular titles utilize.
- 3
  Select a programming language for your emulator and begin the work of programming. If you have no previous programming experience, track down a how-to book or enlist the services of an experienced programmer. Emulation enthusiast Marat Fayzullin recommends programming your emulator in either C or Assembly. While Assembly is faster, programs you code in it are not "portable," which means that they will only run on the operating system for which you originally program them. If you want to produce a multi-platform emulator, you should probably select C.
- 4
  Begin programming your emulator. Start with code to emulate the system's central processing unit and then proceed with code for the rest of the system's components. Create a debugging utility so that you can see what is going on behind the scenes while your emulator is running.
- 5
  Try running software with your emulator. Select a popular title for your initial run. For example, if you are writing a Sega Genesis emulator, run "Sonic the Hedgehog 2." If your test run succeeds, compile your emulator and put a beta release of it on the internet. Ask for feedback from users of your emulator.

Classic Console Games