Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator tool for macOS

Snes9x for Mac

Snes9x for Mac

  -  1.36 MB  -  Freeware
  • Latest Version

    Snes9x 1.60 LATEST

  • Review by

    Jack Taylor

  • Operating System

    Mac OS X 10.8 or later

  • User Rating

    Click to vote
  • Author / Product

    Snes9x Team / External Link

  • Filename

    snes9x-1.60-macosx-i386.zip

  • MD5 Checksum

    50db8a7d16b6ae71719e0d80bec16bfd

Snes9x for Mac is a portable, freeware Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator. It basically allows you to play most games designed for the SNES and Super Famicom Nintendo game systems on your Mac or Workstation; which includes some real gems that were only ever released in Japan.

Snes9x for macOS is the result of well over three years worth of part-time hacking, coding, recoding, debugging, divorce, etc. (just kidding about the divorce bit).

Note: This product is not developed actively anymore.

The app team is not connected or affiliated with any mentioned company in any way. The opinions of the team do not reflect the views of the various companies mentioned here.

Companies and all products pertaining to that company are trademarks of that company. Please contact that company for trademark and copyright information.

Main Features

High Compatibility
It supports a vast range of SNES games, including the most popular titles and many lesser-known gems. It emulates various special chips like Super FX, DSP, and SA1, which are essential for games that utilized enhanced features.

Save States
Users can create and load save states, allowing them to pick up from any point in the game. This feature is great for gamers who want to retry difficult sections without starting over.

Cheat Support
It includes support for Game Genie and Pro Action Replay cheats, enabling users to enhance their gameplay or experiment with new aspects of their favorite titles.

High-Resolution Graphics and Filtering
With built-in graphics filters like 2xSaI, HQ2x, and SuperEagle, it can upscale and smooth out pixelated graphics, enhancing the overall visual experience.

Input Flexibility
It offers extensive input configuration options, supporting gamepads, keyboards, and other external devices. This flexibility allows for a more immersive gaming experience.

FAQ

Is Snes9x for Mac legal to use?
Yes, the emulator itself is legal, but the legality of game ROMs depends on the source. Downloading or sharing copyrighted ROMs without permission is illegal.

What file formats does Snes9x support?
It supports several file formats, including SMC, FIG, and ZIP (compressed files).

Can I use Snes9x with a gamepad?
Absolutely!! It supports most USB gamepads, and you can customize the controls in the “Input” menu.

Does Snes9x support multiplayer games?
Yes, it supports local multiplayer using multiple gamepads. There’s also an option to use netplay for online multiplayer sessions, though it requires configuration.

How do I save my progress in a game?
You can use the built-in save state feature under the “File” menu to save or load your progress at any point in the game.

Alternatives

RetroArch: A versatile multi-system emulator that uses “cores” to emulate different consoles. It has a core in RetroArch, providing additional features like shaders and recording options.

System Requirements
  • Operating System: macOS
  • Processor: 1 GHz or faster
  • RAM: 512 MB
  • Storage: Minimal (10 MB for emulator files + additional space for ROMs)
  • Graphics: Basic integrated graphics are sufficient
PROS
  • High compatibility with a vast range of SNES games.
  • Simple and easy-to-navigate interface.
  • Save states and cheat support for enhanced gameplay.
  • Offers graphical filters to improve visuals.
  • Completely free and open-source.
CONS
  • Outdated interface design.
  • Lacks advanced features like recording or streaming.
  • Requires third-party tools for netplay.
  • No built-in ROM management system.
  • Limited support for new technologies like Vulkan.
Also Available: Download Snes9x for Windows

  • Snes9x 1.60 Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

    Snes9x 1.60 Screenshot 1

What's new in this version:

General:
- Fixed subscreen blending with master brightness < 100%.
- Fixed NMI timing when toggling enable bit. Fixes Chou Aniki--hack removed.
- Reverted an IPL map optimization that misses a weird edge case that caused The Great Battle III to lock up.
- Clamp MSU1 addition to max amplitude instead of wrapping. Proper MSU1 tracks will not be affected by this.
- Save mipmap_input parameter with customized GLSL and slang shaders.
- Actually use mipmap_input parameter.
- Optimized subscreen math with help from Dwedit.
- Revert to measured APU clock speed instead of nominal speed. Fixes An American Tail.
- Fixed broken BPS patch support. (ArtiiP)
- Fixed MSU1 track restarting on load state.

Win32:
- Changed window flags to allow NVIDIA cards to auto-enable exclusive fullscreen mode in OpenGL.
- Added a hidden option "DWMSync" that allows OpenGL to sync to the window manager while in windowed or borderless windowed mode.
- The automatic frame skip option no longer limits to 59.94Hz.
- Fixed bad icon scaling.
- Added a hacks dialog to enable settings for older hacks to run.

libretro:
- Added ability to use Satellaview data in same directory as ROM.
- Fixed deviation from proper libretro spec.
- Added option to use the software NTSC filter. (stellarporter)

GTK:
- Added icons to the entries to clear binding assignments.
- Fixed overlap in xBRZ multithreading.
- Changed glFenceSync option to an OML_sync option that works better.
- Fixed accumulation of partial pixel data on mouse motion when we update the mouse position more than once per frame.
- Allow one key to be bound to many controller buttons on the same controller.
- Force menu and button icons.
- Add the view menu to right-click when SNES mouse isn't used.
- Remove unused status bar option.
- Startup background can be changed in snes9x.conf.
- Improved PortAudio driver.

Unix:
- Fixed sound output that broke with APU refactor.