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ares - RetroBIOS
Type standalone
Source https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares
Version v147
Profiled 2026-03-26
Cores ares
Systems arcade, atari-2600, colecovision, myvision, famicom, famicom-disk-system, game-boy, game-boy-color, game-boy-advance, master-system, game-gear, sg-1000, sc-3000, mega-drive, sega-32x, mega-cd, mega-cd-32x, mega-ld, laseractive, msx, msx2, neo-geo, neo-geo-pocket, neo-geo-pocket-color, nintendo-64, nintendo-64dd, pc-engine, pc-engine-cd, pc-engine-ld, supergrafx, supergrafx-cd, sony-playstation, saturn, super-famicom, wonderswan, wonderswan-color, pocket-challenge-v2, zx-spectrum, zx-spectrum-128
Technical notes

Multi-system emulator by Near (byuu), successor to higan/bsnes. Focuses on accuracy and preservation. 38 systems emulated.

Firmware identification uses SHA256 hashes. Filenames are user-defined; ares scans a configured directory and matches by hash. EmuDeck installs ares as Flatpak (dev.ares.ares), configures biosPath in settings.bml. ref: desktop-ui/settings/firmware.cpp:116-136

Firmware path resolution: settings.paths.firmware (user override) or {userData}/ares/Firmware/ (default). Per-system firmware assigned in Settings > Firmware dialog or via scan-by-hash. ref: desktop-ui/settings/settings.hpp:90-102, desktop-ui/desktop-ui.cpp:68-75

Systems with fully embedded firmware (no user files needed): Game Boy (boot.rom), Game Boy Color (boot.rom), Mega Drive (TMSS), Sega 32X (TMSS + vector + SH2 boot M/S), Nintendo 64 (PIF NTSC/PAL/SM5 + CIC 6101/6102/6105/7101), Super Famicom (IPL + all coprocessor firmware: DSP1-4, CX4, ST010, ST011, ST018, SGB1/2 boot ROMs), WonderSwan (boot.rom), WonderSwan Color (boot.rom), Pocket Challenge V2 (boot.rom), ZX Spectrum (BIOS), ZX Spectrum 128 (BIOS + sub ROM). ref: mia/resource/resource.bml, mia/Firmware/

SFC coprocessor firmware auto-injected if missing from ROM image. ref: mia/medium/super-famicom.cpp:42-62

Neo Geo BIOS: accepts ZIP archive (neogeo.zip) or direct binary. AES looks for "neo-epo.bin" inside ZIP, MVS looks for "sp-45.sp1". Both apply byte-swap after loading. ref: mia/system/neo-geo-aes.cpp:12-30, mia/system/neo-geo-mvs.cpp:12-30

SFC subsystem ROMs (SuFami Turbo, Satellaview, Super Game Boy): loaded as game cartridges via CLI args, not through the firmware system. EmuDeck creates launcher shortcuts that pass these alongside game ROMs. ref: emuDeckares.sh (EmuDeck repo)

Systems with no firmware: Arcade, Atari 2600, Famicom, MyVision, PC Engine, SuperGrafx, SG-1000, SC-3000.

39 files | 31 required, 8 optional | 26 in repo, 13 missing Categories: 35 BIOS, 4 game data

colecovision.rom required in repo standalone
ColecoVision BIOS

disksys.rom required in repo standalone
Famicom Disk System BIOS

gba_bios.bin required in repo standalone
GBA BIOS

bios.gg optional in repo standalone
Game Gear BIOS

bios_U.sms optional in repo standalone
Master System BIOS (US)

  • System: master-system
  • SHA256: 477617917a12...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/master-system.cpp:14, mia/system/master-system.cpp:8 (//optional)
  • Platforms: lakka, recalbox, retroarch, retropie, romm

bios_J.sms optional in repo standalone
Master System BIOS (Japan)

bios_E.sms optional in repo standalone
Master System BIOS (Europe), same binary as US

bios_CD_U.bin required in repo standalone
Mega CD / Sega CD BIOS (US)

bios_CD_J.bin required in repo standalone
Mega CD BIOS (Japan)

bios_CD_E.bin required in repo standalone
Mega CD BIOS (Europe)

mega_ld_bios_U.bin required missing standalone
LaserActive SEGA PAC BIOS (US)

  • System: mega-ld
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/mega-ld.cpp:18

mega_ld_bios_J.bin required missing standalone
LaserActive SEGA PAC BIOS (Japan)

  • System: mega-ld
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/mega-ld.cpp:19

MSX.ROM required in repo standalone
MSX BIOS ROM (Japan)

MSX2.ROM required in repo standalone
MSX2 main BIOS ROM (Japan)

MSX2EXT.ROM required in repo standalone
MSX2 sub ROM (Japan)

neo-epo.bin required in repo standalone
Neo Geo AES BIOS. Accepts neogeo.zip (extracts neo-epo.bin) or direct file. Byte-swapped on load.

  • System: neo-geo
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/neo-geo-aes.cpp:14, mia/system/neo-geo-aes.cpp:16

sp-45.sp1 required in repo standalone
Neo Geo MVS BIOS. Accepts neogeo.zip (extracts sp-45.sp1) or direct file. Byte-swapped on load.

  • System: neo-geo
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/neo-geo-mvs.cpp:15, mia/system/neo-geo-mvs.cpp:16

ngp_bios.rom required missing standalone
Neo Geo Pocket BIOS

  • System: neo-geo-pocket
  • SHA256: 0293555b21c4...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/neo-geo-pocket.cpp:12

ngpc_bios.rom required missing standalone
Neo Geo Pocket Color BIOS

  • System: neo-geo-pocket-color
  • SHA256: 8fb845a2f715...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/neo-geo-pocket-color.cpp:12

64dd_ipl_J.bin required missing standalone
Nintendo 64DD IPL ROM (Japan retail)

  • System: nintendo-64dd
  • SHA256: 806400ec0df9...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/nintendo-64dd.cpp:17

64dd_ipl_U.bin required missing standalone
Nintendo 64DD IPL ROM (US dev kit)

  • System: nintendo-64dd
  • SHA256: e9fec87a45fb...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/nintendo-64dd.cpp:18

64dd_ipl_DEV.bin required in repo standalone
Nintendo 64DD IPL ROM (development)

  • System: nintendo-64dd
  • SHA256: 9c2962a8b994...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/nintendo-64dd.cpp:19

syscard1.pce required in repo standalone
PC Engine CD-ROM2 System Card v1.0 (Japan). Also used by PC Engine LD.

syscard3.pce required in repo standalone
Super CD-ROM2 System Card v3.0 (Japan). Also used by SuperGrafx CD as Arcade Card.

syscard3u.pce required in repo standalone
TurboGrafx-CD Super System Card v3.0 (US)

games_express.pce required missing standalone
Games Express CD Card (Japan). Also used by PC Engine LD.

  • System: pc-engine-cd
  • SHA256: 4b86bb96a48a...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/pc-engine-cd.cpp:18

pac-n10.pce required missing standalone
NEC PAC-N10 LaserActive module (US)

  • System: pc-engine-ld
  • SHA256: 0e87a3385a27...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/pc-engine-ld.cpp:20

pac-n1.pce required missing standalone
NEC PAC-N1 LaserActive module (Japan)

  • System: pc-engine-ld
  • SHA256: 459325690a45...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/pc-engine-ld.cpp:21

pce-lp1.pce required missing standalone
NEC PCE-LP1 LaserActive module (Japan)

  • System: pc-engine-ld
  • SHA256: 3f43b3b57711...
  • Validation: sha256
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/pc-engine-ld.cpp:22

scph5501.bin required in repo standalone
PlayStation BIOS (US)

scph5500.bin required in repo standalone
PlayStation BIOS (Japan)

scph5502.bin required in repo standalone
PlayStation BIOS (Europe)

saturn_bios_U.bin required missing standalone
Sega Saturn BIOS (US)

  • System: saturn
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/saturn.cpp:14

saturn_bios_J.bin required missing standalone
Sega Saturn BIOS (Japan)

  • System: saturn
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/saturn.cpp:15

saturn_bios_E.bin required missing standalone
Sega Saturn BIOS (Europe)

  • System: saturn
  • Source: desktop-ui/emulator/saturn.cpp:16

SGB1.sfc optional in repo standalone game_data
Super Game Boy cartridge ROM. Loaded via CLI as SFC cartridge alongside GB game.

SGB2.sfc optional in repo standalone game_data
Super Game Boy 2 cartridge ROM. Loaded via CLI as SFC cartridge alongside GB game.

STBIOS.bin optional in repo standalone game_data
SuFami Turbo adapter BIOS. Loaded via CLI as SFC cartridge alongside SuFami games.

BS-X.bin optional in repo standalone game_data
Satellaview BS-X Town cartridge ROM. Loaded via CLI as SFC cartridge for BS games.

Generated on 2026-04-03T20:37:39Z