Troubleshooting Saturn Emulation with Retroarch for iOS/Apple

Summary

This video script discusses the Sega Saturn console, a platform that was not widely accessible to the speaker during their childhood. It highlights some of the console's notable games like Saturn Bomberman and the challenges of emulation on PC and Apple devices. The speaker recommends Retroarch with the Beetle core for Saturn emulation on iPads or Apple TVs, addressing issues like file format compatibility and BIOS file requirements. The script provides a step-by-step guide to resolving common emulation problems, including file naming case sensitivity and converting disk images to CHD format, to enhance the gaming experience on Apple devices.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Sega Saturn was a console that the speaker missed out on as a child, only knowing it from ads and not having access to it in video stores.
• 🌐 The speaker was only exposed to a small fraction of the Sega Saturn's library, with only 250 games out of over 1000 being available in their region.
• 🎶 Saturn Bomberman is highlighted as a favorite game with a great soundtrack and 90s anime cutscenes.
• 🖥️ Saturn emulation on PC is mostly a solved problem, but configuring emulators can be challenging.
• 📱 The video focuses on using the Beetle core for Saturn emulation on Apple devices, such as iPads or Apple TVs.
• 🔧 Beetle Saturn core on Retroarch has had issues on various platforms but has seen improvements recently.
• 💾 The core supports Q, bin, and CHD files, with most ROMs being in bin and Q format, which can cause problems due to case sensitivity.
• 🛠️ A method to fix file path issues on Apple devices using an app called QuickText is provided.
• 📁 Missing or incorrect BIOS files can prevent games from playing, with specific files required for different regions and single games.
• 🔗 Links to BIOS files and a tool for converting disk images to CHD format are provided in the video description.
• 👍 The speaker encourages viewers to like or comment on the video to help it be more visible in search results.

Q & A

What was the Sega Saturn and why did it appeal to the video creator?

The Sega Saturn was a gaming console known for its wide array of games, particularly in Japan. The video creator was intrigued by the console due to its ads, unique games, and the fact that it was not widely available in his area during its release.

How many Sega Saturn games were available in the creator's region?

Only about 250 of the Sega Saturn's more than 1000 games were available in the creator's region.

What are some of the notable Sega Saturn games mentioned in the video?

Notable Sega Saturn games mentioned include Saturn Bomberman, the Die Hard arcade port, and Cotton 2.

What is the creator's favorite iteration of Bomberman and why?

The creator's favorite iteration of Bomberman is Saturn Bomberman due to its great soundtrack and 90s anime cutscenes.

What is Retroarch and how does it assist with Sega Saturn emulation?

Retroarch is a front end for emulation cores that simplifies the configuration of various emulators, including those for Sega Saturn.

What are some challenges mentioned regarding Saturn emulation on Apple devices?

Challenges include flaky performance of Saturn cores on many platforms, case sensitivity issues with file names, and potential problems with disk images.

What file formats are supported by the Beetle Saturn core in Retroarch?

The Beetle Saturn core supports Q and bin files as well as CHD files.

How can case sensitivity issues be resolved on an Apple device?

Case sensitivity issues can be resolved by using the text editor QuickText to correct file names directly on the device.

What are the required BIOS files for Sega Saturn games, and where can they be found?

The required BIOS files are SEGA_101 for Japanese games and MPR-17933 for US and EU region games. These can be downloaded from a GitHub link provided in the video description.

How can Sega Saturn disk images be converted from bin and Q format to CHD format?

Disk images can be converted using a repackaged version of MAME's CHD tool, which includes a batch file called QGDIISO2CHD for conversion.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Introduction to Sega Saturn

The author shares their nostalgic connection with the Sega Saturn, a console they missed as a child. They remember seeing it in ads and gaming magazines but never experiencing it firsthand. The author highlights the console's limited presence in their region, mentioning that only 250 out of over 1000 games were available there.

🎥 Sega Saturn's Game Library

Despite the author's limited experience with the Sega Saturn, they appreciate the quality of its game library. They mention notable titles like Saturn Bomberman, Die Hard arcade port, and Cotton 2, expressing a particular fondness for Saturn Bomberman due to its great soundtrack and 90s anime cutscenes.

💻 Emulating Sega Saturn on PC

The author discusses the state of Saturn emulation on PC, noting that while it's mostly solved, configuring emulators can be challenging. They recommend Retroarch for its ability to simplify configuration but caution about occasional issues. The focus is on using the Beetle core for emulation on Apple devices.

📱 Running Saturn Emulation on Apple Devices

The author explains the process of emulating Sega Saturn on Apple devices like iPads and Apple TVs. They discuss the flaky performance of Saturn cores on various platforms but suggest that recent improvements have made things better. They offer tips to handle issues with disk images and file formats.

🛠 Fixing File Path Issues

One common problem in Saturn emulation is incorrect file paths in Q files. The author explains that path names must match the actual file names, especially on case-sensitive systems. They provide a solution using the QuickText app to edit Q files directly on the device.

🔧 Correct BIOS Files for Saturn Emulation

The author outlines the importance of having the correct BIOS files for Saturn emulation. They detail the specific BIOS files needed for different regions and how to download and transfer these files to the device. They also provide a link to a GitHub repository for downloading the BIOS pack.

💾 Converting Disk Images to CHD Format

To resolve loading issues, the author suggests converting disk images from bin and Q format to CHD format. They provide instructions for using a repackaged version of MAME's CHD tool to batch convert image files. While this might not solve all issues, it can help with some games.

👍 Conclusion and Viewer Engagement

The author concludes the video by encouraging viewers to like, comment, and engage with the video to help it gain visibility. They mention other related videos on their channel, including one on setting up the Dosbox Pure Core and gaming in Windows 98 on an iPad.

Keywords

💡Sega Saturn

Sega Saturn is a video game console that was released by Sega in the mid-1990s. It is significant in this video because it is the main subject of discussion, with the creator reminiscing about its impact on their childhood and the variety of games it offered. The console is central to the theme of retro gaming and emulation, as the video explores how to emulate Saturn games on modern devices like iPads and Apple TVs.

💡Video and Arcade Top 10

Video and Arcade Top 10 refers to a Canadian children's television show that featured top-rated video games and arcade games. In the context of the video, it is mentioned to emphasize the cultural impact and popularity of gaming at the time, and to illustrate that the Sega Saturn was not featured on this show, indicating its relative obscurity compared to other gaming platforms in the creator's region.

💡ROMs

ROMs, or Read-Only Memory, are files that contain game data and can be used to play games on emulators. In the video, the creator discusses the different formats of Saturn ROMs, such as bin and cue files, and how they can be used in emulation. ROMs are essential for the emulation process and are a key part of the video's focus on playing retro games on modern devices.

💡Emulation

Emulation refers to the process of replicating the functionality of one system on another, in this case, running Sega Saturn games on modern devices like iPads or Apple TVs. The video discusses the challenges and solutions related to emulating Saturn games, such as using the Beetle core on Retroarch, which is a significant aspect of the video's theme of retro gaming on contemporary platforms.

💡Retroarch

Retroarch is a popular front-end for emulators, which simplifies the process of setting up and running emulators for various retro gaming systems. The video highlights Retroarch as a user-friendly solution for emulating Sega Saturn games, emphasizing its role in making the emulation process more accessible and less complex for users.

💡Beetle core

The Beetle core is a specific emulation core within Retroarch designed for emulating Sega Saturn games. The video focuses on using this core for Saturn emulation on Apple devices, noting that while it has had issues on various platforms, improvements have been made. The Beetle core is central to the practical advice given in the video for successfully emulating Saturn games.

💡BIOS files

BIOS files are essential system files that allow emulators to function correctly. The video explains that there are four BIOS files available for the Sega Saturn, with specific ones required for different regions and games. The creator provides guidance on how to obtain and use these BIOS files to ensure proper emulation, which is a crucial step in the process of setting up emulation on Apple devices.

💡CHD format

CHD, or Compressed Hunks of Data, is a format used for storing game images that can improve the emulation process. The video suggests converting disk images from bin and cue formats to CHD format to potentially resolve boot issues with Saturn ROMs. This format is highlighted as a solution to improve the emulation experience on Apple devices.

💡QGDIISO2CHD

QGDIISO2CHD is a batch file tool mentioned in the video that can be used to convert bin and cue formatted disk images to CHD format. This tool is part of the process described for troubleshooting and improving the emulation of Sega Saturn games, specifically for users who encounter issues with booting certain games.

💡QuickText

QuickText is a text editor app available on the App Store that the video recommends for editing file names directly on Apple devices. This is particularly useful for correcting file paths in Q files, which is a step in the process of ensuring that Sega Saturn ROMs load correctly on emulators running on Apple devices.

💡Dosbox Pure Core

Dosbox Pure Core is an emulator core for Retroarch that allows for the emulation of DOS games. While not the main focus of the video, it is mentioned as part of the creator's other content, indicating a broader interest in retro gaming and emulation beyond just the Sega Saturn. This reference provides context for the creator's expertise and the range of emulation topics covered on their channel.

Highlights

Sega Saturn was a console that passed by unnoticed for the speaker as a child.

Sega Saturn was known mainly through ads in gaming magazines and TV spots.

The speaker's region had access to only 250 out of over 1000 Saturn games.

Sega Saturn had some notable games like Saturn Bomberman and Die Hard arcade port.

Saturn Bomberman is the speaker's favorite with a great soundtrack and 90s anime cutscenes.

Emulating Saturn on PC is mostly solved, but configuring emulators can be challenging.

Retroarch is a useful frontend for Saturn emulation, simplifying configuration.

Beetle core on Retroarch is used for Saturn emulation on Apple devices.

Saturn cores on Retroarch have been improved but may still have issues with disk images.

Beetle Saturn core supports Q, bin, and CHD files for Saturn ROMs.

Q files require correct file paths and case sensitivity for successful ROM loading.

QuickText text editor can be used to correct file names on Apple devices.

Missing or incorrect BIOS files can prevent games from playing on the Saturn emulator.

There are four BIOS files required for Sega Saturn, with specific ones for Japanese and US/EU games.

GitHub hosts the correct BIOS files needed for Sega Saturn emulation.

BIOS files should be placed in the RetroArch program directory for correct emulation.

Converting disk images from bin and cue to CHD format can resolve boot issues.

MAME's CHD tool can be used to convert disk images to CHD format.

Some games may still not load due to bad dumps despite correct emulation setup.

The video provides additional information on running RetroArch on non-jailbroken Apple devices.

Transcripts

When you've got Sega Saturn, nothing else matters.

Hey again everyone.

As a child, the Sega Saturn is a console that passed me by.

I mostly knew it from ads in gaming magazines and TV spots on the big networks.

I don't even think the console was ever featured on Video and Arcade Top 10,

the peak of Canadian children's television.

And I never came across one for rent in the wilds of the video stores.

In my part of the world, we only saw about 250 of the Saturn's more than 1000 games.

Thanks Wikipedia for that stat.

Because I had no idea just how large the Japanese Saturn library is.

There were some really good ports and franchise gems like Saturn Bomberman, the Die Hard arcade

port and Cotton 2 released in the Saturn short life.

Let me know down in the comments if there's a Saturn game that I absolutely must play.

Saturn Bomberman is probably my favorite iteration of the game.

The soundtrack is great and I love the 90s anime cutscenes.

On PC, Saturn emulation is mostly a solved problem, but configuring some of the emulators

can be a bit of a chore.

Retroarch is a great front end for its emulation cores, removing a lot of the configuration

complexity, but occasionally introducing little issues of its own.

Today I'm going to be taking a look at Saturn emulation using the beetle core on Apple devices

like an iPad or Apple TV.

Saturn cores on Retroarch have been flaky on a lot of platforms, but I think things

have improved recently.

You may still run into issues with certain disk images, so I'll try to go through a couple

things here that could help.

The Beedle Saturn core supports Q and bin files and CHDs.

Most Saturn ROMs available online are probably in bin and Q format, and this could cause

a little bit of a problem.

The Q file is a playlist of track files, and the path names have to point to the correct

file.

Some systems, like Linux based ones, are case sensitive.

The file referenced here needs to have the same capitalization as the actual file name.

If it isn't the same, Beetle will fail to load the ROM.

If you don't want to have to connect your device to a computer, change the file and

transfer it again, here's how you can fix it on your device.

If you go to the App Store, you can get the text editor QuickText.

Open the editor and navigate to the Q file and tap it to open.

Then correct the file name and then hit the back button.

The file should save automatically.

Another reason your game may not play is missing or incorrect BIOS files.

There are four available for the Sega Saturn.

SEGA underscore one zero one is required for Japanese games.

MPR dash seventeen nine three three is required for US and EU region games.

The other two are for single games, a King of Fighters 95 and an Ultraman game.

Here's how you can get the correct BIOS files on your system.

There's a link to BIOS files hosted on a GitHub in the description.

To download the whole pack, click the green code dropdown and then click download zip.

Extract that directory somewhere and then transfer it to your device.

And then use the files app on your device to move the BIOS files to the system directory

found in the RetroArch subdirectory of the RetroArch program directory.

If you're having trouble getting a specific game to load and you're sure you have the

correct BIOS files, try converting the disk image from bin and queue format to CHD format.

There is a repackaged version of MAME's CHD tool available at the link in the description.

It comes with a batch file called QGDIISO2CHD.

Place the files from the zip file into the same directory as your image files, and then

run the batch file to convert all the image files found in the directory to CHD files.

This may not fix all of your boot issues when it comes to loading Saturn ROMs, but it should

help a little.

I still have found one or two games that refuse to load, but they may be bad dumps.

That's all for this one.

If you found this video helpful, please hit the like button or leave a comment.

Engagement from viewers is the only thing that helps these videos get seen in the search

box.

If you want more about running RetroArch on non-jailbroken Apple devices, check out some

of the other videos on the channel.

I recently did one about setting up the Dosbox Pure Core and gaming in Windows 98 on an iPad.

So that's all for now.

Thanks for watching.

Cool.