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N64 Emulator Configuration Guide

The Nintendo 64 is a 64-bit console released by Nintendo in 1996, with various emulators available for gameplay, including Mupen64Plus and its variants. Configuration settings for these emulators allow users to enhance graphics and performance, but emulation remains experimental with potential accuracy issues. Users can also utilize hi-res texture packs and adjust controller settings for an improved gaming experience.

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Rodrigo Ribeiro
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
40 views9 pages

N64 Emulator Configuration Guide

The Nintendo 64 is a 64-bit console released by Nintendo in 1996, with various emulators available for gameplay, including Mupen64Plus and its variants. Configuration settings for these emulators allow users to enhance graphics and performance, but emulation remains experimental with potential accuracy issues. Users can also utilize hi-res texture packs and adjust controller settings for an improved gaming experience.

Uploaded by

Rodrigo Ribeiro
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

2025/05/13 06:10 1/9 Nintendo 64

Nintendo 64

The Nintendo 64 is a 64-bit fifth-generation console released by Nintendo on September 29, 1996 for
$199.99.

Emulation for Nintendo 64 is still experimental, and accuracy issues crop up no matter which
hardware emulator you use. Be prepared to switch emulator/core on a per-game basis.

shortname n64
libretro/mupen64plus-next libretro/parallel_n64 mupen64plus/glide64mk2
emulator/core(s)
mupen64plus/gliden64 mupen64plus/rice
rom format(s) z64 n64 v64 zip 7z

Emulators

libretro/mupen64plus-next

Mupen64Plus-Next is a N64 emulation library for the libretro API, based on Mupen64Plus. It is also the
successor of the old Mupen64Plus libretro core. It's still experimental, but incorporates Retroarch's
features, such as input remapping from its Quick Menu (Hotkey+ ).

Configuration

setting description recommendation


The rendering resolution when
320×240 for native,
using a 4:3 aspect ratio. If set to
640×480 for “Hi-Res”
n64.mupen64plus-43screensize auto, will match your current
mode (eg. Perfect
video mode. Severe
Dark)
performance impact.
The rendering resolution when
640×360 for native,
using a 16:9 aspect ratio. If set
940×560 for “Hi-Res”
n64.mupen64plus-169screensize to auto, will match your current
mode (eg. Perfect
video mode. Severe
Dark)
performance impact.
Enhancement. Widescreen hack.
243 Recommended to
Very glitchy. Only works when
use ROM patches
using a 16:9 video mode and
n64.mupen64plus-aspect instead. Some games
with bezels (decorations)
natively support 16:9 in
disabled. 243 for disabled, 16:9
their in-game options.
adjusted for enabled.

[Link] - Wiki - [Link]


Last update: 2021/08/21 07:48 systems:n64 [Link]

setting description recommendation


Enhancement. Chooses which
bilinear filtering method is
used to smooth textures on 3D
objects. 3point is accurate to
the unique 3-point bilinear
3point for hardware
filtering the N64 employs as a
accurate rendering,
n64.mupen64plus-BilinearMode cost-saving measure, however
standard for less
this introduces some distortion
distortion.
to the resulting textures.
standard uses a traditional 4-
point bilinear filter for more
accurate textures. Negligible
performance cost.
4 4x for powerful
Enhancement. Applies MSAA to
enough hardware.
smooth out jagged edges on 3D
Higher values give
object polygons. Most noticeable
diminishing returns at
at lower resolutions. Does not
an exponential
n64.mupen64plus-MultiSampling affect textures. The N64 has no
performance cost.
MSAA natively, but this was
Should only be disabled
masked by its blurry video
if running at native
output. Significant performance
resolution for a more
cost. Values: 0, 2, 4, 8, 16.
authentic experience.
Enables mip-mapping to smooth
out textures on distant 3D
objects based on distance and
angle. Has a minimal
performance impact. The Auto, as in erase the
“Smooth” settings don't have config line. Very
anisotropic filtering enabled, subjective, some N64
resulting in very blurry distant games actually did use
textures. The “Sharp” settings mip-mapping and
enable anisotropic filtering, require it for certain
n64.mupen64plus-txFilterMode dramatically improving the graphical effects (eg.
clarity of distant textures at the the Peach painting in
cost of making UI elements Super Mario 64) while
blurrier. Values: Smooth others completely
filtering 1, Smooth omitted it, resulting in
filtering 2, Smooth aliasing textures for
filtering 3, Smooth distant objects.
filtering 4, Sharp
filtering 1 or Sharp
filtering 2. Has a minimal
performance cost.
Enhancement. Uses
upscalers/resamplers on
textures to improve their clarity.
Improvements are subjective.
n64.mupen64plus-txEnhancementMode None
Values: None, As Is, X2,
X2SAI, HQ2X, HQ2XS, LQ2X,
LQ2XS, HQ4X, 2xBRZ, 3xBRZ,
4xBRZ, 5xBRZ or 6xBRZ.

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setting description recommendation


The accessory pack plugged into
controller 1. Values: none, memory is the most
n64.mupen64plus-pak1 memory or rumble. Rumble useful, rumble for
requires an X-input vibration games that support it.
compliant controller.
Same as above for the second
n64.mupen64plus-pak2 Same as above.
controller.
Same as above for the third
n64.mupen64plus-pak3 Same as above.
controller.
Same as above for the fourth
n64.mupen64plus-pak4 Same as above.
controller.

Other configuration settings must be configured from RetroArch's Quick Menu (Hotkey+ ).

libretro/parallel_n64

A low level emulator that incorporates the Angrylion RDP renderer and Vulkan APIs for hardware
accelerated emulation. It is more accurate but lacks some enhancement options.

Configuration

Other configuration settings must be configured from RetroArch's Quick Menu (Hotkey+ ).

mupen64plus/glide64mk2

The standalone version of Mupen64Plus with the enhanced GLide64mk2 video plugin.

Configuration

Uses the standalone Mupen64Plus configuration. Then, unique to the GLide64mk2 video plugin:

setting description recommendation


Skip frames to improve
performance, at the cost of
0 Should only be turned up on
choppiness. Higher values can
n64.mupen64plus_frameskip weak hardware and if immune
cause motion sickness if used for
to motion sickness.
extended periods. Values:
automatic, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5

mupen64plus/gliden64

[Link] - Wiki - [Link]


Last update: 2021/08/21 07:48 systems:n64 [Link]

Mupen64Plus but using the GLideN64 video plugin. Allows the use of hi-res texture packs.

Configuration

Uses the standalone Mupen64Plus configuration.

mupen64plus/rice

Mupen64Plus but running the Rice video plugin. Allows use of hi-res texture packs.

Configuration

Uses the standalone Mupen64Plus configuration. Then, unique to the Rice video plugin:

setting description recommendation


Enhancement. Uses upscalers on all
textures to improve their clarity.
Improvements are subjective.
Values: 0 for none, 1 for 'store as
n64.mupen64plus_TextureEnhancement is', 2 for X2, 3 for X2SAI, 4 for 0
HQ2X, 5 for HQ2XS, 6 for LQ2X, 7
for LQ2XS, 8 for HQ4X, 9 for 2xBRZ,
10 for 3xBRZ, 11 for 4xBRZ or 12
for 5xBRZ.

Configuration for standalone Mupen64Plus

Note: Not all settings apply to all video plugins.

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2025/05/13 06:10 5/9 Nintendo 64

setting description recommendation


Auto, as in erase
the line. Otherwise,
3 Trilinear.
Generally advised
to leave this on
(some N64 games
actually used mip-
Enables mip-mapping to smooth out mapping for
textures on distant 3D objects based graphical effects
on distance and angle. Should be eg. the Peach
n64.mupen64plus_Mipmapping used in conjunction with painting in Super
n64.mupen64plus_Anisotropic. Mario 64), but
Has a minimal performance cost. some users may
Refer to this page for details. prefer the
'hardness' of
distant objects
with it off,
especially at
increased
rendering
resolutions.
16 As high as you
Enables anisotropic filtering to can go. If not using
enhance perspective textures. mip-mapping, it is
Dramatically improves the clarity of recommended to
n64.mupen64plus_Anisotropic distant objects when mip-mapping is leave this off as it
turned on. Has a small performance can make UI
impact. Values: 0, 2, 4, 8 or 16. elements
Refer to this page for details. unnecessarily
blurry.
4 for powerful
Enhancement. Applies MSAA to enough hardware.
smooth out jagged edges on 3D Higher values give
object polygons. Most noticeable at diminishing returns
n64.mupen64plus_AntiAliasing lower resolutions. Does not affect at an exponential
textures. Has a significant performance cost.
performance impact. Values: 0, 2, 4, 0 for a more
8 or 16. authentic
experience.
False, but no
Uses the hi-res texture pack for the harm leaving on
n64.mupen64plus_LoadHiResTextures game, if any. Only confirmed for the True if there
Rice and GLideN64 video plugins aren't any files
present anyway.
Auto, as in erase
the line. Emulation
Disables the expansion pack of this can cause
required for some games. Polarity issues in games
n64.mupen64plus_DisableExtraMem for this setting is reversed for that don't require
EmulationStation's user-facing it, so it is
setting. suggested to leave
disabled unless
needed.

[Link] - Wiki - [Link]


Last update: 2021/08/21 07:48 systems:n64 [Link]

You can use switch the connected virtual controller accessory to a Mempak with L3 and a
Rumblepak with R3 while in game!

Mupen64Plus standalone cannot ordinarily be configured by altering its cfg file in userdata, as that
gets overwritten every launch. If you're feeling adventurous, you can edit the
/usr/share/batocera/configgen/[Link] and utilize Batocera's
overlay feature to keep the settings. Support cannot be provided should you do this, however.

Remapping for standalone Mupen64Plus

Unlike with the libretro core, remaps for the standalone can be configured by editing
userdata/system/configs/mupen64/[Link]. Back up this file before making edits to it.
When you open it, you'll see the bindings like so:

<inputList>
<input name="AnalogDeadzone" value="0,0" />
<input name="AnalogPeak" value="32768,32768" />
<input name="l3" value="Mempak switch" />
<input name="r3" value="Rumblepak switch" />
<input name="a" value="C Button R" />
<input name="b" value="A Button" />
<input name="x" value="C Button U" />
...

The input names on the left are the virtual Retropad Batocera uses to convert your controller inputs.
You don't typically need to edit these.

The values on the right are the controller signal sent to the game. Feel free to switch these around
with each other.

Mupen64 can only accept one name per value; if multiple are
detected it will only use the first occurrence. For example, if
you bind the n64 Z value to both L2 and R2 Retropad names,
only the L2 button will activate the Z value.

You can assign various Mupen64 commands here like Mempack switch!

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ROMs

Place your Nintendo 64 ROMs in /userdata/roms/n64/.

Mupen64Plus has some trouble loading compressed .zip files. If you cannot load your
ROMs, try unzipping them.

File extensions may not necessarily reflect their true contents, but here are the generally accepted
formats:

extension format
.bin Binary representation of data on the ROM.
.n64 ROM dump stored in little-endian byte-order.
.N64 ROM dump stored in big-endian byte-order.
ROM dumps produced by or compatible with the Doctor V64, with data stored in a byte-
.v64
swapped version of the N64's native byte-order.
.z64 ROM dumps produced by or compatible with the Z64, stored in big-endian byte-order.

There is no practical difference as to which format to use for loading the ROMs in Batocera.

BIOS

The N64 emulators don't need a BIOS to function.

Hi-res Texture Packs

(it seems like this might be bugged in v31? need confirmation)

Hi-res texture packs replace the textures in a game with other (typically higher resolution) textures.
Support for this has been baked into Mupen ever since textures could be extracted from the game
itself and naturally Batocera supports their use. The author of the texture pack will usually include
instructions on how to install them on standalone Mupen64Plus, but in case they don't here are the
general steps:

1. Grab your texture pack and put it in


/userdata/system/.local/share/mupen64plus/hires_texture/ (for .htc that would
be …/mupen64plus/cache/ instead).
2. Go to advanced system settings and enable “HiRes textures”.
3. HD bing bing wahoos!

Raw PNG “Loose” packs are supported by the Rice and GLideN64 video plugins, whethers

[Link] - Wiki - [Link]


Last update: 2021/08/21 07:48 systems:n64 [Link]

the .htc file is only supported by GLideN64! .dat formats are depreciated and not
compatible with any available emulator in Batocera.

You might also want to look into 60 FPS patches/codes for your game while you're at it. Batocera
cannot provide support for such hacks if something goes wrong, though, so the first step you should
do if something goes wrong is to try it without the patch/code!

Controls

Batocera requires a controller with a right analogue stick if the C-buttons are needed; they are
automatically bound to the appropriate positive/negative values of the right stick axis.

Batocera infers right-stick down and right-stick right as the


opposite axis values to the ones you assign in the controller
configuration screen. If you've assigned buttons to these
controls instead, you'll only be able to use the buttons you
have assigned (no C-down or C-left)!

The default button mapping to the N64 controller is as follows:

From:
[Link] - [Link] - Wiki

Permanent link:
[Link]

Last update: 2021/08/21 07:48

[Link] Printed on 2025/05/13 06:10


2025/05/13 06:10 9/9 Nintendo 64

[Link] - Wiki - [Link]

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