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RetroArch VS Mesen

Compare RetroArch VS Mesen and see what are their differences

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RetroArch logo RetroArch

RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

Mesen logo Mesen

Mesen is a NES/Famicom emulator and NSF player.
  • RetroArch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-22
  • Mesen Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-31

RetroArch features and specs

  • Versatility
    RetroArch supports a wide range of gaming platforms and can emulate many different system cores, making it highly versatile for users who want to play games from various consoles.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    RetroArch is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, enabling users to have a consistent experience across different devices.
  • High Customizability
    Users can customize keybindings, video, and audio settings extensively. There are numerous shaders and overlays that can be applied to enhance the gaming experience.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Features like save states, netplay, rewind, and achievements add a modern twist to retro gaming and are robustly implemented in RetroArch.
  • Active Development Community
    An active development community continually updates RetroArch with new features, bug fixes, and emulation cores, ensuring ongoing improvements and support.

Possible disadvantages of RetroArch

  • Complex Setup
    The setup process for RetroArch can be complex, especially for newcomers. Configuring cores, bios files, and controller setups might require a steep learning curve.
  • Performance Issues
    Some cores may not run smoothly or may have compatibility issues depending on the user's hardware or the specific game being emulated.
  • User Interface
    The user interface, while powerful and feature-rich, can be daunting and unintuitive for those not familiar with emulation software.
  • Legal Concerns
    Users must be cautious about the legality of ROMs and BIOS files, as downloading them without owning the original game or system is illegal in many jurisdictions.
  • Resource Intensive
    RetroArch can be resource-intensive, potentially causing lag or crashes on older or less powerful hardware, especially when using advanced features like shaders.

Mesen features and specs

  • High Accuracy
    Mesen is known for its high accuracy in emulating NES and SNES games, providing a near-authentic gaming experience.
  • Feature-rich
    Includes features like netplay, rewind, and a robust debugging toolset, making it appealing for both casual gamers and developers.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source allows users to modify and improve the emulator, fostering a community of enthusiasts and developers.
  • Cross-platform Support
    Available on multiple platforms, including Windows and Linux, providing flexibility for users across different operating systems.
  • Comprehensive Compatibility
    Offers extensive game compatibility, ensuring that a wide range of games run smoothly without issues.

Possible disadvantages of Mesen

  • System Requirements
    Mesen is resource-intensive compared to some other emulators, requiring relatively higher system specifications to run efficiently.
  • Learning Curve
    The extensive feature set can result in a steep learning curve for new users who are not familiar with emulator settings and functionalities.
  • Limited Platform Availability
    While it supports Windows and Linux, it lacks native support for macOS users, limiting accessibility for a portion of potential users.

Analysis of RetroArch

Overall verdict

  • Yes, RetroArch is generally considered a good platform for emulating and playing retro games.

Why this product is good

  • RetroArch is a powerful, open-source front-end for emulators, game engines, and media players. It offers a unified interface and a wide range of features such as real-time rewind, run-ahead input latency reduction, and dynamic rate control to reduce audio stuttering. It also supports advanced configurations and has a vibrant community that contributes to its continuous development and wide-ranging emulator core support.

Recommended for

  • Gamers who enjoy retro and classic video games
  • Users looking for an all-in-one emulator solution
  • Customization enthusiasts who want extensive configuration options
  • Individuals interested in multi-platform support, as RetroArch runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and more

RetroArch videos

+ Add

RetroArch - Getting Started! Your Ultimate Retro Gaming PC! [Setup and Demonstration]

More videos:

Mesen videos

+ Add

Mesen review

More videos:

  • Review - MESEN Emulator for PC: Full Setup and Play in 2 Minutes (The Best NES and Famicom Emulator)
  • Tutorial - Mesen Emulator Tutorial (NES Emulation)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RetroArch and Mesen)

RetroArch

Mesen

Gaming
90 90%
Gaming
10% 10
Emulators
89 89%
Emulators
11% 11
Gaming Tools
100 100%
Gaming Tools
0% 0
Media Player
76 76%
Media Player
24% 24

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare RetroArch and Mesen

RetroArch Reviews

Best DS Emulator: Are These Emulators Safe And Legal To Use?
RetroArch also supports a wide range of controller types, making it a great choice for gamers who want to use their favorite controller.
Source: appletoo.us
5 Best Nintendo DS Emulators for PC
It has highlights like RetroArch are shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, run ahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and much more.
Source: www.partitionwizard.com
Best emulators for Android in 2023
RetroArch is a popular open-source front-end for emulators. If you’re into playing retro games, RetroArch is your one-stop shop for all your emulating needs. It's not an emulator by itself but instead allows you to add "cores" that act as the backend to emulate several legacy consoles. While most of its most popular emulators are already covered here by dedicated apps, it...
Source: www.xda-developers.com
5 of the Best GameBoy Advance (GBA) Emulators for Android
RetroArch is a poster child worldwide of emulation, specifically due to the fact that it’s not precisely an emulator. The retroArch is best refer to as a solitary, unified application where you can communicate with other emulators.
Source: www.techblitz.org
4 Free Open Source Game Emulators For Windows PC, Linux, and macOS
In addition to this, you are able to run original game discs (CDs) from RetroArch. RetroArch has advanced features like shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, runahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and more! What systems does it play?
Source: www.geckoandfly.com

Mesen Reviews

We have no reviews of Mesen yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RetroArch seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 20 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

RetroArch mentions (20)

  • RetroArch cannot be found on the PlayStore, the first result is a copycat. It is just me?
    No, isn't just you. Every 64-bit phone haves the Play Store Retroarch available, the 32-bits no. But you can still download the 32-bit version on the Retroarch website. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Cause of the intrusion has been found and isolated. Sites are operational again.
    It was only the download links on retroarch.com on the Platforms page that got (briefly) redirected for a few hours. That should all be safe now. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Malicious download links?
    Yes, only the retroarch.com and libretro.com websites were affected. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Recent update from supposed hackers
    I went to retroarch.com and it said "discord.gg/evaderz is big haxors" its unrespectable. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Latest RetroArch on Xiaomi Mi box
    I've got installed RetroArch Plus from Google Play on my Xiaomi Mi box 4k and I want to update it to the latest version. I downloaded apk from retroarch.com but when I use apk installer to update it say is not compatible. I removed version from Google Play but fresh install 1.15.0 is not compatible too. I tried 32 and 64 version. What I'm doing wrong? Is any other AndroidTV version? Source: about 2 years ago
View more

Mesen mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Mesen yet. Tracking of Mesen recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing RetroArch and Mesen, you can also consider the following products

OpenEmu - Console and Arcade video game emulator for macOS.

Nestopia - A portable and cycle-accurate NES emulator written in C++

LaunchBox - LaunchBox is a portable, box-art-based games database and launcher for DOSBox, emulators, arcade cabinets, and PC Games. Download it free!

FCEUX - FCEUX is a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Famicom, and Famicom Disk System (FDS) emulator.

Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.

puNES - PuNES is a high accuracy NES emulator.

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