ZSNES is an emulator of the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom game console that allows us to emulate the games of this console on a Windows PC or Mac.

The Nintendo 16-bit video console starred in one of the major battles of the history of video games, in competition with the Sega 16-bit video console, Genesis/Mega Drive. Thanks to this rivalry, there were a lot of good games on both systems.

ZSNES allows us to emulate Super Nintendo games, so we can play great classics that we probably were not able to play at the time of release.
This emulator was one of the first that emulated the “SuperNES.” In its beginnings, it worked under MS-DOS, and today we can enjoy it on Windows or Linux computers. Even so, the emulator interface remains the same as that was used in MS-DOS versions, and therefore we do not have certain advantages, such as using the mouse wheel to browse through the catalog of games (ROMs).

To start using the emulator, we must go to the option of “ Game->Load ,” and on this screen, navigate to the directory where the Super Nintendo ROMs are located. The emulator supports compressed ROMs in Zip, GZip, and JMA (a compression format created exclusively for this emulator). Once located in the games directory, it is only necessary to double-click on any of them to begin play.

To play the games on the emulator, we can configure the keyboard keys to our taste or connect to a gamepad and set it up, so the buttons have the same distribution as the Super Nintendo controller. Remember that Super Nintendo Gamepad had the buttons located and labeled as follows:

• Top Button (Blue): X
• Right Button (Red): A
• Bottom Button (Yellow): B
• Left Button (Green): Y

As a curiosity, this emulator supports the Super Scope Bazooka and the mouse used in the game Mario Paint.

We can choose different screen resolutions and modify some sound parameters in terms of graphics and sound. However, we can start playing without the need to modify any option.
In terms of the game emulation speed, this emulator will work well on any current PC or a few years old, so it will not be necessary for a very powerful machine to emulate the games of the Super Nintendo.

Some of the benefits that we will have using this emulator is that we will be able to save games at any time of the game without waiting for the typical control points. Also, we will be able to capture the screen while playing. For most “cheaters,” it also allows the option of entering codes that cheat the game, allowing infinite lives, weapons with infinite ammo, invulnerability, etc.; these codes are known as Game Geanie. We can search the Internet for these codes to apply to the games. If we have more curiosity, we can create our own “Cheat Codes,” making use of the tool “ Cheat->Search.”

The program is available only in English, but its use is very simple, and this is not an impediment for those who do not know English to enjoy the great classics such as Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, or International Superstar Soccer Deluxe.