How To Setup RetroArch NES Core Mesen | PC & Steam

If you’re looking for how to setup the RetroArch NES core Mesen, this is the right article for you because we’ll be breaking down how simple it is to get up and running and be playing your NES games in no time. The Nintendo Entertainment System has some great classic games that run very well on RetroArch with the Mesen NES core.

Mesen is without a doubt the best NES emulator available.

RetroArch can play tons of games from all sorts of different system including the NES. We’ll be going into how to install the NES core for RetroArch so that you can get right into playing your favorite NES games.

To clarify, we’ll be explaining how to setup the core for the standalone RetroArch version as well as the Steam RetroArch version.

Let’s get started!

How To Setup The RetroArch NES Core Mesen Standalone version?

Download RetroArch

• You’ll first need to go ahead and download and install the RetroArch emulator which you can grab from the official website here. If you already have RetroArch installed, make sure you are on the latest stable version which you can get here.

Get your ROM file ready

• Ensure that you first have an NES ROM that you’ll be using to test after getting setup. The ROM file is the NES game that you’ll be playing.
  
  Remember that downloading ROM files for games you don’t own and haven’t dumped yourself is illegal.

Using a controller?

• It’s highly recommended to use either a USB or Bluetooth controller when playing your NES games. A controller is a much better experience than a keyboard, but you’re welcome to play however you want.
  
  If you’re in the market for a capable new controller, an 8Bitdo SN30 Pro Wireless Bluetooth controller is a great choice and will only run you about $45 on Amazon.

8BitDo SN30 Pro Wireless Bluetooth Retro Controller

$44.99

1. How To Download The Mesen RetroArch Core?

Before we get started on our RetroArch guide, if you also have a RetroPie lying around, be sure to check out this guide as well once you finish up here to learn how to set up RetroPie NES.

Finding the Mesen Core

• Once RetroArch opens, select Load Core

• Next, choose Download a Core

Downloading the Mesen Core

• After, scroll all the way down until you see the Nintendo – NES / Famicom (Mesen) core and click on it to download it

• If RetroArch was already installed on your device, don’t forget to go back to the main menu screen and scroll down to select Online Updater and then select Update Core Info Files and also select Update Databases to ensure that all of your cores info files and databases are all up to date

• After it’s done downloading, you may now press back and then select Load Core

2. How To Load Your NES ROM File In RetroArch

Go to Load Content

With the NES core now installed in RetroArch, we’re ready to load up our NES ROM file.

• Head back to the main menu and select Load Content

• Locate where you saved your NES ROM on your computer and select it
• Your NES game should now launch and you’re now playing on your computer

How To Install RetroArch Mesen Core on Steam?

To install the RetroArch Mesen core on Steam you will also need to:

• First, right click RetroArch on Steam > Manage > Browse local files.

• Once the Steam folder opens for the RetroArch files, open up the cores folder
• Next, install the Mesen RetroArch core from the RetroArch buildbot here: https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/windows/x86_64/latest/mesen_libretro.dll.zip
• After installing the Mesen core, extract the files from the ZIP folder you downloaded
• Open up the extracted folder and copy the mesen_libretro.dll file into your Steam’s core folder
• Next, install the Mesen RetroArch info files from the RetroArch buildbot here:
  https://buildbot.libretro.com/assets/frontend/info.zip
• After installing the info files, extract them from the ZIP folder you downloaded and copy all of them into the “info” folder for your Steam version of RetroArch
• Next open the Steam version of RetroArch and click “Load Core” to check that the Nintendo – NES / Famicom (Mesen) core shows up – if it does, you’re good to go
• You’re now ready to play some NES games on RetroArch from within Steam

Additional Mesen Core Settings, Options, and Features

Supported Core File Extensions

The Mesen core supports the following file extensions:

• .nes
• .fds
• .unf
• .unif

Now that you’re all setup, you’re ready to play some Nintendo Entertainment System games!

If you’re an Android user, be sure to check out this guide on the best NES emulator for Android devices.

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