R36S SNES Settings: Perfect Super Nintendo Emulation Guide
The Super Nintendo is one of the best-supported systems on the R36S — the hardware handles every SNES game at full speed with ease. The challenge is dialing in the right settings for the best visual and audio experience on the R36S's small 640×480 screen. This guide covers the optimal configuration.
Choosing the Right SNES Core
RetroArch offers several SNES emulator cores. Here's how they compare on the R36S:
| Core | Accuracy | Performance | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snes9x | Very Good | Excellent | Most games — best default choice |
| Snes9x 2010 | Good | Excellent | Fallback if Snes9x has issues |
| bsnes / bsnes-mercury | Highest | Moderate | Demanding games needing accuracy (e.g., Star Fox) |
| Mesen-S | Very High | Good | Enhanced mode 7, MSU-1 hacks |
✅ Recommended Core
Snes9x is the best all-around choice for R36S. It runs all SNES games at full speed, has excellent compatibility, and provides great audio quality. Use bsnes only if a specific game requires higher accuracy.
Snes9x Core Settings
Open RetroArch Quick Menu → Core Options while running an SNES game to access these settings.
Video Settings
| Setting | Recommended Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SuperFX Overclock | 100% (default) | Increase to 400% for Star Fox / Stunt Race FX |
| Crop Overscan | On (both dimensions) | Removes black borders on most games |
| Aspect Ratio | Auto (8:7) | Correct SNES pixel aspect ratio |
| GFX Clip Windows | Enabled | Required for correct transparency effects |
| GFX Trans Layers | Enabled | Correct graphical effects in many games |
Audio Settings
| Setting | Recommended Value |
|---|---|
| Audio Interpolation | Gaussian (most accurate to real hardware) |
| Echo Buffer Workaround | Off (only enable if specific game has audio bugs) |
💡 Pro Tip
Gaussian audio interpolation most accurately reproduces the SNES SPC700 audio chip's characteristic sound — that warm, slightly low-fi quality that SNES music is known for. "Linear" sounds a bit cleaner but less authentic.
Display Settings for SNES on R36S
Aspect Ratio
The SNES outputs at 256×224 pixels with a non-square pixel aspect ratio (8:7). On the R36S 640×480 screen:
- Core Provided (Recommended) — lets the core set the correct 8:7 ratio automatically
- 4:3 — slightly wider, most people prefer this for SNES on small screens
- Integer Scale + 2x — crisp 512×448 pixels, nearly fills the screen perfectly
Recommended: Integer Scale for Sharpest Image
- Quick Menu → Video → Scaling
- Set Integer Scale to On
- SNES will render at 2x (512×448), perfectly crisp with no pixel distortion
Shader Recommendations for SNES
| Shader | Effect | Performance Cost |
|---|---|---|
| None (nearest neighbor) | Sharp pixels, modern look | None |
| crt-pi | Scanlines, CRT warmth | Low |
| crt-royale | Authentic CRT with phosphor glow | Moderate |
| xbrz-freescale | Smooth upscaling | Low-Moderate |
To apply: Quick Menu → Shaders → Load Shader Preset → browse to the shader file.
SuperFX and Special Chip Games
Some SNES games used special co-processors on the cartridge. These require extra configuration:
SuperFX Games (Star Fox, Stunt Race FX, Yoshi's Island)
SuperFX games run at reduced speed by default. Fix with:
- Core Options → SuperFX Overclock → set to 400%
- This makes Star Fox run at full speed. Yoshi's Island benefits from 200%.
SA-1 Games (Kirby Super Star, Super Mario RPG)
SA-1 chip games run fine with Snes9x defaults — no special configuration needed. These run at full speed on R36S.
SNES Game Compatibility Table
| Game | Core | Performance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario World | Snes9x | Perfect | No tweaks needed |
| The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Snes9x | Perfect | No tweaks needed |
| Chrono Trigger | Snes9x | Perfect | No tweaks needed |
| Super Metroid | Snes9x | Perfect | No tweaks needed |
| Star Fox | Snes9x | Full Speed | SuperFX overclock to 400% |
| Yoshi's Island | Snes9x | Full Speed | SuperFX overclock to 200% |
| Super Mario RPG | Snes9x | Perfect | SA-1 chip, runs fine |
| Kirby Super Star | Snes9x | Perfect | SA-1 chip, runs fine |
| F-Zero | Snes9x | Perfect | No tweaks needed |
| Secret of Mana | Snes9x | Perfect | No tweaks needed |
Saving and Quick Saves
SNES save states work reliably on R36S. Some SNES games also use in-game battery saves (SRAM). Both work correctly with Snes9x.
- Quick Save: L1 + R1 (default hotkey) — instant save state
- Quick Load: L2 + R2 (default hotkey) — restore last quick save
- SRAM saves: automatic — saved when you exit the game cleanly via RetroArch menu
⚠️ Important
Don't hold the power button to force-power-off while SRAM games are running. SRAM saves can be lost or corrupted if the device shuts down mid-write. Always return to the RetroArch menu before powering off.