PCSX
Developer(s)PCSX Team, PCSX-df Team, PCSX-Reloaded Team
Stable release
1.9.95[1] / August 26, 2013 (2013-08-26)[3]
Preview release
Snapshot[2]
Repositoryhttps://github.com/iCatButler/pcsxr
Written inC (GTK on Linux)[4]
Operating systemUnix-like, Microsoft Windows, macOS
TypeConsole emulator
LicenseGNU General Public License
Websitepcsxr.codeplex.com Edit this on Wikidata

PCSX is a free and open-source, video game console emulator that allows software designed to be used with the Sony PlayStation to run on personal computers. Over the years, development changed hands several times with PCSX-Reloaded (PCSXR) now being the main version. As of 2021, the emulator seems to be no longer under active development.[5] A newer, actively maintained fork of PCSX-Reloaded is PCSX-Redux.[6]

PCSX has a high compatibility rate,[7] and is currently available for a number of different operating systems including, Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is released under the GNU General Public License.

History

Development for the emulator started in July 20, 1999, The emulator was first released for the PC on August 31, 2000. Official development ceased on September 17, 2003,[8] and development shifted to the new PlayStation 2 emulator, PCSX2.

PCSX-df was created in 2006 and added new features, a new GTK-based interface, AMD64 support, and corrected some bugs, but was developed mainly with only Linux compatibility in mind. Version 1.10 was released on March 29, 2009.

PCSX-Reloaded is a new project created in mid-2009, which is based on the work of the PCSX-df branch, completely independent, and works on bug fixes while maintaining Windows and OS X compatibility alongside Linux. PCSX-df and PCSX-Reloaded coexisted for a while, with PCSX-df merging changes of PCSX-Reloaded back into df.

In 2019, another fork PCSX-Redux was started. It can be seen as the latest iteration of the original PCSX codebase. This fork has the goal of a complete redesign along more up to date code standards. Everything should be implemented on top of OpenGL3+/ImGui. Additionally, the plugin system will be replaced through a single monolithic codebase that handles all aspects of the PlayStation emulation. In this context, PCSX-Redux shares several approaches with the PlayStation 2 emulation successor project PCSX2

Features

PCSX supports network play and external plugins as used by ePSXe. As with many modern emulators, PCSX-Reloaded supports savestates and also has Save Rewind feature (currently only OSX and Linux version), Support for ECM files (currently only OS X and Linux version), Support for Libarchive (currently only OSX and Linux version), widescreen hack and makes use of plug-ins to emulate GPU, SPU, and CD-ROM drive functions, a model first established in PSEmu Pro, it uses Peops OpenGL plugin for graphics on default but can also use Pete's OpenGL2, gpuBladeSoft, PCSX2 graphics plugin GSDX, AmiDog GPU plugin,[9] Asmodeans PSXFX shader pack, input plugins such as Lilypad and Pokopom Pad Plugin. It also has multi-track cue support and is the only PS1 emulator with compatibility with anti-jitter options in graphics plugins, such as GTE accuracy in the default Peops OpenGL plugin, or Improved coordinate accuracy in Edgbla's gpuBladeSoft and it also supports PeteOpenGL2Tweak plugin.[10] Additionally, PCSX seeks to simulate the functionality of the PlayStation BIOS and consequently does not require a BIOS file dump to operate, making it easier to emulate legally, however, Bios emulation is still incomplete so it is better to use dumped BIOS to avoid various bugs and reduced compatibility.

Ports and commercial usage

Linux, macOS/OS X, and Microsoft Windows on x86-based computers are the main development focus of PCSX-Reloaded but various PCSX iterations have been ported to other platforms as well, including Dreamcast,[11] GameCube,[12] PlayStation 3,[13] Wii,[14] Xbox,[15] and various ARM-based platforms (PCSX-Rearmed fork)[16] such as BlackBerry Playbook and Nintendo 3DS.[17][18][19]

Usage

PCSXR was used for an official port and commercial re-release of N2O: Nitrous Oxide on Steam on June 29, 2015.[20][21] It is also used as the emulator on Sony's PlayStation Classic dedicated console.[22]

Reception

Tom's Guide featured PCSX Reloaded in a feature about the best PlayStation emulators, scoring it at 4 of 5 points.[23] Kator Legaz reviewed the Mac OS version as "good".[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Debian -- Details of package pcsxr in sid". Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  2. ^ "PCSX-Reloaded". EmuCR.com. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  3. ^ "CodePlex Archive". CodePlex Archive. Archived from the original on 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  4. ^ "Debian -- Details of package pcsxr in stretch". Retrieved 2017-05-09.
  5. ^ "PCSX-Reloaded". github.com/iCatButler. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  6. ^ "PCSX-Redux". github.com/grumpycoders. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  7. ^ a b "Review of Mac PCSX Test 3". Kator Legaz. 2005-02-02. Archived from the original on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  8. ^ linuzappz (September 17, 2003). "Playstation Emulator". PCSX. Archived from the original on March 27, 2008. Retrieved 2013-03-14. […]i haven't coded for pcsx in some months, i don't have the time anymore, due to pcsx2, work, life and so on…
  9. ^ "AmiDog GPU plugin (and tools)".
  10. ^ "PeteOpenGL2Tweak - Tweaker for PeteOpenGL2 plugin w/ GTE Accuracy Hack!".
  11. ^ "Pcsx-Dc". DCEmulation. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  12. ^ "pcsxgc - A port of the PS1 emulator, PCSX, to the Nintendo GC/Wii - Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  13. ^ "ps3sx - Original PCSX port on PS3 By Anonymous - Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  14. ^ "pcsx-revolution - [CLOSED] Port of pcsx for Nintendo Wii (formerly Revolution). - Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  15. ^ "Pcsxbox". Xport.xbox-scene.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-12. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  16. ^ notaz. "Pcsx Rearmed". Notaz.gp2x.de. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  17. ^ "CatalystG/PCSX-reARMed-PB 路 GitHub". Github.com. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  18. ^ "PCSX-ReARMed-PB – PlayStation Emulator Now Available for the PlayBook". NerdBerry.net. 2012-04-25. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  19. ^ "PS1/PSX emulator for Nintendo NEW 3DS [RetroArch H". YouTube. 2015-09-28. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  20. ^ Console Classics Update on steamcommunity.com "Hi all! Thanks so much for trying out N2O! We’re really excited with our first release of a classic game on Steam"
  21. ^ First psx emulated game on steam N2O: Nitrous Oxide on emutalk.net by LyonHrt (July 1st, 2015)
  22. ^ Kohler, Chris (8 November 2018). "PlayStation Classic Plays Fine, But It's A Bare-Bones Experience". Kotaku. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Best PlayStation Emulators for Desktop PCs". 2 February 2018.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to PCSX-Reloaded.
Emulators of Sony hardware
PlayStation (console)
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