Emulator:n0p’s versionsMorphGear Tala’s OpenGL ESMasterall 1.52PocketSNES/03 Pre4Scott Ramsby’s Original PocketSNES 1.12.200Symbian: vSun Plus 1.0vSun 1.1
VerdictYes! This should be THE version you should get because of the flawless VGA support, the full-screen landscape mode and the on-screen buttons.While a bit slower than PocketSNES-based titles, this is also a highly recommended emulator because of the compatibility. If you take the compatibility with Castlevania, Starfox (Super FX emulation!), Mega Man X's, Secret of Mana, Star Ocean and Final Fantasy - Mystic Quest into account, the only choice (albeit, while having its share of problems and shortcomings, the Masterall version is able to run some of these titles). The SNES module of MorphGear is WAY better than its NES, GBA and Genesis support. Too bad it doesn't support on-screen tap zones in neither orientation / on-screen (displayed) keys in Landscape.A must for OpenGL ES owners. While it delivers no speed increase over for example n0p's version, it delivers much smoother, much less pixelizated graphics because of the bilinear filtering. This is particularly visible when you compare the output to the stretched (!) (the non-stretched Landscape modes of n0p don't exhibit the same behavior) and badly ClearType-alike results of n0p's app used in Landscape (screenshots below). Its landscape on-screen tap area and autofire configuration capabilities are also excellent.Not recommended, unless you have a Smartphone / Windows Mobile 6 Standard model (where it’s the only chance to do SNES emulation). For Pocket PC (Windows Mobile 6 Classic / Professional) users, unfortunately, it still has major problems:
  • no on-screen buttons / tap areas
  • no VGA-compatible stretching, not even in Portrait (where all the alternatives correctly stretch the image)
  • requires a commercial file selector, Tillansoft's tGetFile, add-in to function
  • major compliance problems with some games. Only recommended when you do need to play titles (still) not compatible with 1.39, but already supported in 1.43 – but, even then, MorphGear may turn out to be better.
  • While certainly better than Masterall’s title, it’s still not recommended, mostly because of the lack of on-screen controls and a decent full-screen (or, at least, centering, as is done by the Masterall app) landscape stretching mode. Only recommended when you do need to play titles (still) not compatible with 1.39, but already supported in 1.43 – but, even then, MorphGear may turn out to be better.Noting to write home about: incompatible with VGA devices and has no goodies like on-screen button / tap areas / autofire. Otherwise, it’s not slower than the other titles – if nothing else works, you may want to give it a try on your QVGA devices, should you want to avoid using n0p’s app.Could be MUCH better & more compatible.See on left
    Based on...1.391.43?1.391.431.431.39??
    Last modded?2006-08-04 for non-VGA and 2007-02-02 for VGA versions2007-01-242005-11-242006/03/062006/04/062003-01-162005-11-18?
    Suspending games played from card?+ (even without pausing)+ (even without pausing)Not even from paused state from built-in memory - NEVER suspend the PPC! Also see THIS, THIS and THIS+n/tn/tSee on leftSee on left
    Compliance issues: VGA compliance?Only the WM5 version; the old standard and ARM version don’t (this is the only notable difference between the three versions)+ (albeit on-screen controls are even more useless in VGA than in QVGA)+ (2700G only!)- (only uses a quarter of the screen, even in Portrait Large and Smooth Stretch)+ (but doesn’t really stretch)- (just freezes)n/an/a
    Other?--Only compatible with OpenGL ES modelsLoading anything ONLY works with Tillanosoft’s tGetFile.dll and nothing else. Keys can’t be redefined on ANY WM5+ devices.Not compatible with iPAQ 2210 and HTC Wizard (didn’t even start).-n/aSee on left
    Files: File dialog: does it rely on the built-in one; if yes, is it able to utilize external ones?- (the distribution also contains Mad Programmer's FDC DLL file. You may not remove it in order to switch to the standard file dialog because, then, the app won't start)-+ /+- (you MUST install Tillansoft's tGetFile for it to be able to load anything; Mad programmer's FDC doesn't suffice)+ /++ /+n/an/a
    Remembers last position (with Mad programmer's FDC - that is, when NOT using the standard file dialog)-; always starts from the home directory of the app+-; always starts from \My Documents+-; always starts from the home directory of the app-+ (only one directory on the storage card is searched for ROM images)See on left
    Compression support+++++ (only via the standard file dialog; with a nonstandard one, it doesn't support!)+++
    Save states?9 per game (as in all PocketSNES-derivatives); also quick save9 per game9 per game+9 per game9 per game55
    Controls: ButtonsAll WM apps can reassign the four directions and the A, B, X, Y, L, R, Start, Select buttons. As far as WM models with press-and-hold (double) functionality are concerned, they all (incl. MorphGear) support the two right and the upper left button's double-function of the Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox 720 and the upper left double-function of the HTC Wizard but not on the WM5 HP iPAQ hx4700. WM5 softkeys and the red/green phone buttons are supported by all apps. The button assignment screen is the same for all PocketSNES-derivatives (except for Tala’s extended version)See on leftSee on left; you can also define Autofire (can be assigned to any of the 8 buttons), doesn't require the assigned button to be hold (as opposed to most auto-fire solutions)See on far left. Note that it was unable to assign any non-WM5 softkeys on any WM5+ devices. However, if you don’t explicitly mess them up (or set from another PocketSNES-descendant – they use the same Registry values to store these settings so they will see each others’ settings), they will still work.See on far left See on far leftCan be all redefinedSee on left
    Screen tap area+, working OK. Four (albeit not configurable) buttons (A B X Y) on the right, correctly relocated to the left in left-handed landscape mode. In Portrait, on-screen buttons at the bottom; they are sufficiently large on VGA devices.-: Portrait: only the predefined on-screen control; particularly useless in VGA. Landscape: no on-screen controls at allTwo tap areas (as opposed to the four of n0p's port) assignable to any of the eight original buttons in Options / Buttons; only works in Landscape; unfortunately, unlike n0p's version, isn't relocated to the left in left-handed mode (works OK in right-handed mode)---n/a (no touchscreen on Symbian S60)See on left
    Screen: Orientation?Landscape working OK (built-in switching, even works under pre-WM2003SE, as is the case with all the titles). The settings dialog (as with the sound dialog and the system dialog) is similar with all PocketSNES-derivativesLandscape working OK (switching must be done from inside)Don't use the built-in switcher, which is the standard one, (it'll only mess up the D-pad directions) to switch to Landscape but the OS-level one. Works in both left- and right-handed mode.Landscape Left OK; Right doesn’t work.Supports LandscapeSupports LandscapeCan be switchedSee on left
    Stretching?+; in stretched Landscape mode, the full screen is covered (as opposed to PocketSNES/03), while the four buttons, the quick load/save and the Further buttons / tap areas are still functional. In this mode, however, the entire screen has ClearType-like colors, which isn’t the best (MorphGear and the OpenGL ES versions are far better in this respect.).All (some, but NOT severe slowdown!); in Landscape mode, using the full Window filling-in, the entire screen is filled inIn both the default Portrait and LS modes. Correctly stretches in this mode, using the very good bilinear filtering (to greatly reduce pixelization) + (in Landscape, almost the entire screen is filled in)-: while there are stretching options, in Landscape, it will never work. What is even worse, in Landscape, the image isn't centeredn/tEither 1:1 (in any of the four directions) or streching; the latter is really unreadable on the N-Gage screen because of the left-out pixel rows. That is, very bad on the low-res N-Gage screen.See on left
    Compatibility report: Adult Manga 1 (PD)Partial: only displays the first real picture; doesn't react on Select. A problem with all PocketSNES titlesPartialPartialPartialPartialPartial+n/t
    Adult Manga 2 (PD)Partial: See abovePartialPartialPartialPartialPartial+n/t
    Aero Fighters - 1942 clone +++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Aliens 3+++n/tn/tn/t++; much slower even without sound than the Plus version and has color problems (everything is green); useless with sound (even in Smart mode, let alone Full)
    Alien Versus Predator - fighter+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Bastard!! - Ankoku no Hakai-shin Bitmap probs (with all the mobile emulators and all the available versions - see the different ROM images in the .7z archive), while it runs great under the desktop emulatorsSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on left
    Axelay - semi-3D 1942 clone+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Blazing Skies - 3D flight simulation / shooter+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Castlevania: Dracula X (U) - (only loads the title with all the mobile emulators and all the available versions - see the different ROM images in the .7z archive)See on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on left
    Castlevania: Vampires Kiss - (back screen after making a selection in the main menu; the emulation stops right after the first picture of the playground is rendered at a very low brightness level)See on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on leftSee on left
    Chrono Trigger (U)+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Contra III - The Alien Wars (U) - platformer+++n/tn/tn/t++
    Cybernator - platformer+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Donkey Kong Country - well-animated platformer like Mario World. Recommended!+++n/tn/tn/t? (too big)n/t
    Donkey Kong Country 3+++n/tn/tn/t++; The intro is uselessly slow with enabled (even Smart) sound
    Dragon Ball Z Hyper Dimension - (black screen)- (black screen)- (black screen)- (crashes the entire device on start)- (black screen)n/t? (too big)n/t
    Dragon Ball Z Super Butoden - SF2-alike fighter+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Dragon Ball Z Super Saya Denetsu - (Japanese RPG?)+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Dragon Ball Z Ultime Menace - fighter (initial logo takes a LOT of time to load!)+++n/tn/tn/t- (black screen)n/t
    Earthbound (U) – great RPG+++, ambient sounds are very cool!+n/tn/t+n/t
    Equinox - semi-3D action-adventure+++n/tn/tn/t- (doesn’t get past the initial Sony logo screen)n/t
    FIFA 98 (U)++, pretty fast; acceptable even in full screen+; pretty fast without sound!n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Final Fantasy - Mystic Quest (V1.1) (U) -: Blank screen at once (an issue with all 1.39-based titles)+-: Blank screen+ (as with all 1.43-based titles)+-: Blank screen-: Blank screen after entering your namen/t
    Final Fantasy 2 (V1.1) (U)+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Final Fantasy 3 (V1.1) (U) [!]+++, ambient stereo sounds are very cool!n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Final Fantasy 4+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Final Fight 2 (U)+++n/tn/tn/t+ (pretty fast & playable!)n/t
    Final Fight 3 (U)++, pretty good even with sound+n/tn/tn/t+ (pretty fast & playable!)n/t
    Firepower 2000 - very nice Silkworm IV-alike, a must!+++n/tn/tn/t+ (pretty fast & playable!)n/t
    F-Zero - racer, very fast+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    F-Zero 2 - similar to the first part +- (black screen after starting game)+n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Gundam Endless Duel+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Hyper Zone +- (black screen right at the beginning)+n/tn/tn/t- (black screen after the initial animated logo)n/t
    Killer Instint+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Kirby's Dream Course (E)+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Lethal Enforcers (don’t even try to play it on a PDA – It’s unplayble because of the lack of the mouse)+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Looney Toons Basketball+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Lord Of The Rings+++n/tn/tn/t+Not really: discussion boxes aren’t displayed; greenish problems (as with Aliens 3); doesn’t at all work with enabled sound; slow
    Lufia - RPG+++n/tn/tn/t- (doesn’t go further after entering the player’s name)n/t
    Mario RPG - Legend of the Seven Stars ++- (black screen after the main title screen if the game doesn't restart itself)n/tn/tn/tn/tn/t
    Marvel Super Heroes War of the Gems+++n/tn/tn/t-: in-game fighting scenes flash badlyn/t
    Maximum Carnage - mediocre fighter+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Mechwarrior+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Mega Man X+++n/t+n/t+n/t
    Mega Man X 2 (U) – platformer - (black screen right at startup)+- (black screen right at startup)+- (two errors at start: immediate register and ROM)n/t- (three errors)+
    Mega Man X 3 (U) - (black screen right at startup)+- (black screen right at startup)+- (two errors at start: immediate register and ROM)n/t- (three errors)Doesn’t even try to load
    Metal Warriors+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Parodius - Non-Sense Fantasy +++- (crashes the entire device on start)+n/t+n/t
    R-Type+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    R-Type III - The Third Lightning+++, even sound is tolerablen/tn/tn/t- (wasn't able to load on the N-gage – too big)Doesn’t even try to load
    Return Of The Jedi+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Rockman X2 - same as Megaman x2??- (black screen)+- (black screen)+- (two errors at start: immediate register and ROM)n/t- (three errors)n/t
    Rock N' Roll Racing – semi 3D racing+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Secret of Mana (U) +; albeit the first two screens (new / load game and input name) are messed up, as with ALL PocketSNES-based apps - except for MasterAll's title+; no problems at all +; messed up first two screens+; no problems at all +; messed up first two screensn/t+ (albeit doesn’t go further?!)n/t
    Shadow Run - RPG+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Starfox USA (with the super FX chip!)-: as with all PocketSNES-based emulators, in training, the 3D stuff is only displayed for some seconds; then, the screen will be either messed up (bitmap displayed) (also see THIS) or everything 3D hidden. In game mode, the initial tunnel animation just crashes. MorphGear is decidedly better.+: works just great!- (see far left!)- (see far left!)- (see far left!)- (see far left!)-n/t
    Star Ocean (English Translation) -: Bitmap error (also see THIS)+ (works just great!) -: Bitmap error - (crashes the emulator)-: Black screen right at the beginningn/t- (wasn't able to load on the N-gage – too big)n/t
    Street Fighter 2 Champ. Edition (Hack)++n/tn/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Street Fighter Alpha 2 (U) Severe bitmap problems - nothing is visible+Bitmap problemsBitmap problemsBitmap problemsn/t- (black screen)n/t
    Street Fighter 2 Turbo+++n/tn/tn/t+ (fast!)n/t
    Super Mario All Stars +Super Mario World+++n/tn/tn/t+ (fast!)n/t
    Super Mario Kart (U) ++; decidedly better than the OpenGL ES version with enabled sound & full screen+, very playable without sound (disable it!)Major compatibility problems: the other karts are shown in the same column n/tn/t- (doesn’t get past the initial Nintendo screen)n/t
    Super Mario World (U) ++; even better than the OpenGL ES version!+, very playable without sound! Highly recommended!Major bitmap problems n/tn/t+ (acceptable speed)n/t
    Super Metroid - strangely, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't - it just doesn't go further after the initial Nintendo logo. Couldn't find out what this is caused by.++ ???++n/t+- (black after intro)n/t
    Tales of Phantasia (J) [T+Fin1.7 Bisqwit]+++n/tn/tn/t- (wasn't able to load on the N-gage – too big)n/t
    TMNT 4 - fighter+++n/tn/tn/t+n/t
    Zelda: A Link to the Past - the only Zelda game ever released for the SNES. Note that there're two versions, see THIS and THIS). I've tested the one HERE.+++++n/t+n/t