A little preparation.
Then press continue.
My guide to getting started with the original editors. Match your game, system, and emulator format before making changes.
Keep the starting point.
Make an untouched copy of every save state before editing. Keep the ROM revision, emulator name, and emulator version with it so you know which environment created the file.
Save states describe an emulator at a particular moment. They are different from a game’s ordinary in-game save. Do not assume those two file types are interchangeable.
The original idea, step by step.
- Create A Save State
Use the emulator’s own save-state function while playing. Copy the resulting file to a separate working folder.
- Choose The Matching Editor
In the original utility, use the game-specific editor intended for your title. The available fields and supported file formats depend on that editor and release.
- Change A Supported Value
Edit only the values offered for that game. Keep the original backup separate from the edited copy.
- Return To The Same Emulator
Load the edited state using the environment that created it. If it fails or behaves unexpectedly, restore the backup.
Match the era.
The recovered archive contains a legacy Windows application and Visual Basic 6 dependencies. Current Windows, macOS, Linux, modern emulator formats, and specific games have not been tested with this recovered copy.
I built editors for games across SNES, NES, Game Boy, Genesis, and GBA. Coverage changed between releases. Check the game editor’s file dialog for its accepted formats; exact emulator versions remain unverified.
Explore My Game Library ↗Original Formats
The right system.
The right emulator.
These are the emulator families used by the original editors. Choose the format listed in your game’s Open File dialog.
| System | Emulator | State File |
|---|---|---|
| Super Nintendo | ZSNES | .zst / .zs? |
| NES / Famicom | NESticle / NESten / fwNES | .st? / .ss? / .rt?Respectively; varies by editor |
| Game Boy / Game Boy Color | REW / helloGB | .st? / .gs?Respectively; varies by editor |
| Genesis / Mega Drive | Genecyst | .gs? |
| Game Boy Advance | VGBA — Virtual GameBoy Advance | .sta |
? represents the save-slot character in the original file filter. Emulator version compatibility has not been retested. Renaming an extension does not convert a save state.
When it does not work.
The editor does not launch.
The application may depend on components or a Windows environment that differs from your system. The bundled files have not been registered or tested on modern Windows as part of this recovery. No installation fix is claimed here.
The state is not recognized.
Check the specific game, ROM revision, emulator, and file type. A current emulator’s state may differ from the historical format. Renaming the file extension does not convert its contents.
The edited state behaves strangely.
Restore the untouched backup. A matching title alone is not enough to establish compatibility between every emulator version, game revision, and editor module.
The next chapter.
Original documentation, source files, screenshots, and developer notes can be added as they are recovered. Future updates are possible, but no new release or schedule has been announced.