ROMs

ROMs are the files that contain the data from a video game. These are digital copies of the original game cartridges or discs. ROMs are used by emulators to run games on modern hardware.

There are essentially two types of ROMs:

Cartridges ROMs: These are the most common type of ROMs, they were dumped from physical cartridges that were used for consoles like the NES, SNES, Game Boy, and many others. They are typically in a format called .nes, .sfc, .gb, etc., depending on the console they were released for.
ISOs: These are ROMs that were dumped from optical discs, such as CDs or DVDs. They are typically used for consoles like the PlayStation, Sega CD, GameCube and others. They are usually in a format called .iso, .bin, or .cue.

Even though the term "ROM" is often used to refer to both types, technically, only cartridge dumps are true ROMs, while ISOs are more accurately described as disc images.

However, in the context of emulation, both types of files are commonly referred to as ROMs. In this documentation, we will use the term "ROM" to refer to both cartridge dumps and disc images, unless otherwise specified.

Compressed formats

In some cases, ROMs may be distributed in custom compressed formats to save space.

Here are some popular compressed formats you might encounter:

.chd: PlayStation, Sega CD/Saturn/Dreamcast, and others.
.rvz: Gamecube and Wii.
.wua: Wii U

Most of the time, you shouldn't have to worry about these formats, as most emulators can read them directly. However, if you need to convert them to a more common format (for example, to apply patches), here are some tools you can use:

For .chd files
- chdman through rom-tools
- bchunk
For .rvz files, use Dolphin's built-in conversion tool
For .wua files, use Cemu's built-in conversion tool

Where to get ROMs

Here are some popular sources for ROMs:

Keep in mind we do not guarantee integrity or legality of the ROMs found on these sites, so make sure to do your own research before downloading anything.