Stella

Software Description

For many years, the Atari 2600 reigned supreme as the most popular game console on the market.

Years later, Atari's stranglehold on the market would dissipate as the Nintendo Entertainment System redefined 8-bit gaming, but die-hard fans and collectors still continue to support the Atari.

One would think that the weak Atari 2600 should be simple to emulate, because of its primitive architecture.

However, the Atari programmers employed many devious tricks to get such an early machine to run; therefore, a working, efficient emulator is very difficult to write.

Stella contains an integrated GUI for all ports. Commandline support is also available for those who want to use it.

If you start Stella and do not specify a ROM image, it will start in 'ROM Launcher' mode. If this is your first time starting Stella, you will be asked to select the default ROM directory to use. This is where you have all your ROMs, collected as described in the previous section.

The browser should be self-explanatory. The 'Go Up' button moves to the parent folder (if it exists), and the 'Base Dir' button moves to the base directory where, by default, all Stella-related files are stored. Double-clicking an item will enter that directory. Click 'Choose' to select the location, or 'Cancel' to exit the browser. Note that if you don't select a ROM directory now, you will be prompted again the next time Stella is started.

At this point, you may want to set the locations for snapshots and other external paths. These settings are optional, and can be left at the defaults if you won't be using snapshots in the ROM launcher.

Once you've correctly set the default ROM directory, you can start emulation by selecting a ROM and pressing 'Enter' or clicking 'Select', or double-clicking a ROM. Note that some games require you to 'Reset' the console before you start playing. In this case, you need to hit the virtual reset switch, which by default is the F2 key. Also, some games may require that you press the joystick fire button to begin, which by default is the Left Control or Space key(s). If a game uses a more complex controller. To exit a game and re-enter the ROM launcher, press the 'Escape' key.

Using the 'Search' textbox in the upper-right of the ROM launcher, the listing can be narrowed down, showing only the ROMs that match the pattern you enter.

While playing a game, normally one would use the keyboard shortcuts for controlling the 'virtual' switches in Stella (ie, the commands associated with the function keys as described in Getting Started - Keyboard Layout). However, another alternative is available.

Soft-Go is not responsible for the content of Stella publisher's description. We encourage you to determine whether this product or your intended use is legal. We do not encourage or condone the use of any software in violation of applicable laws.

Any form of support or technical problems regarding Stella must be addressed to its developer/publisher. Please be aware that we do NOT provide Stella cracks, serial numbers, registration codes or any forms of pirated software downloads.

Screenshot

Related Searches

stella, atari emulator, atari 2600, 8-bit gaming

Download Note

Stella is periodically updated by our editors team but sometimes you may find out that software informations are outdated, please note that the publisher of Stella can update the software without notifying us. Current version of Stella is 3.6.1.

Note: Soft-Go doesn't provide any form of technical support regarding Stella, however, you may find answer to your problem by reading user reviews or directly contacting emulation.net which's the publisher/developer of this software.

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