This guide will show you how to modify your PlayStation Classic using AutoBleem so you can add more games and play games from other consoles (like the NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, and more). We will cover everything you need to know about using AutoBleem.
Contents
Overview
Stick in the game, plug in the USB cord, and the Retrode appears as an external drive sporting an emulator-friendly ROM file that's ready to play on any PC or Mac computer (we didn't test the.
AutoBleem is one of the three programs you can use to add more games to your PlayStation Classic. The benefits of AutoBleem are it is very easy to install, it makes no changes to the internal system (everything is ran off the external USB drive), and it uses its own UI which you can change and add themes. It offers an all inclusive package – you do not need to download any other files. This makes it very easy to install and use.
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This is the AutoBleem interface where all of your PS1 games are, including all of the original and added games. This is the default theme but you can change it or add your own.
All non-PS1 games are played through RetroArch which you can access through the main menu of AutoBleem.
First, we will show you how to install AutoBleem to your PlayStation Classic. The setup can be done on both a Windows or Mac computer. In this tutorial I will be using a Windows computer but the overall setup is the same with a Mac.
Installation
Before we begin, you will need
- Windows or Mac computer
- Compatible USB drive – I am using this USB flash drive and confirm it works.
1. First, you will format the USB flash drive. Connect it to your computer, locate the drive, right-click it, and press Format…
2. Select FAT32 (Default) for the File system and name the Volume labelSONY (all caps) then press Start.
3. Hit OK when prompted to format drive.
4. After the drive has been successfully formatted, download the AutoBleem .zip here.
You will notice there are different available versions ending with clean, full, ntscU, and palE. Depending on which version you download, AutoBleem will automatically add the box art for any PS1 games that you add. Clean includes no box arts, full includes all box arts for all regions, ntscU includes all box arts for US region only, and palE includes all box art for Europe region only. So if you are only adding US region games, you should just download the version ending in ntscU.
5. Extract the files from the AutoBleem .zip file into your formatted USB flash drive.
The AutoBleem setup to the USB drive is complete. We will now proceed with the tutorial on how to add more PS1 games to the PlayStation Classic.
Adding More PS1 Games
1. Open the Games folder on your USB drive and create a new folder with the name of the game you are adding.
2. Open the folder and add the game ROM files into the folder – this will be the .bin and .cue files or .pbp files (both formats work).
3. You can add more games by repeating steps 2 & 3. This is also how you will add more games in the future.
4. We can now test it out. Safely disconnect the USB flash drive from your computer. If this is the first time running AutoBleem on your console, you will need to disconnect the power cable first, then connect the USB flash drive to the second controller port, reconnect the power cable, and turn it on when the light on the console turns orange. You only need to power cycle the console the first time.
AutoBleem should load. Press X to scan for added games.
On the main menu, press Start to access your PS1 games.
You should see all of your original games and added games.
Our next tutorial will show you how to add and play games from other consoles including the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Sega Dreamcast, PSP, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, MAME, Neo Geo, and more.
Adding Games from Other Consoles
1. Download the RetroBoot for AutoBleem .zip here.
2. Extract the contents to the root of your USB flash drive.
If asked, replace any duplicate files in the destination.
3. Open the roms folder and create a new folder for each console of the game you will add (example: create a folder named “N64” if you are adding a Nintendo 64 game).
4. Add ROM files to appropriate folders (example: all Nintendo ROMs in NES folder).
5. Now safely disconnect the USB flash drive from your computer. If this is the first time running AutoBleem on your console, you will need to disconnect the power cable first, then connect the USB flash drive to the second controller port, reconnect the power cable, and turn it on when the light on the console turns orange. You only need to power cycle the console the first time.
6. On the main menu, press Square to launch RetroArch.
7. RetroArch will launch. You will now need to scan for the additional games you added. Go right to the + icon and press X on the controller to Scan Directory.
8. You should see the console folders listed. Press X on the controller to <Scan This Directory>.
9. It will begin scanning. Once it is done, you can go back and you should see all of the console icons.
10. Each of the games will be under the specific console. To launch a game, first select it.
11. Press Run.
12. If this is your first time running the game, you will need to select a core that matches the console. Try a core that is intended for the console and if you run into any problems you can try a different core.
13. Now hit Run.
If there are any problems running the game, we recommend that you try another core. To do this, select the game, and go to Reset Core Association. This will allow you to select a different core to run that game.
When you playing a game, you can press Start + Select on your controller to access the RetroBoot menu which allows you to restart, quit, save, load, map your controller, and more.
FAQ
Q. How can I play two player games if the USB flash drive is connect to the second controller port?
A. Since modding the PlayStation Classic involves connecting a USB flash drive to the second controller port, you may wonder how to play two-player games while using AutoBleem or RetroBoot? The solution is simple. You connect a USB port in the second controller port which will allow you to connect your second controller and your USB flash drive.
We have tested this one from Amazon and can confirm it works.
If you have any question or comments, please leave a message below.
If you're a retro game fan who cares about obeying the letter of the law, emulation is a veritable minefield. While the emulators themselves are generally accepted as perfectly legal, downloading copyrighted ROMs generally isn't OK, no matter what your cousin told you about a '24-hour trial period' exemption or abandoned copyrights. Some players try to limit their ROM downloads to fair use 'backups' of cartridges they already legally own, but even this is a bit legally questionable if you're downloading someone else's (largely identical) copy of the game rather than copying the physical cartridge you actually own (though it's hard to find much actual case law dealing with this wrinkle of digital game archiving).
This is all a shame for the law-abiding retro game fan, because emulation is a pretty great way to enjoy the games of your youth. Not only do you get to enjoy these games on a big monitor, but you get extra features like save states, slow/fast motion, video and input recording, visual filters, and more to enhance the experience. What's more, those physical cartridges won't last forever, and digital ROM files are a much more robust way to ensure that your classic games will last well into the future.
That's where the Retrode comes in. This elegant, tiny USB device (barely bigger than a couple decks of playing cards) sports a flip-up lid that reveals exposed ports that fit standard Super NES and Genesis cartridges. Stick in the game, plug in the USB cord, and the Retrode appears as an external drive sporting an emulator-friendly ROM file that's ready to play on any PC or Mac computer (we didn't test the device with a Linux box, but the makers advertise Linux mounting as well).
It sometimes took a minute or two of cartridge blowing, USB jiggling, and resetting to get the ROM files to show up correctly and uncorrupted, which was a bit annoying. Eventually, though, I was able to see the ROMs for my entire game library, including complicated cartridges like the Super FX-equipped Star Fox. These ROM files could be dragged and dropped right to my hard drive for a secure back up (and to limit the amount of cartridge switching necessary), or could be played right from the Retrode, no file copying required. I even got the Retrode drive to show up when I plugged it in to my Ouya, though I ran into some trouble getting the Android-based system to recognize the plugged-in controllers.
AdvertisementYes, the Retrode is also useful for retro game fans who value the original controller hardware as an integral part of the game experience. The unit can support two standard SNES and Genesis controllers at the same time, converting them into USB inputs for your computer. All the PC emulators I tested detected these controllers just fine, though it sometimes took a bit of manual configuring to get all the buttons to work correctly.
The Retrode isn't just limited to Super NES and Genesis games, either. The makers sell adapter cartridges that allow you to plug in everything from Sega Master System to Nintendo 64 cartridges. We tried out the Nintendo 64 plug-in cart, which comes with built-in slots for two N64 controllers, and found it worked as advertised, though it seemed to have some trouble relaying the full sensitivity of the controllers' analog sticks and finding N64 save files (which won't be accessible for N64 games until a future firmware update).
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Aside from the legal considerations, using the Retrode rather than a downloaded copy of the same game (which, let's face it, will be largely identical) is useful for one major reason: save files. I was a bit shocked to see that the Retrode detected the saved time trial records on my copy of Super Punch-Out! that were first set nearly two decades ago. The battery-powered SRAM chips storing all that game progress are probably reaching the limits of their life cycle these days, so making a digital backup is the best way to secure those memories for all time.
Of course, you can also access those save files on the original hardware if you happen to have it around. But besides the gameplay advantages, playing your old cartridges on an emulator offers a lot of aesthetic advantages as well. Anyone who has tried plugging an old console into a modern HDTV knows the output meant for an old-fashioned cathode-ray tube doesn't always look right on modern hardware. Emulators offer a number of filters to recreate that classic look and feel.
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The effect is even more dramatic when emulating Nintendo 64 games, where polygon edges and lighting effects are rendered much sharper and brighter thanks to the advanced hardware in today's PCs. For some Nintendo 64 games, there are also redone, high-resolution texture packs available that redraw every bit of scenery and clothing in vibrant new detail. Playing an old N64 cartridge with one of these packs is like enjoying a free HD remake for a game you probably haven't played in years.
Are all these benefits worth the Retrode's €65 asking price (about $86) before the add-on adapters? It's a tough call. If you're looking for a way to legally back up your entire retro gaming collection for posterity, save files included, it's a bargain. If you just want to play your old cartridges a couple more times for old times' sake, you might be better off digging out the original hardware and a cheap CRT television.
The Good
- Provides a completely legal way to back up old game cartridges for emulation
- Save files from decades past work great
- Sleek, compact design
- Simple plug-and-play USB functionality
- Plug-in adapters for other systems expand the usefulness
The Bad
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- Requires a lot of blowing/jiggling to get the ROMs to show up sometimes
- Price is a bit high for the functionality
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The Ugly
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- These ROMs are legal, even though they're identical to illegal ones you could find elsewhere
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Verdict: Buy it if you're in the market for an easy game cartridge backup solution.