# Kronos Documentation

version 2.6.2
last updated : December 28, 2024
Site : Join us on Github
Youtube : Join us on Youtube - Kronos
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Kronos is a Sega Saturn/ST-V emulator based on Yabause and Yaba Sanshiro. Copyright (C) 2017-2025 - François Caron. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.

## Table of Contents

- Introduction
- Before Starting
- OpenGL / Compute Shader video core
- Specific Kronos Features
- How to launch a ST-V game ?
- ST-V Compatibility list
- Command Line list
- What do we need ?
- How to translate Kronos ?
- Translations
- Contact

For recent changes refer to the English Changelog.txt file.

## Introduction :

Kronos is an open source Sega Saturn/ST-V emulator written in standard C/C++. Based on Yabause/UoYabause/Yaba Sanshiro, the goal is to improve Sega Saturn Emulation.
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## Before starting :

To get a full experience, follow these steps :

- Delete your bkram.bin --> by default, the path is C:\Users\yourname\Appdata\local\kronos\.
- Delete your old kronos.ini or use the blank one provided with the archive.
- Old Save/Savestate should not working with Kronos 2.5.0.
- Configure Kronos with a real BIOS. If you launch Kronos, the error message "Cannot initialize Kronos" will be displayed. Watch the video: Vidéo sur l'erreur "Ne peut pas initialiser Kronos"
- If you have OneDrive on your computer, Kronos should not be synchronized with OneDrive or use OneDrive paths in the settings.
- The Kronos team does not provide any BIOS in its archive and no link to download it; if that's the case, we will not provide any support.

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## OpenGL / Compute Shader video core :

The Compute Shader core is the only one available since version 2.5.5 following the removal of the OpenGL core in version 2.5.5.

- Compute Shader core : supported graphics cards >= OpenGl 4.3

Some graphics issues should not be resolved with OpenGl core (i.e : Sega Rally holes on the road).
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## Specific Kronos Features :

- Compute Shader support.
- Windows 7/10 support.
- STV game support.
- Kronos Retroarch support.
- Redump archive support (if you have a saturn game from Redump, it's possible to launch the archive without unzipping it).
- New video options.
- Filter support : HQ4x, 2xBRZ, 4xBRZ, 6xBRZ.
- Support for embellishement filters : Bilinear, Bicubic, Deinterlace Bob, Deinterlace Debug Bob, Deinterlace OSSC Bob, Deinterlace Debug OSSC Bob, Scanline Deinterlace.
- New Kronos interpreter (less CPU usage).
- CHD images support.
- More games was fixed.
- Removed useless options and old code.

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## How to launch a STV game ?

To launch a STV game, follow these steps (Windows port) :

- Create a directory with your STV roms (do not unzip them). Add STV Bios with games.
- Launch Kronos.exe
- Click on File --> Settings --> then Cartdridge/Memory panel.
- In Cartridge, select STV Rom game.
- Click on ... to add the path to the STV roms. Wait a few seconds. Games should be displayed just above.
- Below, in Memory, set the path to a .bin file used only for ST-V games book keeping (an ST-V game may behave abnormaly if the .bin file contains the save of its Saturn port).
- In Input, choose an empty configuration for Port1 and select "ST-V Cabinet". Click on the wrench icon on the right and set each button for player 1.
- Repeat the same operation for Port 2 for a 2-player game.
- Click on Ok to close settings window.
- Push launch icon or in emulation menu, launch.

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## ST-V Compatibility list :

A compatibility list with ST-V games (need more tests) :

Working games :

- All Japan Pro-Wrestling Featuring Virtua
- Astra SuperStars
- Baku Baku Animal
- Cotton Boomerang
- Cotton 2
- DaeJeon ! SanJeon SuJeon
- Danchi De Hanafuda
- Danchi De Quiz - Okusan Yontaku Desuyo
- Die Hard Arcade
- Dynamite Deka
- Ejihon Tantei Jimusyo
- Final Arch
- Final Fight Revenge 1.000 : artifact in the background of the character selection screen
- Final Fight Revenge 1.100 : artifact in the background of the character selection screen
- Funky Head Boxers : GFX problem with the background.
- Groove on Fight - Gouketsuji Ichizoku 3
- Guardian Forces
- Karaoke Quiz Intro Don Don !
- Magical Night Dreams - Cotton Boomerang
- Maru-Chan de Goo !
- Mausuke No Ojama the World
- Name Club
- Name Club Ver.2
- Name Club Ver.3
- Othello Shiyouyo
- Princess Clara Daisakusen
- Puyo Puyo Sun
- Puzzle & Action : BoMulEul Chajara
- Puzzle & Action : Treasure Hunt
- Puzzle & Action : Sando R
- Radiant Silvergun
- Sakura Taisen - Hanagumi Taisen Columns
- Sea Bass Fishing
- Shangai - The Great Wall
- Shienryu
- Soukyugurentai / Terra Driver
- Steep Slope Sliders
- Suiko Enbu / Outlaws Of The Dynasty
- Taisen Tanto-R Sashissu !!
- Touryuu Densetsu Elan Doree / Elan Doree - Legend of Dragoon : background problem in game.
- Virtua Fighter Kids
- Virtua Fighter Remix
- Virtual Mahjong
- Virtual Mahjong 2 - My Fair Lady : gfx artefact on press start screen.
- Winter Heat
- Zen Nippon Pro-Wrestling Featuring Virtua
- Zenkoku Seifuku Bishoujo Grand Prix Find Love

Not Working games :

- Batman Forever : Black screen after pushing start on the press start screen.
- Choro Q Hyper Racing 5 : Black screen.
- Columns 97 : Kronos freezes on the first screen.
- Critter Crusher : Missing cursor in game.
- Dancing Fever Gold : preliminary support.
- Decathlete 1.000 : unsupported by mame (Mame driver missing).
- Decathlete 1.001 : unsupported by mame (Mame driver missing).
- Fantasy Zone : Error 10. Rom has changed.
- Golden Axe The Duel : freeze after at the start.
- Hashire Patrol Car : input problem.
- Magical Zunou Power : Error message : Onsei Board Error.
- Microman Battle Charge : Error on Cartridge.
- Name Club Disney : black screen.
- Nerae! Super Goal : Missing input. Hopper ?
- Peeble Beach - The Great Shot : massive GFX problem.
- Pro Majhong Kiwame S : freeze before entering in game.
- Sky Challenger : Missing input. Hopper ?
- Soreyuke Anpanman Crayon Kids : Kronos crashes at the start.
- Sport Fishing 2 : STVCD is missing. Operation of this cartdrige is disallowed in this country.
- Stress Busters : Black screen.
- Super Major League : Kronos crashes.
- Tatacot : error on the cartridge.
- Technical Bowling : black screen at the start.
- Tecmo World Cup 98 : black screen at the start.
- Tecmo World Soccer 98 : black screen at the start.
- Virtual Mahjong 2 - My Fair Lady : almost playable. Midframe problem ?
- Wanpaku Safari : missing input.
- Yatterman Plus : rom has changed message.

Need Camera/printer support :

- Print Club 2 : operation of this cartdrige is disallowed in this country.
- Print Club 2 Vol. 3 : operation of this cartdrige is disallowed in this country.
- Print Club 2 Vol. 6 Winter
- Print Club 2 Vol. 6 Winter
- Print Club 2 Vol. 7 Spring
- Print Club 2 Vol. 8 Summer
- Print Club 2 Vol. 9 Autumn
- Print Club 2 '97 Winter
- Print Club 2 '97 Winter
- Print Club 2 '98 Autumn
- Print Club 2 '98 Summer
- Print Club 2 '98 Spring
- Print Club 2 '98 Summer
- Print Club 2 2000 Summer
- Print Club 2 Kobe Luminaire '99 (Print Club Custom 3) : the game is not listed in kronos.
- Print Club 2 Felix The Cat : operation of this cartdrige is disallowed in this country.
- Print Club Goukakenran : Kronos crashes.
- Print Club LoveLove : Black screen.
- Print Club LoveLove 2 : Black screen
- Print Club 2 Puffy : operation of this cartdrige is disallowed in this country.
- Print Club 2 Pokemon B : operation of this cartdrige is disallowed in this country.
- Print Club 2 Olive
- Print Club 2 Pepsiman
- Print Club 2 Warner Bros
- Print Club Winnie-the-Pooh Vol. 2 : Black screen.
- Print Club Winnie-the-Pooh Vol. 3 : Black screen.
- Print Club Yoshimoto V2
- Print Kome Club

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## Command line :

Here's the list of available command line parameters :

Settings | Description
--- | ---
--autoframeskip=0|1 | Enable or disable auto vertical synchronization.
--autoload=<"SAVESTATE"> | Automatically start emulation and load a save state.
-a or --autostart | Automatically start emulation.
--binary=[:ADDRESS] | Use a binary file.
-b or --bios=<"BIOS"> | Choose a bios file.
-l or --language=<"language"> | Choose the system language: english, deutsch, french, spanish, italian, japanese.
-c, --cdrom=<"CDROM"> | Choose the cdrom device.
-f or --fullscreen | Start the emulator in fullscreen.
-h or --help | Show this help and exit.
-i or --iso=<"ISO"> | Choose a dump image file. supports i.e. .cue, .iso, .zip
-nb or --no-bios | Use the emulated bios.
-ns or --no-sound | Turns sound off.
-v or --version | Show version and exit.

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## How to create a CHD image ?

- How to create a CHD image ?

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## What do we need ?

- A windows developper to help fixing this port.
- A Linux developper.
- Testers.
- Translators.
- Any help that you can provide (info, technical docs, etc...).

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## How to translate Kronos ?

You have to download this file : Kronos_default.yts

Translating Kronos is pretty simple. Here's an example :

File|"translate the string here"
Close|"translate the string here"

Here's a french example :

File|Fichier

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## Translations :

Author | Language
--- | ---
Benjamin Siskoo | French
Luis Manuel Sánchez Pérez | German
siminoliso | Italien
Luis Manuel Sánchez Pérez | Spanish
dante3732 | Russian

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## Contact :

Name | E-Mail
--- | ---
François Caron | François Caron
Benjamin Siskoo | Benjamin Siskoo

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## Team :

Name | Description
--- | ---
François Caron | Kronos developper
rob-ack | Developper
Benjamin Siskoo | Translator, build maintainer, tester
Barbudreadmon | Kronos Retroarch port
Fafling | Tester with technicals docs knowledge
Luis Manuel Sánchez Pérez | Spanish/deutsch translator, tester

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Kronos est sous Copyright © 2017-2025 par François Caron.
SEGA SATURN is either a trademark or registered trademark of SEGA.
Kronos is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the companies mentioned.