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Atari2600

Stella

Émulateur Atari 2600 de référence

Very easy5 minNo BIOS required
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In this guide

Stella emulates the Atari 2600 with remarkable accuracy. It is one of the simplest emulators available.

1. Getting Started

  1. Download from the official website.
  2. Open a .a26, .bin, or .zip file.
  3. No system files are required.

2. Controllers: The Important Part

The Atari 2600 used a wide variety of peripherals: joysticks, paddles, trackballs, and guns. Stella usually detects the correct type, but some games require manual configuration.

  • Press Tab to open the menu, then Game Properties → Controller.
  • The paddles are controlled with the mouse—essential for Breakout or Kaboom!

3. Recommended Settings

  • TV Filter: Stella offers a very convincing CRT simulation—give it a try.
  • Phosphor mode: Reproduces screen afterglow, useful for games that make sprites flash.

4. Good to Know

Many Atari 2600 games don’t have a title screen: they start right away. Use Select and Reset (default keys) to switch game modes.