List of File Formats - Video Game Storage Media

Video Game Storage Media

List of the most common filename extensions used when a game's ROM image or storage medium is copied from an original ROM device to an external memory such as hard disk for back up purposes or for making the game playable with an emulator. In the case of cartridge-based software, if the platform specific extension is not used then filename extensions ".rom" or ".bin" are usually used to clarify that the file contains a copy of a content of a ROM. ROM, disk or tape images usually do not consist of a single file or ROM, rather an entire file or ROM structure contained within a single file on the backup medium.

  • JAG,J64 – Atari Jaguar (.jag, .j64)
  • BIN – Wii (.bin)
  • GCM - GameCube (.gcm)
  • NDS – Nintendo DS (.nds)
  • GB – Game Boy (.gb) (this applies to the original Game Boy and the Game Boy Color)
  • GBC – Game Boy Color (.gbc)
  • GBA – Game Boy Advance (.gba)
  • GBA – Game Boy Advance (.gba)
  • SAV – Game Boy Advance Saved Data Files (.sav)
  • SGM – Visual Boy Advance Save States (.sgm)
  • N64, V64, Z64, U64, USA, JAP, PAL, EUR, BIN – Nintendo 64 (.n64, .v64, .z64, .u64, .usa, .jap, .pal, .eur, .bin)
  • PJ – Project 64 Save States (.pj)
  • NES – Nintendo Entertainment System (.nes)
  • FDS – Famicom Disk System (.fds)
  • JST – Jnes Save States (.jst)
  • FC? – FCEUX Save States (.fc#, where # is any character, usually a number)
  • GG – Sega Game Gear (.gg)
  • SMS – Sega Master System (.sms)
  • SMD,BIN – Mega Drive/Sega Genesis (.smd or .bin)
  • SMC,078 – Super NES (.smc, or .078) (.078 is for split ROMs, which are rare)
  • FIG – Super Famicom (Japanese releases are rarely .fig, above extensions are more common)
  • SRM – Super NES Saved Data Files (.srm)
  • ZST – ZSNES Save States (.zst, .zs1-.zs9, .z10-.z99)
  • FRZ – Snes9X Save States (.frz, .000-.008)
  • PCE – TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine (.pce)
  • NPC – Neo Geo Pocket (.npc)
  • TZX – ZX Spectrum (.tzx) (for exact copies of ZX Spectrum games)
  • TAP (for tape images without copy protection)
  • Z80,SNA – (for snapshots of the emulator RAM)
  • DSK – (for disk images)
  • TAP – Commodore 64 (.tap) (for tape images including copy protection)
  • T64 – (for tape images without copy protection, considerably smaller than .tap files)
  • D64 – (for disk images)
  • CRT – (for cartridge images)
  • ADF – Amiga (.adf) (for 880K diskette images)
  • ADZ – GZip-compressed version of the above.
  • DMS – Disk Masher System, previously used as a disk-archiving system native to the Amiga, also supported by emulators.

Read more about this topic:  List Of File Formats

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