{{Short description|Multi-system emulator}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}} {{lowercase title}} {{Infobox software | name = higan | logo = The_logo_for_multi-system_emulator_higan.svg | screenshot = File:Higan v105.png | caption = higan v105 running on Windows 10 | developer = Near et al. | released = {{Start date and age|2004|10|14}} | latest release version = 115 | latest release date = {{Start date and age|2020|08|15}}<ref>[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases/tag/v115 Higan release on GitHub]</ref> | programming language = C++14, C99 | operating system = Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD | platform = Independent: IA-32, x86-64, ARM32/64, MIPS, etc. | genre = Video game console emulator | license = 2020: GPL-3.0-or-later<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/commit/309560b06073678bbe6f64e34ad6965ee68e995b|title=Convert higan into a group project and relicense it to GPLv3 or later.|website=GitHub |date=2020-03-22}}</ref><br />2017: GPL-3.0-only<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/commit/9e06857e4d5f9d65a1aef2e2081e3231f79d8a1f|title=Update version and license|website=GitHub |date=2017-10-25}}</ref> | website = {{plainlist| * {{URL|https://github.com/higan-emu/higan}} Derivatives: * {{URL|https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes}} * {{URL|https://ares-emu.net}} }} }}
'''Higan''' is a free and open source emulator for multiple video game consoles, including the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was developed by Near. Originally called '''bsnes'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bsnes.dev/about |title=About – bsnes |access-date=February 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303021455/https://bsnes.dev/about |archive-date=March 3, 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref> (which was later reused for a new emulator by the same developer), the emulator is notable for attempting to emulate the original hardware as accurately as possible through low-level, cycle-accurate emulation and for the associated historical preservation efforts of the Super NES platform.<ref name="Accuracy takes power">{{cite web | work=Ars Technica | date=August 9, 2011 | author=Near | title=Accuracy takes power: one man's 3GHz quest to build a perfect SNES emulator | url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/08/accuracy-takes-power-one-mans-3ghz-quest-to-build-a-perfect-snes-emulator/ | access-date=March 11, 2015}}</ref><ref name="16-bit time capsule"/>
== Overview ==
Development of the emulator began with the name ''bsnes'' on October 14, 2004. The first version was released in May 2005 for Microsoft Windows. The early versions would require high-power hardware to run games in a consistent manner and therefore garnered controversy.<ref name="vice-bahamut">{{cite web|author=Patrick Klepek|date=2021-03-08|title=A 23-Year Perfectionist Journey to Localize the Obscure 'Bahamut Lagoon'|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvxezw/a-23-year-perfectionist-journey-to-localize-the-obscure-bahamut-lagoon|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627205651/https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvxezw/a-23-year-perfectionist-journey-to-localize-the-obscure-bahamut-lagoon|archive-date=June 27, 2021|access-date=2021-06-27|work=Vice}}</ref> Since then, it has been ported to Linux, macOS, and FreeBSD. Initially developed under a custom license, later releases were licensed under various versions of the GNU General Public License. On August 9, 2012, the project was renamed to higan, to better reflect its new nature as a multi-system emulator. It was named after a Japanese Buddhist holiday of the same name.
The higan project has contributed significantly to the field of Super NES emulation, with a number of original achievements in its emulation, and in reverse engineering developments such as the organization of funds, hardware, and expertise for decapping the Super NES's enhancement chips.<ref name="16-bit time capsule">{{cite web |url=http://www.tested.com/tech/gaming/44376-16_bit-time-capsule-how-emulator-bsnes-makes-a-case-for-software-preservation/ |title=16-bit Time Capsule: SNES Emulator Makes a Case for Software Preservation | first=Wesley | last=Fenlon |access-date=2021-06-27 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130204035430/https://www.tested.com/tech/gaming/44376-16_bit-time-capsule-how-emulator-bsnes-makes-a-case-for-software-preservation/ | archive-date=2013-02-04 | url-status=dead}}</ref>
Higan is able to run every commercial Super NES title ever released.<ref>{{cite interview | last=Bannister | first=Richard | interviewer=Craig Grannell | title=Emulation Nation: Interview – Richard Bannister | work=Retro Gamer | issue=21 | page=97 | date=February 2006}}</ref> It is the first emulator to have featured SPC7110 emulation, cycle-accurate SPC 700 emulation, cycle-accurate Super FX emulation, Super Game Boy emulation,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://near.sh/articles/emulation/state-of-emulation-iii/ |title=The State of Emulation, Part III |work=near.sh |access-date=February 3, 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and a dot-based instead of scanline-based renderer for the Game Boy Advance. It is the first multi-emulator of this breadth to achieve cycle-based emulation for every single component of every system.
Forked versions of bsnes have provided emulation support for Nintendo DS, XBAND, Super Famicom Box, Satellaview BS-X software, and tool-assisted speedruns.<ref name="tasvideos">{{cite web |url=http://tasvideos.org/EmulatorResources.html |title=tasvideos.org Preferred Emulators |work=tasvideos.org |publisher= |access-date=May 13, 2012 | quote=Isnes}}</ref>
=== higan products family === Higan has been forked and renamed over the years, and consists of three sub-projects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About — ares |url=https://ares.dev/about |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704034845/https://ares.dev/about |archive-date=July 4, 2020 |access-date=2021-09-17 |website=ares.dev}}</ref> The current sub-projects are: *bsnes: A Super NES emulator with Super Game Boy support. *higan: A multi-system emulator that focuses on accuracy. Supported systems include the NES, Super NES, Game Boy (Color), Game Boy Advance, SG-1000 and SC-3000, Master System, Game Gear, Genesis, Sega CD, PC Engine (SuperGrafx), MSX and MSX2, ColecoVision, WonderSwan (Color), and Neo Geo Pocket (Color). *ares: A multi-system emulator that is a fork of higan, focusing on performance and adding experimental PlayStation and Nintendo 64 support in addition to the systems supported in higan.
== Author == {{Main|Near (programmer)}} Higan was developed by American software engineer David Kirk Ginder, known as ''Near'' and formerly as ''byuu''.<ref name="usatoday">{{Cite news |last=Dastagir |first=Alia |date=July 23, 2021 |title='The internet is not a game. ... This stuff really hurts.' Respected developer who was bullied online dies by suicide. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/07/23/how-toxic-online-cultures-trolling-and-bullying-contribute-suicide/8042846002/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210723171613/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/07/23/how-toxic-online-cultures-trolling-and-bullying-contribute-suicide/8042846002/ |archive-date=July 23, 2021 |access-date=July 23, 2021 |work=USA Today |publisher=Gannett}}</ref> Near started out in the emulation scene as an amateur programmer, translating Japanese video-game ROM images in 1998, at the age of 14, and one year later developed a tool for displaying resized text font in games. After that, a ''patching assembler'' called "xkas" would follow, which streamlined the ROM-translation process. The development of bsnes was triggered by bugs during translation of Super Famicom game ''Der Langrisser'' that would only appear on the original hardware but not on 2004-era Super NES emulators; as such, the aim of bsnes was for accurate emulation.<ref name="vice-bahamut" /> Near died in 2021.<ref name="usatoday" />
== Reception ==
In 2008, British Internet magazine ''Webuser'' recommended ''bsnes'' for "some fun old-school gaming".<ref>{{cite journal | year = 2008 | title = Downloaded | journal = Webuser | issue = 191 | pages = 39 }}</ref> In 2009, Japanese game magazine ''GameLabo'' recommended it for "those seeking a realistic playing experience".<ref>{{cite journal | year = 2009 | title = SFC | journal = GameLabo | issue = September | pages = ? }}</ref>
In 2017, components of higan's source code were used to emulate the vintage text-to-speech computer used by physicist Stephen Hawking, after the original hardware began showing signs of wear. Hawking would continue using this emulator to converse with others until his death in 2018.<ref name="sfchronicle">{{cite web | work=San Francisco Chronicle | date=March 18, 2018 | author=Jason Fagone | title=The quest to save Stephen Hawking's voice | url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/The-Silicon-Valley-quest-to-preserve-Stephen-12759775.php | access-date=March 19, 2018}}</ref>
== See also == * List of Super NES emulators
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
* [https://github.com/higan-emu/higan higan source code repository] * [https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes bsnes source code repository] * [http://software.opensuse.org/package/higan Linux packages] for various distributions * [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/06/how-snes-emulators-got-a-few-pixels-from-complete-perfection/ arstechnica.com] article by the author on the state of Higan in 2011
{{Nintendo emulators}} {{Portal bar|Video games|Free and open-source software}}
Category:2004 software Category:Cross-platform free software Category:Free software programmed in C++ Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulators Category:Free video game console emulators Category:Windows emulation software Category:MacOS emulation software Category:Linux emulation software Category:Multi-emulators Category:Software using the GNU General Public License