How to Set Up DuckStation PS1 Emulator: Easy Guide

One of the best PS1 emulators that’ll let you relive the old days of playing PlayStation 1 games is DuckStation. Labelled the fastest PS1 emulator, there’s a lot it offers when it comes to emulating PS1 games. It’s a simple application but knowing how to set it up is very important.

If you’re looking for how to set up DuckStation PS1 emulator on your mobile or PC, here’s the guide you need. Since the emulator is available across platforms such as Android, Windows, macOS and Linux, we’ll show the step-by-step guide to follow. You’ll surely need some files and we’ll talk about that.

This guide was written to give you the technical know-how you’ll need if you’re new to emulating PS1 games. Even if you’re not a newbie, it’ll give you insights on how to emulate using multiple PS1 emulators.

About DuckStation

DuckStation is an advanced, open-source PlayStation 1 emulator that provides a seamless experience to play PS1 games on modern devices. Designed with the user in mind, DuckStation focuses on accuracy and stability, allowing users to enjoy games as close to the original experience as possible while adding features that enhance gameplay.

You may also like: 5 Best PS2 Emulators for PC

Some Cool DuckStation Features

Aside from being an open-source, there are some awesome features this emulator provides and we’ve highlighted them below.

High Compatibility

DuckStation is built to support nearly the entire PS1 library, which includes thousands of games. It achieves this by emulating both common and unique PS1 hardware functions accurately, making sure that games run smoothly without crashes or glitches. 

High-Definition Rendering

DuckStation’s HD rendering options allow you to scale up graphics from their original resolution, meaning that you can enjoy clear, crisp visuals on modern screens. Whether you’re playing on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, DuckStation can upscale games to resolutions higher than the original console supported.

Save States

DuckStation provides a convenient save states feature, letting you save your progress at any moment in the game. This feature is especially useful in challenging games that only allow limited saving options, or in games where save points are far apart. You can create multiple save states, jump back to earlier points, and even save during intense boss battles or tricky levels.

Cheat Support

DuckStation supports cheat codes and you can enter cheat codes directly in the emulator to unlock items, enable special abilities or skip levels. In addition, the cheat codes can make the game easier or more challenging. 

Controller Support

DuckStation offers broad controller support, making gameplay feel more authentic and comfortable. You can connect almost any USB or Bluetooth controller, and the emulator also supports PlayStation DualShock controllers.

Requirements to Use DuckStation

Before we dive into setting up DuckStation, make sure you have the following.

• Android: A device running Android 7.0 or higher.
• Windows: A PC with at least Windows 7.
• macOS: A Mac running macOS High Sierra or later.
• Linux: A computer with a relatively recent Linux distribution.
• PS1 Game Files (ROMs)
• PS1 BIOS File: Download from psbios.com/ps1-bios/

How to Set Up DuckStation PS1 Emulator

Now let’s proceed with a step-by-step guide on how to set up the DuckStation emulator across different devices.

Setting Up DuckStation on Android

Setting up DuckStation on an Android device is straightforward. For Android users, you can follow the steps below to get things done.

Step 1. Download DuckStation: Go to the Google Play Store, search for “DuckStation,” and install the app.

Step 2. Download the PS1 BIOS: Visit (psbios.com/ps1-bios/) on your Android browser, and download the PS1 BIOS files.

Step 3. Load the BIOS: Open DuckStation > Click on Next > Click on Import Bios > Select Your Downloaded BIOS Files.

Step 4. Add Game Files: Once BIOS has been selected, click on Next > using the + button, and add Game Directory.

Setting Up DuckStation on Windows

If your preferred platform to use the DuckStation emulator is on the Windows OS. Here are the simple steps you can follow.

Download DuckStation: Go to the official DuckStation website and download the Windows version. Extract the downloaded ZIP file.

Download the PS1 BIOS: Visit psbios.com/ps1-bios and download the BIOS file for PS1.

Load the BIOS: Open the DuckStation folder and launch the DuckStation.exe file. In the Settings menu, go to BIOS Settings and load the BIOS file you downloaded.

Add Game Files: Save your PS1 ROMs on your computer. In DuckStation, go to File > Scan for Games and select the folder containing your ROMs.

Configure Controls: Connect your controller and configure it in the Controller Settings.

Adjust Graphics Settings: Adjust these settings based on your computer’s performance. Once done, you can start playing your favourite PS1 games.

Setting Up DuckStation on macOS

Unlike Android and Windows setup, it’s a bit different from macOS. The DuckStation emulator is not available for Mac users on the official website. However, you can still download it by following the guide below.

Download DuckStation: To get DuckStation on Mac, head over to https://github.com/stenzek/duckstation/releases/tag/latest, and download duckstation-mac-release.zip.

Extract DuckStation: After downloading the .zip file, double-click on it to extract it. Then launch the emulator once done.

Load the BIOS: Download any PS1 BIOS from psbios.com. Open DuckStation, go to Settings > BIOS Settings and load the BIOS file.

Add Game Files: Save your PS1 ROMs in a folder. Launch DuckStation, click on Games > Select Directory > Launch game and you’re ready.

Setting Up DuckStation on Linux

To set up DuckStation on Linux, you have the option to use either the AppImage or Flatpak formats. The Flatpak release on Flathub is the official version, synchronized with DuckStation’s latest releases on GitHub.

Using AppImage

The AppImage format is ideal if you want a standalone executable for DuckStation. However, it requires a distribution equivalent to Ubuntu 22.04 or newer. Here’s how to set it up

Download the AppImage: Go to the DuckStation GitHub release page: DuckStation Latest Release. Look for duckstation-x64.AppImage and download it to your preferred folder.

Make the AppImage Executable: Open a terminal and navigate to the folder where you downloaded the file. Run the following command to make the file executable: chmod a+x duckstation-x64.AppImage

Run the AppImage: You can now run the AppImage by double-clicking it or executing it from the terminal with: ./duckstation-x64.AppImage

Load the BIOS: Download any PS1 BIOS from psbios.com/ps1-bios. Open DuckStation, go to Settings > BIOS Settings and load the BIOS file.

Add Game Files: Save your PS1 ROMs in a folder. Launch DuckStation, click on Games > Select Directory > Launch game.

Using Flatpak

If you prefer using Flatpak, DuckStation’s official version is available on Flathub, making it easy to install and keep updated.

Install Flatpak: On Ubuntu-based systems, you can install Flatpak with: sudo apt install flatpak. Enable the Flathub repository with: flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Install DuckStation via Flatpak: Run the following command to install DuckStation: flatpak install flathub org.duckstation.DuckStation

Launch DuckStation: Once installed, you can launch DuckStation from your applications menu or by running: flatpak run org.duckstation.DuckStation

Load the BIOS: Open DuckStation, go to Settings > BIOS Settings and load the BIOS file.

Add Game Files: Save your PS1 ROMs in a folder. Launch DuckStation, click on Games > Select Directory > Launch game.

I know setting up DuckStation on Linux can be challenging. Check out the video below for a step-by-step guide.

Conclusion

Setting up DuckStation is simple on any device, allowing you to enjoy PS1 classics. Using the guide provided above, you’ll find it very easy to emulate PlayStation 1 games of your choice. Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you’re facing any issues.