Adding games to your R36S takes 5 minutes. Remove the microSD card, insert it into your PC via a card reader, copy your ROM files to the correct folder, reinsert the card, and power on. EmulationStation detects new games automatically. This is the complete guide for every platform.
Lab-Tested · Gamer-Verified · Expert-Curated by the iGC Team — www.handheldgameconsoles.games
📲 How to Add Games to R36S — Step by Step
Hold the power button until the screen turns off. Never remove the microSD card while the device is on — this can corrupt your save files.
The microSD slot is on the back of the device. Gently push in and release to eject. Use a fingernail or SIM ejector tool. Handle carefully.
Insert the microSD into a USB card reader and plug into your PC. The card will appear as a drive (e.g., D:\ or E:\ on Windows, or as a mounted volume on Mac).
Open the microSD drive and find the ROMS folder. Each platform has its own subfolder. See the complete folder list below.
Drag and drop (or copy/paste) your ROM files into the correct platform folder. Make sure you use the correct file format for each platform.
Always safely eject before removing. On Windows: right-click the drive and select "Eject". On Mac: drag to Trash or click the eject icon. This prevents file corruption.
Insert the microSD back into R36S. Power on. EmulationStation will automatically scan and detect your new games. Navigate to the platform and your games will appear in the list.
📁 ROM Folder Guide — Every Platform
| Platform | Folder Path | File Format |
|---|---|---|
| GBA | /ROMS/GBA/ | .gba |
| SNES | /ROMS/SNES/ | .sfc or .smc |
| NES | /ROMS/NES/ | .nes |
| PS1 | /ROMS/PSX/ | .bin+.cue or .pbp |
| N64 | /ROMS/N64/ | .z64 or .n64 |
| Genesis / Mega Drive | /ROMS/MD/ | .md or .bin |
| Game Boy / GBC | /ROMS/GB/ or /GBC/ | .gb or .gbc |
| Arcade / MAME | /ROMS/MAME/ | .zip |
| Neo Geo | /ROMS/NEOGEO/ | .zip |
| DS | /ROMS/NDS/ | .nds |
📄 ROM File Formats Explained
Single file. Simple. Just copy to /ROMS/GBA/. Works immediately.
Both formats work. .sfc is preferred. Copy to /ROMS/SNES/.
Two files together. Keep both in same folder. Copy both to /ROMS/PSX/.
Single file containing all discs. Best for FF VII/VIII/IX. No disc swapping needed.
Standard N64 format. .n64 also works. Copy to /ROMS/N64/.
Do NOT unzip. Keep as .zip. Copy to /ROMS/MAME/. MAME requires specific ROM versions.
💿 PS1 Multi-Disc Games (FF VII, FF VIII, FF IX)
- Use PSX2PSP or PowerISO to convert .bin/.cue files to .pbp format
- Combine all discs into a single .pbp file during conversion
- Copy the single .pbp file to /ROMS/PSX/
- The emulator handles disc changes automatically — no manual swapping needed
Alternative: Keep separate .bin/.cue files for each disc and manually switch discs in the emulator menu when prompted.
⚠️ Troubleshooting — Games Not Showing Up
Check: 1) ROM is in the correct folder. 2) File format is correct (.gba not .zip for GBA). 3) Restart R36S after adding games. 4) EmulationStation may need to rescan — press Start and select "Scrape".
Check: 1) ROM file is not corrupted. 2) Correct emulator is selected for the platform. 3) For PS1: ensure .cue file is present alongside .bin file. 4) Try a different ROM source.
Try a different USB port. Try a different card reader. Check if the microSD is properly inserted. On Windows, check Disk Management to see if the card appears but needs a drive letter assigned.
❓ FAQ
1) Power off R36S. 2) Remove microSD card. 3) Insert into PC via USB card reader. 4) Copy ROM files to correct folder (GBA → /ROMS/GBA/, PS1 → /ROMS/PSX/, N64 → /ROMS/N64/). 5) Safely eject. 6) Reinsert and power on. Games appear automatically.
Put GBA ROMs in /ROMS/GBA/ on the microSD card. Use .gba file format. Do not put them in a subfolder inside /ROMS/GBA/. EmulationStation will detect them automatically on next boot.
Put PS1 ROMs in /ROMS/PSX/ on the microSD card. Use .bin+.cue format (keep both files together) or .pbp format (best for multi-disc games like FF VII). The folder is PSX, not PS1.
No. You need a PC and USB microSD card reader to add games to R36S. There is no WiFi or USB transfer method. The process takes 5 minutes and a USB card reader costs ~$5.
Check: 1) ROM is in the correct folder. 2) File format is correct (.gba for GBA, .sfc for SNES, .bin+.cue for PS1). 3) Restart R36S after adding games. 4) Press Start in EmulationStation and select Scrape to rescan.
