A nice Video Game Console launcher!

General Off-Topic
#1

Hello everyone!

I have made a quick and easy Video Game Console launcher in Visual Studio so I can easily launch my consoles and this is how the end result looks:

Basically what the launcher does is to start the corresponding batch file for the selected console.

The batch file for my Famicom console looks like this:

@echo off 
title Mesen
mode con cols=120 lines=35
color F0
echo  -------
echo  Famicom
echo  -------
echo.
echo  1.	Adventures of Lolo 2 (Japan)				22.	Makaimura (Japan)
echo  2.	Akumajou Densetsu (Japan)				23.	Mario Bros. (Japan)
echo  3.	Balloon Fight (Japan)					24.	Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (Japan)
echo  4.	Bomber Man (Japan)					25.	Olympus no Tatakai (Japan)
echo  5.	Chou-Wakusei Senki - MetaFight (Japan)			26.	Pac-Man (Japan)
echo  6.	Clu Clu Land (Japan)					27.	Popeye (Japan)
echo  7.	Devil World (Japan)					28.	Rockman 2 - Dr. Wily no Nazo (Japan)
echo  8.	Donkey Kong (Japan)					29.	Rockman 3 - Dr. Wily no Saigo! (Japan)
echo  9.	Donkey Kong 3 (Japan)					30.	Rockman 4 - Aratanaru Yabou!! (Japan)
echo  10.	Donkey Kong Jr. (Japan)					31.	Rockman 5 - Blues no Wana! (Japan)
echo  11.	Dr. Mario (Japan)					32.	Rockman 6 - Shijou Saidai no Tatakai!! (Japan)
echo  12.	DuckTales 2 (Japan)					33.	Spartan X (Japan)
echo  13.	Eggerland - Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Japan)			34.	Super Mario Bros. (Japan)
echo  14.	Galaga (Japan)						35.	Super Mario Bros. 3 (Japan)
echo  15.	Galaxian (Japan)					36.	Super Mario USA (Japan)
echo  16.	Goonies (Japan)						37.	Tetris (Japan)
echo  17.	Goonies 2 - Fratelli Saigo no Chousen (Japan)		38.	Wai Wai World (Japan)
echo  18.	Highway Star (Japan)					39.	Wanpaku Duck Yume Bouken (Japan)
echo  19.	Hoshi no Kirby - Yume no Izumi no Monogatari (Japan)	40.	Wario no Mori (Japan)
echo  20.	Ice Climber (Japan)					41.	Wrecking Crew (Japan)
echo  21.	Konamic Sports in Seoul (Japan)				42.	Yoshi no Tamago (Japan)
echo.
echo.
echo  Choose the game you want to play by typing the corresponding number above (1-42) then press Enter to load the game.
echo.
echo  Type 43 and press Enter to start Mesen for configuration or press Enter to Exit this launcher.
echo.

set /p a=
IF %a%==1 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Adventures of Lolo 2 (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==2 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Akumajou Densetsu (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==3 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Balloon Fight (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==4 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Bomber Man (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==5 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Chou-Wakusei Senki - MetaFight (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==6 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Clu Clu Land (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==7 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Devil World (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==8 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Donkey Kong (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==9 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Donkey Kong 3 (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==10 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Donkey Kong Jr. (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==11 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Dr. Mario (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==12 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\DuckTales 2 (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==13 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Eggerland - Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==14 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Galaga (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==15 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Galaxian (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==16 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Goonies (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==17 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Goonies 2 - Fratelli Saigo no Chousen (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==18 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Highway Star (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==19 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Hoshi no Kirby - Yume no Izumi no Monogatari (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==20 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Ice Climber (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==21 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Konamic Sports in Seoul (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==22 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Makaimura (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==23 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Mario Bros. (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==24 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==25 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Olympus no Tatakai (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==26 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Pac-Man (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==27 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Popeye (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==28 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Rockman 2 - Dr. Wily no Nazo (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==29 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Rockman 3 - Dr. Wily no Saigo! (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==30 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Rockman 4 - Aratanaru Yabou!! (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==31 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Rockman 5 - Blues no Wana! (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==32 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Rockman 6 - Shijou Saidai no Tatakai!! (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==33 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Spartan X (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==34 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Super Mario Bros. (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==35 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Super Mario Bros. 3 (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==36 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Super Mario USA (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==37 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Tetris (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==38 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Wai Wai World (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==39 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Wanpaku Duck Yume Bouken (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==40 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Wario no Mori (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==41 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Wrecking Crew (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==42 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe" "C:\Games\Video Games\Games\Famicom\Yoshi no Tamago (Japan).nes")
IF %a%==43 ("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Mesen.exe")

The button code in the launcher looks like this:

Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Shell("C:\Games\Video Games\Consoles\Famicom\Famicom.bat", AppWinStyle.NormalFocus)
End Sub

It’s a simple yet elegant way to start a game and it looks pretty nice too.

If you are interested in making your own launcher here’s a link to a zip file with all the assets like the console icons and such.

Launching and playing a game doesn’t need to be any more complex then this!

1 Like
#2

Launching and playing a game doesn’t need to be any more complex then this!

It may seem sufficient to do that with a hand full of games but it would quickly get in your way when managing thousands.

1 Like
#3

True, but you have to be some loaded rich game hoarder to even own thousands of games to begin with.

I own over 200 physical games and that’s pretty much covering all my needs for an entire life-time, quality over quantity!

Sure making a batch file takes some time, but once it’s done, it’s done and the end-result is great and easy to maintain.

1 Like
#4

Well, that escalated quickly o_O

#5

I think they’re suggesting that if you could afford to buy 1,000 games at an average price of $20 each ($20,000) then you can probably afford to pay someone to type out as large of a batch file as desired. :crazy_face: lol

2 Likes
#6

@MK2k

I was just pointing it out in a much simpler way then @markwkidd described it because he nailed it.

If you actually own that much games, simple batch file loaders isn’t anything for you to begin with and you probably isn’t in to emulation anyway.

I’m basing this off comments from game collectors which I have heard personally that they only play the original games in the original consoles.

I collect games too and 200 is more then enough, easy to maintain.

Maybe I should have just wrote a comment in my initial post that this kind of simple system is for us that don’t have thousands of games but rather a few for each system we want to emulate.