Screens, Titles & Extras

Many front-ends are able to display many different kinds of media elements for all the games from each system (arcade, consoles, handhelds, computers, etc). Generally, most systems will have the basic elements of screens and titles. Certain systems will have different elements that other systems don't have and vice versa.

Element combinations

Below are common combinations for screens, titles and extras of different systems. Other elements such as icons, samples, and information file are also available, but tend to be front-end or emulator specific.

Arcade

• Artwork
• Cabinets
• Control Panels
• Flyers
• Marquees
• Movies
• Screens
• Titles

Consoles

• Boxes
• Manuals
• Movies
• Cartriges
• Screens
• Titles

Handhelds

• Boxes
• Manuals
• Movies
• Cartriges
• Screens
• Titles

Computers

• Manuals
• Movies
• Screens
• Titles

Examples

Artwork

Bezel artwork for Ms. Pacman

Artwork is primarily used for arcade systems. Generally bezel overlays are the most common type of artwork, however some arcade games have artwork that is lit from behind that corresponds with game play (Gorf, Lunar Lander, etc).

Most of the time, a mask file will accompany the artwork. The mask is used by emulators to fuse the artwork in with the gameplay.

Front-ends generally don't use artwork, but some people like the option of showing this element. The mask file would most likely not be used in front-ends.

Boxes

Atari 2600 Asteriods box

Boxes are scans of game boxes from consoles, computers and handhelds. It can be another element added to the front-end layouts.

Cabinets

Simpsons arcade cabinet

Cabinets are pictures taken of arcade cabinets. It's a very common element in front-ends due to the popular synergy of not only playing the game itself but also witnessing the nostalgic looks of the machine some people once stood in front of for endless hours inserting countless quarters into.

Cartridges

Nintendo cartridge for Super Mario Bros. 2

Cartridges are scans of the front of console game cartridges, SMC, HuCards, etc. Cartridge scans can come in two flavors - some people prefer to just have just the scans of label cropped from the rest of the cartridge, but more common the entire cartridge is scanned. The latter takes a purist perspective because, for example, while most cartridges for the NES were grey, there was the occasional cart like Zelda which had a gold chrome finish.

Control Panels

Donkey Kong arcade control panel

Marquees

Centiped arcade marquee

Screens

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade screen shot

Titles

Defender arcade title shot