Setting up the Atari 5200 to play in HyperSpin is relatively easy once you have all the necessary files.  As with the other systems, we’ll assume you have the game (rom) files.   The HyperLaunch executable that comes with HyperSpin is already configured to use the MESS emulator for the Atari 5200.  We’ll show you how to set up MESS for use in HyperSpin.  One additional thing you’ll need to run MESS is the Atari 5200 system bios file called A5200.zip. 

First, you'll need to download the MESS emulator at: MESS.org/download.php.  Select the binary you need from the choices (highlighted in yellow).  Most users will select the first binary.

NOTE: Don’t ask for game roms or system bios files on the HyperSpin website in any manner including forum posts, private messaging or chat.

Since we’re trying to keep our HyperSpin installation organized, we’ll create a folder for MESS in our HyperSpin\Emulators folder.  If you don’t already have a folder called Emulators located in you HyperSpin directory, you can easily create one.  Just navigate to the location you installed HyperSpin, go inside that folder.  Right-click and select New>Folder or create one from the File>New>Folder menu.  Once you’ve done that, create another folder inside the Emulators folder named MESS.

Navigate to where you downloaded the MESS binary zip file.  You can extract the files directly to the HyperSpin\Emulators\MESS folder using the Extract option of 7-zip (7-zip.org) or whatever archive program you use.  When the Extract window opens, navigate to the HyperSpin\Emulators\MESS folder you created (highlighted in yellow below) and then click OK.

Next, you’ll need to place the system bios files in the MESS\roms folder.  Since MESS runs several systems you may place whatever MESS system bios files in this one location and use this MESS install for other supported systems.  Before you run MESS for the first time, you won’t have the roms folder.  Your install will just include two folders, the MESS executable, the MESSUI executable (built-in basic frontend similar to MAMEUI), the MESS.chm help file, and a system dat file.

Create a new folder here called ‘roms’.  Also, since we’re going to use MESS for the Atari 5200, create a folder here called Atari 5200.  This is where we’ll place the Atari 5200 game files.

Create a new folder here called ‘roms’.  Place your MESS roms in this folder.  Also, since we’re going to use MESS for the Atari 5200, create a folder here called Atari 5200.  This is where we’ll place the Atari 5200 game files.

Next, open up HyperHQ.  Select the Wheel Settings Tab and from the Choose a Wheel drop menu select Atari 5200.

Now, click on the Executable selection folder (highlighted yellow above) and navigate to where your MESS is installed.  Since we installed ours in the Emulators\MESS folder we created it will be easy to locate.

Next, follow the same method with the Rom Paths selection folder (highlighted blue above) and locate the Atari 5200 folder where we placed our game files.

NOTE: You can place your executable and associated files wherever you want, but you'll need to use this feature to show HyperSpin where to find them.

Before you run Atari 5200 (through MESS) in HyperSpin, you need to do two more things.  First, make sure that Use Full Path to Roms is enabled (Highlighted in yellow above).  Second, make sure you enter the extension of your game files in the Extensions dialog (highlighted in yellow).  Since we're using a zipped No-Intro set, we use the zip extension.  

That's it.  You're ready to go.  With some preview movies from EmuMovies.com you're ready to play!