March Update: HyperOverlay, Performance Overhaul, and a Mountain of Polish

Hey everyone!

It's been about three weeks since our last update and the team has been busy — over 400 commits and 80+ closed issues across the board. This one's packed with brand new platform support, a smoother experience overall, and a ton of UI polish. Let's dive in!

Introducing HyperOverlay

We're excited to share HyperOverlay — a new plugin that adds loading screens and pause menus to your HyperSpin setup.

If you've ever launched a game and stared at a black screen while the emulator loads, HyperOverlay fixes that. It displays a clean loading screen with game artwork while everything spins up in the background, so the transition from wheel to gameplay feels seamless. It also adds an in-game pause menu you can pull up with your controller.

HyperOverlay is still a work in progress, so it's completely optional — you can enable or disable it anytime from the plugin settings. If you try it out, let us know how it works for you.

What you get:

• Loading screens — displays game artwork and info while the emulator starts up, so no more staring at a black screen
• Pause menus — pull up an in-game pause menu with your controller to resume, restart, or exit
• Game end screens — see a stats summary when you exit a game
• Controller and keyboard support — navigate everything with your gamepad or keyboard
• Multi-monitor ready — works across multiple displays for cabinet setups
• Save state management — browse and load your save states right from the pause menu

Performance

The first time you start HyperSpin, it should be significantly faster to load. The second time you start it, it should be almost instant. We completely reworked how games are loaded and cached so your library is ready to go the moment you launch.

Scrolling through large game lists is smoother too, especially if you've got thousands of games in a system.

Wii U Support

We've added full support for Wii U via Cemu.

What this means for you:

• Add any of these systems through the Add System wizard just like any other platform
• HyperSpin automatically detects your installed games — no manual game lists needed
• Games launch directly from your library with the right settings
• BIOS and firmware checks are built into the setup flow so you know if something's missing before you try to play
• Real game titles are pulled automatically (no more cryptic folder names in your game list)

Wii U support is further along and should be stable for most setups.

New Features

Spotlight Search

Spotlight search is now in HyperSpin with full controller support. Find any game or system instantly without scrolling through wheels — just start typing or use your controller to pull it up.

Zip File Progress

When HyperSpin needs to extract a compressed game before launching, you now get a visual progress screen instead of wondering what's happening. Temp files are cleaned up properly afterward too.

Advanced Controller Mapping

We've added modifier key support for controllers. If you've got a cabinet with limited buttons, you can now hold one button as a modifier to unlock additional actions on every other button — effectively doubling (or tripling) what your controller can do. For example, hold the Player 1 button and press Start to exit a game, or hold it and press another button to open the menu. Works with keyboards too.

Always on Top Marquee

The marquee display can now sit above everything on screen, including the taskbar. Perfect for dedicated marquee monitors on arcade cabinets.

RetroArch Bezels

BezelProject packs now automatically apply a system-wide default bezel to all your games — and per-game bezels still override when available. This also prevents touch controller overlays from appearing on arcade cabinets.

UI Polish

We knocked out a big batch of visual improvements:

• Category highlight in Add Systems updated to HyperSpin purple
• Add Extensions button is now more visible
• Update screen shows your current version vs. what's available
• Cache settings descriptions rewritten to actually explain what each button does
• Autoimport settings got a tighter layout with cleaner toggles
• Archive extraction now uses toggle switches instead of checkboxes
• Plugin screen buttons cleaned up and streamlined
• Contact link in License Settings now opens in your browser instead of in-app

Collections

• Right-click context menu on collection items — refresh, hide/show, and delete without navigating away
• Collections now update in real-time as you make changes
• Fixed the new collection creation flow

Games & Media

• List view is back — toggle between grid and list views

• List view context menu fully working again
• Editing a game's name now updates everywhere immediately
• Media tab only shows media for systems you actually have installed
• Media download labels now include the system name so you know what you're looking at

Platforms & Emulators

• BIOS status now rescans automatically when you visit the page or import files
• Systems list has a right-click context menu (Open, Edit, Hide/Show, Refresh Media)
• Platform Test button shows the correct system list now
• Advanced controller mapping support
• Plugin auto-updates now work for non-default plugins

Theme Builder

• Import a PSD with layer groups and they now show up properly as expandable folders in the layers panel
• Scale controls now accept decimal values
• Remix for themes now supports the new groups feature
• Added list views for collections, media, and projects in your profile

 

 

Fixes & Stability

Thank You

This was a huge push and the team really delivered. Massive thanks to everyone who's been testing, reporting bugs, and giving us feedback in the forums and Discord. Your input directly shapes what we work on.

Keep the bug reports coming — and if you get a chance to try any of the new platform support, we'd love to hear how it works with your setup.

— fr0stbyt3 & The HyperSpin Team

 

Hey everyone!

We've been heads-down shipping improvements across the entire HyperSpin ecosystem over the past few weeks. This update spans 20 days with over 260 commits and 50+ merged PRs bringing major new features, performance enhancements, and quality-of-life improvements. Whether you're managing a massive collection or just getting started, there's something here for you.

Let's dive in!

Media Audit Screen

Managing media for hundreds of systems just got easier. The new Media Audit Screen gives you complete visibility into what you have and what's missing.

Features:

• Visual comparison of available vs. missing media
• Drag-and-drop upload for bulk media additions
• Real-time status tracking across all media types
• Organized by system for easy management

No more guessing which games are missing artwork — it's all right there.

 

System Import Overhaul

We completely redesigned how you import systems with a queue-based approach that's faster and more reliable.

Improvements:

• Progress tracking shows exactly what's happening
• Re-import skipped systems without starting over
• Automatic BIOS detection in emulator directories
• Better error handling and recovery

The import flow now handles edge cases gracefully and keeps you informed every step of the way.

 

Multi-Disk Game Support

Games spanning multiple discs (like PS1 RPGs) now have first-class support with automatic playlist generation and management.

New Capabilities:

• Automatic playlist creation for multi-disc games
• Multi-disk grouping settings
• Automatic ROM extraction before launch
• Switch between discs seamlessly without manual playlist editing

Better Game Metadata

HyperSpin can now pull game metadata from additional sources, giving you more complete and accurate game information.

What This Means:

• Fuzzy search finds the right game even with typos
• Automatic metadata sync from trusted sources
• "Search For Match" added to game context menus
• Your game library stays up-to-date with accurate metadata from the community

Performance Enhancements

We've made significant improvements to how HyperSpin handles rendering and background operations.

What's Faster:

• Sidebar system list loads instantly
• Boxart rendering redesigned with smart lazy loading
• Smooth scrolling even with thousands of games
• Background operations optimized to not block the UI
• Reduced memory usage for long-running sessions

Everything feels snappier, especially when working with large collections.

HyperTheme Updates

ThemeBuilder continues to evolve with better tooling and compatibility.

What's New:

• Improved layer management (no more accidental reordering)
• Drag-and-drop enhancements for easier theme building
• Better positioning controls

Theme Player:

• Fixed layer management for complex themes
• Smoother hover animations
• Background system integration for system themes

Fixes & Stability

• ROM counts now update reactively and stay synced across the UI
• RetroArch auto-setup registers platforms and downloads cores reliably
• BIOS detection improved
• MAME wizard no longer gets stuck at 10%
• Game artwork updates immediately after downloads
• Theme downloads reconnect properly if the connection drops
• Fuzzy search for system names handles typos
• Improved emulator availability checks

Thank You

A huge thank you to everyone who's been testing, reporting bugs, and sharing feedback. Your input has been invaluable in making these releases better.

We've got more great things in the pipeline. Keep the feedback coming!

— fr0stbyt3 & The HyperSpin Team

Hey everyone!

It’s been a busy stretch since our last update, and we’ve got a lot to share! This release cycle spans over 30 beta builds with hundreds of commits bringing major new features, quality-of-life improvements, and plenty of bug fixes. Whether you’re setting up a new cabinet or managing a massive collection, there’s something here for you.

Let’s dive in!

Emulator Settings — Per-Game Customization

You can now customize emulator settings at the emulator, system, or game level with full inheritance. Override video and audio settings for specific games without touching your global config.

Supported Emulators

• RetroArch: Video settings (VSync, Frame Delay) and Audio settings (Volume, Latency)
• MAME, PCSX2, Dolphin, PPSSPP, DuckStation: Emulator-specific settings
• Xenia, RPCS3, Cemu, Xemu, Redream: Additional emulator support

How It Works

• Game settings override system settings, system overrides emulator, emulator overrides defaults
• Dynamic Video/Audio menu items appear based on emulator capabilities
• Config files generated on launch — your original emulator configs stay untouched
  
  

Save State Management

A completely new way to manage and launch from your save states.

• Save State Browser: View all save states grouped by core and ROM in system settings
• Thumbnail Previews: See what you saved with thumbnail support for RetroArch
• Quick Launch: Play button dropdown lets you resume from any save slot
• Delete Management: Clean up old save states you no longer need
• Emulator Support: RetroArch, PCSX2, Dolphin, PPSSPP, DuckStation, and MAME
  
  

Pre-Launch & Post-Launch Commands

Run custom commands before or after launching games — perfect for scripts, controller profiles, lighting setups, or anything else your setup needs.

• Three-Level Configuration: Set commands at emulator, system, or game level
• Drag & Drop Ordering: Reorder commands with visual feedback
• Rich Variable Support: %system.name%, %system.path%, %rom.folder%, %rom.fileExtension%, %emulator.name%
• Unsaved Changes Warning: Never lose your work when navigating away

Play Time Tracking

Know how much you’ve played each game.

• Total Play Time: Tracked per game (e.g., "2h 30m")
• Last Played: See when you last played and how many times
• Crash Recovery: Sessions persist even if HyperHQ closes unexpectedly

System Media Details Page

A dedicated page for browsing all your system media in one place.

• Gallery View: Filter tabs for All, Media, Images, Documents, Themes
• Interactive Preview: Click any artwork or video to preview it instantly
• Built-in PDF Viewer: Read system manuals with zoom and page navigation
• Floating Audio Player: Listen to system music while browsing
• EXIF Metadata: View Title, Keywords, Credit, and Notes in the lightbox

 

• 

CBZ Manual Viewer

A beautiful new way to read your game manuals in CBZ format.

• 3D Page Flip: Animated page turns with smooth transitions
• Two-Page Spread: Toggle between single page and spread view
• Zoom Controls: Keyboard shortcuts (+/- and Ctrl+wheel)
• Keyboard Navigation: Arrow keys, space, and escape
• Accessibility: Respects reduced motion preferences

ROM Path Migration

Moving your ROM folders? HyperHQ can update your database automatically.

• Automatic Detection: When you change a system’s ROM path, HyperHQ offers to scan for matches
• Batch Updates: All matching ROM paths updated in your database
• Multi-Disk Support: Handles multi-disk ROMs correctly
• Progress Display: Real-time feedback during migration

Wheel Manager Improvements

Complete overhaul of the wheel management experience.

• Keyboard Navigation: Arrow keys flow through the entire tree seamlessly
• Reordering Controls: On-screen buttons and Ctrl+Arrow shortcuts
• Sort by System Type: Organize systems by category then alphabetically
• Group by System Type: Create collections for each category automatically
• Smooth Animations: Visible slide effects when moving items
  
  

Collections in Systems Grid

Your collections can now appear right alongside your systems.

• Toggle Button: Show/hide collections in the systems grid
• Mixed View: Collections and systems sorted alphabetically together
• Visual Distinction: COLLECTION badge with item count on hover
• Keyboard Navigation: Arrow keys work across combined list
  
  

Group Systems by Type

Organize your systems list by category.

• Category Groups: Arcade, Consoles, Computers, Handhelds, and more
• Category Headers: Show system count for each group
• Persistent Setting: Your preference saves between sessions

Auto-Import Systems

HyperHQ can automatically detect and import system folders from your Games directory.

• Startup Scan: Detects unimported system folders when HyperHQ launches
• Live Monitoring: Watches for new folders added while running
• Smart Matching: Case-insensitive matching to our system database
• Skip List: Mark folders to always ignore
• Media Downloads: Uses your existing preferences for imported systems

Note: This feature is currently in early alpha — we’d love your feedback!

EmuMovies Media Defaults

Set your preferred media types once and use them everywhere.

• Wizard Step: Choose default video quality and media types during setup
• Automatic Application: Preferences apply when adding new systems
• Easy Management: Update defaults anytime in EmuMovies Settings
• Skip Option: "Skip for now" during setup if you don’t have an account

Boxart Priority

Choose your preferred artwork style.

• Style Selection: Set which box art displays first — 2D, 3D, or 2.5D
• Per-System Override: Configure globally or per-system
• Smart Fallback: Automatically shows next available style if preferred is missing
  
  

Media Filter

Find games based on available media.

• Dropdown Filter: Show only games with specific media types
• Find Missing Media: Great for identifying games missing artwork or videos
• Descriptive Tooltip: Shows which filters are currently active

Unified Platforms Tab

Streamlined emulator configuration.

• Merged Tabs: Launch Command and Platforms combined into one view
• Variable Reference: Shows available variables (%ROM%, %ROMNAME%, etc.)
• Smart UI: RetroArch core selector only appears when RetroArch is selected

Wii U Support

Better support for Wii U games and Cemu emulator.

• Loadiine Folder Scanning: Automatically detects Wii U folder structures
• meta.xml Parsing: Extracts title, publisher, and region automatically
• DLC/Update Exclusion: Automatically skips DLC and update folders

BIOS Management Updates

Building on the automatic BIOS detection from v2.0.135, we’ve expanded coverage to more setup scenarios.

• Standalone Emulator Addition: BIOS step now appears when adding emulators directly from Platforms
• Skip Option: Emulators with optional BIOS let you configure later
• Cemu Integration: Dedicated setup flow for Wii U emulation

Additional Improvements

Setup & Configuration

• DOS Support: DOSBox games launch with game folder as working directory
• Steam Custom Systems: Create systems that pull metadata from Steam using App IDs
• Window State Memory: HyperHQ remembers your window size and position

Media & Display

• Video Quality Selection: Game detail page shows best quality based on your preferences
• Game-Level Marquee Override: Complete Global → System → Game inheritance
• Faster Thumbnail Generation: Process up to 64 videos simultaneously
• Reorganized Media Categories: All, Media, Images, Documents, Themes

User Experience

• App Tour System: Interactive walkthrough for new users
• System Card Actions: Quick access Games/Details buttons on hover
• Smarter Auto-Login: Retries saved credentials before prompting
• Media Processing Indicator: See when downloads are being prepared
• Improved Uninstaller: Clear options for removing data during uninstall

Bug Fixes & Stability

• Fixed: Bezel Project downloads not working for fresh RetroArch installations
• Fixed: RetroArch reinstalling on every app restart
• Fixed: Disc-based games (CUE/BIN) selecting wrong file to launch
• Fixed: Steam games not launching (steam:// protocol)
• Fixed: Plugin list showing duplicate server and local entries
• Fixed: EXE file plugins start/stop behavior
• Fixed: Media sync for manually matched games
• Fixed: EmuMovies upgrade prompt for supporting members
• Fixed: MAME plugin reinstall and system creation issues
• Fixed: Games closing immediately after launch
• Fixed: System images not loading for MAME and other systems
• Fixed: Collections not showing games from uninstalled systems
• Fixed: External marquee not connecting on startup

HyperTheme Animation Assistant

HyperTheme now includes a chat assistant to help you build animations faster. Instead of clicking through menus, just describe what you want in plain language.

• Natural Language: "Add a fade in to layer 1", "Make the logo spin", "Set the delay to 2 seconds"
• Context Aware: The assistant understands your layers and animations by name or number
• Quick Access: Press Ctrl+/ or click the chat button to open the panel
• Workflow Focused: Designed to speed up adding and tweaking animations, not generating images
   
•  

   

Ecosystem Updates

HyperSpin 2.0.66-2.0.68

• New Theme Player: All changes from HyperTheme’s editor rolled in
• System Pointers: Now show when entering systems
• Dynamic Wheel Pointer Scaling: Pointers scale with wheel items
• Performance Optimizations: Smoother animations and reduced memory usage

HyperMarquee 1.0.7

• Improved Display Handling: Better scaling and transitions
• Reliability: Videos and fallback images display more consistently

HyperTheme 1.11.0

• Theme Player Enhancements: Better animation accuracy and reliability
• Scale Animation Fixes: X and Y axes now work correctly
• Hover Animation Improvements: Speed and easing fixes

Your Feedback Matters

We’d love to hear your thoughts:

• How are the new emulator settings working for you?
• Is the save state management helpful for your workflow?
• What do you think of the CBZ viewer and media details page?
• Any issues you’re encountering?
• What would you like to see in future releases?

Thank you for being part of the HyperSpin community. Every bug report, feature suggestion, and word of encouragement helps make HyperHQ better.

Stay awesome,
-fr0stbyt3

Hey everyone!

Hope you all had a great holiday season! I kept busy over the break and have a packed update to show for it - v2.0.135 brings 233 commits of improvements across 13 test builds. This update focuses on making MAME management more seamless, expanding media capabilities, and polishing the interface throughout HyperSpin.

From automated BIOS handling to intelligent media fallbacks, custom ROM filtering to universal search, this release tackles workflows that have long needed attention. Let’s see what’s new.

MAME Workflow Enhancements

Parent-Clone Media Fallback

• Smart Media Display: Clone games now show parent artwork when clone-specific media is missing, and vice versa
• Automatic Downloads: Media downloads include related parent/clone artwork automatically
• Split ROM Support: Works perfectly with MAME split/merged ROM sets and multi-disc games

Custom ROM List Import

• Direct Folder Scanning: New MAME wizard mode scans your ROM folders directly
• Skip Filtering: Perfect if you’ve already curated your collection and don’t need the full filter workflow
• Automatic Metadata: Matches filenames against MAME’s database for accurate game information

Import Count Accuracy

• Correct Counts: Success messages now show parent count or total count based on your clone preference
• Clear Feedback: "Fetch clones separately" shows all games, while "Merge clones" or "Skip clones" shows parent count only

System Workflow Enhancements

BIOS Management

• Automatic Detection: HyperSpin detects and manages required BIOS files when adding systems
• Wide Support: Works across emulators that require BIOS files
• Seamless Setup: No more hunting for BIOS files manually

Media System Improvements

System Media Override Flexibility

• Any Filename Works: Override folders now accept any filename for system media (logos, backgrounds)
• Random Selection: Multiple files? One gets chosen randomly for variety
• Clearer Instructions: Renamed to _README_Place_Override_Media_Here.txt with better examples

Add Media Button

• One-Click Access: New button on the Media tab opens the override folder for your selected media type
• No More Folder Hunting: Drop your custom artwork right where it needs to go
• Works Everywhere: Supports both system-specific and default media locations

Video Thumbnail Extraction

• Automatic Generation: Extracts thumbnails from video game files for display in game lists
• Smart Caching: Tiered extraction uses memory cache, persistent cache, Windows Shell, embedded thumbnails, and HTML5 video
• Configurable: Control the feature in game settings based on your preference

Expanded Media Types

• 24 Media Options: Change Game Image dropdown expanded from 6 to 24 comprehensive artwork types
• Complete Coverage: Includes Boxes (2D/3D/2.5D/Spine/Box-Back), Video Snaps (240p/480p/1080p), Snaps (Gameplay/Title), Music, Marquees, Cabinets, Control Panels, Bezels, Overlays, and Manuals
• Better Organization: Scrollable dropdown with consistent naming conventions

Logo Fallback Display

• Beautiful Alternative: When box art isn’t available, game cards now display the logo in the top third with a drop shadow
• Background Fill: Game’s background fills the entire card behind the logo
• Consistent Design: Matches the system list view style

Spotlight Search

Universal Search Interface

• Quick Access: Press Ctrl+F to search across games, systems, platforms, plugins, collections, and settings
• Full Keyboard Control: Navigate with arrows, Enter to select, Escape to close, Tab to cycle focus
• Visual Context: Category icons, plugin images, and game/system artwork displayed in results

System & Metadata Enhancements

Hardware Metadata

• 13 Specification Fields: CPU, memory, graphics, display, resolution, and more for each system
• Refresh from API: New button automatically populates specs for existing systems
• Clean Layout: Organized in a 2-column layout in the system editor

Game Metadata Navigation

• Previous/Next Buttons: Browse through games without leaving the metadata editor
• Position Indicator: Always know where you are (e.g., "5 of 120")
• Faster Bulk Editing: Update metadata for multiple games without constantly returning to the game list

Additional System Support

• Nintendo 64DD: Added to RetroArch core mappings (Mupen64Plus-Next and ParaLLEl N64)
• xemu Support: Required files added for original Xbox emulation

HyperMarquee Updates

Settings Persistence

• Reliable Configuration: Settings now cache and resend on reconnect or when requested by HyperMarquee
• Media Fallbacks: Added gameplay snapshot fallback for backgrounds
• Better Box Art: Improved loading with 2D and 3D fallback support
• Display Options: New option to cut off the top of marquee images

Interface Redesigns

User Profile Settings

• Modern Card Layout: Redesigned with clean, scannable sections
• Clickable Rating Chips: ESRB/PEGI logos displayed as interactive badges
• Camera Badge: Added to avatar to indicate it’s clickable
• Better Terminology: "Content Rating" renamed to "Parental Controls", "PIN Protection" to "Profile Lock"

System Access Controls

• Simpler Opt-Out: All installed systems shown as a toggle list
• Default Access: All systems enabled by default (full access)
• Bulk Actions: Enable All / Disable All buttons for quick changes
• Searchable: Filter input for large system lists

Settings Screens

• Card-Based Design: Modernized Default Platform Settings, System Metadata Settings, and ROM Paths screens
• Custom Dropdowns: Consistently styled throughout
• Better Scrolling: Fixed layout issues on System Details page

System List Appearance

• Improved Positioning: Better image placement with gradient overlays for text readability
• Refined Styling: Polished icon and text presentation

Offline Mode & Connectivity

Offline Support

• Work Without Internet: Intelligent detection distinguishes between complete offline and service unavailability
• Auto Reconnection: Seamless return to online mode when connectivity restores
• Clean Notifications: No more notification spam when working offline
• Initial setup will need to be online to get metadata and media. After that it will still function completely offline.
• In future builds we will allow for importing of media from an external drive to further support this feature

Performance & Technical Improvements

Caching & Optimization

• Games Caching: Games cached for faster loading
• Clone Queries: Optimized with batch operations and backend caching for faster media lookups
• Reduced Queries: New caching layer eliminates redundant database calls
• Memory Management: Better handling when loading large ROM collections

Media Processing

• Faster Media Audit: Optimized loading performance
• Image Loading: Improved system list image loading
• Media Manifest: Get media updates as they happen! As media becomes available, you will always get the latest.

Bug Fixes & Stability

Critical Fixes

• ROM Processing Hang: Fixed issue where HyperHQ could hang when loading systems with empty databases
• API Error Handling: Errors no longer cause indefinite hangs
• Stuck Reauthentication: Fixed authentication process that could hang indefinitely

File Handling

• Fixed Windows file locking issues when deleting media files
• Retry Mechanism: Added for media deletion with informative error messages
• Permission Handling: Check now happens when selecting folders (no surprise UAC prompts)

UI & Display Fixes

• Game Search Modal: Fixed styling issues in metadata screen
• Modal Loading States: Fixed during media audit
• Game Dropdown: Options sorted alphabetically, cabinet/control panel options only show for MAME/Arcade
• Log Export: Now shows helpful message when no logs exist instead of failing silently

Authentication & Services

• EmuMovies Auth: Fixed authentication check showing false 401 errors
• API Endpoint: Fixed malformed URL for user profile data
• Subscription Cleanup: Enhanced to prevent memory leaks

Additional Improvements

Organization & Polish

• HyperSpin Logging: Relocated toggle from Display Settings to System Logs page with performance warnings
• Collection Management: New dedicated modal replaces dropdown menu for better usability

Plugin Updates

• MAME Plugin: Added support for filtering PlayChoice items
• Media Verification: Now uses improved VerifyMedia API
   

Thank you for being part of the HyperSpin community and for all your support, feedback, and enthusiasm. Every bug report, feature suggestion, and word of encouragement helps make HyperSpin better.

Here’s to many more improvements ahead!

Stay awesome,
-fr0stbyt3

Artwork courtesy of @baddeolv @SubZero @Roadrunner @rondar