PlayStation Classic

The PlayStation Classic is a "mini console" created by Sony which uses the open source software emulator, PCSX ReARMed, to emulate the PlayStation (PS1) console. It was released on December 3rd, 2018 — the PlayStation's 24th anniversary — and came pre-loaded with 20 games, with eight games varying by region.

The PlayStation Devwiki covers technical details of the console.

Hacking your PlayStation Classic

This guide will show you how to modify your PlayStation Classic console to add your own PS1 game backups alongside being able to play games from other consoles (N64, GBA, MAME, etc).

Requirements

1. A computer to manage the files required to complete this guide.
2. A USB stick to transfer files onto, It is recommended to use USB 2.0 sticks for maximum compatibility.

AutoBleem

AutoBleem is the easiest method to mod your PlayStation Classic, but it requires a USB stick inserted in the second player slot at all times to boot, USB hubs work but can be problematic due to the low power provided by the playstation classic front ports.

Installation

1. Using your preferred file manager, format your USB stick to FAT32 with a volume label named Sony (in all caps).
2. Download this (GitHub) archive and extract it onto your USB stick.
3. Unplug your PlayStation Classic console and insert the USB onto the second player slot.
4. Plug power back into your PlayStation Classic console and boot it up with the USB stick inserted.
5. You should see the AutoBleem startup screen telling you to press X to scan for games, The installation process is done.

Adding Games to AutoBleem

PS1 Games

1. Create a folder on your USB stick that you previously used to install AutoBleem called Games.
2. Inside that folder, create a folder with the name of the game you want to add.
3. AutoBleem supports .PBP and .bin/.cue formats for PS1 games, if you’re willing to add .bin/.cue games, please make sure both files are named the exact same to prevent any errors.

RetroArch Games

1. Get the RetroBoot for AutoBleem .zip and extract it into your USB stick, replace any files if asked.
2. Open the roms folder (create it if it does not exist) and make a folder for each console you’re willing to add (GBA,N64, etc).
3. On the AutoBleem startup menu, press Square to launch RetroArch, and you should see the RetroArch menu.
4. On the + menu in RetroArch, press X on your controller to see the directories on your USB, press on "Scan this Directory".
5. RetroArch will reboot, you will see a section for each console you added, RetroArch is ready to use

Project Eris

Project Eris is far more advanced than AutoBleem yet far more flexible, it allows for the usage of any USB stick as well as running games from the micro-USB port on the back to use the second player slot. It does not require a USB stick to boot after the initial setup.

Installation

1. Using your preferred file manager, format your USB stick to FAT32 with a volume label named SONY (in all caps).
2. Get the Project Eris .zip and extract it onto your USB stick.
3. Unplug the power cable from your PlayStation Classic console, insert the USB stick in your second player slot, and plug the power back in.
4. Unplug the power cable and plug it back in and boot when the yellow light appears.
5. Now the Project Eris initial installation screen should appear. Wait until it turns off automatically and plug the USB into your PC.
6. On the USB, there's a folder called backup. This is a backup of the original flash memory in case any problem appears when using Project Eris. Copy it onto somewhere safe on your PC.
7. Transfer or reformat your USB to a NTFS/exFat formatted drive and copy the backup folder back to it.
8. Unplug the power cable from your PlayStation Classic, plug in your NTFS/exFat drive, and plug the power cable back in. You should be greeted by the Project Eris startup screen. The installation process is done.

Adding Games

PS1 Games

• The installer should make a transfer folder on your USB stick
• Supported formats are:
  • BIN+CUE
  • BIN
  • IMG
  • ISO
  • PBP
  • CHD
• .bin/.cue games should be named the exact same, as for multi track games, They should be named as Game Name (Track 1), Game Name (Track 2), Same principle applies to Multi disc games but you should name them disc one and two instead.

Emulation Station

1. Get your wanted cores and place them on USB/project_eris/opt/retroarch/config/retroarch/cores/
   • Some cores require BIOS files to work, If they do, place the required BIOS at usb:/project_eris/opt/retroarch/system
2. Place your legally acquired ROMs at any place you want on your USB. Emulation Station will automatically detect and sort them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I use a Bluetooth controller with my PlayStation classic?

• Only with project Eris, and it requires extra setup not covered in this guide. AutoBleem does not support this function.

Can I use a NTFS/exFat drive for my games?

• Only with Project Eris. AutoBleem does not support any USB filesystem not supported by the original kernel.

I want to run XX console but it’s not showing up, what can I do?

• For project Eris, you should see if the core is available on Libretro for android armv7. For AutoBleem, it is not supported by the RetroArch version it uses.