Super ZSNES v0.310 adds 3D Star Fox models and Apple TV support

Original ZSNES developer zsKnight has released version 0.310 of Super ZSNES, adding GPU-instanced 3D model replacements for Star Fox and expanding the emulator to Apple TV and Android TV.

The update is available now through the official ZSNES website. As previously reported, Super ZSNES is a ground-up Unity rewrite of the classic 1997 emulator. Instead of relying on CPU-bound software rendering, it uses modern GPU pipelines to inject high-resolution textures, normal maps, and widescreen support into Super Nintendo games.

Real 3D for the Arwing

The headline feature for version 0.310 is a first-pass visual overhaul for Star Fox. The emulator now replaces the game's original Super FX graphics with actual 3D models instanced directly on the GPU. It also adds high-resolution rendering, interpolation, and widescreen support. The internal widescreen setting is now disabled automatically when per-game widescreen is active, which fixes a known issue with the Super Metroid widescreen patch.

Star Fox launched in 1993. It was powered by the Super FX coprocessor chip, which allowed the 16-bit console to render real-time polygonal graphics. Emulating the Super FX chip accurately is one thing, but replacing its output with modern instanced 3D models requires intercepting the graphics pipeline entirely.

The Star Fox enhancement currently only works with the version 2 ROM. The development team credited Kandowontu, Sunlit, Alexander, and the Star Fox EX team for making the 3D replacement possible. You can control the 3D layers mode using the right analog stick, and clicking the left stick activates a zoom mode.

Local web servers for the living room

Super ZSNES is expanding its footprint in the living room. Version 0.310 introduces support for Apple TV and Android TV. Getting files onto locked-down television boxes is usually a headache, so the emulator runs a local web server. You can upload ROMs and save files directly through a desktop browser over your local Wi-Fi network. You won't need to mess with USB drives or complex sideloading tools.

Mobile players get a few quality-of-life updates as well. Super ZSNES was already released on iOS in the prior v0.300 update. This new patch adds a dedicated portrait mode with on-screen touch controls for both iOS and Android. It also fixes several controller and d-pad detection issues and adds support for Android frontend launchers.

Custom enhancement files

The project is opening up its tools to the community. The emulator now loads custom enhancement files (.zsmod) automatically if they match the ROM filename and sit in the same directory. The development team is currently beta testing a visual enhancement editor in their Discord server. The editor allows users to tweak materials, normal maps, color displacement, and high-resolution modes.

I want to see what the community builds with the new enhancement editor once it leaves beta. The ability to swap out 16-bit sprites for modern assets opens up a lot of strange possibilities for games that haven't aged as well as Nintendo's first-party lineup.

The original ZSNES debuted in October 1997. It was programmed primarily in x86 assembly language and became the standard for Super Nintendo emulation on personal computers during the late 1990s and 2000s. Cycle-accurate emulators eventually took over, but zsKnight returned in April 2026 to build this GPU-powered successor.

The next major release will be version 0.320. According to zsKnight, that update will focus on RetroAchievements integration, a built-in downloader for enhancement data, and more visual customization options.