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BizHawk
What it is
BizHawk is a free, open-source emulation project centered on EmuHawk, a multi-system emulator written in C#. It supports systems including Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony PlayStation, arcade machines, and DOS/Windows. The project is aimed at tool-assisted speedrunners, and EmuHawk can record and replay movies with rerecording for 45 or more systems. TAStudio provides a piano-roll workspace for composing movies, using savestates to rewind and adjust inputs. Other capabilities include save slots, named savestates, speed control, frame stepping, rewinding, screenshots, audio and video recording, and memory viewing, searching, and editing. Lua and C#.NET can control the frontend and cores programmatically, while keyboard, mouse, and gamepad hotkeys can be rebound. Installation instructions cover Windows and Unix. Linux builds target x86_64 CPUs and omit Mupen64Plus for N64. The project says current EmuHawk does not work on macOS and that BizHawk is unavailable on Android and iOS. Stable releases are recommended for work requiring stability, and support is available through project forums, Discord, GitHub, and troubleshooting guidance.
For and against
For
- Free plan and open-source project
- Records movies for 45 or more systems
- TAStudio supports savestate-based movie editing
- Includes memory viewing and editing tools
- Supports Lua and C#.NET scripting
Against
- Unavailable on Android and iOS
- Current EmuHawk does not work on macOS
- Linux build targets x86_64 CPUs
- Linux omits Mupen64Plus for N64
The verdict
BizHawk offers extensive recording, editing, debugging, and scripting features for tool-assisted emulation at no cost. Check the operating-system and Linux system limitations before choosing it.
Who it suits
BizHawk suits tool-assisted speedrunners and users who need recording, playback, debugging, scripting, and movie-editing tools across many emulated systems. It is available for Windows and Unix-based setups, with stated platform limits.
On the record
- Audience
- The project describes EmuHawk as made by and for tool-assisted speedrunners and calls it a first choice for TASers.tasvideos.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Common features
- Features include save slots and named savestates, speed control, frame stepping, rewinding, memory viewing and editing, screenshots, and audio and video recording.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Debugging and scripting
- The app provides memory viewing, searching, and editing, plus programmatic control through Lua or C#.NET.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Editing movies
- TAStudio is a piano-roll interface integrated with EmuHawk for composing movies, using savestates to rewind and adjust inputs.tasvideos.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- EmuHawk supports Lua and C#.NET scripting and has rebindable keyboard, mouse, and gamepad hotkeys.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository says the BizHawk team's original work is provided under the MIT License, while warning that repository licensing is heterogeneous and advising users to contact the team about licensing details.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Linux limits
- The Linux build is for x86_64 CPUs, and the README notes that Mupen64Plus (N64) is a notable omission on Linux.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Movie recording
- EmuHawk can make movies with rerecording for 45 or more systems.tasvideos.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Operating systems
- The current README provides installation instructions for Windows and Unix, and says BizHawk is unavailable for Android and iOS.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Product
- BizHawk is an emulation project whose EmuHawk app is a multi-system emulator written in C#.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- BizHawk is an emulation project whose EmuHawk app is a multi-system emulator with recording, playback, and debugging tools.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Recording and playback
- EmuHawk supports input recording to make tool-assisted speedrun movies.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Release stability
- The README recommends stable releases for work requiring stability, such as TASing, and development builds only when a specific change is needed.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Scripting
- The frontend and cores can be controlled programmatically with Lua or C#.NET.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Security policy
- The project lists versions 2.11 and 2.10 as supported, advises updating to the latest release, and accepts vulnerability reports through GitHub.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Security support
- The security policy lists versions 2.11 and 2.10 as supported and directs vulnerability reports to the BizHawk team on GitHub.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to its TASVideos subforum, Discord channels, GitHub issue tracker, and README troubleshooting information.tasvideos.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- System support
- The README lists support for systems including Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony PlayStation, arcade machines, and DOS/Windows.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
