Saturn Save Converter
Open Sega Saturn backup memory from Mednafen (.bkr or gzipped .bcr), RetroArch Beetle Saturn, Yabause or a plain memory image, and download it in another of those forms. Single .BUP saves can be added to the memory or taken out of it. The memory is checked for the "BackUpRam Format" header first.
Or drop them here. They are read on this device and never uploaded.
Which Saturn save formats does it convert?
The Saturn has 32 KB of internal backup memory in 64-byte blocks. The Power Memory cartridge adds 512 KB in 512-byte blocks. Emulators store the same memory with different wrapping.
| Format | Files | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| Internal memory | .bkr (32 KB) | Mednafen, plain dumps |
| Cartridge memory | .bcr (512 KB, gzipped) | Mednafen standalone |
| Cartridge memory | .bcr (512 KB, plain) | RetroArch Beetle Saturn |
| Single save | .BUP | SAROO, Pseudo Saturn, save sharing sites |
| Byte-expanded memory | .bin (64 KB or 1 MB) | Yabause |
| Plain memory image | .bin | save tools, cartridge dumps |
How to convert a Saturn save
Open your save
Drop the .bkr, .bcr or Yabause file.
Check what was found
The converter names the format it found and lists the saves inside, with any problem it spotted in the file.
Pick the format you need
Press the emulator you are moving to. The saves inside are not changed.
Copy it into place
Put the downloaded file where your emulator or device keeps its saves, using the name the game expects.
To add a .BUP save, drop it together with the memory file and download the memory again. A save with the same name is replaced. Drop .BUP files on their own and they go into freshly formatted internal memory, or cartridge memory when they do not fit. To take one save out, pick it in the list and press This save as .BUP.
How do Mednafen and Yabause files differ?
Mednafen keeps internal memory as plain bytes in a .bkr and gzips the cartridge memory into a .bcr. RetroArch's Beetle Saturn core uses the same names but reads only a plain .bcr. Yabause stores memory byte-expanded, with a 0xFF byte before each data byte, which doubles the size. Converting between them only changes the wrapping.
Other save converters
- PS1 Save Converter: Memory cards (.mcr, .mcd, .srm), PSP and Vita .VMP, DexDrive .gme, PS3 .PSV and single saves.
- PS2 Save Converter: PCSX2 .ps2 cards, EMS .psu, Action Replay .max, CodeBreaker .cbs and PS3 .PSV.
- N64 Save Converter: EEPROM, SRAM, FlashRAM and Controller Pak saves, RetroArch .srm, EverDrive 64 and DexDrive .n64.
- GBA Save Converter: Raw .sav, RetroArch .srm, GameShark .sps and .gsv, Action Replay .xps, with resizing.
- DS Save Converter: Raw .sav, DeSmuME .dsv and Action Replay .duc / .dss, with trimming and padding.
- GameCube Save Converter: Single .gci, GameShark .gcs and MaxDrive .sav saves, and whole Dolphin .raw cards.
- Game Boy Save Converter: GB and GBC .sav and .srm, with the MBC3 real-time clock carried across.
- SNES Save Converter: .srm and .sav for emulators and flash carts, Retron 5 saves, resizing.
- Genesis Save Converter: Gens and Kega Fusion, RetroArch Genesis Plus GX, Retrode, MiSTer and MegaSD saves.
- Dreamcast Save Converter: VMU images, Nexus .DCI saves and .VMS with .VMI pairs.
Frequently asked questions
Can one save be taken out of the backup memory?
Yes. Pick the save in the list and download it as a .BUP file. The same file can be added to another memory image later.
Does it read Yaba Sanshiro files?
No. Yaba Sanshiro uses an 8 MB layout that would need the saves rebuilt into a different block size.
Does Mednafen accept a .bcr made here?
Yes. Standalone Mednafen reads the gzipped .bcr. RetroArch's Beetle Saturn reads only the plain .bcr, which loaded in a real game in our test.