MiSTer
Open-source FPGA project recreating classic computers and consoles.
MiSTer, also referred to as MiSTer FPGA, is an open-source initiative focused on recreating classic computers, game consoles, and arcade machines using modern FPGA hardware. It runs software and video game images exactly as they would on the original systems, and supports peripherals like mice, keyboards, joysticks, and other game controllers.
The project was started by Alexey "Sorgelig" Melnikov and first appeared on GitHub in June 2017. It began as a port of the MIST project, which itself was an FPGA recreation of the Amiga and Atari ST computers. While developing and porting cores for MIST, Sorgelig had trouble getting a picture on his monitors and televisions because the MIST hardware only offered analog video output, while his displays all used HDMI. This led him to explore ways to get HDMI directly from an FPGA board, eventually resulting in the MiSTer project.
Unlike MIST, which used a custom-built FPGA board from Lotharek, Sorgelig chose to base his open-source project on a mass-produced board that anyone could easily obtain. He believed this would make development simpler and cheaper, and he settled on Terasic's DE10-Nano, which uses an Intel SoC FPGA. The name MiSTer originally stood for "MIST on Terasic board," but it is now just a simple name with no underlying meaning. The project is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.
In 2024, YouTuber Taki Udon released a lower-cost clone called the MiSTer Pi, based on an Altera Cyclone V FPGA board that is less expensive than the DE10-Nano. Its creators claim perfect compatibility with existing MiSTer cores and software.
The hardware revolves around the DE10-Nano, a general-purpose printed circuit board containing a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Contributors have developed various "cores" written in a hardware description language, each designed to configure the FPGA into a specific computer, handheld game console, or arcade system board. Unlike software-based emulators, MiSTer's cores replicate systems through hardware emulation.
While the platform works with just the basic DE10-Nano board, its capabilities can be greatly expanded with add-on boards.
- Creator
- Alexey "Sorgelig" Melnikov
- Initial release
- June 2017
- License
- GNU General Public Licence version 3
- Base hardware
- Terasic DE10-Nano (Intel SoC FPGA)
- Add-on boards
- SDRAM, USB hub, Analog I/O, Digital I/O, Real-time clock
Lore & Background
The MiSTer project was created by Alexey "Sorgelig" Melnikov and introduced on GitHub in June 2017. It originated as a port of the MIST project, which itself started as an FPGA recreation of the Amiga and Atari ST computers. While developing and porting cores for MIST, Sorgelig often struggled to get a picture on any of his monitors or televisions because the MIST hardware only featured analog video output, while all his monitors and TVs used HDMI. This led him to think about ways to get HDMI directly from an FPGA board, which eventually led to the MiSTer project.
Unlike MIST, which used a custom-built FPGA board from Lotharek, Sorgelig decided his open-source project should be based on a mass-produced board that anyone could pick up with ease. He settled on Terasic's DE10-Nano, built around the Intel SoC FPGA. MiSTer was initially named after the MIST project, whose name stands for "AMIga/ST"; MiSTer's name originally stood for "MIST on Terasic board." However, MiSTer is currently only a simple name without anything underneath.
In 2024, YouTuber Taki Udon released a lower-cost clone of the MiSTer using an Altera Cyclone V FPGA-based board that is less expensive than the DE10 Nano. The project is called the MiSTer Pi and its creators claim to have perfect compatibility with existing MiSTer cores and software.
Reader's Guide
The MiSTer project revolves around a general-purpose printed circuit board by Terasic called the DE10-Nano, which incorporates a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Contributors developed various "cores" designed to run on the DE10-Nano, written in a hardware description language. Each core configures the FPGA into a specific computer, handheld game console, or arcade system board. Unlike a software-based emulator, MiSTer's cores replicate systems through hardware emulation.
While the MiSTer platform can be used with just the basic DE10-Nano board, its features can be greatly expanded with additional hardware expansions. Available add-on boards include an SDRAM add-on board (required for several cores, with 128MB recommended for full compatibility), a USB hub add-on board providing six USB 2.0 ports, an Analog I/O add-on board with VGA output and analog audio, a Digital I/O board with optical audio, and a real-time clock add-on board.
Dozens of game consoles, arcade systems, and microcomputers have supported cores, including many popular 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit systems. Supported systems span the second through fifth generations of consoles, handheld consoles, and numerous microcomputers such as the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and IBM PC compatible systems.
Did You Know?
- The project's name originally stood for 'MIST on Terasic board' but is now simply a name without an acronym.
- In 2024, a lower-cost clone called the MiSTer Pi was released using an Altera Cyclone V FPGA board.
- The 128MB SDRAM add-on board is required for operation of several cores, including some Neo Geo and Game Boy Advance games.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MiSTer?
MiSTer is an open-source FPGA project that rebuilds the original logic of classic computers, game consoles, and arcade cabinets on modern programmable silicon. Rather than interpreting code in software, it lets the target system's programs execute exactly as they would on the real hardware.
Who created MiSTer and when did it launch?
Alexey "Sorgelig" Melnikov started the project as a port of the earlier MIST FPGA work and first pushed it to GitHub in June 2017. It has since grown into a community-driven platform with a large library of system cores.
What base hardware does MiSTer run on?
The core board is a Terasic DE10-Nano built around an Intel SoC FPGA. Users can attach optional add-on boards for extra SDRAM, a USB hub, analog and digital I/O, and a real-time clock to expand functionality.
What peripherals can you connect to MiSTer?
The system accepts a broad range of original inputs, including mice, keyboards, joysticks, and various game controllers. This lets you interact with a recreated console or computer using the same physical devices the system was originally designed around.
How is MiSTer different from a typical software emulator?
A software emulator interprets the target CPU's instructions on a modern processor, while MiSTer reconstructs the actual gate-level logic of the original board on a programmable FPGA. The result is cycle-accurate execution on dedicated silicon rather than a software simulation layer.
More in Video Game Consoles by Generation, Part 4 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced