Introduction

In this Launchbox tutorial, we will be covering the Capcom Play System (CPS) 1, 2, and 3. These arcade systems are home to some of the best arcade games ever released, including the popular Street Fighter series. If you’re a fan of these classic arcade games, this tutorial is for you.

Setting Up Retroarch

Before we get started, make sure you have Retroarch installed and set up on your system. If you haven’t done that yet, refer to our previous tutorial on how to set up Retroarch for the NeoGeo system. The link to that tutorial can be found in the video description.

Obtaining ROMs

To play CPS1, CPS2, and CPS3 games, you’ll need to have the ROMs for these systems. While we can’t provide direct links to where you can obtain these ROMs, a simple Google search for “CPS1 ROM set” or “Capcom Play System 1 ROM set” should give you plenty of options to choose from. Once you have the ROMs, save them to a location on your computer where you can easily access them.

Launching Retroarch

Now that you have Retroarch set up and the CPS ROMs ready, let’s launch Retroarch and configure it for CPS1 games.

  1. Open Retroarch and go to the “Online Updater” tab.
  2. Select “Core Updater” and scroll down to find “Arcade (FBA) Alpha 2012 CPS1”. Download this core.
  3. Next, go back to the main menu and select “Load Core”.
  4. Choose the “Arcade (FBA) Alpha 2012 CPS1” core.
  5. Now, you’re ready to load your CPS1 ROMs and play the games.

Setting Up Launchbox for CPS1

Launchbox is a great frontend that allows you to organize and launch your games from one central location. Here’s how to set up Launchbox for CPS1 games:

  1. Open Launchbox and make sure it’s updated to the latest version.
  2. Go to “Tools” and select “Import ROM Files”.
  3. Navigate to the folder where your CPS1 ROMs are stored and select all of them.
  4. Click “Next” and choose to create a new platform for CPS1 games.
  5. Enter a name for the platform, such as “Capcom Play System 1” or “CPS1”.
  6. Select “Scrape as arcade games”.
  7. Choose the emulator by clicking “Add Emulator” and navigating to your Retroarch executable file.
  8. Ensure that the “Extract ROM archives before running” option is unchecked.
  9. Click “OK” to create the platform and associate the emulator.
  10. Wait for Launchbox to finish importing and scraping the game metadata. This may take some time depending on your internet speed and server availability.
  11. Once the import is complete, you should see the CPS1 games listed in Launchbox.

Playing CPS1 Games in Launchbox

Now that your CPS1 games are set up in Launchbox, you can easily launch and play them:

  1. Open Launchbox and select the CPS1 platform.
  2. Browse through the game list and select a game to play.
  3. Ensure that your controller or keyboard is set up properly in Retroarch (refer to the previous tutorial for controller setup).
  4. Launch the game and enjoy playing your favorite CPS1 arcade games.

Setting Up Launchbox for CPS2 and CPS3

To set up Launchbox for CPS2 and CPS3 games, follow the same process as for CPS1 games with some minor adjustments:

  1. Open Launchbox and go to “Tools” > “Import ROM Files”.
  2. Navigate to the folder where your CPS2 or CPS3 ROMs are stored and select all of them.
  3. Choose to create a new platform for CPS2 or CPS3 games.
  4. Name the platform accordingly (e.g., “Capcom Play System 2”, “CPS2”).
  5. Select “Scrape as arcade games” and add the appropriate Retroarch emulator for CPS2 or CPS3.
  6. Ensure that the “Extract ROM archives before running” option is unchecked.
  7. Complete the import and scraping process for the games.

Playing CPS2 and CPS3 Games in Launchbox

Once your CPS2 and CPS3 games are set up in Launchbox, follow these steps to play them:

  1. Open Launchbox and select the CPS2 or CPS3 platform.
  2. Browse through the game list and choose a game to play.
  3. Make sure your controller or keyboard is properly set up in Retroarch.
  4. Launch the game and enjoy the classic CPS2 or CPS3 arcade experience.

Conclusion

With the help of Retroarch and Launchbox, you can easily set up and play CPS1, CPS2, and CPS3 arcade games on your computer. These systems are known for their iconic titles, such as the Street Fighter series, and offer a nostalgic gaming experience. Whether you’re a fan of arcade fighting games or classic arcade titles in general, this tutorial has provided you with the information and steps needed to enjoy these games on your PC. Remember to always use legally obtained ROMs and respect copyright laws. Enjoy gaming!