macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install blastemlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 8315
Install blastem with Homebrew, apt, Nix
Fast and accurate Genesis emulator. Version 0.6.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-10. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install blastem.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install blastemDebian stable package indexes · blastem · source: deb.debian.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#blastemnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/bl/blastem/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Fast and accurate Genesis emulator
Project links
Commands and aliases
- blastem
history
Project history and usage
BlastEm is a Sega Genesis/Mega Drive emulator packaged as a native command-line and GUI-capable emulator. Its niche is fast, accurate emulation with enough low-level tooling to appeal to both players and homebrew/debugging users.
Project history
The official site presents BlastEm as a fast and accurate Genesis emulator. The upstream README for the 0.6.x series documents both a GUI menu and command-line use, plus configuration, lock-on support, VDP debugging views, oscilloscope visualization, screenshots, video recording, and VGM logging.
Adoption history
BlastEm's package adoption is modest but broad for an emulator: the input package facts list Homebrew, Debian, Nix, and Ubuntu. That pattern fits emulator tooling that is useful on desktops and in reproducible retro-development setups, even without the mass visibility of larger emulator suites.
How it is used
Users can launch BlastEm with no ROM to enter the menu, pass a ROM path on the command line, or use command-line options for operations that are not exposed through the GUI. Configuration is read from `~/.config/blastem/blastem.cfg` on Unix-like systems.
Why package nerds care
The interesting packaging angle is that BlastEm is not just a game launcher. It ships as a small native emulator with debug-oriented features, making it useful for retro-game development and validation where command-line launch and stable config paths matter.
Timeline
- Pre-0.4.1: BlastEm used Unix-style config and save-file locations on Windows.
- 0.6.x: README documents GUI menu access, command-line operation, lock-on support, and debugging/video/VGM features.
Related projects
- Related projects include other Genesis/Mega Drive emulators, Sega CD emulation tooling, VGM logging tools, and retro-development workflows for testing ROMs.
Sources
- https://www.retrodev.com/blastem
- https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html
- https://www.retrodev.com/repos/blastem/file/tip/README
- input source_facts.package-manager
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.config/blastem/blastem.cfg- Windows
%localappdata%\blastem\blastem.cfg
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
blastem | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version0.6.2
manager updated2026-07-10
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:blastem |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.6.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/ |
| Last updated | 2026-07-10T11:22:22-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
blastem 0.6.3.4-3
Fast and accurate Genesis emulator
https://www.retrodev.com/blastem
sudo apt install blastem- Section: games
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Blastem
Nix95%
blastem
nix profile install nixpkgs#blastem- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Blastem
Ubuntu apt95%
blastem 0.6.3.4-1build1
Fast and accurate Genesis emulator
https://www.retrodev.com/blastem
sudo apt install blastem- Section: universe/games
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Blastem
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation