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Working With Games

Once your systems are in place, this is where the setup starts feeling like your own. HyperHQ lets you import games, clean up the list, fix metadata, and shape the wheel into something that is easy to browse.

On this page​

Import and rescan games​

When a system has valid ROM paths and file extensions, HyperHQ can scan those folders and turn matching files into game entries.

What a normal import looks like​

  1. Add or edit a system
  2. Set the ROM folders and file extensions
  3. Save the system
  4. Open that system's Games view
  5. Let HyperHQ scan and populate the list

For most setups, that's enough to get the first pass done.

Rescanning after you add more files​

If you drop new ROMs into an existing folder later, use Rescan Games from the system's games view.

A rescan is the quick way to:

  • pick up new files
  • avoid rebuilding the whole system by hand
  • keep working system by system instead of starting over

In practice, it works best as an add-new-stuff pass. If you've done major file moves or renamed a lot of ROMs outside HyperHQ, give the results a quick check after the scan.

Multi-file games​

Some systems launch from more than one file. Disc-based setups are the usual example.

In the game's file field, separate files with | when you need to reference more than one file, like this:

game.cue|game.bin

Put the main launch file first. For most disc images, that's the .cue file.

Browse and search your library​

Once a system is populated, the games list becomes your main work area.

What you can do from the list​

Depending on the view and the data you already have, the list can help you:

  • scan names quickly
  • sort by columns
  • search within the current system
  • spot missing or messy entries
  • jump into a game's edit screen

This is the fastest way to clean up a newly imported set.

Search tips that actually help​

If you're working with a big arcade set or a messy folder dump:

  • search by partial names first
  • then sort by filename if the display names look wrong
  • fix a few obvious entries before doing media downloads

That order saves time. Media work is easier after the library names are in decent shape.

If your build includes Spotlight Search, use it when you already know the game you want and just need to jump there fast.

Use the normal games-list search when you want to stay inside one system and clean up a batch of entries.

Edit game details​

Click a game to open its details. This is where you turn a raw file list into a proper library.

Common fields worth fixing first​

Start with the fields that make the biggest difference in the wheel:

  • Name
  • Description
  • Year
  • Manufacturer
  • Genre
  • Players
  • Region
  • Language

You do not need every field perfect. A clean name, sensible year, and basic genre cleanup goes a long way.

Move through games without backing out​

If you're doing a cleanup pass, use the built-in Previous and Next controls instead of closing each game and reopening the next one.

That makes a big difference when you're fixing a few dozen entries in a row.

Local filename still matters​

Even if you rename the visible game title, keep an eye on the original file name. It's still useful for:

  • matching artwork manually
  • checking launch issues
  • spotting duplicate dumps
  • figuring out which version of a game you really imported

Organize the wheel​

A complete ROM set is rarely the best wheel. HyperHQ gives you a few ways to clean up the visible list without losing the underlying files.

Favorites​

Use favorites for the games you actually come back to.

Good uses for favorites:

  • making a quick keepers list after a full import
  • building a cabinet-friendly short list
  • finding your regular rotation without browsing everything

Hide or disable games​

If a set includes clones, junk, broken dumps, or regional variants you do not want to browse every day, hide or disable them instead of deleting everything outright.

That works well for:

  • duplicate regions
  • bad dumps or partial sets
  • BIOS-adjacent clutter you do not want visible
  • test entries you want to keep around temporarily

If your build shows hidden entries in a separate filtered view, use that view as your parking lot instead of throwing things away too early.

Clean the wheel, not the archive

For big sets, keep the files if you want, but keep the visible wheel focused. A setup with 150 games you like is usually better than a setup with 8,000 entries you never scroll through.

Collections​

Collections are useful when you want groups that cut across systems.

A few practical examples:

  • light-gun games
  • couch co-op games
  • fighters
  • shmups
  • games for kids
  • short-session arcade games

For the full workflow, see Creating Collections.

Wheel Manager​

Use Wheel Manager when you want more control over the order and structure of the visible wheel.

It's handy for:

  • reordering games manually
  • grouping related entries
  • building parent-child structures
  • tuning a curated system that is meant to feel deliberate rather than alphabetical

If you're curating a featured list, do that work after names and visibility are already cleaned up. Otherwise you end up reordering entries you're going to hide later.

Use manuals and save states​

These two features are easy to miss, but both are genuinely useful in a finished setup.

Viewing manuals​

If you already have manuals in your media set, HyperHQ can surface them from the game's media area.

Manual support is especially nice for:

  • older console games with weird controls
  • DOS and computer titles
  • arcade games with move lists or cabinet cards
  • showing off a complete collection

If you use EmuMovies, manual availability depends on your account tier and on whether that game actually has a manual in the source library.

Save states​

HyperHQ includes save state management for supported emulators, including:

  • RetroArch
  • OpenEmu
  • RetroBat
  • BizHawk

The exact save-state experience depends on the emulator. Some expose richer metadata than others.

In general, HyperHQ can help you:

  • see existing save states
  • organize them by game or core where supported
  • delete old save states when needed
  • launch back into a game from a save state in supported setups
Save states are great, but not forever

Save states are perfect for testing, short sessions, and picking up exactly where you left off. For anything important long term, keep normal in-game saves too. Emulator updates and core changes can break old save states.

Work with game-level overrides​

Sometimes one game needs different behavior than the rest of the system.

Marquee overrides​

If you're using a marquee display, HyperHQ supports game-level marquee control.

That is useful when:

  • one game has good marquee art and another does not
  • you want to force marquee behavior on a favorite title
  • a specific game looks better falling back to wheel art or background art

The basic pattern is still the same: broader settings live higher up, and game-level settings are where you break the rules on purpose.

HyperOverlay overrides​

HyperOverlay timing can also be adjusted more precisely when needed.

Good cases for overrides:

  • party setups where guests need more time to read the overlay
  • arcade systems where you want the overlay to disappear fast
  • individual games that deserve a slightly longer intro moment

Handle large ROM sets​

This is where being selective pays off.

A practical approach for full sets​

For MAME or other large libraries, this workflow usually works best:

  1. import everything once
  2. search for obvious duplicates and bad entries
  3. hide the entries you never want visible
  4. favorite the games you actually play
  5. download media for the cleaned-up list first
  6. come back for the deep cuts later

That keeps the setup moving instead of turning into a long cleanup project.

Keep your priorities straight​

When a set is huge, focus on:

  • launchable games first
  • clean names second
  • visible wheel quality third
  • exhaustive metadata last

Trying to perfect every field for every game at the start is how people stall out.

Remove or hide games​

There is a big difference between removing a game entry from HyperHQ and deleting your actual ROM files.

Hide first, delete later​

If you're not sure, hide or disable the entry first.

That gives you room to:

  • test a cleaner wheel
  • recover something you changed your mind about
  • avoid deleting a useful unusual file by mistake

When deleting makes sense​

Removing a game entry is reasonable when:

  • it was imported by mistake
  • it is a bad duplicate you know you do not need
  • you are rebuilding that system's library deliberately

If a game disappears unexpectedly after a cleanup pass, check these things first:

  • the ROM file still exists
  • the file extension matches the system settings
  • the game is not hidden
  • the launch file for a multi-file entry is still correct

A few good cleanup habits​

  • Fix names before downloading lots of media.
  • Hide junk before you start hand-curating wheel order.
  • Use favorites for real keepers, not as a temporary todo list.
  • Keep manual entries for custom launchers and weird edge cases.
  • Treat giant ROM sets like a long-term curation project, not a one-night sprint.

What's next?​

Once the games list looks right, move on to Managing Media so the setup looks as good as it plays.

If you want themed groups across systems, head to Creating Collections.