Development Tools/Software
Emulation
| Name | Creator | Description |
|---|---|---|
ares Emulator 1.04 - 1.png)  1.02 - 1.png) |
ares Team +MegaLD support by Nemesis +LDROM2 support by Nemesis |
The (currently upcoming) ares v149 release is the recommended way to play LaserActive titles, and will be made available on the official releases section. Until that release is available, it is strongly recommended to use this unofficial build, which contains significant performance improvements and bugfixes over previous releases. MegaLD and LDROM2 emulation support was built from extensive reverse-engineering of the register interface of the Pioneer PD6103A IC using the MegaLDRegEditor program below on real hardware, and most aspects of the hardware are emulated fully and correctly at this time. This is the first LaserActive emulator capable of booting and running games, and currently supports all titles available for download here, with no known differences from the real hardware. This serves as a reference implementation for other emulators to follow. Notes: -Bios files are required to play, and can be found here. Select them in ares under “Settings->Firmware”. -Load games by selecting “Load->Pioneer” from the main menu. -Define your input keys under “Settings->Input” -Laserdiscs have more than one side. For games that have content on the second side (IE, JB Harold), you can change sides under “LaserActive->Change Sides” in the main menu. -It is strongly recommended to run games off a solid-state drive for best performance. -Any reasonably modern mid to high end PC should achieve full framerates during gameplay. -Games are stored in a new .mmi (Mixed Media Image) file format, which contains the full analog audio, video, and digital content in a single file. This can be loaded directly into ares. The MMI format has internal compression support to reduce filesize, while allowing rapid retrieval required for realtime emulation. -You can achieve up to a 30% reduction in filesize by compressing mmi files again in various standard compression formats, however mmi files cannot be loaded directly from a compressed archive. History: -MegaLD (Sega) support added to ares in v146 -LDRom2 (NEC) support added to ares in v147 -Broken in v148 - Do not use -Fixed and fully working in (currently upcoming) ares v149 |
Standard Titles
| Name | Creator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Museum (J) - PEASJ1012 2025-09-22 Release - 77GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ1012 - 1.png)  - PEASJ1012 - 2.png) |
Multimedia Creators Network | Not a game. This is effectively a clip show of various CGI scenes and captured video, designed to be primarily viewed using red/green stereoscopic glasses (which were included with the disc), or in full colour with the LaserActive shutter glasses 3D goggles accessory. This is a novelty title showcasing 3D imagery at a time when it wasn’t commonly seen, and a demo of the 3D capabilities of the system. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Back to the Edo (J) - PEASJ5021 2026-07-31 Release - 34GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5021 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5021 - 2.png) |
JP Multimedia Entertainment | A Japanese edutainment title, where you answer trivia questions about the Edo period of Japan’s history. No English text or audio are available. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Demon’s Judgment (J) - PEANJ5003 2025-09-22 Release - 37GB torrent (NEC)  - PEANJ5003 - 1.png)  - PEANJ5003 - 2.png) |
Planet | A strange title, exclusively in Japanese. From what I’ve read elsewhere, it’s a kind of “quiz” game which involves “Demon Kogure”, a Japanese entertainer, posing scenarios in which you make choises, and then watching monologues of him telling you why your choices show you’re a terrible person. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Don Quixote - A Dream in Seven Crystals (U) - PEASU5022 2025-09-22 Release - 32GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASU5022 - 1.png)  - PEASU5022 - 2.png) |
Premier International Corporation | A dungeon crawling RPG, with a reasonably complex story, investigative elements, and open-ended travel. Well worth a look. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Ghost Rush! (U) - PEASU1018 2026-07-31 Release - 32GB torrent (Sega) Ghost Rush! (J) - PEASJ1018 2025-08-19 Release - 32GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ1018 - 1.png)  - PEASJ1018 - 2.png) |
Hary & Company | A dungeon crawler through a haunted mansion where you try and capture ghosts. A quirky and reasonably well done title. Region free, multi-language. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Goku (J) - PEASJ1010 2025-08-19 Release - 36GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ1010 - 1.png)  - PEASJ1010 - 2.png) |
Multimedia Creators Network | Edutainment title exploring the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Region free, however discs are not multi-language, with baked-in language matching their region. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Hi-Roller Battle (U) - PEASU1002 2025-08-19 Release - 33GB torrent (Sega) Hi-Roller Battle (J) - PEASJ1002 2025-09-22 Release - 31GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASU1002 - 1.png)  - PEASU1002 - 2.png) |
CRC Research Institute | A fairly sub-par rail shooter with below-average gameplay, and disappointing in-game visuals. It has intro footage taken from high quality recordings which have been properly converted however, making the intro of this game one of the better examples of how good FMV sequences could look on the hardware. Region free. Currently unknown if language differs between region. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Hyperion (U) - PEASU5019 2025-08-19 Release - 31GB torrent (Sega) Hyperion (J) - PEASJ5019 2025-08-19 Release - 32GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASU5019 - 1.png)  - PEASU5019 - 2.png) |
Taito | Quite a well done Star Fox-style rail shooter, where you control the movements of a craft on the screen within a flight route on rails, dodging scene elements rendered via the analog video which can damage your craft. Coming out over two years before Star Fox 64, this is probably the most impressive rail shooter of this form from the era. Region free, however voices/text are English in both regions. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| I Will - The Story of London (U) - PEASU1001 2026-07-31 Release - 90GB torrent (Sega) I Will - The Story of London (J) - PEASJ1001 2025-09-22 Release - 97GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ1001 - 1.png)  - PEASJ1001 - 2.png) |
CRC Research Institute | A full-motion video investigative mystery game where you search for clues inside video sequences in areas around London and greater England. You have a time and money limit, and need to find clues in the right sequence to progress, without running out of money or time. Quirky, with laughably bad acting at times. Would have been virtually impossible to finish on the actual system, but with the help of savestates and a lot of time it should be possible now. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| J.B. Harold - Blue Chicago Blues (J) - PEASJ5036 2025-08-19 Release - 134GB torrent (Sega) J.B. Harold - Blue Chicago Blues (J) - PEANJ5017 2026-07-31 Release - 134GB torrent (NEC)  - PEASJ5036 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5036 - 2.png) |
Riverhill Soft | Follow-up to J.B. Harold - Manhattan Requiem, this time with full FMV. This is a FMV murder mystery detective game, with a surprising amount of freedom. You have control over where to go, what actions to take, and what questions to ask. This title came on a double-sided CLV disc, giving it four times the video content of a typical single-sided CAV LaserActive title. The game also used separate video streams per field, to squeeze a whopping 4 hours of footage into one disc. You pay for this in file size though - this title is considerably larger than most other LaserActive games. Region free, multi-language. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| J.B. Harold - Manhattan Requiem (U) - PEANU5004 2026-07-31 Release - 62GB torrent (NEC) J.B. Harold - Manhattan Requiem (J) - PEANJ5004 2026-07-31 Release - 63GB torrent (NEC)  - PEANJ5004 - 1.png)  - PEANJ5004 - 2.png) |
Riverhill Soft | First J.B. Harold title, a complex murder mystery detective game. Unlike the sequel, this does not use FMV for the actual gameplay, just the intro. Still images are used for the game itself. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. Also note that this title in particular has extra noise on the current rip which degrades picture quality. This will be rectified in a later release. |
| Melon Brains (U) - PEASU1011 2026-07-31 Release - 106GB torrent (Sega) Melon Brains (J) - PEASJ1011 2026-07-31 Release - 108GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ1011 - 1.png)  - PEASJ1011 - 2.png) |
Multimedia Creators Network | Edutainment title talking about all things related to Dolphins, covering things like physiology, communication, social structure, habitat, etc. Includes video interviews with researchers, as well as documentary footage, animations, 3D generated content, etc. Region free, however discs are not multi-language, with baked-in language matching their region. This title is interesting, in that it’s a two-sided release which uses CAV on side A for the main content, while using CLV on side B, which mostly contains long ambient videos. This title is advertised as supporting 3D goggles, but makes very limited use of it. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Myst B Test (U) - 02-111 (Prototype) 2025-08-19 Release - 32GB torrent (Sega)  - 02-111 (Prototype) - 1.png)  - 02-111 (Prototype) - 2.png) |
Cyan Sunsoft |
The first of the two LaserActive Myst prototypes known to exist. This game is generally more broken than the second beta, with multiple instances of incorrect footage being shown, and the main menu not showing. It does however not have as many long video sequences which fail to stop at the correct point in time. Generally the second prototype is better for playing however. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Myst B2 Test (U) - 02-110 (Prototype) 2025-08-10 Release - 33GB torrent (Sega)  - 02-110 (Prototype) - 1.png)  - 02-110 (Prototype) - 2.png) |
Cyan Sunsoft |
The second of the two LaserActive Myst prototypes known to exist. This game is one of the most advanced uses of the LaserActive hardware, making extensive use of single-frame or short animation sequences, looping sequences, and overlapping up to four distinct video streams with audio in the same disc regions. Being a prototype, the game contains numerous errors, which also occur on the real hardware. Some notes to help with playing this title: -Due to a game logic bug, video sequences which use frame skipping often play either 2x or 4x longer than they are supposed to, causing random following video data to appear on the screen. This happens for the main game introduction, as well as for many animation sequences in game. If you are patient, the “overrun” will eventually finish and the game will return to its correct position. This issue is likely fairly simple to fix as a hack, but it makes the game difficult to play currently. -Unless you select a language, the game runs in a broken mix of English and Japanese. Set the language when starting a new game to correct this. -The cursor can disappear in the pause menu. Be careful where you click. -The game save feature appears to be non-functional. |
| Pyramid Patrol (U) - PEASU5001 2025-08-10 Release - 28GB torrent (Sega) Pyramid Patrol (J) - PEASJ5001 2025-08-19 Release - 31GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASU5001 - 1.png)  - PEASU5001 - 2.png) |
Taito | Quite well done on-rails shooter, with some limited branching. Fairly difficult. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Quiz Econosaurus (J) - PEANJ5001 2025-09-22 Release - 31GB torrent (NEC)  - PEANJ5001 - 1.png)  - PEANJ5001 - 2.png) |
Hudson Soft | A quiz game on the impacts of humans on the natural environment. Region free, multi-language. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Road Prosecutor (U) - PEASU1033 2026-07-31 Release - 34GB torrent (Sega) Road Blaster (J) - PEASJ1033 2025-09-22 Release - 34GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ1033 - 1.png)  - PEASJ1033 - 2.png) |
Data East | An animated quick time event (QTE) game in the style of Dragon’s Lair, with on-screen prompts to guide your actions. Renamed to “Road Prosecutor” when running in the US region. Region free, multi-language. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Rocket Coaster (U) - PEASU5013 2025-08-10 Release - 32GB torrent (Sega) Rocket Coaster (J) - PEASJ5013 2025-09-22 Release - 33GB torrent (Sega) Rocket Coaster (J) - DB037 (Demo) 2025-09-22 Release - 33GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASU5013 - 1.png)  - PEASU5013 - 2.png) |
Taito | Racing simulator. No branching, but makes advanced use of video playback speed control, including playing in reverse. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Space Berserker (U) - PEASU1003 2025-08-10 Release - 28GB torrent (Sega) Space Berserker (J) - PEASJ1003 2025-08-19 Release - 28GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASU1003 - 1.png)  - PEASU1003 - 2.png) |
Hary & Company | Fairly average on-rails shooter, with no branching. Region free and multi-language, however the Japan release fails to play Mega Drive sounds under the US bios. Run with the Japan bios instead, or use the US version of the game, which works fine under either the US or Japan bios. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| The Great Pyramid (U) - PEASU5002 2026-07-31 Release - 70GB torrent (Sega) The Great Pyramid (J) - PEASJ5002 2025-09-22 Release - 72GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5002 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5002 - 2.png) |
CRC Research Institute | Edutainment title allowing you to explore the history of ancient Egypt, with video sequences showing the pyramids, and numerous other historic sites in Egypt. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Time Gal (J) - PEASJ5039 2025-08-19 Release - 36GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5039 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5039 - 2.png) |
Taito | An animated quick time event (QTE) game in the style of Dragon’s Lair, with on-screen prompts to guide your actions. Region free, but only made available in Japan with Japanese voices. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Triad Stone (U) - PEASU5014 2025-08-19 Release - 34GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASU5014 - 1.png)  - PEASU5014 - 2.png) |
Data East | An animated quick time event (QTE) game in the style of Dragon’s Lair, with on-screen prompts to guide your actions. Region free, multi-language. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Vajra (U) - PEANU1001 2026-07-31 Release - 29GB torrent (NEC) Vajra (J) - PEANJ1001 2025-08-19 Release - 29GB torrent (NEC)  - PEANJ1001 - 1.png)  - PEANJ1001 - 2.png) |
Data West | A rails shooter, but one which seems to consist entirely of a series of long mech-style boss fights in one stage after the other. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Vajra 2 (J) - PEANJ1016 2025-09-22 Release - 59GB torrent (NEC)  - PEANJ1016 - 1.png)  - PEANJ1016 - 2.png) |
Data West | Rather different from the original Vajra, this one is a more traditional rails shooter with smaller enemies followed by stage bosses, more like Pyramid Patrol. This game is probably the best use of CGI video on the platform, with smooth video sequences featuring bump mapping and complex lighting, which would have been extremely impressive for the time. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
Adult Titles
| Name | Creator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Angel Mate (J) - PEANJ5002 2026-07-31 Release - 27GB torrent (NEC)  - PEANJ5002 - 1.png) |
Planet | Strip poker title, where the more you win, the more revealing the videos become. While still 90s Japanese soft-core, this is the most explicit adult title. |
| Beautiful Illusion Collection - Volume 1 - Minayo Watanabe (J) - PEASJ5026 2026-07-31 Release - 33GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5026 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5026 - 2.png) |
WiZ | Effectively a clip show of a revealing photo shoot with Minayo Watanabe. The name for this title is particularly hard to translate, as it uses Japanese word-play and a kind of made-up word. A literal translation would be something like “Bi-llusion Collection”, or “Beautiful Illusion Collection” to best adapt it to English, however in Japanese it sounds almost identical to “Beautiful Girl Collection”, a well understood term from the adult media of the time meaning a collection of provocative/adult images of women. |
| Beautiful Illusion Collection - Volume 2 - Yuko Sakaki (J) - PEASJ5029 2026-07-31 Release - 31GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5029 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5029 - 2.png) |
WiZ | Same kind of thing as the first title, with Yuko Sakaki instead. |
| Dora Dora Paradise (J) - PEANJ5005 2026-07-31 Release - 35GB torrent (NEC)  - PEANJ5005 - 1.png)  - PEANJ5005 - 2.png) |
Planet | Effectively strip mahjong. |
| Dr. Paulo’s Special Videos (J) - PEASJ5030 2026-07-31 Release - 35GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5030 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5030 - 2.png) |
JP Multimedia Entertainment | Extremely creepy Japanese soft-core title, where a lecherous old man shares more of the videos he’s recorded of unawares victims in compromising scenarios, if you can prove you’re as perverted as he is. |
| Murderous Decisions - Zapping Requested (J) - PEASJ5024 2025-09-22 Release - 126GB torrent (Sega) Murderous Decisions - Zapping Requested (J) - PEANJ5023 2026-07-31 Release - 119GB torrent (NEC)  - PEASJ5024 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5024 - 2.png) |
JP Multimedia Entertainment | Not a game at all. This is in fact the 1991 German TV film “Murderous Decisions”, but there’s a twist here. The original film was an experimental film, where there are two distinct versions of the film, each shot from the unique perspective of its two main protagonists. The film was originally aired precisely the same time on two separate german TV networks, with viewers encouraged to actively switch between the channels during the film, to choose a protagonist to follow when they separated, or had different views of the same scene. This kind of “channel surfing” was also known as “zapping”, hence the secondary title. This movie uses the features of the LaserActive to allow you to switch between the perspectives of the two characters with a press of a button, as well as switch between Japanese and English for each separate version of the film, with the two separate video streams and four separate audio streams all layered together. This allows the original experience of the TV broadcast to be re-created, while also allowing you to pause and rewind. Note that as you might expect from a 90’s experimental European film production looking for attention, this game is not suitable for young audiences. It contains profanity, drug use, violence, murder, suicide, nudity, and sex scenes. Not suitable for your next live stream. Region free, multi-language. Note that this is an initial release. Analog video quality improvements will come later, as more copies are ripped and stacked together to correct errors. |
| Virtual Cameraman (J) - PEASJ5015 2026-07-31 Release - 35GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5015 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5015 - 2.png) |
Transpegasus Limited | Pervy Japanese soft-core title where you go up to random young women on the street and try and convince them to let you take pictures of them in increasingly revealing scenarios. The more sexualized the photos, the more they’re happy to go along with it for some reason. |
| Virtual Cameraman 2 (J) - PEASJ5020 2026-07-31 Release - 37GB torrent (Sega)  - PEASJ5020 - 1.png)  - PEASJ5020 - 2.png) |
Transpegasus Limited | More of the same from the first title. |
Original Tools
| Name | Creator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PAC-PC1 Program Editor | Pioneer | Official software to communicate with the LaserActive over the PAC-PC1 interface, using IBM DOS or PC98. |
Community Tools
| Name | Creator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DumpMegaLD | Nemesis | A Mode 1 MegaCD ROM with source, capable of initializing the Laserdisc hardware from the PAC-S1/S10 device, and performing a rip of the digital content of a MegaLD/LDROM2 disc over the second controller port. Full raw sector data and subcode extraction supported. This is obsolete with full RF capture and decoding techniques. |
| MegaLDRegEditor | Nemesis | A Mode 1 MegaCD ROM with source, capable of initializing the Laserdisc hardware from the PAC-S1/S10 device, and allowing full interactive reading/writing to the PD6103A IC register block, which is what bridges the MegaCD hardware in the PAC-S1/S10 with the LaserActive system. The presence of this chip and the features it provides is the only thing that makes the PAC-S1/S10 meaningfully different from a standalone Mega Drive with a MegaCD attached. |
| LDBIOS.INC | Nemesis | Reverse-engineered BIOS routine entry points for the MegaLD bios on the PAC-S1/S10, in the same format and style as the CDBIOS.INC file from the official MegaCD SDK, however this is not an official file provided by Sega. In addition to the BIOS routines, the header contains detailed notes on efforts to reverse-engineer the functionality of the PD6103A IC register block. The information contained in this document is sufficient to make an attempt at emulating the LaserActive hardware, using a working MegaCD emulator as a base. This file would enable the development of custom MegaLD titles, as well as assist with the reverse-engineering of the LaserActive bios and LaserActive games. Note that this file is currently out of date. Updated notes with new and corrected information can be found in source comments within the ares fork listed above. |