Opal Emu MCP
Server Configuration
Describes the environment variables required to run the server.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Instructions
Guidance the server publishes about itself, which clients place ahead of the tool catalog so the model reads it before choosing anything.
This server publishes no instructions, or was last inspected before Glama recorded them.
Capabilities
Features and capabilities supported by this server
Protocol revision2025-11-25
| Capability | Details |
|---|---|
| tools | {
"listChanged": true
} |
| resources | {
"listChanged": true
} |
Tools
Functions exposed to the LLM to take actions
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| list_romsA | Lists ROM files available on the server (from its --roms-dir). Use the returned "name" with load_rom. |
| load_romA | Loads a ROM into the emulator and starts the game, paused, ready for the next tool call. Provide either "name" (from list_roms) or "romBase64" + "fileName" for a ROM not in the library. Returns the first screenshot once the game has booted — this can take a while the first time a system's core is downloaded. |
| reset_emulatorA | Hard-resets the currently loaded game (equivalent to a console reset button). Returns a fresh screenshot. |
| get_current_screenA | Captures the current emulator frame as a PNG image, without changing emulator state. |
| control_emulatorA | Presses or releases a controller button. The emulator briefly resumes just long enough for the input to register, then pauses again — so it never runs unattended while you're "thinking". To hold a direction across multiple skip_frames() calls, send state="down" once and state="up" later. |
| skip_framesA | Advances the emulator by exactly N core-internal frames (frame-accurate, not wall-clock), then pauses and returns a fresh screenshot. Use this to let held inputs or animations play out. Above ~180 frames, native fast-forward is used so long waits do not block on real time. |
Prompts
Interactive templates invoked by user choice
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
No prompts | |
Resources
Contextual data attached and managed by the client
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| OpalEmu Viewer | Live view of the emulator screen with on-screen controls. |
TDQS
Scored across 6 tools
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: listing, loading, resetting, capturing, controlling, and advancing frames. There is no overlap or ambiguity between any pair of tools.
All tool names follow the verb_noun pattern (list_roms, load_rom, reset_emulator, get_current_screen, control_emulator, skip_frames). The style is completely consistent across the set.
6 tools is well-scoped for an emulator MCP server, providing the essential operations without bloat. The count aligns with the domain's core workflow.
The core emulator loop is covered: loading ROMs, controlling input, advancing frames, resetting, and capturing screens. However, save/load state functionality is absent, which is a common and useful feature for emulator workflows, though not strictly required for basic operation.