Why is an .m3u playlist required for multi-disc games?

When you load a game like Metal Gear Solid or Final Fantasy VII as individual Disc 1 and Disc 2 files, RetroArch generates separate save files (e.g., 'Game (Disc 1).srm' and 'Game (Disc 2).srm'). When Disc 1 prompts you to insert Disc 2, Disc 2 cannot find your Disc 1 save! An .m3u playlist tells the emulator to treat all discs as a single unified game with one shared save file.

How do you swap discs in RetroArch when prompted?

1) Open the RetroArch Quick Menu (Hotkey: Select + X or Menu button), 2) Scroll down to 'Disc Control', 3) Select 'Eject Disc', 4) Change 'Current Disc Index' from 1 to 2, 5) Select 'Insert Disc', 6) Resume the game and press the in-game action button.

Should you convert multi-disc PS1 games to .chd or .pbp?

Both are great, but .chd (with an .m3u playlist) is superior for modern emulation because it preserves lossless audio tracks (CDDA) and 100% bit-exact accuracy. .pbp (PSX2PSP) packages all discs into a single file with zero .m3u needed, but can suffer from minor audio decompression glitches in specific RPGs.

How does Dolphin handle multi-disc GameCube games (e.g., Resident Evil 4)?

Dolphin supports automatic disc switching. In Dolphin settings under General, enable 'Change Discs Automatically'. When an in-game disc swap occurs, Dolphin will automatically find and load Disc 2 if it is named identically (e.g., 'Resident Evil 4 (Disc 1).rvz' and 'Resident Evil 4 (Disc 2).rvz').

💿 MULTI-DISC EMULATION PLAYBOOKM3U Playlists • Disc Swapping • DuckStation • RetroArch • Dolphin

Multi-Disc Games & M3U Playlist Master Guide

Nothing is more heartbreaking than playing 30 hours of Final Fantasy VII or Metal Gear Solid only to get stuck at the "Please Insert Disc 2" screen because your emulator generated separate save files. Here is the verified solution using .m3u playlists.

Interactive Tool

M3U Playlist File Generator

Type your game title and file format to generate the exact filename and text contents for your .m3u playlist.

Game Title (Base Name):

Number of Discs:

File Extension:

Playlist File to Create:

Metal Gear Solid.m3u

Save this text file in the exact same folder as your disc files:

Metal Gear Solid (Disc 1).chd
Metal Gear Solid (Disc 2).chd

Crucial Rule: Launch the game from your frontend (ES-DE, Daijishō, OnionOS) by selecting the .m3u file, NOT the individual Disc 1 file. This ensures all save states and memory cards are bound to the unified playlist.

How to Swap Discs During Gameplay (Step-by-Step)

RetroArch Cores

RetroArch Disc Swap Recipe

For Beetle PSX, PCSX ReARMed, SwanStation & Flycast:

When the game displays "Insert Disc 2", open the Quick Menu (Select + X or Menu).
Scroll down and select Disc Control.
Select Eject Disc (virtual disc tray opens).
Move down to Current Disc Index and change it to 2.
Select Insert Disc (virtual tray closes).
Select Resume and press the in-game action button (Circle / Cross).

DuckStation Standalone

DuckStation (Android & PC) Recipe

For high-resolution PlayStation 1 emulation:

When prompted to swap discs, pause the game via the pause button or swipe navigation bar.
Tap the Controller / Disc Icon in the top menu bar.
Tap Change Disc.
DuckStation will automatically scan your folder and list Disc 2 if using an .m3u playlist.
Tap Disc 2. The emulator executes an authentic disc-lid open/close interrupt and the game resumes instantly!

Popular Multi-Disc Games Hall of Fame

Master list of legendary multi-disc games, their disc counts, and verified swap points.

Game Title	System	Disc Count	Key Swap Moment	Recommended Format
Metal Gear Solid	PlayStation 1	2 Discs	Blast Furnace / Sniper Wolf confrontation	.m3u + .chd
Final Fantasy VII	PlayStation 1	3 Discs	City of the Ancients (Disc 1 to 2)	.m3u + .chd
Final Fantasy VIII & IX	PlayStation 1	4 Discs	Major story chapter milestones	.m3u + .chd
Resident Evil 2	PlayStation 1	2 Discs	Leon Scenario (Disc 1) / Claire Scenario (Disc 2)	.m3u + .chd
Resident Evil 4	GameCube	2 Discs	Island military base entrance	.rvz (Auto-swap in Dolphin)
The Legend of Dragoon	PlayStation 1	4 Discs	Chapter end save prompt	.m3u + .chd

Storage Guide →

Multi-Disc Games & M3U Playlist Master Guide

M3U Playlist File Generator

How to Swap Discs During Gameplay (Step-by-Step)

RetroArch Disc Swap Recipe

DuckStation (Android & PC) Recipe

Popular Multi-Disc Games Hall of Fame

Lossless ROM Compression

Cloud Saves & Syncthing

BIOS Integrity Verifier