This is a PlayStation2 game loader that runs on the Enceladus Lua environment.
SNL is a highly customizable interface that runs neutrino.
To use this software you will need a ps2 capable of running homebrew, such as FreeMCBoot or PS2BBL.
The full-install size (SNL, Enceladus, and all device drivers) is less than 1.4MB and can be installed on a memory card.
The Lua interface code totals to around 300 lines which makes mods easy.
LaunchELF's text editor paired with a USB keyboard allows changes to be made from the PS2 itself.
Hold ↑UP or forward on the left analog stick to scroll up.
Hold ↓DOWN or backwards on the left analog stick to scroll down.
Press ❎CROSS, ⏺CIRCLE, or START to play the selected game.
Press ⏹SQUARE or 🔼TRIANGLE to show what settings neutrino.elf will be passed.
Hold SELECT to exit to browser.
The UDPBDG or SNL-CLI application can be used to automatically install Enceladus, SNL, and drivers for UDPBD/UDPFS gameplay.
To save 210KB of space UDPBDG/SNL-CLI only includes drivers for UDPBD and UDPFS.
For HDD, UDPBD-HDD, HDL, ILINK, MMCE, MX4, or USB use the SNL-Full release.
Download SNL-UDPBD from here.
Extract the UDPBDG folder to the Desktop or Documents.
It is a portable app, do NOT use Program Files or any other system related folder.
If using udpfs or udpfs_bd mode, Python 3.14 needs to be installed.
DIRECT Connection - Plug in the ethernet cable as shown: ↓
For a DIRECT connection set a manual IPv4 address and subnet mask.
ROUTER Connection - Plug in the ethernet cables as shown: ↓
For a ROUTER connection, set the PC's IP assignment to Automatic (DHCP).
- On the PC go into network connections or run
ncpa.cpl. - Right click the Ethernet adapter and select properties, then select IPv4 properties.
- Enable "Obtain an IP address automatically".
For a ROUTER connection the PS2 IP address settings for launchELF need to be changed.
For the first IP address, the first three parts must match the default gateway of the router or switch.
Example: 192.168.1.?
The last part (?) needs to be a unique number between 2 and 254, example: 192.168.1.147
Set the middle number, subnet mask, to 255.255.255.0
The third IP address or default gateway, must match the default gateway of the router or switch.
Most likely it will be 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1
View this guide for more info on how to set the IP address on the PS2.
Make sure that the memory card has at least 1.2MB (1200KB) or more free.
Open MISC -> PS2Net
Let the PS2 idle on this screen for the next steps on the PC.
If you plan to use virtual memory cards please read this:
VMCs only work with exFAT partitions.
In the UDPBDG Sync-to-SNL window, check the VMC box then resync the game list.
You must use udpbd-server or udpfs_bd when using VMCs, udpbd-vexfat and udpfs do NOT support VMCs.
Start the UDPBDG sync/server app.
Pick a mode, udpfs is the recommended.
Rip/copy any PlayStation 2 disc images you wish to load into a DVD or CD folder.
Click on choose game path and pick any game in a CD or DVD folder.
Example: E:/DVD/Grand Theft Auto III.iso
or C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\PS2\DVD\TimeSplitters 2.iso
Choose the game path and click Sync to SNL.
Type in the IP address and connect to launchELF's PS2Net.
Then click Install to one of the PS2's memory card (1.2MB FREE SPACE REQUIRED).
Wait for the install to complete, this is what a successful install will show:
Then click Sync game list.
After the sync completes, close the sync window.
Click Start Server and make sure to allow in windows firewall.
This will start the UDPBDG notification tray icon that runs the server.
If you mistakenly clicked cancel on the firewall prompt, close UDPBDG by clicking Exit on the tray icon.
Then either move the UDPBDG folder inside a new folder or manually delete the inbound rules for UDPBDG in 'Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security' to make the prompt reappear.
Click the tray icon to show/hide console output, open the settings/sync window, or shutdown the server.
The server needs to be open and running for the entire play session (Disable sleep on the PC).
Now you are ready to play, run Enceladus or reboot the PS2.
If you want the server to start automatically when the PC is turned on follow these steps:
- Right Click
UDPBDG.exe→ Show more → Create Shortcut - Move the UDPBDG shortcut to this folder:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Now the server will start automatically.
This guide uses ubuntu, if you are using a different distribution these steps may vary.
Compile the udpbd-server
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install git build-essential
git clone https://gitlab.com/ps2max/udpbd-server.git
cd udpbd-server
make
Install .NET 10, GParted, and exfatprogs
sudo apt install dotnet-runtime-10.0 gparted exfatprogs
Create a new exFAT partition in GParted and note the partition number.
For this guide the exFAT partition is /dev/nvme0n1p6, it will be different on your system.
Mount it to /mnt/ps2. Your storage device /dev/nvme0n1p6 will probably be different.
sudo mkdir /mnt/ps2/
sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p6 /mnt/ps2/ -o uid=$USER
Create folders named CD and DVD in the exFAT partition.
Rip/copy any PlayStation 2 disc images you wish to load into the folder that corresponds with their original source media.
Example: /mnt/ps2/DVD/Grand Theft Auto III.iso
Install Enceladus and SimpleNeutrinoLoader.
The target install device must have 1.2MB or more free space.
Please note the IP address settings and change the following commands accordingly.
dotnet SNL-CLI.dll -install mc0 -ps2ip 192.168.0.10 -boot
-install '?' will install Enceladus, neutrino, and SNL to the specified device (mc0, mc1, or mass).
-ps2ip '?' is the ip address for connecting to the PS2 with PS2Net.
-boot will modify basic-boot-loader to auto-run SNL.
Next sync the game list, note that 'enablevmc' is optional.
dotnet SNL-CLI.dll -path '/mnt/ps2' -ps2ip 192.168.0.10 -bin2iso -enablevmc
-path '?' is the file path to the CD and DVD folder that contain game ISOs.
-bin2iso enables automatic CD-ROM Bin to ISO conversion.
-enablevmc will assign a virtual memory card for each game or group of games in 'vmc_groups.list'.
-udpfs will enable udpfs_server file-system support by updating 'UDPBDList.txt'.
-udpfs_bd will enable udpfs_server block-device support by updating 'bsd-udpbd.toml'.
Unmount the exFAT partition then Start the udpbd-server.
sudo umount /mnt/ps2
sudo ./udpbd-server /dev/nvme0n1p6
The server needs to be open and running for the entire play session.
Now the setup is complete, run mc0:/Enceladus/enceladus_pkd.elf and Play!
To add or rename/remove games, stop the server then mount the exFAT storage device to /mnt/ps2
sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p6 /mnt/ps2/ -o uid=$USER
Download the latest release of SimpleNeutrinoLoader (SNL-Full) from here.
Extract then copy the Enceladus and SimpleNeutrinoLoader folders onto a PS2 memory card with LaunchELF.
If using psuInstall, copy the psu files then psuPaste onto the memory card.
The Enceladus and SimpleNeutrinoLoader folder should be placed in the root directory.
In the root directory of the storage device, create CD and DVD folders.
Rip/copy any PlayStation 2 ISOs you wish to play into the DVD or CD folder.
Bin+Cue files must be converted to ISO.
Please view the README from XEB+ neutrino loader for info specific to the type of storage device you are using.
Run SNL-ListBuilder.py with python to create a game list specific to your device.
Alternatively an XEB+neutrino list can be converted to SNL with ListConvertXEBtoSNL.py
Copy the list file (example: HDDList.txt) into the SimpleNeutrinoLoader folder on the PS2.
Connect the game storage device to the PS2.
Edit the configuration for PS2BBL:
The text editor built into LaunchELF can do this.
Replace the line LK_AUTO_E1 with this:
LK_AUTO_E1 = mc?:/Enceladus/enceladus_pkd.elf
or
LK_AUTO_E1 = mass:/Enceladus/enceladus_pkd.elf
This will set PS2BBL to auto-run SNL.
LaunchELF can be accessed by holding R1 during PS2BBL startup.
The following list files are checked on SNL startup:
HDDList.txt, HDLList.txt, ILINKList.txt, MMCEList.txt, MX4List.txt, UDPBDList.txt, and USBList.txt.
Here is an example of the list file contents:
Katamari Damacy|SLUS_210.08|-bsd=udpbd|-dvd=udpbd:/DVD/Katamari Damacy.iso
LEGO Star Wars 2|SLUS_214.09|-bsd=udpbd|-dvd=udpbd:/DVD/LEGO Star Wars 2.iso
Midway Arcade Treasures 3|SLUS_210.94|-bsd=udpbd|-dvd=udpbd:/DVD/Midway Arcade Treasures 3.iso
Each line uses | as a separator for different parts.
The first part is the name that will be visible on the SNL interface.
The second part is the serial game ID found in SYSTEM.CNF.
All further parts are command line arguments that will tell neutrino what settings to use for the selected game.
There can be a variable number of parts, for example:
Katamari Damacy|SLUS_210.08|-bsd=udpbd|-dvd=udpbd:/DVD/Katamari Damacy.iso|-gc=23
The last part -gc=23, enables compatibility modes 2 and 3 when playing Katamari.
Here is a list of all neutrino arguments:
-bsd=<driver> Backing store drivers (optional, auto-detected from path prefix), supported are:
- no (uses cdvd)
- ata (block device)
- usb (block device)
- mx4sio (block device)
- udpbd (block device)
- udpfs (file system)
- ilink (block device)
- mmce (file system)
The following two require a hdd connected to a real sony network hdd adapter:
- ata-net (games are loaded from hdd but with in game Online/LAN networking support)
- udpbd-hdd (games are loaded from udpbd but with in game hdd support)
-bsdfs=<driver> Backing store filesystem drivers used for block device, supported are:
- exfat (default)
- hdl (HD Loader)
- bd (Block Device)
NOTE: Used only for block devices (see -bsd)
-dvd=<mode> DVD emulation mode, supported are:
- no (default)
- esr
- <file>
-ata0=<mode> ATA HDD 0 emulation mode, supported are:
- no (default)
- <file>
NOTE: only both emulated, or both real.
mixing not possible
-ata0id=<mode> ATA 0 HDD ID emulation mode, supported are:
- no (default)
- <file>
NOTE: only supported if ata0 is present
-ata1=<mode> See -ata0=<mode>
-mc0=<mode> MC0 emulation mode, supported are:
- no (default)
- <file>
-mc1=<mode> See -mc0=<mode>
-elf=<file> ELF file to boot, supported are:
- auto (elf file from cd/dvd) (default)
- <file>
-gc=<compat> Game compatibility modes, supported are:
- 0: IOP: Fast reads (sceCdRead)
- 1: dummy
- 2: IOP: Sync reads (sceCdRead)
- 3: EE : Unhook syscalls
- 5: IOP: Emulate DVD-DL
- 7: IOP: Fix game buffer overrun
Multiple options possible, for example -gc=23
-gsm=v:c GS video mode
Parameter v = Force video mode to:
- : don't force (default) (480i/576i)
- fp1 : force 240p/288p - auto PAL/NTSC
- fp2 : force 480p/576p - auto PAL/NTSC
- 1080ix1 : force 1080i width x1, height x1 (very small!)
- 1080ix2 : force 1080i width x2, height x2
- 1080ix3 : force 1080i width x3, height x3
Parameter c = Compatibility mode:
- : no compatibility mode (default)
- 1 : field flipping type 1 (GSM/OPL)
- 2 : field flipping type 2
- 3 : field flipping type 3
Examples:
-gsm=fp2 - recommended mode
-gsm=fp2:1 - recommended mode, with compatibility 1
-gsm=1080ix2
-cwd=<path> Change working directory
-cfg=<file> Load extra user/game specific config file (without .toml extension)
-dbc Enable debug colors
-logo Enable logo (adds rom0:PS2LOGO to arguments)
-qb Quick-Boot directly into load environment
--b Break, all following parameters are passed to the ELF
Alex Parrado & Matías Israelson & Rick Gaiser - udpbd-server
https://github.com/israpps/udpbd-server
awaken1ng - udpbd-vexfat
https://github.com/awaken1ng/udpbd-vexfat
Damián Parrino - ps2vmc-tool
https://github.com/bucanero/ps2vmc-tool
Daniel Santos - Enceladus
https://github.com/DanielSant0s/Enceladus
Matías Israelson - PS2-Basic-Bootloader
https://github.com/israpps/PlayStation2-Basic-BootLoader
PS2Dev Team - ps2client
https://github.com/ps2dev/ps2client
Rick Gaiser - neutrino
https://github.com/rickgaiser/neutrino
sync-on-luma - XEB+ neutrino Launcher Plugin
https://github.com/sync-on-luma/xebplus-neutrino-loader-plugin