ScreenScraper ROM scraping interface showing game metadata and box art for retro gaming handhelds

ScreenScraper ROM Scraping Guide for Retro Devices & Handhelds

Introduction

This guide will help you create a scraped ROMs list using ScreenScraper.fr and the Skraper tool on your PC, enhancing your retro gaming experience on Android-based handhelds like the Anbernic RG406V and RG Cube with Batocera or RetroArch.

ScreenScraper provides a vast database of game metadata (box art, screenshots, descriptions), and Skraper simplifies the scraping process, making your game library visually appealing and organized for systems spanning 1st to 6th generations, ports, and arcade platforms. Browse our full selection of retro gaming handhelds to find your perfect device!


Tutorial:


Step 1: Create a ScreenScraper Account

  • Visit screenscraper.fr in your web browser.
  • Click “Register” (usually at the top right) to start the account creation process.
  • Fill out the registration form with your desired username, email address, and a strong password. Agree to the terms of service, which emphasize legal use of owned ROMs and contributions to the community database.
  • Check your email for a verification link from ScreenScraper.fr and click it to activate your account.
  • Log in with your new credentials. This account grants you priority access (up to 50,000 daily requests vs. 10,000 for unregistered users) and the ability to contribute missing data, enhancing future scrapes.

Step 2: Prepare Your ROMs

  • Create a ROMs folder on your PC and organize your legal game backups into system-specific subfolders (e.g., ROMs/NES, ROMs/PSP, ROMs/Arcade). This mirrors the structure used on your device (e.g., SDCard/ROMs/<system>).
  • Ensure filenames are clean (e.g., remove extra tags like “(USA)v1.0” if possible) to improve ScreenScraper’s matching accuracy via filename or hash (CRC/MD5).

Step 3: Download and Install Skraper

  • Go to skraper.net and download the Windows version (BETA; Linux version is ALPHA, requiring WINE or mono-complete 4.6.2, less stable).
  • Install Skraper on your PC. It’s free, non-commercial, and community-developed, ensuring no hidden costs.

Step 4: Configure Skraper with Your ScreenScraper Account

  • Launch Skraper and follow the 5-step wizard:
  • ScreenScraper Login: Enter your ScreenScraper username and password to unlock priority access and higher quotas.
  • ROM Path: Point Skraper to your ROMs folder (e.g., C:/ROMs).
  • Systems: Select the systems to scrape (e.g., NES, PSP, Naomi 1). Skraper supports most retro platforms, including Amiga, PSP, and Arcade.
  • Media Options: Choose metadata and media to download (e.g., box art, screenshots, videos). Each type counts as a request (e.g., 3 requests for screenshot + box + title); prioritize based on needs.
  • Output: Set the output path for metadata and media (e.g., ROMs/<system>/downloaded_images and gamelist.xml).

Step 5: Scrape Your ROMs

  • Start the scraping process. Skraper will:
    • Query ScreenScraper.fr for each ROM, matching by filename or hash.
    • Download metadata (e.g., synopsis, genres, ratings) and media.
    • Generate a gamelist.xml file per system with scraped data.
  • If Skraper skips ROMs (e.g., due to filename mismatches), check ~/.skyscraper/skipped-<system>-screenscraper.txt to identify issues.

Step 6: Handle Missing ROMs

  • For unscraped games (e.g., God of War: Chains of Olympus on PSP):
    • Review the skipped-psp-screenscraper.txt file for mismatches.
    • Manually search screenscraper.fr/gameinfos.php for the game (e.g., by title or MD5), note its GameID, and update Skraper to force a match.
    • Rename ROMs to match ScreenScraper’s database (e.g., remove “(USA)” if listed differently).
  • Contribute to ScreenScraper by uploading missing data (e.g., box art, release info) via your account, which, once validated, improves the database.

Step 7: Transfer Scraped Data to Your Device

  • Copy the updated ROMs folder (including gamelist.xml and downloaded_images) to your device’s SD card (e.g., SDCard/ROMs/<system>).
  • On your handheld, launch Daijisho or ES-DE (per your Android guide), go to Settings > Library > Refresh Gamelist, and the scraped metadata will display.

Step 8: Optimize for Specific Formats (e.g., PSP .ISO/.CSO)

  • Skraper handles PSP .ISO and .CSO files based on hashes. If using .CSO (e.g., 1.2 GB vs. 1.6 GB ISO for God of War), ensure filenames match ScreenScraper’s database. PPSSPP will decompress CSO on-the-fly, so no conversion is needed during gameplay.

Tips for Success

 

  • Quota Management: With 50,000 daily requests, prioritize systems (e.g., PSP, Arcade). Each ROM scrape uses 3-5 requests; spread large libraries over days if needed.
  • Performance: Skraper’s multithreading and caching reduce server load, avoiding quota issues common with in-device scraping.
  • Contribution: Adding missing data to ScreenScraper benefits the community and ensures better future scrapes.


Closing Remarks

This guide leverages Skraper and ScreenScraper.fr to create a polished ROMs list for your Android handheld, enhancing your retro gaming setup with rich metadata. Whether you’re playing NES classics or arcade hits, this method saves time and elevates your experience. Happy gaming!


About the Author
Hey there, I’m Helrazer, a Kuwaiti retro gaming enthusiast chasing the 16-bit soul of Mega Drive classics that wowed me during childhood and PSP epics that I played into adulthood. From Rocket Knight Adventures to my latest handheld obsession, I love reliving the golden age of gaming. My guides are here to bring you back to those late night couch co-op weekends with your best friends! For more retro love, check RetroCamel.me and vibe with The Retro Camel Community.

Keep gaming, keep retro!

helrazer, Owner and Retro Renegade



Back to blog