MiSTerClaw MCP server

MiSTerClaw is a helper program that connects your AI assistant to a MiSTer, the little box many people use to play old console and computer games. Once it is set up, you can just ask your AI to start a game, find one in your collection, or take a picture of the screen. It is handy for anyone who has a MiSTer and would rather type a request than click through menus.

What this MCP server does

You type a request in plain words, like asking what game is running or asking to start a specific title. Your AI passes that request to the MiSTerClaw helper running on your computer. The helper talks to the MiSTer itself over your network. The MiSTer does the work, like launching a game or reading its settings, and sends the answer back. Your AI then shows you the result in the chat, such as a game title, a list of systems, or a screenshot.

Click to zoom

What you can do with it

• Launch a game by name or by file path
• Search your ROM library for titles
• List all your systems with how many games each has
• Take a screenshot and show it in the chat
• Read and change core settings and DIP switches
• Check system info like temperature, memory, and uptime
• Set up Tailscale VPN for remote access

Try asking your AI

• “What games do I have for SNES?”
• “Launch Street Fighter 2”
• “Take a screenshot and show me”
• “What settings does R-Type have?”
• “Enable No Death Mode in R-Type”

What it gives back to you

You get answers in plain text, like a list of systems with game counts, or the name of the game currently running. Screenshots come back as an image you can see right in the chat. When you change a setting, the AI tells you what it changed and that the core reloaded. System info comes back as numbers and short facts, such as temperature and free disk space.

Before you start

Who it's for

People who own a MiSTer and want to control it by chatting with an AI instead of clicking through menus.