Last time we checked in on Steven Harding's EMUCenter application for Windows Vista Media Center, it was still pretty rough around the edges. But EMUCenter 0.5 seems like a pretty polished interface for launching all of your old school games on a Windows Media Center machine.

The plugin lets launch emulators such as MAME and KEGA using Media Center's 10-foot interface. You'll need to figure out how to get the games on your own. Here are a few of the updates in the latest version:

• Now you can close your emulator from EMUCenter. Previously you could only launch applications.
• Faster, smoother movement between games
• Choose different appearance for different games or systems
• Search for games by name
• MAME automatic update now downloads in-game art

[via Ian Dixon]

Steven Harding, the developer behind Yougle has issued a major updated to his MAMECenter plugin for Windows Media Center. In fact, it's a big enough update that Harding gave the program a new name, EMUCenter.

EMUCenter provides a 10 foot interface for launching classic console games using emulators including MAME, ZSNES, KEGA Fusion, and CCS. In other words, if you've got Roms for Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis or Commodore 64 games lying around, EMUCenter helps make it easier to play them on your media center PC.

EMUCenter is Windows Vista only, and it's currently in beta, so don't be surprised if you find a glitch or two. Harding gave the MAMECenter interface an overhaul, and added the ability to launch Windows games.

You'll need to download and install the emulators separately, and of course you need to legally own any of the games that you want to play using EMUCenter. But we didn't have to tell you that, now did we?

[via Ian Dixon]