diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Computers/Commodore64/C64.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Computers/Commodore64/C64.cs
index ab6f32c666..76e8dd50f5 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Computers/Commodore64/C64.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Computers/Commodore64/C64.cs
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Computers.Commodore64
 		public GameInfo game;
 		public string SystemId { get { return "C64"; } }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		// memory domains
 		public MemoryDomain MainMemory { get { return memoryDomains[0]; } }
 		private IList<MemoryDomain> memoryDomains;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs
index 2193394e60..7fab21ba72 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ namespace BizHawk
 		public string SystemId { get { return "A26"; } }
 		public GameInfo game;
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return mapper.GetType().Name; } }
+
 		public CoreComm CoreComm { get; private set; }
 		public IVideoProvider VideoProvider { get { return tia; } }
 		public ISoundProvider SoundProvider { get { return dcfilter; } }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/7800/Atari7800.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/7800/Atari7800.cs
index 3ac0e8f4bb..c171a97e5b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/7800/Atari7800.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/7800/Atari7800.cs
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation
 		public string SystemId { get { return "A78"; } } // TODO 2600?
 		public GameInfo game;
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		public void FrameAdvance(bool render, bool rendersound)
 		{
 			_frame++;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Calculator/TI83.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Calculator/TI83.cs
index e0466768ff..4cb27f4250 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Calculator/TI83.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Calculator/TI83.cs
@@ -592,6 +592,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Calculator
 
 		public string SystemId { get { return "TI83"; } }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		private IList<MemoryDomain> memoryDomains;
 		private const ushort RamSizeMask = 0x7FFF;
 
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Coleco/ColecoVision.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Coleco/ColecoVision.cs
index 74ca72a927..a4a98f91d4 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Coleco/ColecoVision.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Coleco/ColecoVision.cs
@@ -244,6 +244,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Coleco
 		public IVideoProvider VideoProvider { get { return VDP; } }
 		public ISoundProvider SoundProvider { get { return PSG; } }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		public ISyncSoundProvider SyncSoundProvider { get { return null; } }
 		public bool StartAsyncSound() { return true; }
 		public void EndAsyncSound() { }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Intellivision/Intellivision.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Intellivision/Intellivision.cs
index 191668b7a3..31b354b66c 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Intellivision/Intellivision.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Intellivision/Intellivision.cs
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Intellivision
 			get { return "INTV"; }
 		}
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		public bool DeterministicEmulation { get { return true; } }
 
 
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/GBA/Meteor.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/GBA/Meteor.cs
index ffa8b9fe88..0926d2740e 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/GBA/Meteor.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/GBA/Meteor.cs
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo.GBA
 		public string SystemId { get { return "GBA"; } }
 		public bool DeterministicEmulation { get { return true; } }
 
+		// todo: information about the saveram type would be useful here.
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		public void ResetFrameCounter()
 		{
 			Frame = 0;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/Gambatte.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/Gambatte.cs
index b819c85a39..30ea61310b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/Gambatte.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/Gambatte.cs
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.GB
 			comm.NominalHeight = 144;
 
 			ThrowExceptionForBadRom(romdata);
+			BoardName = MapperName(romdata);
 
 			GambatteState = LibGambatte.gambatte_create();
 
@@ -200,6 +201,34 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.GB
 			FrameAdvancePost();
 		}
 
+		static string MapperName(byte[] romdata)
+		{
+			switch (romdata[0x147])
+			{
+				case 0x00: return "Plain ROM"; // = PLAIN; break;
+				case 0x01: return "MBC1 ROM"; // = MBC1; break;
+				case 0x02: return "MBC1 ROM+RAM"; // = MBC1; break;
+				case 0x03: return "MBC1 ROM+RAM+BATTERY"; // = MBC1; break;
+				case 0x05: return "MBC2 ROM"; // = MBC2; break;
+				case 0x06: return "MBC2 ROM+BATTERY"; // = MBC2; break;
+				case 0x08: return "Plain ROM+RAM"; // = PLAIN; break;
+				case 0x09: return "Plain ROM+RAM+BATTERY"; // = PLAIN; break;
+				case 0x0F: return "MBC3 ROM+TIMER+BATTERY"; // = MBC3; break;
+				case 0x10: return "MBC3 ROM+TIMER+RAM+BATTERY"; // = MBC3; break;
+				case 0x11: return "MBC3 ROM"; // = MBC3; break;
+				case 0x12: return "MBC3 ROM+RAM"; // = MBC3; break;
+				case 0x13: return "MBC3 ROM+RAM+BATTERY"; // = MBC3; break;
+				case 0x19: return "MBC5 ROM"; // = MBC5; break;
+				case 0x1A: return "MBC5 ROM+RAM"; // = MBC5; break;
+				case 0x1B: return "MBC5 ROM+RAM+BATTERY"; // = MBC5; break;
+				case 0x1C: return "MBC5 ROM+RUMBLE"; // = MBC5; break;
+				case 0x1D: return "MBC5 ROM+RUMBLE+RAM"; // = MBC5; break;
+				case 0x1E: return "MBC5 ROM+RUMBLE+RAM+BATTERY"; // = MBC5; break;
+				case 0xFF: return "HuC1 ROM+RAM+BATTERY"; // = HUC1; break;
+				default: return "UNKNOWN";
+			}
+		}
+
 		/// <summary>
 		/// throw exception with intelligible message on some kinds of bad rom
 		/// </summary>
@@ -264,6 +293,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.GB
 			get { return "GB"; }
 		}
 
+		public string BoardName { get; private set; }
+
 		public bool DeterministicEmulation { get { return true; } }
 
 		#region saveram
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/GambatteLink.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/GambatteLink.cs
index 37fb9c28d5..5803cd24a3 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/GambatteLink.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/Gameboy/GambatteLink.cs
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.GB
 		public string SystemId { get { return "DGB"; } }
 		public bool DeterministicEmulation { get { return true; } }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return L.BoardName + '|' + R.BoardName; } }
+
 		#region saveram
 
 		public byte[] ReadSaveRam()
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/N64/N64.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/N64/N64.cs
index 14d1ec9c7c..266033cf92 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/N64/N64.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/N64/N64.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo.N64
 	{	
 		public string SystemId { get { return "N64"; } }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		public CoreComm CoreComm { get; private set; }
 		public byte[] rom;
 		public GameInfo game;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/BoardSystem.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/BoardSystem.cs
index 84390ad7a8..69f5c7e075 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/BoardSystem.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/BoardSystem.cs
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 			return board;
 		}
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return board.GetType().Name; } }
+
 		void BoardSystemHardReset()
 		{
 			INESBoard newboard;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/SNES/LibsnesCore.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/SNES/LibsnesCore.cs
index d6d98d94fe..4d96d132a5 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/SNES/LibsnesCore.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/SNES/LibsnesCore.cs
@@ -531,6 +531,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo.SNES
 		public bool IsLagFrame { get; private set; }
 		public string SystemId { get; private set; }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		public bool DeterministicEmulation
 		{
 			get;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PC Engine/PCEngine.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PC Engine/PCEngine.cs
index 0114e74d59..c134e78772 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PC Engine/PCEngine.cs	
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PC Engine/PCEngine.cs	
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.TurboGrafx
 			Init(game, rom);
 		}
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		public PCEngine(CoreComm comm, GameInfo game, Disc disc, byte[] rom)
 		{
 			CoreComm = comm;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PSX/Octoshock.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PSX/Octoshock.cs
index b3999537a5..30bb41185b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PSX/Octoshock.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/PSX/Octoshock.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.PSX
 		public string SystemId { get { return "NULL"; } }
 		public static readonly ControllerDefinition NullController = new ControllerDefinition { Name = "Null Controller" };
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		private int[] frameBuffer = new int[0];
 		private Random rand = new Random();
 		public CoreComm CoreComm { get; private set; }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Genesis/Genesis.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Genesis/Genesis.cs
index ad0b23e6b2..7b17030a03 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Genesis/Genesis.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Genesis/Genesis.cs
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Sega
 		public bool DeterministicEmulation { get { return true; } }
 		public string SystemId { get { return "GEN"; } }
 
-		
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
 
         public void SaveStateText(TextWriter writer)
         {
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/SMS/SMS.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/SMS/SMS.cs
index 68de3bcfdb..c1e11ff49d 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/SMS/SMS.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/SMS/SMS.cs
@@ -374,6 +374,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Sega
 
 		public string SystemId { get { return "SMS"; } }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		string region = "Export";
 		public string Region
 		{
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Saturn/Yabause.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Saturn/Yabause.cs
index e79e63891e..89225527c7 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Saturn/Yabause.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sega/Saturn/Yabause.cs
@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Sega.Saturn
 		public string SystemId { get { return "SAT"; } }
 		public bool DeterministicEmulation { get { return true; } }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		#region saveram
 
 		public byte[] ReadSaveRam()
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sony/PSP/PSP.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sony/PSP/PSP.cs
index ecbaeccbd8..2d060da991 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sony/PSP/PSP.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Sony/PSP/PSP.cs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Sony.PSP
 		public bool BinarySaveStatesPreferred { get { return true; } }
 		public CoreComm CoreComm { get; private set; }
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
 
 		PPSSPPDll.LogCB logcallback = null;
 		Queue<string> debugmsgs = new Queue<string>();
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/Base Implementations/NullEmulator.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/Base Implementations/NullEmulator.cs
index 869760312e..e1a031a681 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/Base Implementations/NullEmulator.cs	
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/Base Implementations/NullEmulator.cs	
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ namespace BizHawk
 		public string SystemId { get { return "NULL"; } }
 		public static readonly ControllerDefinition NullController = new ControllerDefinition { Name = "Null Controller" };
 
+		public string BoardName { get { return null; } }
+
 		private int[] frameBuffer = new int[256 * 192];
 		private Random rand = new Random();
 		public CoreComm CoreComm { get; private set; }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/IEmulator.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/IEmulator.cs
index 768980e6d1..df8ac833b3 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/IEmulator.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Interfaces/IEmulator.cs
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ namespace BizHawk
 		/// <summary>if you want to set this, look in the emulator's constructor or Load() method</summary>
 		bool DeterministicEmulation { get; }
 
+		/// <summary>
+		/// identifying information about a "mapper" or similar capability.  null if no such useful distinction can be drawn
+		/// </summary>
+		string BoardName { get; }
+
 		/// <summary>
 		/// return a copy of the saveram.  editing it won't do you any good unless you later call StoreSaveRam()
 		/// </summary>
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs
index ba69c7c001..4267e8f34c 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs
@@ -1526,6 +1526,11 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 						Util.BytesToHexString(System.Security.Cryptography.MD5.Create().ComputeHash(rom.RomData)));
 				}
 
+				if (Global.Emulator.BoardName != null)
+				{
+					Console.WriteLine("Core reported BoardID: \"{0}\"", Global.Emulator.BoardName);
+				}
+
 				//restarts the lua console if a different rom is loaded.
 				//im not really a fan of how this is done..
 				if (Global.Config.RecentRoms.Empty || Global.Config.RecentRoms.GetRecentFileByPosition(0) != file.CanonicalFullPath)