FileTypeDB

.BARS File Extension

A .BARS file is a Binary Audio Resource Archive, created by Nintendo.

Open with BARS to BWAV. Available for Linux, Windows, and Mac.

What is a .BARS file?

A .BARS file is a type of computer file used to store audio for video games made for the Nintendo Wii U or Nintendo Switch consoles. Think of it as a box that holds all the sounds you might hear in a game, like music, character voices, or sound effects. This box can be packed in two different ways. One way is like packing everything into a single suitcase, which is called a .SARC archive. The other way is like dividing the items into smaller bags before putting them into the suitcase, known as a chunked file. Games that were made before the game "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" (often abbreviated as BOTW) use the suitcase method (.SARC archive) for their .BARS files. However, BOTW and games that came out after it use the smaller bags method (chunked BARS files).

To open or work with a .BARS file, you would need special tools or programs. Some of these programs include: - BARS to BWAV: This tool helps convert the audio inside the .BARS file into a format called BWAV, which is easier to use or listen to on a computer. - VGMToolbox: This is a more general tool that can work with various types of video game music and audio files, including .BARS files. - SARCTools: Since some .BARS files are saved as .SARC archives, this tool can help open or manage those types of .BARS files.

These programs are designed for people who like to explore or modify video game audio, so they might seem a bit technical to use at first.

Verification

Our goal is to help people find the most up-to-date information about file extensions for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. We researched over 10,000 file extensions and their respective programs that open those files. If you want to suggest edits or updates about .BARS file formats, example files, or programs that are compatible. Please contact us.

More extensions