diff --git a/src/cli/z3ed.cc b/src/cli/z3ed.cc
index f0f2ef87..11211796 100644
--- a/src/cli/z3ed.cc
+++ b/src/cli/z3ed.cc
@@ -8,8 +8,13 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "cli/tui.h"
+#include "util/flag.h"
 #include "util/macro.h"
 
+DECLARE_FLAG(std::string, rom_file);
+
+DEFINE_FLAG(std::string, rom_file, "", "The ROM file to load.");
+
 namespace yaze {
 /**
  * @namespace yaze::cli
@@ -87,6 +92,19 @@ int RunCommandHandler(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 }  // namespace yaze
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+  std::vector<std::string> tokens;
+  for (int i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
+    tokens.emplace_back(argv[i]);
+  }
+
+  yaze::util::FlagParser flag_parser(yaze::util::global_flag_registry());
+  try {
+    flag_parser.Parse(&tokens);
+  } catch (const std::exception &e) {
+    std::cerr << "Error parsing flags: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+    return EXIT_FAILURE;
+  }
+
   yaze::cli::ShowMain();
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
   // return yaze::cli::RunCommandHandler(argc, argv);
diff --git a/src/util/flag.h b/src/util/flag.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db1bec6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/flag.h
@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+#ifndef YAZE_UTIL_FLAG_H_
+#define YAZE_UTIL_FLAG_H_
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <string>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace yaze {
+namespace util {
+
+// Base interface for all flags.
+class IFlag {
+ public:
+  virtual ~IFlag() = default;
+
+  // Returns the full name (e.g. "--count") used for this flag.
+  virtual const std::string& name() const = 0;
+
+  // Returns help text describing how to use this flag.
+  virtual const std::string& help() const = 0;
+
+  // Parses a string value into the underlying type.
+  virtual void ParseValue(const std::string& text) = 0;
+};
+
+template <typename T>
+class Flag : public IFlag {
+ public:
+  Flag(const std::string& name, const T& default_value,
+       const std::string& help_text)
+      : name_(name),
+        value_(default_value),
+        default_(default_value),
+        help_(help_text) {}
+
+  const std::string& name() const override { return name_; }
+  const std::string& help() const override { return help_; }
+
+  // Attempts to parse a string into type T using a stringstream.
+  void ParseValue(const std::string& text) override {
+    std::stringstream ss(text);
+    T parsed;
+    if (!(ss >> parsed)) {
+      throw std::runtime_error("Failed to parse flag: " + name_);
+    }
+    value_ = parsed;
+  }
+
+  // Returns the current (parsed or default) value of the flag.
+  const T& Get() const { return value_; }
+
+ private:
+  std::string name_;
+  T value_;
+  T default_;
+  std::string help_;
+};
+
+class FlagRegistry {
+ public:
+  // Registers a flag in the global registry.
+  // The return type is a pointer to the newly created flag.
+  template <typename T>
+  Flag<T>* RegisterFlag(const std::string& name, const T& default_value,
+                        const std::string& help_text) {
+    auto flag = std::make_unique<Flag<T>>(name, default_value, help_text);
+    Flag<T>* raw_ptr =
+        flag.get();  // We keep a non-owning pointer to use later.
+    flags_[name] = std::move(flag);
+    return raw_ptr;
+  }
+
+  // Returns a shared interface pointer if found, otherwise nullptr.
+  IFlag* GetFlag(const std::string& name) const {
+    auto it = flags_.find(name);
+    if (it == flags_.end()) {
+      return nullptr;
+    }
+    return it->second.get();
+  }
+
+  // Returns all registered flags for iteration, help text, etc.
+  std::vector<IFlag*> AllFlags() const {
+    std::vector<IFlag*> result;
+    result.reserve(flags_.size());
+    for (auto const& kv : flags_) {
+      result.push_back(kv.second.get());
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+ private:
+  std::unordered_map<std::string, std::unique_ptr<IFlag>> flags_;
+};
+
+
+inline FlagRegistry* global_flag_registry() {
+  // Guaranteed to be initialized once per process.
+  static FlagRegistry* registry = new FlagRegistry();
+  return registry;
+}
+
+#define DECLARE_FLAG(type, name) extern yaze::util::Flag<type>* FLAGS_##name
+
+// Defines a global Flag<type>* FLAGS_<name> and registers it.
+#define DEFINE_FLAG(type, name, default_val, help_text)                  \
+  yaze::util::Flag<type>* FLAGS_##name =  \
+  yaze::util::global_flag_registry()->RegisterFlag<type>("--" #name, (default_val), (help_text))
+
+// Retrieves the current value of a declared flag.
+#define FLAG_VALUE(name) (FLAGS_##name->Get())
+
+class FlagParser {
+ public:
+  explicit FlagParser(FlagRegistry* registry) : registry_(registry) {}
+
+  // Parses flags out of the given token list. Recognizes forms:
+  // --flag=value or --flag value
+  // Any token not recognized as a flag is left in `leftover`.
+  void Parse(std::vector<std::string>* tokens) {
+    std::vector<std::string> leftover;
+    leftover.reserve(tokens->size());
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < tokens->size(); i++) {
+      const std::string& token = (*tokens)[i];
+      if (token.rfind("--", 0) == 0) {
+        // Found a token that starts with "--".
+        std::string flag_name;
+        std::string value_string;
+        if (!ExtractFlagAndValue(token, &flag_name, &value_string)) {
+          // If no value found after '=', see if next token is a value.
+          if ((i + 1) < tokens->size()) {
+            const std::string& next_token = (*tokens)[i + 1];
+            // If next token is NOT another flag, treat it as the value.
+            if (next_token.rfind("--", 0) != 0) {
+              value_string = next_token;
+              i++;
+            } else {
+              // If no explicit value, treat it as boolean 'true'.
+              value_string = "true";
+            }
+          } else {
+            value_string = "true";
+          }
+          flag_name = token;
+        }
+
+        // Attempt to parse the flag (strip leading dashes in the registry).
+        IFlag* flag_ptr = registry_->GetFlag(flag_name);
+        if (!flag_ptr) {
+          throw std::runtime_error("Unrecognized flag: " + flag_name);
+        }
+
+        // Set the parsed value on the matching flag.
+        flag_ptr->ParseValue(value_string);
+      } else {
+        leftover.push_back(token);
+      }
+    }
+    *tokens = leftover;
+  }
+
+ private:
+  FlagRegistry* registry_;
+
+  // Checks if there is an '=' sign in the token, extracting flag name and
+  // value. e.g. "--count=42" -> flag_name = "--count", value_string = "42"
+  // returns true if '=' was found
+  bool ExtractFlagAndValue(const std::string& token, std::string* flag_name,
+                           std::string* value_string) {
+    const size_t eq_pos = token.find('=');
+    if (eq_pos == std::string::npos) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    *flag_name = token.substr(0, eq_pos);
+    *value_string = token.substr(eq_pos + 1);
+    return true;
+  }
+};
+
+}  // namespace util
+}  // namespace yaze
+
+#endif  // YAZE_UTIL_FLAG_H_