Read the manual of your game. Saving and loading is done withing your program. If your program doesn't allow saving, you can't save.

The manual doesn't give specifics. there are two save game files, but there doesn't seem to be a way to access the main menu. the game originally used the left arrow key. now it seems that the left arrow acts like a change direction key.

Which game? Please be more specific.

Sentinel Worlds: Future Magic... Sorry. 😁

I don't own, or know anything about the game, and this might be a bit of a stupid thought. But is there any chance that the game is wanting the backspace key? On my keyboard it looks just like the left arrow key. Ok, maybe it's a long shot, but I thought I'd ask.

Try to run the game with core in normal. Sometimes in dynamic the keyboard becomes extrange in certain games.