Special community version of Lakka has been released! Raspberry Pi gets 240p Composite Video output support!
Read more about it in this article here.
Special community version of Lakka has been released! Raspberry Pi gets 240p Composite Video output support!
Read more about it in this article here.
Hi there, everybody! I’m Jesse Talavera, a libretro contributor. I’m primarily known in this community as the author of melonDS DS, but I’ve got some other exciting projects in the oven as well. Today I’d like to share with you something new that I’ve been working on for some time. Introducing McSoftServe, an emulator for the Taylor C713 soft-serve machines. The C713 is part of a line of soft-serve ice cream machines popularized by a well-known American fast food franchise. These machines are noted for their reliability, ease of use, and maintenance burden. Here’s the experience you can look forward to:
McSoftServe is full of surprises, and I can’t wait for you to see them. You can get it directly from within RetroArch today!
Written by: Carra
Hi! I’m Carra and I created Vircon32, a new game console. My Vircon32 core was recently integrated into RetroArch, so I thought this could be a good opportunity to talk about both the console itself and my overall experience creating a Libretro core.
Vircon32 is a 32-bit virtual console that I designed from scratch. This console has been designed to be as simple as possible (to keep it accessible), but retaining enough features to allow for interesting games to play.
It is based on the 32-bit generation of home consoles (PSX, N64 and Saturn) but it has some modern “quality of life” features, like a 16:9 screen. In terms of power you could roughly think of Vircon32 as a PSX, but with no 3D capabilities. This console focuses on 2D instead, since even a minimal 3D engine would add too much complexity for a simplified machine like this.
If you are wondering how Vircon32 games look like, here are some screenshots.
Game screenshots from Vircon32
Classic consoles are quite convenient to play: just insert the game! I’d love to have more new, retro-style games, but making games for old consoles can be quite challenging. This is because even something as basic as an NES is actually quite more complex than we think (and way more complex than Vircon32!).
Another option would be “fantasy consoles”. There are quite a few, but sadly most of these get abandoned early or have no games. And the most successful ones (Pico-8 and TIC-80) are too retro for the taste of most players. In my case I’d rather have polished, full-fledged games than experiment with 8-bit restrictions.
Game screenshots from Pico-8 (left) and TIC-80 (right)
I’d like Vircon32 and its games to be enjoyed by as many people as possible. To this end the console and its games are free and open source. But this is not enough: getting to play Vircon32 should be easy. And for that I need it to be playable in as many platforms as possible.
I was able to make my emulator work in Windows, Linux and Mac. But not everyone will use a PC. What about smartphones and tablets? What about emulation handhelds? For that type of compatibility the easiest way was to develop a Libretro core.
Libretro is a programming interface. Its overall concept is simple: there is a front-end acting as a manager that will load and run “apps” called cores. Each core is a back-end that will exchange a series of messages with that front-end. Front-ends will take care of most system-specific tasks (initialization, timing, event handling…) and that makes cores much more platform-independent than regular programs.
There are several widely used systems with Libretro front-ends: RetroArch, Kodi, EmuVR… and they usually work on a wide range of platforms. This means that just having a Libretro core can make your content available in many different systems. And from a user’s perspective you also gain the benefit of convenience, since they can access tons of content all from the same place.
Last but not least, working as a Libretro core can give you access to several extended features. Some of them, like screen filters, come totally free. And with relatively low extra effort you can add things like savestates, rewind or netplay.
Vircon32 integrated in EmulationStation
This may vary for everyone, so I will write about my own experience. I believe that if you have some experience in programming, especially games, you should not find it hard to understand the Libretro API and the concepts is uses. However, be warned that the learning curve can get steep at the beginning until you find out where to start and get the general idea of how a core works.
There does not seem to be any good introductory guide showing a general explanation of how a core works, and the basic flow of messages for a minimal core. Other than a couple of samples at Github, most API features are only explained on the code comments in libretro.h. But of course libretro.h is huge, so all that info can be relatively useless for you until you know what to look for.
Also, keep in mind that many of those comments explain the feature but don’t tell how a core is supposed to use it. You will be expected to look at other cores and “reverse-engineer” what you need to do. Know, however, that most cores are quite complex. It won’t easy to isolate what you are looking for, and you can never be sure if a particular core is doing things the intended way, or using a weird hack.
Creating a core is useful, but most users won’t actively go find and download your core. They expect to either have the cores they need preinstalled, or be able to download them automatically within RetroArch. You can have that getting your core integrated into RetroArch repositories. But know that this can take a substantial amount of extra work and time.
First you will need to have an online code repository that can be mirrored. You will also have to adapt your build system and learn about the YAML templates that libretro uses. After that, get ready for a good amount of testing. How much will depend on how many different systems you want your core to support. You will also need to prepare a core info file and get it merged. Along the process you may be talking with a few different people for each part of the process, but you can get help from them as well.
In my case, integration was a harder process than usual because I was not trying to integrate a new core for an existing console (like say, some new Game Boy core). Instead I wanted to add a whole new game system to RetroArch, and this involves some extra steps: a game database, thumbnails, the bios when needed, etc.
Build process for RetroArch’s cores: the Libretro Buildbot
The current Vircon32 core is already compatible with all console games, but in terms of features it is still pretty basic. In time I plan to add a few more advanced features to it. Must haves for me are frameskipping and savestates. Eventually, if possible, it would be nice to also have rewinding and netplay.
About the console itself, the most important areas are already finished: the design is final, it is fully documented and there are working emulators and development tools. Even if all of these can be expanded and improved, the most clear path for Vircon32 to improve is to have more games, and better games!
The core is also available on Steam here.
We have the pleasure of announcing a great new emulator core, the Neo Geo emulator Geolith. The upstream author of the Jolly Good Emulation project broke out this core and ported it to libretro to make it available to as many users as possible, and we’re happy to welcome it into the fold.
Historically, Neo Geo emulation has fallen under the general ‘arcade’ umbrella and has been handled very capably by FBNeo and MAME. However, arcade emulation is significantly more complex than the console emulation that most users are accustomed to (with ever-changing ROMsets consisting of many tiny files in strangely named zip files to keep up with; specific jargon, like “parent ROMs” and “non-merged sets”; and additional files that sometimes go alongside the game ROMs and sometimes need to live in other places), and this added complexity can be enough of a hurdle that some users struggle to have a good experience with all of the bells and whistles they have come to expect.
This is exactly where Geolith stands out, as it uses static, one-file-equals-one-game ROMsets in the .NEO format developed for the NeoSD, and also used by the FPGA-based MiSTer Neo Geo core (note: Geolith is NOT compatible with ROMs in the MAME/FBNeo zip format). So, if you have dumped your games to be compatible with those devices, they should benefit from full libretro database support and all that entails. That is, simple, one-click scan-and-import into a properly named playlist (with properly named games; you’ll see ‘Art of Fighting’ instead of ‘aof’ without any esoteric fiddling with DATs and so forth), with appropriate icons and boxart/thumbnails automatically applied. This separate, dedicated database and playlist makes it easier to find the games you want to play with less time devoted to setup.
Users who cleared the complexity hurdle of arcade emulation have grown accustomed to FBNeo’s tight and feature-filled libretro integration, which sets a very high bar for Neo Geo emulation by providing for a fast, accurate and bug-free experience with full support for some of RetroArch’s more finicky but high-value features, such as rollback-based netplay and runahead/preemptive-frames. Geolith’s author has put in the effort to provide a comparable, robust experience, so users don’t have to compromise when using this new core.
We’re still polishing up a few rough edges on the database (about 20% of games don’t pull thumbnails yet). Just make sure you stop by the online updater and update your core info files and databases before you get started, since Geolith uses some stuff that was added after RetroArch’s 1.17.0 stable release.
UPDATE: Geolith core is now available on Steam too!
RetroArch 1.17 expands Netplay to support playing multiplayer games that were originally played on two or more separate consoles or computers connected together. This is currently supported by two cores: DOSBox Pure and gpSP.
In DOSBox Pure it is now possible to play DOS and early Windows multiplayer games that used IPX, Ethernet or a modem over the internet.
In gpSP, games that support the Wireless Adapter can also benefit from this feature, although only a subset of games work well at the moment (including Pokemon Fire Red/Green Leaf/Emerald). Those curious about more details can read David G.F.’s article about the gpSP implementation here.
In order to use this new functionality just use the regular Netplay menu, where you can host and/or join netplay games. It works seamless with the existing Netplay feature (including lobbies) with no additional settings required. Make sure however, that you use the same or compatible games, since this won’t be automatically enforced.
RetroArch 1.17.0 has just been released.
Grab it here.
Remember that this project exists for the benefit of our users, and that we wouldn’t keep doing this were it not for spreading the love to our users. This project exists because of your support and belief in us to keep going doing great things. We have always prioritized the endusers experience, and unlike others, we have never emburdened them with in-app ads, monetization SDKs or paywalled features, and we intend to continue to do so. If you’d like to show your support, consider donating to us. Check here in order to learn more. In addition to being able to support us on Patreon, there is now also the option to sponsor us on Github Sponsors! You can also help us out by buying some of our merch on our Teespring store!
There are more changes than mentioned here, but for the sake of brevity, here is the changes since 1.16.0.
This was a fun research sideproject. It did not take any development resources away.
Download this on NexusMods here.
This mod does the following:
This mod takes a conservative and disciplined approach. It does not seek to alter
the game’s look, it does not add additional lighting, it does not remove spot lights or
remove baked shadows. In other words, it tries to look authentic to the original game,
and yet a still noticeable visual upgrade.
REQUIREMENTS
HOW TO INSTALL
MEDIA
See some before/after screenshots here.
Screenshot #1
Screenshot #2
Screenshot #3
Screenshot #4
Full screenshot gallery here.
TODO
* Make more enemies visible all of the time
* Replace more low LOD fake mappieces with full LOD mappieces
* Fix up more rendering oversights from the original game
TOOLS USED
* DSMapStudio
CREDITS
* Fromsoftserve, for his inspirational videos and modding tips.
* DSMapStudio authors for the amazing tool. This mod would not have been possible without it.
FAQ
* Can it be used with DSR Graphics Overhaul mod?
No. DSR Graphics Overhaul by fromsoftserv is a far more ambitious mod that seeks to overhaul the game’s look and modernize it by removing baked shadows and replacing it with dynamic shadows, and also other artistic changes / edits. This mod has a more narrowly defined scope by comparison in that it wants to remain somewhat authentic and at the same time also remove some of the obvious visual rough edges from the original game that probably should have been addressed by the remastered version in the first place.
* How does it affect performance?
This mod can likely be optimized further, consider this a first pass. However, a performance test was done on Steam Deck. It ran at a smooth locked 60fps at the Steam Deck’s native resolution.
WHAT’S NEXT
InfiniDetail mods for Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro were developed alongside this mod, and will appear in the near immediate future.
This was a fun research sideproject. It did not take any development resources away.
Download this on NexusMods here.
This mod does the following:
Increase draw distances, less pop-in of mappieces and objects
This mod takes a conservative and disciplined approach. It does not seek to alter
the game’s look, it does not add additional lighting, it does not remove spot lights or
remove baked shadows. In other words, it tries to look authentic to the original game,
and yet a still noticeable visual upgrade.
NOTE: Mappieces that have shadow source/target disabled have not been altered.
There will be a second version of the mod in the future that will enable shadow
source for certain mappieces. Enabling it for all mappieces at once did not turn
out to be a good idea, so it has to be done judiciously.
Altered objects meanwhile do have shadow sources enabled
This mod will not work with vanilla Dark Souls II.
There is a way to run this mod without ModEngine too.
DSMapStudio
See some before/after screenshots here.
Screenshot #1
Screenshot #2
Screenshot #3
Screenshot #4
Screenshot #5
Screenshot #6
Screenshot #7
Screenshot #8
Screenshot #9
Screenshot #10
Screenshot #11
InfiniDetail mods for Dark Souls Remastered, Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro were developed alongside this mod, and will appear in the near immediate future.
RetroArch 1.16.0 has just been released.
Grab it here.
If you’d like to learn more about upcoming releases, please consult our roadmap here.
Remember that this project exists for the benefit of our users, and that we wouldn’t keep doing this were it not for spreading the love to our users. This project exists because of your support and belief in us to keep going doing great things. We have always prioritized the endusers experience, and unlike others, we have never emburdened them with in-app ads, monetization SDKs or paywalled features, and we intend to continue to do so. If you’d like to show your support, consider donating to us. Check here in order to learn more. In addition to being able to support us on Patreon, there is now also the option to sponsor us on Github Sponsors! You can also help us out by buying some of our merch on our Teespring store!
There are more changes than mentioned here, but for the sake of brevity, here is the changes since 1.15.0.
1.16.0
The cause of the intrusion has been found and isolated. We have no indications that other systems including core distribution was accessed, so there is no immediate cause for concern there. Sites should be operational right now and everything should work fine right now.
PSA: If people downloaded RetroArch on Windows earlier today they should check their history for mediafire. Trusted downloads from Libretro always originate from http://buildbot.libretro.com and/or http://bot.libretro.com. We will never upload files to any third party file sharing site.
More to share on this later on.
We added a new core, DirkSimple. This brings the total number of available cores on Steam to 60 now.
DirkSimple is a core written from scratch by icculus, one of the original creators/maintainers of popular open source projects like SDL. It can play some of the 1980s LaserDisc arcade games.
See our Steam article here.
A maintenance update/fix has been pushed for 1.15.0. This replaces the current 1.15.0 version.
New changes:
Windows 10/11 users now have an even more convenient way of installing RetroArch! RetroArch is now available from the Windows Package Manager (see here).
The video will show you how to install it.
First, start up the Command Prompt. You can go the Start Menu and type in ‘Command Prompt’ and then click on it to start it up, or simultaneously press Windows key + R key, and then type in ‘cmd’.
Once on the command line, you can search for packages to see if they exist. To search for RetroArch, tyep in the following:
winget search RetroArch
Lowercase ‘retroarch’ will work as well. An entry should show up.
Now that we know the package exists on the package manager, we should be able to install this. Simply type on the commandline:
winget install RetroArch
It will now install RetroArch without requiring any user interaction. Note that this version of RetroArch will not attempt to install the DirectX9 SDK in case it doesn’t already exist. We assume on modern Windows you will use the Direct3D 10/11/12 or Vulkan/OpenGL drivers anyway.
Once installed, you should be able to find it from the Start Menu as a recently added application.
Uninstalling RetroArch once installed is similarly easy. Simply type the following on the commandline:
winget uninstall RetroArch
Our aim with RetroArch is to be available on as many storefronts and outlets as possible. We have made some impressive progress over the years.
We have even more plans to expand that we cannot talk about yet!
We’re happy to announce that RetroArch is now available on the Samsung Galaxy Store! For free, of course.
The Galaxy Store should be pre-installed by default on Samsung phones. It is a storefront available exclusively for Samsung-branded devices.
Open the app on your device, type in RetroArch in the search bar, and download it from there.
The version available on the Galaxy Store is identical to the version you can download from our website.
It has a couple of big advantages over the Google Play Store version:
* There is no set core limit. For RetroArch Plus on the Play Store, it is up to 127 cores that can be installed. We have to hand-pick these cores specifically so that users can install them on the Google Play Store.
* Cores are distributed from the Libretro buildbot infrastructure. There are far more cores available than on the Play Store.
On a Samsung phone, you have the choice to choose between either version. Regardless, we highly recommend you use the Galaxy Store version over the Google Play Store version. Reasons are listed above, but on top of that, the Google Play Store version has not been updated for a while because of increasing restrictions and requirements that we haven’t caught up with yet.
Bottom line, we anticipate the Google Play Store version to become more and more nerfed as time goes on unfortunately. There is nothing we can do about this, these are restrictions and limitations imposed by Google to have the software available for distribution on the Play Store. To get a more full-featured version, download the Galaxy Store version.
RetroArch should now be available on the Google Play Store, Amazon App Store, Huawei App Gallery, and Samsung Galaxy Store. No matter what device you are on and which ecosystem you are in, we try to have you covered.
New version of Lakka has been released!
We are happy to announce the new and updated version of Lakka. Read the full article here.
RetroArch 1.10.3 has just been released.
Grab it here.
If you’d like to learn more about upcoming releases, please consult our roadmap here.
Remember that this project exists for the benefit of our users, and that we wouldn’t keep doing this were it not for spreading the love to our users. This project exists because of your support and belief in us to keep going doing great things. We have always prioritized the endusers experience, and unlike others, we have never emburdened them with in-app ads, monetization SDKs or paywalled features, and we intend to continue to do so. If you’d like to show your support, consider donating to us. Check here in order to learn more. In addition to being able to support us on Patreon, there is now also the option to sponsor us on Github Sponsors! You can also help us out by buying some of our merch on our Teespring store!
FBNeo, LRMAME2003 Plus, UAE and VICE have seen the regular weekly updates/improvements. We can’t list all the changes there, so we just suggest you go to the respective Github repositories and check out the chanes there.
LRMAME updated to version 0.242 (latest). LRMAME is now also available for ARM Macs now. You can get it from the Core Downloader.
FourScore support (4 player multitap) has been added for the following games:
This core has a new auto frameskip mode (based on free audio buffer space).
The Lightrec dynamic recompiler has been updated, and it should fix several crashes and bugs that occurred before. This would only affect users on x86/x86_64 and MIPS architecture processors, as ARM architecture-based systems continue to use the Ari64 dynarec instead.
There has been a GunCon overhaul, the following input descriptors have been added:
The GW (Game & Watch) Libretro core is now available for the MSVC 2005 and 2010 Windows versions. These versions can run on older Windows OS versions than the regular version.
The gpSP Libretro core now uses a small translation cache for the Miyoo platform.
An emulator of the Amstrad CPC 8bit home computer range. This has seen several improvements.
The SMS Plus GX Libretro core should now be more stable on RetroArch PSP. We achieve this by avoiding unaligned memory access. Previously, after starting a game, the console would have a tendency to locks itself and shut down.
Other related changes – we replaced ALIGN_LONG with ALIGN_DWORD for Miyoo and RetroFW to match
the standalone versions. This fixes Master System background rendering. It was dropped from 3DS as ARMv6 allows unaligned memory access and defining that macro had no effect anyway. ALIGN_DWORD was dropped from Raspberry Pi (ARMv6/7/8), Classic (ARMv7), OS X non-PPC (x86, ARMv8), Vita (ARMv7) and Switch (ARMv8) as those platforms support unaligned memory access.
Fixed a couple inaccuracies in the VSU modulation emulation, fixing a few sound effects in “Virtual Boy Wario Land”.
The Nintendo Entertainment System emulator core has seen a couple of improvements.
Before, the core would upload audio by using the audio batch callback multiple times per frame, unduly ‘stressing’ the frontend audio buffer and leading to poor AV synchronisation.
We now ensure that the audio batch callback is only used once per frame (unless the frontend does not support batches of sufficient size, in which case the samples will be split appropriately).
We also did the following:
Add 4:3 (Preserved) & 16:9 (Preserved) aspect ratios
Mesen by default preserves the aspect ratio in all cases when cropping the overscan, which results in a difference between the core provided 4:3 and 16:9 ARs, and RetroArch’s own 4:3 and 16:9 ARs, which doesn’t always results in a ideal image (specifically 16:9 on a 16:9 display will look weird when cropping is applied).
We now separate Mesen’s preserved 4:3 and 16:9 ARs into their own selections for the core provided aspect ratio so people can choose whenever or not they want the aspect ratio to be preserved when using either one of the selections as their core provided aspect ratio.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulator core has seen a couple of improvements.
Before, the core(s) would upload audio in packets of 64 samples – which means the audio batch callback is used multiple times per frame, unduly ‘stressing’ the frontend audio buffer and leading to poor AV synchronisation.
We now ensure that the audio batch callback is only used once per frame.
This Flashback game engine core has now been added for the Miyoo platform as well.
Several serious crashes should be fixed now as a result of us updating the libco coroutines middleware library.
This Nintendo Entertainment System emulator core has seen several improvements.
More mapper additions and improvements
Improve mappers 49, 215/258, 340, 341, 351 and 444. Add newly-(re)assigned mappers 294 and 310. Add new mapper 467.
Expose internal audio RF filter option
The core already contains a low pass audio filter designed to recreate the ‘muted’ sound of the NES when connected to a television via the RF modulator – but for some reason this functionality is not enabled/exposed.
We have simply wired it up to a new Audio RF Filter core option. When enabled, the (subjective) improvement in audio quality is quite dramatic. The filter has a negligible performance impact.
(This filter produces the effect discussed here: https://forums.libretro.com/t/lowpass-filtering-for-nes-rf/37258)
Add optional ‘fake’ stereo sound effect
We added a new Stereo Sound Effect core option which may be used to simulate stereo sound by delaying the right audio channel (relative to the left) when upmixing the mono output from the NES. The delay can be configured from 1 to 32 ms.
The effect is identical to the fake stereo currently available in the Mesen core.
minivmac is an emulator for the Mini vMac, a miniature Macintosh. We added this core now for ARM Macs. It can be downloaded from the Core Downloader.
Genesis Plus GX is a Sega Master System/Sega Game Gear/Sega Megadrive/Sega Genesis emulator core.
We are using the low memory codepath now for Miyoo systems. As this platform only has 32MB RAM, like the RS-90.
The Rick Dangerous game engine core has been added for the Miyoo platform.
This Super NIntendo Entertainment System emulator core has seen several improvements.
Before, the core had bad audio sample pacing:
As a result, the core had bad audio/video synchronisation, affecting frame pacing.
We fixed several issues:
In addition, we did the following
Snes9x2005 Non-Plus: Add optional low pass audio filter
Apart from a substantial difference in audio emulation accuracy, probably the most obvious difference between the ‘plus’ and ‘non-plus’ versions of the core is that the latter has an inadequate level of low pass audio filtering, leading to tinny/scratchy sound.
We added a simple optional low pass filter at the output stage of the ‘non-plus’ core. When enabled, audio is more mellow/bassy, and the generated sound is closer to that produced by the ‘plus’ version – with only a negligible increase in performance requirements.
This Super NIntendo Entertainment System emulator core has seen several improvements.
Use audio batch callback only once per frame
Before, the core would upload samples in batches of ~64, which means the audio batch callback is used many (~9) times per frame. This ‘overstresses’ the frontend audio buffer and leads to bad AV synchronisation.
We have fixed the issue by ensuring that the audio batch callback is used to send all available samples only once per frame.
Improve save state efficiency + fix save state size
At present, every time that retro_serialize_size() is called (i.e whenever save states are used), the core determines the save state size by allocating a temporary 5 MB buffer and writing into this an actual save state. Moreover, it then fails to report the actual size correctly due to a bug in the memory stream wrapper code – which means save states are always 5 MB in size. This represents a terrible inefficiency.
Now, the save state size is now calculated independently of regular save state creation. No temporary buffer is required, and there is no need to actually write a save state to memory – and save states now have the correct size (~830 kb)
This Sony PlayStation1 emulator core has been updated.
Big improvements for WonderSwan, Lynx and PokeMini emulator cores for the majority of systems that don’t happen to have VRR displays!
At present the core runs at ~75Hz, matching the native refresh rate of the WonderSwan hardware. This is fine if the core is run on a VRR display (or one that natively supports 75Hz…), but on regular 60Hz panels it can cause issues. In particular, screen tearing is very likely to occur. You can experience this on Linux (when not using a compositor and without vsync forced at the driver level) and on 3DS. The tearing is so bad on 3DS that we would previously consider the core to be unusable on that platform…
We now added a new 60Hz Mode core option, which can be used to force the core to run at 60Hz (actually 60.38Hz, but RetroArch handles this nicely via dynamic rate control). Note that the core still runs at the ‘correct’ speed when this option is enabled – internally, the core is running the nominal ~75 frames per second, but every 5th frame is ‘dropped’. This reduces video smoothness, but then 75Hz on a 60Hz display is not smooth either. More importantly, enabling this option eliminates screen tearing.
In addition, we have also made the following minor changes:
Thanks to this 60Hz mode, Beetle WonderSwan is now perfectly playable on RetroArch 3DS. We have enabled this option by default. If you are using a VRR display or if you are running at a native 75Hz resolution and would like to change it back to the native refresh rate, you can just turn this option off in Quick Menu -> Options.
We have also added the core for RetroArch PS2, although it can’t reach fullspeed. It’s debatable whether it’s worth including, but for now we keep it in.
There is also a new optional audio feature. The WonderSwan has a tendency to produce rather harsh/abrasive chiptunes. The low pass audio filter softens and ‘mellows out’ the generated sound.
At present the core runs at 72Hz, matching the native refresh rate of the Pokemon Mini hardware. This is fine if the core is run on a VRR display (or one that natively supports 72Hz…), but on regular 60Hz panels it can cause issues. In particular, screen tearing is very likely to occur. We could experience this on Linux (when not using a compositor and without vsync forced at the driver level) and on 3DS.
We have now added a new 60Hz Mode core option (enabled by default), which can be used to force the core to run at 60Hz. Note that the core still runs at the ‘correct’ speed when this option is enabled – internally, the core is running the nominal 72 frames per second, but every 6th frame is ‘dropped’. This reduces video smoothness, but then 72Hz on a 60Hz display is not smooth either (and few Pokemon Mini games are ‘smooth’ to begin with…). More importantly, enabling this option eliminates screen tearing.
This Atari Lynx emulator core has seen several big improvements.
Fix frame pacing
Before, this core had entirely broken frame pacing. The core reported a fixed refresh rate of 75Hz to the frontend, but the Lynx (and the internal emulation code) has a variable refresh rate of 0-75Hz; games can render at any rate they please. In retro_run(), the Lynx is always emulated until the next ‘end of frame’ event occurs – if a game renders at e.g. 25 fps, this means retro_run() will actually correspond to (1/25) seconds worth of Lynx runtime instead of the expected (1/75) seconds. In this case, the game is emulated too quickly – but it appears to run at the correct speed in the frontend because the core uploads an ‘oversized’ audio buffer (1/25 seconds worth of samples). RetroArch syncs on audio in such a way that when too many samples are received, the frontend runs in ‘slow motion’ – so the ‘too fast emulation’ + ‘too many audio samples’ effectively cancel out. But the results are awful. This is a significant violation of the libretro API, and it destroys the frontend’s ability to properly synchronise audio and video, and to pace the frames correctly.
We now modified the run loop such that a fixed number of CPU cycles are emulated on each call of retro_run(), corresponding to the actual frontend output video refresh rate (which can be set via a new Video Refresh Rate core option). Thus the Lynx is always emulated at the correct speed, audio is always uploaded in batches of the correct size, and generated video frames are captured and output when available (and when the frontend can accept them).
The default Video Refresh Rate has been set to 60Hz, which provides smooth results for most games (and also eliminates screen tearing on 60Hz displays, which was an issue when the core only reported a 75Hz refresh rate). If a game has a higher frame rate than this (rare, but e.g. the intro and menus of California Games run at the full 75 fps), then ‘excess’ frames will be dropped. Users with 75Hz+ VRR displays can set higher refresh rates to improve video smoothness in these cases.
Improve save state efficiency
Before, the retro_serialize() function determines the save state size by allocating a temporary ~310kb buffer, writing an actual save state into it, then fetching the resultant buffer occupancy. This is terribly inefficient – and retro_serialize() is called 3 times every time a state is saved or loaded…
We modified the serialisation memory stream code to allow a ‘virtual’ save state to be made – no buffer is required, and no data are copied. This means retro_serialize() can now fetch the save state size with no memory allocations and no wasted effort.
Add optional LCD ghosting filter
We added a new LCD Ghosting Filter core option which can be used to apply an LCD ghosting effect by blending multiple successive frames. The number of blended frames can be set from 2-4; using more frames improves the quality of the effect at the expense of increased performance requirements.
LCD ghosting is particularly beneficial for the Lynx because many games run at very low frame rates, and some blurring helps to smooth out the frequently ‘jerky’ screen updates.
See the Changelog below for a detailed breakdown of all the changes that have happened.
One of the biggest changes for Steam users by far is the new Steam Discord Rich Presence support. NOTE: You will need to use the desktop client in order for this to work. It won’t work with the webbrowser client.
1.10.3
New version of Lakka has been released!
We are happy to announce the new and updated version of Lakka. Read the full article here.
New version of Lakka has been released!
We are happy to announce the new and updated version of Lakka. Read the full article here.
RetroArch 1.10.2 has just been released.
Grab it here.
If you’d like to learn more about upcoming releases, please consult our roadmap here.
Remember that this project exists for the benefit of our users, and that we wouldn’t keep doing this were it not for spreading the love to our users. This project exists because of your support and belief in us to keep going doing great things. We have always prioritized the endusers experience, and unlike others, we have never emburdened them with in-app ads, monetization SDKs or paywalled features, and we intend to continue to do so. If you’d like to show your support, consider donating to us. Check here in order to learn more. In addition to being able to support us on Patreon, there is now also the option to sponsor us on Github Sponsors! You can also help us out by buying some of our merch on our Teespring store!
We’re gearing up for Steam Deck, and in the process we are finally starting to turn the RetroArch Steam version into something more than just a plain port (courtesy of Mats).
We came up with a SteamWorks shim that allows RetroArch Steam to interface with the Steamworks API. Mist, our middleware tool, runs in a separate process, runs concurrently wtih RetroArch Steam, and functions as a bridge between this separate process interfacing with Steamworks and the GPL application itself running in an entirely different process. This is 100% GPL compliant and the same approach has been employed by numerous other examples on Steam, including the aforementioned Icculus.
Thanks to Mist, here are some of the big new features for Steam users (and in particular, Steam Deck users):
As a result of these changes, the Steam port is starting to become its own thing rather than just a straightforward no-frills port of the Windows/Linux versions.
Big improvements have been made to several cores concerning improved audio latency and audio sample pacing.
Not only should performance be better, but you should also be able to lower audio latency buffers now while still getting perfect sound.
Here are some of the cores that have received work recently on this front:
For example, frame time deviations in a core like Snes9x 2010 are now extremely low with a default 64ms audio buffer. We measured 0.4 to 0.3% deviation, and this figure could likely be optimized even further by fiddling some more with audio buffer latency, or changing the audio driver.
Other measures have also been taken to further improve audio latency. Some cores have been updated now so that audio gets pushed to the frontend (i.e. RetroArch) AFTER the video frame has been uploaded. This is just in case the audio upload blocks for too long due to audio processing and syncing performed by the frontend. Uploading the video frame as soon as possible after the emulation loop is generally a good idea since it potentially avoids unnecessary input latency.
Steps have also been taken in cores to minimise use of the audio batch callback (for example, Tyrquake and Snes9x 2010), leading to better audio sample pacing, less overhead and better overall performance.
The following cores have been added for Miyoo platform users:
The following cores have been added for OpenDingux platform users:
RGUI, MaterialUI and Ozone menu drivers now have new color themes. ‘Gray Dark / Gray Light’ themes have been added.
For XMB users, vertical fade adjustments have been made so that it functions a bit better like the original. Title margin can now also be adjusted, so that the title won’t cut off anymore on display devices with overscan (i.e. CRT TVs).
For RGUI users, 6×10 extended ASCII and Latin Extended A and B fonts have been added. These will enable most Latin alphabets to be displayed in RGUI.
For Ozone users, a thumbnail scaling option has been added (Settings->User interface->Appearance). This option scales the size of the thumbnail sidebar, which in turns means the thumbnails are scaled along with it. It should scale the thumbnails so that they should fill up more screen real estate now in the right sidebar. See the picture below for an example.
1.10.2 adds a new Manage Remap Files submenu to Quick Menu > Controls:
This updates correctly in real-time (the previous save/remove remap menu entries do not…), and only shows relevant options. When removing a remap, existing files are re-scanned and the one with the next highest priority (if found) will be loaded.
In addition, the currently active remap file will be saved automatically when closing content – i.e. it is no longer necessary (or indeed possible!) to save the file manually after each change.
We have also added a new Reset Input Mapping entry under Quick Menu > Controls > Manage Remap Files:
We have also fixed a nasty bug that could cause remap file corruption (incorrect or unwanted entries) when saving a remap after resetting one or more binds.
Before, RetroArch allowed the input ‘libretro device type’ to be set globally per-user. This was nonsensical for a couple of reasons:
1.10.2 fixes the issue by:
Note that device type is no longer stored in the main RetroArch config file, only in input remap files.
RetroArch WiiU adds a new option (Settings -> Video -> Output -> Optimize for GamePad). When enabled, it uses a 960p viewport if the user is on either 720p or 1080p (if they’re on 480p, they’re already optimized for GamePad). It defaults to off, so the native TV resolution is still preferred out of the box.
The Wii U is a weird case with RetroArch because of the two screens (TV and Wii U GamePad). The Wii U can be configured to output video at 480p, 720p or 1080p (or interlaced equivalents), whereas the GamePad has a native 480-line display. While it is possible to send different images to the TV and GamePad, RetroArch currently sends the same image to both. This creates a bit of a conundrum as 480 does not divide evenly into any of the other available resolutions.
When running 240p content, setting the Wii U to 720p just works, because a 3x integer scale (240*3 = 720) on the TV also happens to be a 2x integer scale (240*2 = 480) on the GamePad. However, when running 480p content, having the Wii U set to 720p will result in a poor image all around, with non-integer scaling from 480->720 on the TV, and then even worse, 480->720->480 on the GamePad.
Running the Wii U at 1080p, you get the worst of all worlds. Absolutely nothing divides evenly into 1080, so no matter what content you’re playing, you’ll need either large borders or a filter/shader to stretch to that non-integer resolution, and putting that 1080p image back on the 480p GamePad makes it even worse again. Many users only use 720p because of the poor results you get from 1080p currently.
By running 1080p with a 960p viewport, you can do things like a 4x integer scale of 240p content which becomes a 2x integer scale on the GamePad, or a 2x scale of 480p content which becomes a 1x native display on the GamePad. Even more exotic resolutions like the Game Boy Advance (160p) are enhanced, with 160 dividing 6x into 960 or 3x into 480. This one change makes 1080p a lot less useless on Wii U.
Not listed here of course are all the countless improvements made to individual cores since the last version. We might go into more detail on that sometime later, but rest be assured that cores are updated on a daily basis and receive heavy improvements, so keep updating your core library to get the latest benefits at all times!
1.10.2
Original article here.
New version of Lakka has been released!
We are happy to announce the new and updated version of Lakka.
Changes since version 3.7:
This is our first release with the updated build system. We tried to port all our changes to this new build system, but we might have missed some of our optimizations and enhancements. Please report us any regression or missing features or drivers via our issue tracker.
Not all platforms have been ported to the new build system yet. For these platforms we have released a maintenance update (3.7.1) with RetroArch and libretro cores updated to the same versions as in 4.0 release. Lakka users with Hardkernel’s Odroid XU3/4, Odroid Go Advance / Super, and Anbernic’s RG351M / RG351P / RG351MP / RG351V devices get update as well.
See GitHub for information about currently open bugs and issues and also for possible workarounds for these bugs/issues.
You can download the latest release from Lakka download page. If you want to follow the development of Lakka more closely, you can download latest Lakka nightly builds.
If you want to show your support for further development of the Libretro projects and ecosystem, you can learn more here.
Happy retro-gaming!
Libretro and its various contributors have certainly been busy these past few weeks. We bring to you a wide range of new cores, available for use in RetroArch, and/or any other Libretro-compatible frontend.
The a5200 core is an optimised Atari 5200 emulator based on Atari800 2.0.2. Originally developed for the GCW Zero, it runs full speed on even the weakest hardware (e.g. o3DS) – yet with a design focussed on ease of use and tight libretro integration it provides a simple ‘plug and play’ solution for Atari 5200 content on all platforms. The core debuts with robust input handling (including analog and number pad entry), audio filtering, CRT ghosting effects, an optional internal open-source BIOS and full save state support. Further enhancements are planned over the coming weeks.
WASM-4 is a low-level fantasy game console for building small games with WebAssembly. Game cartridges (ROMs) are small, self-contained .wasm files that can be built with any programming language that compiles to #WebAssembly.
You can now play these games/programs from within RetroArch, or any other Libretro-compatible frontend.
You can find more information at here.
A Libretro core for the #Arduboy. The Arduboy is a handheld game console with open source software, based on the Arduino hardware platform.
SAME CDi is a S(ingle) A(rcade) M(achine) E(mulator) for libretro, forked from MAME libretro, which is in turn a fork of MAME. It includes only the Philips CD-i driver, and simplifies the loading of CD content to provide a ‘plug and play’ experience. It emulates exclusively the Philips CD-i game console/settop box device from the early ’90s.
You can find more information at here and here.
Jump ‘n Bump has finally been ported to Libretro/RetroArch. This is a game for the whole family. You play as a cute fluffy little bunnies and hop on each other’s heads.
At the beginning you are in the menu, where you have to let each active player jump over the tree trunk to enter the play area, and then walk to the right. You will then enter the arena. The aim is to jump on the other bunnies’ heads…
Jump ‘n Bump was originally a DOS game by Brainchild Design, which was open sourced under the GPL license and ported to SDL, and then SDL2.
How to use it
You can play Jump ‘n Bump by loading one of the .DAT files (levels) from Load Content. A fair few of them are available on Libretro/RetroArch’s ‘Content Downloader’.