RetroArch

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Revision as of 10:39, 14 April 2013 by 173.206.174.221 (talk)
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RA Logo.png

RetroArch is an open source multi-system emulator for Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, *BSD, PS3, XBox360, Wii, Android.

It is a multi-platform emulator that uses cores, which are ported emulators from other systems.


Cores

System Core Version
SNES bSNES 0.92 Performance
SNES bSNES 0.92 Balanced
SNES bSNES 0.92 Accuracy
SNES Snes9x
SNES Snes9x-Next
WSwan Mednafen 0922
PS1 Mednafen 0928
PCE Mednafen 0924
Atari 2600 Stella
NES bNES
NES FCEU
NES QuickNES
NES Nestopia 1.44
Gameboy/Color Gambatte
GBA GBA-Next
GBA Meteor 1.4
Genesis GenplusGX
Arcade Final Burn Alpha


Its design and background is quite different than most other emulators as RetroArch does not implement an emulation core itself. RetroArch talks to libretro, a generic emulator core API. This means that RetroArch is core agnostic, and it does not care which emulator core is running.

Using RetroArch

Download x86 or x64. After downloading RetroArch run 'retroarch-pheonix.exe', and then update and download emulator cores by going 'RetroArch > Update RetroArch.'

RAP update.png
RetroArch's Updater

From there you have to Check Version, this sees if your versoin of RetroArch is up-to-date (you have to run this everytime you use the updater). From here you can download whichever emulator 'cores' that are availible.

NOTE: Some users experience a glitch where RetroArch update stops at 100% after downloading a core or update, if this happens close RetroArch, find the .zip file you just downloaded in RetroArch's directory, and manually unzip the file.

Now you can use most cores, just select the emulator core you'd like to use on the main RetroArch || Pheonix window, under 'libetro core path:', and the ROM under 'Normal ROM path:'

For those wanting to play PSX games, or any system that uses BIOS, there is a bit more setup required. First off, download these BIOS files. Now go to 'System > General' and change the 'System directory' to where ever you'd like - place the BIOS files in there.

RA System Directory.png













PSX games have to be loaded through a .CUE file, most rips will come like that, but if yours didn't you have to create one. To do that open notepad and copy this:

FILE "GAME NAME [1] US.bin" BINARY
   TRACK 01 MODE1/2352
      INDEX 01 00:00:00

Replace GAME NAME [1] US.bin with whatever your game's file name is, but keep the quotation marks. Now rename the new text file from .txt to .cue, load it in RetroArch under Normal ROM, use Mednafen PSX core and hit Start RetroArch.

Shaders/Filters

RetroArch uses bsnes XML .shader, and CG pixel .cg, and .cgp for shaders.

And bsnes video .filter files for filters.

Guides and Info

How to use SuperGameBoy on RetroArch:

Download these SGB-capable BSNES cores. Then download this, place it in the RetroArch folder, and rename it as "sgb.boot.rom". Now on RetroArch, under Special ROM, select a Super Gameboy ROM (they will all basically work, but I use the Super Gameboy 2 ROM, as it's the most recent version of it), and a Gameboy ROM. Finally, under ROM type, select Super Gameboy, make sure you have the BSNES core you downloaded selected, and play.