Difference between revisions of "Sega Dreamcast emulators"

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m (→‎Enhancements)
m (→‎Emulators)
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! scope="col"|Latest Version
 
! scope="col"|Latest Version
 
! scope="col"|[[#Enhancements|Enhancements]]
 
! scope="col"|[[#Enhancements|Enhancements]]
 +
! scope="col"|[[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|<small>Hardware features<br/>and peripherals</small>]]
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|NAOMI<br/>NAOMI2<br/>Multiboard]]</small>
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|NAOMI<br/>NAOMI2<br/>Multiboard]]</small>
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|Hikaru]]</small>
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|Hikaru]]</small>
Line 36: Line 37:
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|System<br/>SP]]</small>
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|System<br/>SP]]</small>
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|Cave<br/>CV1000]]</small>
 
! scope="col"|<small>[[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants|Cave<br/>CV1000]]</small>
−
! scope="col"|[[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|<small>Hardware features<br/>and peripherals</small>]]
 
 
! scope="col"|<abbr title="Free/Libre and Open-Source Software">FLOSS</abbr>
 
! scope="col"|<abbr title="Free/Libre and Open-Source Software">FLOSS</abbr>
 
! scope="col"|Active
 
! scope="col"|Active
Line 46: Line 46:
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
 
| [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds/ CI Builds]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group=N name=lrCommit>This build using upstream repo for libretro from now on. Keep in mind that some of the arcade variation supported titles on flycast standalone version [https://github.com/libretro/flycast/issues/136 will not work on retroarch flycast core due to libretro API].</ref><br/>[https://github.com/blueminder/flycast-dojo/releases <abbr title="Fork of Flycast with a focus on netplay features and replay.">Flycast Dojo fork</abbr>]<br/>[https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/releases {{FlycastVer}}]
 
| [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds/ CI Builds]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group=N name=lrCommit>This build using upstream repo for libretro from now on. Keep in mind that some of the arcade variation supported titles on flycast standalone version [https://github.com/libretro/flycast/issues/136 will not work on retroarch flycast core due to libretro API].</ref><br/>[https://github.com/blueminder/flycast-dojo/releases <abbr title="Fork of Flycast with a focus on netplay features and replay.">Flycast Dojo fork</abbr>]<br/>[https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/releases {{FlycastVer}}]
−
|{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=FlycastNAOMI2Multi>Most of the [[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#Comparisons|NAOMI and NAOMI 2 titles]] including GD-ROM games work with [[Flycast]], but most of the [[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#NAOMI_Multiboard|NAOMI Multiboard]] titles [https://github.com/libretro/flycast/issues/410 boot with a multiboard error message]. Recommended to use [[DEmul]] emulator for this system.</ref> ||{{✗}}[https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/issues/110 *] ||{{✗}}[https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/issues/110 *] ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
+
|{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=FlycastNAOMI2Multi>Most of the [[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#Comparisons|NAOMI and NAOMI 2 titles]] including GD-ROM games work with [[Flycast]], but most of the [[Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#NAOMI_Multiboard|NAOMI Multiboard]] titles [https://github.com/libretro/flycast/issues/410 boot with a multiboard error message]. Recommended to use [[DEmul]] emulator for this system.</ref> ||{{✗}}[https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/issues/110 *] ||{{✗}}[https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/issues/110 *] ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[redream]]
 
| [[redream]]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
 
| [https://redream.io/download Dev Builds]<br/>[https://redream.io/download 1.5.0]<ref group=N>CI/Dev builds are a better choice for almost all users; the stable version should only be used if you have a specific need for them.</ref>
 
| [https://redream.io/download Dev Builds]<br/>[https://redream.io/download 1.5.0]<ref group=N>CI/Dev builds are a better choice for almost all users; the stable version should only be used if you have a specific need for them.</ref>
−
| {{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
+
| {{~}} ||{{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[DEmul]]
 
| [[DEmul]]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
 
| [http://demul.emulation64.com/downloads/ {{DEmulVer}}]
 
| [http://demul.emulation64.com/downloads/ {{DEmulVer}}]
−
| {{~}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N>[https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#Cave_CV1000B_.282004.E2.80.932007.29 'arcade_compat.txt' file inside DEmul's release archives do not have any Cave CV1000 emulation compat list], so its games' status is unknown.</ref> ||{{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}
+
| {{~}} ||{{~}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N>[https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#Cave_CV1000B_.282004.E2.80.932007.29 'arcade_compat.txt' file inside DEmul's release archives do not have any Cave CV1000 emulation compat list], so its games' status is unknown.</ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[reicast]]
 
| [[reicast]]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
 
| [https://github.com/skmp/reicast-emulator/releases r20.04]
 
| [https://github.com/skmp/reicast-emulator/releases r20.04]
−
| {{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
+
| {{?}} ||{{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[nullDC]]
 
| [[nullDC]]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
 
| [http://www.emucr.com/2013/03/nulldc-svn-r150.html 1.0.4 r150]
 
| [http://www.emucr.com/2013/03/nulldc-svn-r150.html 1.0.4 r150]
−
| {{?}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N>nullDC was the first independent, open-source Sega Dreamcast emulator to attempt emulation of the NAOMI arcade board. [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#Comparisons Its compatibility with NAOMI, NAOMI 2 and NAOMI Multiboard is unknown].</ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
+
| {{?}} ||{{?}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N>nullDC was the first independent, open-source Sega Dreamcast emulator to attempt emulation of the NAOMI arcade board. [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Sega_NAOMI_and_variants#Comparisons Its compatibility with NAOMI, NAOMI 2 and NAOMI Multiboard is unknown].</ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [http://washemu.org/ washDC]
 
| [http://washemu.org/ washDC]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Win|Linux}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Win|Linux}}
 
| [https://gitlab.com/washemu/washdc git]
 
| [https://gitlab.com/washemu/washdc git]
−
| {{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
+
| {{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [https://gitlab.com/simulant/community/lxdream-nitro/ lxdream-nitro]
 
| [https://gitlab.com/simulant/community/lxdream-nitro/ lxdream-nitro]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Linux|macOS}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Linux|macOS}}
 
| [https://gitlab.com/simulant/community/lxdream-nitro git]
 
| [https://gitlab.com/simulant/community/lxdream-nitro git]
−
| {{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
+
| {{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [https://segaretro.org/Chankast Chankast]
 
| [https://segaretro.org/Chankast Chankast]
Line 96: Line 96:
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}<br/>{{Icon|FreeBSD}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}<br/>{{Icon|FreeBSD}}
 
| <abbr title="Latest development version">git artifacts</abbr><ref group=N>[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref></br>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
 
| <abbr title="Latest development version">git artifacts</abbr><ref group=N>[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref></br>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
−
| {{~}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat>MAME {{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=hikaru.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 hikaru] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=gaelco3d_m.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 gaelco 3d] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=dc_atomiswave.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 atomiswave] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segasp.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System SP] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=naomi.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 NAOMI] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=cv1k.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 cave 1000]</ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{✓}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{~}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
+
| {{~}} ||{{~}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat>MAME {{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=hikaru.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 hikaru] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=gaelco3d_m.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 gaelco 3d] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=dc_atomiswave.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 atomiswave] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segasp.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System SP] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=naomi.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 NAOMI] [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=cv1k.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 cave 1000]</ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{✓}}<ref group=N name=MAMEcompat></ref> ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="14"|Mobile / ARM
 
! colspan="14"|Mobile / ARM
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| align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
 
| [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds CI Builds]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]<ref group=N name=lrCommit></ref>
 
| [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds CI Builds]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]<ref group=N name=lrCommit></ref>
−
|{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=FlycastNAOMI2Multi></ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
+
|{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=FlycastNAOMI2Multi></ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[redream]]
 
| [[redream]]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Android|LinuxARM}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Android|LinuxARM}}
 
| [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.recompiled.redream 1.2.07]<small> (Google Play)</small><br/>[https://redream.io/download 1.5.0]<small> (Raspberry Pi)</small>
 
| [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.recompiled.redream 1.2.07]<small> (Google Play)</small><br/>[https://redream.io/download 1.5.0]<small> (Raspberry Pi)</small>
−
| {{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
+
| {{~}} ||{{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[reicast]]
 
| [[reicast]]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Android|Pyra|LinuxARM|Pandora}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Android|Pyra|LinuxARM|Pandora}}
 
| [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reicast.emulator r20.04]<small> (Google Play)</small></br>[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/122 Pyra Build]<br/>[http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=reicast_ptitseb Pandora]<br/>[https://snapcraft.io/reicast Raspberry Pi]
 
| [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reicast.emulator r20.04]<small> (Google Play)</small></br>[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/122 Pyra Build]<br/>[http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=reicast_ptitseb Pandora]<br/>[https://snapcraft.io/reicast Raspberry Pi]
−
| {{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
+
| {{?}} ||{{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="14"|Console
 
! colspan="14"|Console
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| align=left|{{Icon|Switch|Vita}}<br/>{{Icon|XboxOne|SXS}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Switch|Vita}}<br/>{{Icon|XboxOne|SXS}}
 
| [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds CI Builds]<br/>[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core]<ref group=N name=lrCommit></ref><br/>[https://github.com/Rinnegatamante/flycast-vita/releases v1.1]
 
| [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds CI Builds]<br/>[https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms libretro core]<ref group=N name=lrCommit></ref><br/>[https://github.com/Rinnegatamante/flycast-vita/releases v1.1]
−
|{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=FlycastNAOMI2Multi></ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
+
|{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=FlycastNAOMI2Multi></ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[nullDC PSP]]
 
| [[nullDC PSP]]
 
| align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
 
| [https://github.com/PSP-Archive/nulldce-psp git] [https://archive.org/details/nullDC-PSP 1.2.1]
 
| [https://github.com/PSP-Archive/nulldce-psp git] [https://archive.org/details/nullDC-PSP 1.2.1]
−
| {{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
+
| {{?}} ||{{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| nulldc-360
 
| nulldc-360
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
 
| align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
 
| [https://github.com/gligli/nulldc-360 git]
 
| [https://github.com/gligli/nulldc-360 git]
−
| {{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}} ||{{~}}
+
| {{?}} ||{{?}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}} ||{{~}}
 
|}
 
|}
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 10:18, 8 January 2024

Sega Dreamcast
DreamcastConsole.png
Developer Sega
Type Home video game console
Generation Sixth generation
Release date 1998
Discontinued 2001
Predecessor Sega Saturn
Emulated ✓
For other emulators that run on Dreamcast hardware, see Emulators on Dreamcast.

The Sega Dreamcast is a sixth-generation console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan and later on September 9, 1999, in NA. It retailed for $199.99.

To go more in-depth, it had a Hitachi SH-4 RISC CPU at 200 MHz with 16 MBs of RAM and 8 MBs of VRAM. Additionally, on the graphic side, the console came with a PowerVR2 GPU at 100 MHz, which theoretically was capable of pushing 3 million polygons/second on-screen. The audio system had 2 MBs of audio RAM, which complemented a powerful 67 MHz Yamaha AICA sound processor with a 32-bit ARM7 RISC CPU core. The audio chip could generate 64 voices with PCM or ADPCM codec and provided ten times the performance of the Saturn's sound system.

Also, Microsoft collaborated on the Dreamcast's development, and this partnership would continue later with the Xbox. What came out of this was the possibility for games to be developed for an optimized version of Windows CE (with DirectX) on each disc. However, Windows CE wasn't mandatory to use, and most developers opted for SEGA's development tools instead out of convenience. Even in major emulators, this aspect isn't implemented well.

In the same year of Dreamcast's launch, SEGA released the NAOMI, an arcade system board with similar components to the Dreamcast. Sammy's Atomiswave arcade board was also based on the Dreamcast and NAOMI.

A few years later, a successor of the NAOMI board was released in 2001, called NAOMI 2. It was a bit more powerful than its predecessor, having one more Hitachi SH-4 CPU and another PowerVR 2 GPU. Only 13 titles were released for this board.

Emulators

Name Platform(s) Latest Version Enhancements Hardware features
and peripherals 		NAOMI
NAOMI2
Multiboard 		Hikaru Gaelco
PVR 		Atomiswave System
SP 		Cave
CV1000 		FLOSS Active Recommended
PC / x86
Flycast Windows Linux macOS CI Builds
libretro core[N 1]
Flycast Dojo fork
2.3 		✓ ✓ ~[N 2] ✗* ✗* ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓
redream Windows Linux macOS Dev Builds
1.5.0[N 3] 		~ ~ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓
DEmul Windows 0.7 Build 280418 ~ ~ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ~[N 4] ✗ ✗ ~
reicast Windows Linux r20.04 ? ? ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗
nullDC Windows 1.0.4 r150 ? ? ~[N 5] ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗
washDC Windows Linux git ✗ ? ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗
lxdream-nitro Linux macOS git ✗ ? ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗
Chankast Windows 0.25 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Lxdream Linux macOS 0.9.1 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗
Makaron Windows T12/5 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
MAME Windows Linux macOS
FreeBSD 		git artifacts[N 6]
0.265
libretro core 		~ ~ ~[N 7] ~[N 7] ~[N 7] ~[N 7] ~[N 7] ✓[N 7] ✓ ✓ ✗
Mobile / ARM
Flycast Android iOS CI Builds
libretro core[N 1] 		✓ ✓ ~[N 2] ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓
redream Android Linux ARM 1.2.07 (Google Play)
1.5.0 (Raspberry Pi) 		~ ~ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓
reicast Android Dragonbox Pyra Linux ARM Pandora r20.04 (Google Play)
Pyra Build
Pandora
Raspberry Pi 		? ? ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗
Console
Flycast Switch Vita
Xbox One Xbox Series X/S 		CI Builds
libretro core[N 1]
v1.1 		✓ ✓ ~[N 2] ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓
nullDC PSP PSP git 1.2.1 ? ? ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ~
nulldc-360 Xbox 360 git ? ? ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ~ ~
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 This build using upstream repo for libretro from now on. Keep in mind that some of the arcade variation supported titles on flycast standalone version will not work on retroarch flycast core due to libretro API.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Most of the NAOMI and NAOMI 2 titles including GD-ROM games work with Flycast, but most of the NAOMI Multiboard titles boot with a multiboard error message. Recommended to use DEmul emulator for this system.
  3. ↑ CI/Dev builds are a better choice for almost all users; the stable version should only be used if you have a specific need for them.
  4. ↑ 'arcade_compat.txt' file inside DEmul's release archives do not have any Cave CV1000 emulation compat list, so its games' status is unknown.
  5. ↑ nullDC was the first independent, open-source Sega Dreamcast emulator to attempt emulation of the NAOMI arcade board. Its compatibility with NAOMI, NAOMI 2 and NAOMI Multiboard is unknown.
  6. ↑ CI-Windows CI-Linux CI-Macos
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 MAME 0.265 version compatibility status: hikaru gaelco 3d atomiswave System SP NAOMI cave 1000

Comparisons

nullDC
Can run a lot of games at great speed on a mid-end PC, and it's open-source. However, it's no longer being developed, and the more recent forks have improved upon it.
reicast
Eventually, nullDC's author forked his own project into reicast, with the main objective to widen platform availability to smartphones and tablets. While wider availability is generally a good thing, this resulted in cutting accuracy corners from the nullDC codebase to achieve the speed goals necessary to run on these platforms. Advancements in mobile hardware should have led to the removal of such "hacks"; however, lack of developer resources and interest led to long delays in Reicast development, and the codebase remained virtually untouched for years before the RetroArch team began working with it as part of a "Reicast core", later named Flycast.
Flycast (NAOMI and variants compatibility)
Fork of reicast available as a standalone emulator and as a libretro core. Libretro collaborators, primarily flyinghead, dramatically improved Reicast in areas such as graphics, input, system clock, and Dreamcast VMU. Atomiswave and NAOMI SH-4-based arcade systems have also been added to great fanfare[N 1], along with support for MAME's popular CHD format. Even full MMU support, which is needed to run Windows CE-based games such as Armada, Half-Life, and SEGA Rally Championship 2. It has recently been tackled through an experimental branch (anyone following Dreamcast emulation over the years understands what a tough nut this is to crack). Aside from some audio stuttering issues in games such as "Looney Toons Space Race" and "Resident Evil: Code Veronica", this is a highly compatible and accurate emulator. Most Windows CE games run at low performance.
Flycast Dojo
Fork of Flycast with a focus on netplay features and replay. Also, available on the Fightcade matchmaking service.
redream
Multi-platform and easy to use, but it's closed-source. Compatible with +96% of the Dreamcast library (as of Q1 2022). It has a good user interface, is easy to set up, and can run without a BIOS. Runs on low-end machines provided that they support OpenGL 3.1. There's a payware premium version that provides high-definition rendering and additional slots for save states. Emulator work unstable on AMD GPUs with actual driver version.
DEmul (NAOMI and variants compatibility)
Windows-only and closed-source. Used to be the go-to emulator. It supports Windows CE games, but they generally run worse than standard Dreamcast titles. It's also more resource-intensive than other emulators. As of 2022, you´re better off with Flycast or redream for Dreamcast emulation as they are multi-platform and have higher compatibility with Windows CE games. Having said that, DEmul is still highly recommended for SEGA NAOMI and variants.
Makaron
A closed-source Dreamcast emulator that was once noteworthy for being one of the few that could properly play Windows CE games. It has since been superseded by newer emulators.

Enhancements

Name Flycast Redream DEmul MAME
Graphics Resizable Internal Resolution ✓ ? ? ?
Texture Replacement ✓ ? ? ?
Widescreen hack ✓ ✓ ? ?
Ray-tracing Implementing ray-tracing in an emulator is unfortunately quite challenging and unlikely to be feasible in the near future.
However you can try "Screen-Space Ray Traced Global Illumination" shader using ReShade.
Demonstration
Super-resolution techniques
(DLSS, XeSS and FSR 2+) 		Requires access to the depth buffer and temporal data like motion-vectors so it's quite challenging and unlikely to be feasible in the near future.
Besides any GPU that can use DLSS can run these emulators at 8k native with ease anyway.
Pre-rendering AA
(MSAA, SSAA) 		? ? ? ?
Performance Internal Framerate Hack ? ? ? ?
Frame generation techniques
(DLSS-G, ExtraSS and FMF) 		Implementing frame generation technique in an emulator is unfortunately quite challenging and unlikely to be feasible in the near future.
Input latency will be the most important factor when it comes to frame generation.
Overclock ✓ ? ? ?
Preload optical disc image to RAM
For users with sluggish multi-platter HDDs or plagued by horrible seek times, this enhancement might offer smoother experience, potentially reduced power consumption; it also shines when disc images reside on a network drive.
Although keep in mind that preloading image would take some time, and it will require additional amount of RAM capacity. 		? ? ✗ ?
Post-Processing Post-rendering AA
(FXAA, TXAA and MLAA/SMAA) 		? ? ? ?
Post-rendering scaling
(Sharp bilinear, Lanczos and FSR 1) 		✓ ? ? ✓
Filters ~[N3 1] ? ? ?
Shader Chain ~[N3 1] ? ? ?
TAS features Macros/Scripts/Lua ✓ ? ? ?
Rewind ✓ ? ? ?
Fast-Forward/Turbo Speed ✓ ? ? ?
Savestates ✓ ? ? ?
Movie recording/playback ? ? ? ?
Controls Mouse Injector Compatible ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Input lag-mitigating technique ✗ ✗ ? ?
Quality of life Built-in Graphics mod editor/manager ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Built-in Cheat Manager ✓* ? ? ?
Built-in Custom resolution/CRTSwitchRes
For using this on Windows OS you need CRT Emudriver.
Another option is using EDID editor tool such as "Custom Resolution Utility". 		Exclusive to libretro cores and GroovyMAME at the moment.
Streamable compression format ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Per-Game Profiles ? ? ? ?
Command Line Options ? ? ? ?
Misc RetroAchievements ~[N3 1] ? ? ?
Free Look
Free Look is a enhancement feature that allows manipulation of the in-game camera. 		The free camera has to be hacked in the game code directly.
You can use debug menu for certain games to use Free Look.
Debug Features ? ? ? ?
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Exclusive to libretro core. Feature Request for RetroAchievement support in the standalone flycast issue page.

Hardware features and peripherals

Name Flycast Redream DEmul MAME
VMU VMU emulation ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓
VMU communication ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗
VMU Sound ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Jump Pack ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Modem ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Arcade Stick ✓ TBD TBD TBD
ASCII Mission Stick ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Keyboard ✓ ✓* TBD TBD
Mouse ✓ ✗* TBD TBD
Light Gun ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Microphone TBD TBD ✓ TBD
Rally Wheel ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Taisen Cable ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Twin Stick ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Fishing Controller ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Samba de Amigo Maracas Controller ✓* TBD TBD TBD
Densha de Go controller ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Pop'n'Music Controller ✓ TBD TBD TBD
Broadband Adapter ✓* TBD TBD TBD
Panther DC TBD* TBD TBD TBD
4x Memory Card TBD TBD TBD TBD
Neo Geo Pocket communication ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Windows CE ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗

VMU

While Flycast, redream and DEmul emulators can leverage the screen of the VMU while the game is running, none of them allow you to play the standalone minigames developed for it (other than MAME, but it has no interconnect support). If that's what you're after, then you should probably be looking at Sega VMU emulators instead.

Several titles for the Dreamcast included mini-games that could be downloaded onto a VMU. The Sonic Adventure series, for instance, included the Chao Adventure mini-game. In the game players could transfer Chao eggs to the VMU and play to increase the stats of their hatched Chao, whereupon they could upload their improved Chao back into the Dreamcast game.[1]

Dreamcast titles that include VMU games and extra features

Taisen Cable

The Taisen Cable is used for hooking up two consoles for Serial play. This was only released in Japan and a few games support it;

Games that used the Taisen cable
 What about "Dreamcast LAN games on Xlink kai?"

Broadband Adapter

The Dreamcast came out of the box equipped with a 56k dial-up modem that was supported by every DC game with online functionality. However, some of those games had additional support for the Broadband Adapter (BBA) accessory, which replaced the 56k modem and used Ethernet networking to deliver much higher internet speeds.[2] Many games have been brought back due to private servers run and operated by fans such as:

For more information about other revive projects see Preservation projects page.

Panther DC

The Panther DC is a flight stick peripheral manufactured by Mad Catz. Only a few games support it.

Emulation issues

Developer interest in Dreamcast emulation was previously hindered by the availability of the closed-source but "good enough" Chankast, and by less interest in the console relative to other 6th generation consoles. For the emulators that are either mature or maturing, a very large percentage of games work well, but some games still have problems and glitches.

Downloads

References

  1. ↑ https://github.com/libretro/flycast/issues/136
Dreamcast logo.png
 Consoles: SG-1000 • Master System • Genesis / Mega Drive • CD • 32X • Pico • Saturn • Dreamcast
Handhelds: Game Gear • VMU / VMS
Arcade: System series • Model 1 • Model 2 • Model 3 • NAOMI
  1. ↑ Sega Wiki: VMU
  2. ↑ ConsoleMods: Broadband (BBA) Mode for Dreamcast
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