Tips on retro arch

[Jestermaxxing]

Looks for any sick tips anyone has for android retroarch. I want to use it for all the emu, but it seems like there's better programs to run SNES gba PSP and ds.

 

[ArchienineArchienine's icon]

For SNES use the SNES9X core and GBA the MGBA core.
But yes, PSP and DS are way better with PPSSPP and DraStic.

 

[Onicat]

If your device is powerful enough, don't forget to experiment with shaders. Sprite-based 2D games really benefit from them. Raw pixels may look sharp, but they're too... “sharp.”

 

[extermist]

What do you specifically want to know OP?
So we can better help you and contribute to your thread.

 

[nobitakun]

I believe you are experiencing the awful feeling of "I want everything inside a closed box to play with, but there is some stuff that seems better outside of it". That is the neverending problem about emulation and society, everyone do their own and don't care about standardising anything.

 

[Scotty Scotty]

If you're looking to run Sega Genesis games through the Genesis Plus GX core, make sure to go into the audio settings, set sound to "Nuked YM2612" and enable the low-pass filter for richer sound quality – I recommend setting it to 55 as this sounds pretty close to a Model 1 Genesis.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

May be old news to many but make sure you download RetroArch from the developer's website and not from the Play Store. That version of RA hasn't been updated in many years and will likely not work with most roms.
Download all relevant cores and place the necessary BIOS and firmware stuff in each core folder. Link your Retro Achievements account if you have one, and have fun!

 

[extermist]

May be old news to many but make sure you download RetroArch from the developer's website and not from the Play Store. That version of RA hasn't been updated in many years and will likely not work with most roms.

I feel that this needs to be common knowledge, I didn't know about it till my app stopped working and I had to look it up.

Basically the old version was made with 32bit architecture in mind but over time support for this was dropped, so the new version is 64bit.
That's what I understood atleast.

 

[Aunt Sarah]

If you're looking to run Sega Genesis games through the Genesis Plus GX core, make sure to go into the audio settings, set sound to "Nuked YM2612" and enable the low-pass filter for richer sound quality – I recommend setting it to 55 as this sounds pretty close to a Model 1 Genesis.

Combining that with my favorite Junker TV RF megabezel and the dirty RF mono DSP plugin is jusssssst right.

 

[Scotty Scotty]

Combining that with my favorite Junker TV RF megabezel and the dirty RF mono DSP plugin is jusssssst right.

I personally like to use "Retro Crisis'" RF & Composite audio filters. Using them alongside a CRT shader really makes me feel like I was just transported to the 80s or 90s.

 

[Rocket2049]

honestly retroarch annoys me so much, i do have it on my android phone but only because i might want to quickly play a emulated game without being near my PC.
but i'd much rather play emulation on my computer, with each dedicated emulator for each console.
there's just too many settings and differences between emulators, retroarch can't possibly do all that.

Duckstation for PS1 games has so much more enhancement settings (like the ones that remove all the warping and wobbling textures entirely, and the widescreen hacks, and anything that says PXGP)
BSNES is the best way to play SNES games hands down, retroarch with the core isn't as good
MGBA i definitely have better visual and sound quality over retroarch (idk why, it looks less clean and sounds choppy on retroarch with mgba core)
PPSSPP you really shouldn't play PSP games any other way that's just too good of an emulator

saturn emulation i just never got working on retroarch, i just use MEDNAFEN. not a single saturn game issue ever (on anything i've played)
the newer Ymir emulator is pretty damn good also, better sound quality in a few minor cases.

 

[RestoredaftrLostv2]

I avoid android retroarch. Use the standalone emulator for each console type. They are way easier to use and work better than the older version core in retroarch.

 

[Jestermaxxing]

what's the best emu for 3ds, the magical 3ds emu isn't easily found from a safe location.

 

[Onicat]

what's the best emu for 3ds, the magical 3ds emu isn't easily found from a safe location.

In Retroarch? Try Azahar core. I beat Dragon Quest 8 on this version. But it’s quite possible that some games will run better on a different core.

 

[stinky]

If you don't like having to navigate retroarch or jump between a bunch of different emu ui's, could always just use a front end. there's a lot of nice ones out there now like daijisho, emulation station (apk is paywalled until it's out of beta but you can find it pretty easy for free), and neostation which is a newer one that's really nice. Also cocoon which got popular due to supporting dual screens like for the ayn thor.

this way you should be able to use whatever emulators or cores you want. idk about compatibility with every single emu out there tho depending on which frontend you're using

 

[CheesyExplosive]

Try it out! https://github.com/swordfish90/lemuroid it's more useful than retroarch.