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Written in | C++, C |
---|---|
Operating system | GNU/Linux, Android, iOS, FreeBSD, OS X, Windows |
Type | Application programming interface |
License | MIT License |
Website |
www |
Libretro is a free and open source API, which is licensed under the MIT License.
It specifies how to write a library, called libretro core, so that it can be loaded by a frontend, like RetroArch. The frontend then manages video, audio and input. Because you only have to port the core that handles video, audio and input it is widely used for game emulation, because of the portability
Other projects that implement the libretro API include XBMC [1] and Arcan [2].
It is important to note that neither Libretro nor RetroArch is a game emulator, even though the API is mostly used for gaming as of now.
RetroArch is a free and open source reference implementation of the libretro API. RetroArch has been ported to various platforms and runs on Microsoft Windows, OS X, GNU/Linux, Android [3] [4] [5] [6], iOS (jailbroken), Blackberry 10 [7], Raspberry Pi, OpenPandora, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, and Nintendo Wii. It is described as a modular multi-system emulator/game system that is designed to be fast, lightweight, and portable. [8]
The following table constitutes a non-exhaustive list of console emulation cores currently maintained and supported side by side with the original codebase used.
System | Based on code from |
---|---|
PlayStation 1 | PCSX ReARMed, Mednafen PSX |
Nintendo Entertainment System | FCEUmm, Nestopia, QuickNES, bnes |
Super Nintendo | SNES9x, SNES9X Next, bsnes |
Game Boy/ Game Boy Color | Gambatte, TGB Dual |
Game Boy Advance | VBA Next, Mednafen GBA, Meteor |
SEGA Genesis/ Mega Drive | Genesis Plus GX |
SEGA CD/ Mega CD | Genesis Plus GX |
SEGA Master System/ SEGA Game Gear | Genesis Plus GX |
Arcade | MAME [0.78], Final Burn Alpha |
Virtual Boy | Mednafen VB |
PC Engine/ PC Engine CD | Mednafen PCE Fast |
Neo Geo Pocket Color | Mednafen NGP |
Wonderswan Color/ SwanCrystal | Mednafen WonderSwan |
RetroArch supports as well games natively written for its libretro API and other popular games ported to its API thanks to the source code availability.
Game | Based on code from |
---|---|
DOOM engine | Prboom |
Cave Story | NX Engine (heavily modified) |
Quake | TyrQuake |
The following emulation cores are currently a work-in-progress.
System | Based on code from |
---|---|
Atari 2600 | Stella |
Nintendo DS | DeSmuME |
Nintendo Entertainment System | QuickNES |
LucasArts Adventure | ScummVM |
MS-DOS | DOSBox |
Function | Based on code from |
---|---|
Video Player (software) | FFmpeg [9] |
{{ Nintendo emulators}}
Category:Nintendo Entertainment System emulators Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulators Category:Game Boy emulators Category:Game Boy Advance emulators Category:Sega Genesis emulators Category:Sega Master System emulators Category:PlayStation emulators Category:TurboGrafx-16 emulators Category:Arcade video game emulators Category:Free and open-source Android software Category:Android games Category:Android emulation software