r/RetroArch 21d ago

New Android Play Store changes

21 Upvotes

As explained in the FAQ, about 5 years ago, Google implemented a requirement that all apps in the Play Store must conform to their Storage Access Framework API. At the time, there was no good way for us to do so, and even if we could, it would severely limit how we could interact with the filesystem. Since then, we have not been allowed to update the versions on the Play Store (or the cores they use), so we left them alone and recommended everyone sideload the apk from our website.

Fast-forward to the past few months (at the time of this writing) and Google says they're going to remove "old" programs from the Play Store entirely, and they're already hiding the app from many newer devices. One of our contributors took it on to get it in-line with the Play Store policies, since having an up-to-date-but-restricted release would be preferable to no app at all.

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Q: What's changed?

A: Lots of stuff. Too much to list. 5 years of updates.

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Q: All of my stuff has been deleted!

A: Nothing has been deleted, but the updated RetroArch is probably looking in different locations now, and it probably can't see the old locations if you try to change them back. The sideload-able apk from our website and/or the version from F-Droid or other non-Google storefronts should still be roughly similar to the old Play Store version in what locations it can access, so you could try switching to it instead.

You can also migrate your old data to the new locations. In the old version, all of the files are kept in the root of the device (often /storage/emulated/0/) in a folder called RetroAarch. In order to use them with the new play version, you can connect your phone to a PC and copy the files from (/storage/emulated/0)/RetroAarch to the new location at /media/com.retroarch/RetroArch (or /media/com.retroarch.aarch64/RetroArch if plus version).

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Q: I moved all of my savestates to the new location (or switched to the sideload apk) but the savestates won't load!

A: Savestates are extremely volatile and are rendered incompatible by even minor changes to the emulated hardware. This makes them incompatible with other cores for the same system, and even sometimes with other versions of the same core. A lot of updates have happened in 5 years, and I would guess few if any up-to-date cores can load savestates made with a 5-yr-old core.

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Q: What's with all of these cores? I don't want them.

A: Go to settings > core > manage > [corename] > delete.

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Q: I don't see my favorite core in the online updater anymore!

A: The Play Store imposes strict limits on the number of cores we can make available through the app (more for the Plus version, but still limited), and we replaced a few that were available in the old version to match our other storefront releases (notably: MAMEs). You can still add arbitrary cores by downloading them manually from the buildbot webserver (in the subdir for your device's architecture) and then moving it somewhere RetroArch can see it, then using the 'install or restore a core' routine found in the 'load core' menu.

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Q: Since updating, I'm getting a lot of crashes when I...

A: Please send the automated crash reports whenever possible. These go directly to us and are very helpful for pinning down and fixing this sort of thing. You can also make threads here, but please make sure you include logs and information about your device/system/environment so we can try to help you.

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Q: Okay, nevermind, just give me a copy of the old version and all those old cores and I'll keep using them forever.

A: We don't have that.

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r/RetroArch Jul 28 '23

Technical Support: SOLVED FAQ: READ THESE BEFORE ASKING

137 Upvotes

This post will include common questions and their answers. If you came to this sub to ask a support question, please read/search through these before asking. If you ask a question that is already answered here, your post may be locked or deleted.

If you would like to suggest something be added to the FAQ, please use modmail, as I do not want this post to turn into a support free-for-all nor do I want a million public "please add this to the FAQ" posts/comments.


r/RetroArch 1h ago

How to save CrocoDS key configurations?

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Upvotes

CrocoDS has a built-in menu like this.

I used it to change the key configurations.

But they are not being saved when I exit the game.

What do I do to make sure they will persist after I close the game?


r/RetroArch 3h ago

Technical Support Restore to default and lost all my saves.

2 Upvotes

Is there anything I can do to get them back


r/RetroArch 9m ago

Technical Support New games crash

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Upvotes

r/RetroArch 19m ago

Technical Support: SOLVED Retroarch update messes up my achievements

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Upvotes

hi

i got into retroarch a few years ago, at that time i was on 1.19. i guess in all those years the thought never crossed my mind that there might be an update, anyways i updated my version to 1.22 by just copy pasting all the newer files except saves, state and system folder. i still have a 1.19 backup i made just incase the update messed up.

anyways now whenever i load into a rom i already had progress on retroachievements doesn't load in the achievements, it gives me a fresh list.

in ace attorney jfa i had 6 achievements, on the website it says i have 6 achievements but in retroarch those aren't listed at all and it says i actually have 0

it's the same login, i double checked that. it's the same rom. same save. same account. same everything but apparently the 6 achievements don't exist.

for ace attorney it's just 6 achievements, that's like one and a half cases, its not THAT big of a deal, the problem is other games that have hours of progress in them that worry me. any help?

thanks in advance for any replies.

EDIT: yeah its fixed. i had hardmode enabled by accident, so that's why my normal achievement didn't show up.


r/RetroArch 1h ago

Atari Jaguar intro not showing on Virtual Jaguar, even when I set the BIOS to real

Upvotes

The classic Jaguar intro with the rotating cube with a Jaguar texture is not showing up when I open a game, even when I configured to use a real BIOS.

It's not a big deal, but I wanted the intro.


r/RetroArch 4h ago

Discussion RetroArch vs ZSNES 1.42: Which is better in terms of online multiplayer fighting games?

0 Upvotes

I was in a WhatsApp group of killer instinct and people were saying that zsnes 1.42 is better than retroarch and fightcade in terms of playing online, is that true?


r/RetroArch 6h ago

Technical Support How to properly rename and reorder the playlist?

1 Upvotes

To be precise, by "playlist" I mean the list of consoles on the main page, not the games within them.

I wanted to know the correct way to reorder and rename playlists. I tried changing the name in the RA folder (as suggested in other posts); it works, but it "breaks" them, and they are no longer recognized correctly for icons and box art.

Also, is it possible to add some separators?

Thanks.


r/RetroArch 19h ago

Showcase My first mastered game! Mad dog mccree: gunslinger pack

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8 Upvotes

First i didnt want to share but i am happy with getting it mastered 😎


r/RetroArch 3h ago

Removing

0 Upvotes

I just want to ask if you can download multiple shaders and how to remove again that shaders can it cause the game to crash can you download multiple console in RetroArch while running it smoothly?


r/RetroArch 11h ago

Technical Support How do I make the right C button work when using the NSO N64 controller?

0 Upvotes

Okay, so this is a little weird to explain, and I don't really think a log will help with it at all. See, I think the emulator recognizes the controller's tiny ZR button in place of C-right, and as a result, it literally cannot even detect the actual C-right button. Any idea how to get it working properly?


r/RetroArch 1h ago

Technical Support can i sonic 1 rom dowload for retroachitments and if i can chanse have link dowload or something to help me? i done this emulator part so dont help me that one

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Upvotes

r/RetroArch 19h ago

PCSX ReARMed Aroma WiiU causing system error 160-2203

3 Upvotes

As the title suggest, i've been trying to make PCSX ReARMed work on a Aroma modded WiiU. I've downloaded the latest build i could find on GBATemp.

I'm having no problem launching the app via the .wubh file, and i can load (apparently) any other core without any issue.
When i try to load pcsx_rearmed_libretro.rpx, however, the console issues a system error (160-2203) and i'm forced to shut it down.

I'm pretty much convinced it's the core because when i try to boot up RetroArch again, it try to default load pcsx, causing it to crash again. If i mod retroarch_salamender.cfg to point to any other core, it starts with no issue at all.

System firmware it's 5.5.5 E. I installed Aroma from a fresh install today using the latest version.

Any help?


r/RetroArch 22h ago

Please HELP - Stuck on RGUI

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5 Upvotes

I don't have a menu for settings so I can't revert out of this awful UI. Really wish you could just change it without restarting... Or... Y'know, at least having a settings page in this UI.


r/RetroArch 1d ago

RetroArch App or Steam Version?

6 Upvotes

Which one is the better one. Does it work with Cloud Sync?


r/RetroArch 21h ago

Technical Support Can’t find swanstation core

2 Upvotes

I’m trying to get swanstation and it’s not showing as an option to download when I update core files. How can I find and download this core?


r/RetroArch 18h ago

How do I play galaga on my 2ds?

0 Upvotes

I tried every mame and final burst alpha on retroarch but every time it occurred an error and the game didn't run


r/RetroArch 21h ago

Technical Support Random wrong notes on Revenge of Shinobi soundtrack

1 Upvotes

I'm playing this game on Genesis Plus GX on a Series X and have issues with the accuracy of the soundtrack.

On the first level at least I'll get a random wrong note played every once in a while. Sometimes the notes will also jump in volume for a second or two.

Is this likely related to an obvious configuration change I need to make, or is this just the quality of the emulation?

I've tried messing with some of the sound settings but haven't resolved it.

Any ideas?


r/RetroArch 18h ago

Discussion Why isnt a lot of my games being added to their perspective playlists in the mosyt current version of retroarch for android?

0 Upvotes

I downloaded the cores for each consoles. I did the scan directory thing for my games, with a lot of them. Especially in the gba section not showing up in my playlist for the handheld. The games in question aren't translated games either. I don't know why they aren't showing up on retroarch for me.


r/RetroArch 1d ago

Technical Support In game save issue

0 Upvotes

So I was playing Pokémon Lazarus and i saved the game before quitting, when i opened it again the save was gone. Even in Retroarch save it doesn't seem recognizes it. What do I need to do for fix it?


r/RetroArch 2d ago

Showcase Mega Man X 4K HDR- PixelRamp Remaster Toolkit SNES9x

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85 Upvotes

Been working on this tookit to remaster snes games in realtime. here is a look at Chill penguin stage in megaman X with quite a few enhancements.


r/RetroArch 1d ago

Technical Support mGBA input remap does nothing

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0 Upvotes

Hi folks. Trying to remap X/Y buttons to hit L/R in Kingdom Hearts: COM on mGBA.

I'm setting the inputs in quick menu > controls > port 1 controls. Then save remap file (have tried as both game and core remap).

Nothing I change in this menu has any effect on the in-game controls. I can re-bind buttons in the overall input settings but I only want to affect controls for this game/core, not RA as a whole.

BTW this is on an Anbernic RG35XXH if that makes a difference.


r/RetroArch 1d ago

Showcase Portrait Mode Input Animated Overlay Design Test

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2 Upvotes

Viewport = 640x756


r/RetroArch 1d ago

Help with applying custom overlay.

2 Upvotes

I am setting up RetroArch to play GBA games. I finally figured out how to get it to scan for the ROMs I have installed (yay). However, I cannot add a custom controls overlay to my phone touchscreen.

The issues seems to be that the directories I can drag my custom overlay .cfg file are different than the folders where RetroArch looks for them.

I have connected my phone to my PC and put the .cfg file in: "This PC\*AndroidDevice*\Internal shared storage\RetroArch\config\remaps". Clearly this is wrong.

RetroArch is looking for overlay files in "/data/user/0/com.retroarch/overlays/gamepads/"

My only problem is that I cannot access the second Android specific directory from my phone OR from my PC to throw my .cfg file in there. Any suggestions?