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RetroArch
PC
My Everything
5/5 stars
Videogame emulators have been around for a long time. Often, competing emulators for the same classic platform, cumbersome interfaces, and nitpicky compatibility issues made enjoying emulation a big hassle and difficult to keep track of.
In 2014 everything about emulation changed with the 1.0 release of “RetroArch,” a new, all-in-one frontend for emulation that simply employs plug-in-like emulation ‘Cores’ instead of discreet executables. “RetroArch” was born out of an older SNES emulation project that eventually grew beyond its original mission statement to include numerous other platforms. The API that powers “RetroArch” is also used as the codebase for “RetroPI,” the OS that powers micro-console-killing RaspberryPI devices, as well as “Lakka,” an open-source Linux distribution that, much like Valve’s “SteamOS,” attempts to create a Linux environment that caters strictly to gaming. “RetroArch” itself has been ported to run on a huge variety of operating systems and platforms, including the expected Windows/Mac/Linux, but also including Android/iOS and numerous jailbroken/hacked consoles that can run homebrew (such as the Wii’s “Homebrew Channel”).
“RetroArch” is absolutely a breath of fresh air as an emulator. It includes an online updater for most of its internal assets (though not for the main “RetroArch” executable itself), and the interface is quite nice (for a rip-off of Sony’s XMB interface from the PlayStation 3). It’s completely navigable with just a controller, making a full-screen instance of “RetroArch” the best way to interact with a dedicated emulation machine.
“RetroArch” is not without its quirks, as it is still in active development. However, I’ve found the number of technical issues with “RetroArch” to be significantly fewer than with a stable of stand-alone emulators.
“RetroArch” supports numerous enhancement features, such as a built-in cheat engine (based on the “Game Genie,” I believe), save states, and shader filters that can make old or low-resolution games look absolutely stunning on a modern LED screen. It also includes support for the Retro Achievements website (for those who can’t stand old games because they don’t hand out virtual pats on the head every 5 minutes) as well as netplay functionality that allows multi-player games to work over the Internet the same as they do locally.
I absolutely love “RetroArch” for its simplicity, stability, and richness of features. With compatibility reaching all the way back to the 1st Generation and stretching as far forward as the 6th Generation (with a brand new Gamecube/Wii Core based on the “Dolphin” stand-alone emulator… which is still Alpha quality), “RetroArch” running on an HTPC should be the dedicated gamer’s solution to the multi-console problem. Heck, you don’t even have to pull out your mint condition discs and cartridges and risk damaging them in order to take a trip down memory lane… or explore new/old horizons.
Overall: 5/5
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