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libretro

RetroArch

libretro

The reference frontend for the libretro API, a cross-platform, feature-rich emulator frontend supporting a vast library of console emulator cores with advanced features like shaders, rewind, and latency reduction.

v1.22.2
Published at
Nov 20, 2025
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Synced at
Oct 4, 2026

The author no longer ships through GitHub Releases, but the repository is still active (last push Oct 4, 2026). Get the latest version from: Project homepage

Latest release

v1.22.2Nov 20, 2025, 03:12 AM
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README

Project Overview

RetroArch is the reference frontend for the libretro API. libretro is an API that exposes generic audio/video/input callbacks. A libretro core written in portable C or C++ can run seamlessly on many platforms.

Key Features

  • Cross-platform support across dozens of platforms including Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, macOS, and game consoles
  • Supports a wide range of libretro cores
  • Multi-pass shader support
  • Real-time rewind (Braid-style)
  • Video recording (using FFmpeg)
  • Run-Ahead input latency reduction
  • Full-featured command-line interface
  • Gamepad-centric and touchscreen UI

Target Audience

  • Retro gaming enthusiasts
  • Emulator hobbyists
  • Users seeking cross-platform gaming experiences

Quick Start

  1. Download the latest binary from buildbot.libretro.com
  2. Install and launch RetroArch
  3. Download the desired cores
  4. Load game ROMs and start playing

Core Advantages

  • The most popular libretro frontend
  • Supports dozens of platforms
  • Rich core ecosystem
  • Advanced features (shaders, rewind, latency reduction, etc.)

System Requirements

  • OS: Cross-platform (Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, macOS, game consoles, etc.)

Release history

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