Retroarch
11 articles
Guide
Sega Saturn BIOS: sega_101.bin, mpr-17933.bin and saturn_bios.bin
Last updated: September 2026
Saturn emulation has three different BIOS filenames in circulation and every emulator wants a different one. Beetle Saturn wants …
Guide
Sega CD BIOS Files: bios_CD_U.bin, bios_CD_E.bin and bios_CD_J.bin
Last updated: September 2026
The Genesis needs no BIOS. Load a cartridge game into Genesis Plus GX or PicoDrive and it runs. The Sega CD is the add-on that …
Guide
Neo Geo BIOS (neogeo.zip): What's Inside and Why It Keeps Breaking
Last updated: September 2026
Every other BIOS on this site is a single file with a single hash. The Neo Geo one is a zip archive that contains anywhere from …
Guide
GBA BIOS (gba_bios.bin): Which Emulators Need It and Where It Goes
Last updated: September 2026
The Game Boy family is the one system where “do I need the BIOS?” has a different answer for every emulator. mGBA runs …
Guide
DS BIOS and Firmware for melonDS: bios7, bios9 and firmware.bin
Last updated: September 2026
The DS is the system where the BIOS question changed under everyone’s feet. For years melonDS refused to start without three …
Guide
Dreamcast BIOS: dc_boot.bin and dc_flash.bin for Flycast and Redream
Last updated: September 2026
Dreamcast is the system where the BIOS is optional and everyone installs it anyway. Flycast ships a high-level replacement that …
Guide
3DO BIOS Files for Opera: panafz1.bin, panafz10.bin and the Rest
Last updated: September 2026
3DO emulation runs through one core, Opera, which is the RetroArch descendant of 4DO and FreeDO. It will not start without a BIOS, …
Guide
PS2 BIOS Files for PCSX2 and NetherSX2: Setup and Dumping Guide
Last updated: September 2026
PS2 emulation has exactly one hard requirement and it trips up everyone: the BIOS. PCSX2 will not open a game without it, and …
Guide
PS1 BIOS Files: Which Ones You Need for DuckStation and RetroArch
Last updated: September 2026
A PS1 emulator with no BIOS gives you a black screen and nothing else. Not a warning, not a menu, just black. I have watched more …
Guide
RetroArch NetPlay Guide — Online Multiplayer Setup for Every Platform (2026)
Last updated: March 2026
RetroArch NetPlay lets you play retro games online with anyone, on any platform, with rollback netcode that makes it feel like …
Guide
How to Use RetroArch: Complete Setup Guide for Beginners
RetroArch is the Swiss Army knife of emulation. One app, dozens of emulators, every retro system you care about — all with a single controller setup, universal …