What are the best or most interesting cores we can use that aren’t available in the official RetroArch downloader?
Maybe a system that isn’t yet supported and has an experimental core? Maybe a more up-to-date version of an existing core that isn’t yet finalized? Or a hack of an existing core, like the GenesisGxPlus core that could play Paprium?
Maybe someone has a list?
Github is a good searching source for cores not included.
One that isn’t in the Retroarch downloader that I use Freej2ME-Plus
Here’s a list of ones I’m using or keeping an eye on their development:
Edit: here’s a link to Azahar core PR request.
And from this GitHub action you can actually download and test the core yourself. Click on the latest “libretro core” and scroll down to pick your platform (it appears as Citra, but it’s actually Azahar).
There is a 64 bit version of Mupen64 that can play Rom Hacks like the WWF No Mercy Ones
- Azahar (3DS). Seems to be a WIP .
Edit: here’s a link to Azahar core PR request.
And from this GitHub action you can actually download and test the core yourself. Click on the latest “libretro core” and scroll down to pick your platform (it appears as Citra, but it’s actually Azahar).
Nice find.
Just tried it and although I haven’t tested it extensively (I only tested Metroid: Samus Returns), it seems much faster on my PC than the older Citra core. So it looks very promising.
Though it seems like you need a github account in order to be able to download the artifacts/compiled core, unfortunately.
Also, there doesn’t seem to be an info file that goes with the core dll. So you can’t select the core from the core list to play the 3ds content even if the core is present in the folder.
Managed to circumvent this by creating an azahar_libretro.info file. Just copy the citra info file, rename it (you can edit out a few lines like the core’s name within the file) then update the core info files via the updater which you need to do apparently in order for the changes to actually take effect on your system. Not exactly the cleanest way but it worked for me.
edit: Oh and the other two cores you mentioned * BennuGD and * FreeJ2ME-Plus are extremely solid as well.
Does it share the same config folder as Citra?
Edit: Nope, it creates an “Azahar” folder and then proceeds to freeze RetroArch for me.
Edit 2: Copying the cfg/opt files from the Citra folder and renaming them to Azahar (since it’s a Citra fork) still freezes RetroArch.
Edit 3: Copied the save folder that contains all the 3DS files in the new Azahar save folder, still freezes.
There’s the alternative hatari core (Atari ST/STe/TT/Falcon), which uses a newer base and has different options.
There IS an info file, but I forgot how I got it. You can copy-paste it from here:
# Software Information
display_name = "Nintendo - 3DS (Azahar)"
authors = "Azahar Emulator"
supported_extensions = "3ds|3dsx|elf|axf|cci|cxi|app"
corename = "Azahar"
categories = "Emulator"
license = "GPLv2+"
permissions = ""
display_version = "Git"
# Hardware Information
manufacturer = "Nintendo"
systemname = "3DS"
systemid = "3ds"
# Libretro Information
database = "Nintendo - Nintendo 3DS"
supports_no_game = "false"
savestate = "true"
savestate_features = "basic"
cheats = "false"
input_descriptors = "true"
memory_descriptors = "false"
libretro_saves = "true"
core_options = "true"
core_options_version = "1.0"
load_subsystem = "false"
hw_render = "true"
required_hw_api = "OpenGL Core >= 3.3"
needs_fullpath = "true"
disk_control = "false"
is_experimental = "false"
description = "A port of the Azahar 3DS emulator to libretro. Azahar is based on Citra, started by merging several prominent Citra forks after Citra was taken down. The core requires decrypted ROMs to function, and some games require Mii data to be dumped from your own 3DS console."
Save this as azahar_libretro.info put into RetroArch/info
Hmm, try switching to glcore driver. I could not get the core to work with vulkan on my UHD 620, but maybe because this integrated gpu is using old drivers, I’ll test on another PC later.
Other than that, the core works great so far and is very promising, no missing features from Citra core, in fact there are new features here.
Edit: I tried my other PC and vulkan worked but the mouse pointer did not show on screen, unlike glcore.
Ι have glcore by default
Here’s my cfg file in case i’m doing something horribly wrong
Turns out it was the game at fault (Mario Kart 7).
Metroid seems to work.
But if Mario Kart doesn’t work, well, i’ll have to stick to Citra.
Oh yeah HatariB is another excellent one. Though I’m not sure it’s still in development. Even if not, it is much, much better than the old hatari core and it has a really high compatibility, it’s pretty versatile and easier to use (it also, I think, has less lag than the the old core).
GemaH Mario Kart 7 works fine for me:
so maybe it’s the dump you’re using that doesn’t work with azahar for some reason.
Another plus so far for the azahar core is both glcore and vulkan seem to work (vulkan is not supported by the older citra core and vulkan should be in theory faster than something like glcore for 3ds/citra based core/emu).
Nice. Thanks for posting the azahar .info content.
You are right. Got a new rom and it works.
Weird though, my previous rom was 600 something MBs, the new one is 1+GB. They are both .3ds roms. The smaller one works in Citra.
A few more issues on Azahar is that the “core provided” aspect ratio is broken, so i have to choose one of the pre-made ones to make the screen close to correct, but that makes both screens have the same ratio, which isn’t correct.
And it also doesn’t have a pointer visible to see where i’m pointing on the screen like Citra does.
@Broski86
Good news! it seems the Azahar core does support compressed 3DS backups. But you’ll need to edit the info file first to list those formats then delete core_info.cache for changes to take effect.
Here’s the updated info file:
# Software Information
display_name = "Nintendo - 3DS (Azahar)"
authors = "Azahar Emulator"
supported_extensions = "3ds|3dsx|elf|axf|cci|cxi|app|zcci|zcxi|z3dsx|zcia"
corename = "Azahar"
categories = "Emulator"
license = "GPLv2+"
permissions = ""
display_version = "Git"
# Hardware Information
manufacturer = "Nintendo"
systemname = "3DS"
systemid = "3ds"
# Libretro Information
database = "Nintendo - Nintendo 3DS"
supports_no_game = "false"
savestate = "true"
savestate_features = "basic"
cheats = "false"
input_descriptors = "true"
memory_descriptors = "false"
libretro_saves = "true"
core_options = "true"
core_options_version = "1.0"
load_subsystem = "false"
hw_render = "true"
required_hw_api = "OpenGL Core >= 3.3"
needs_fullpath = "true"
disk_control = "false"
is_experimental = "false"
description = "A port of the Azahar 3DS emulator to libretro. Azahar is based on Citra, started by merging several prominent Citra forks after Citra was taken down. The core requires decrypted ROMs to function, and some games require Mii data to be dumped from your own 3DS console."
I hope the core author (@warmenhoven) will include these by default later.
unfortunately, the regular Citra core doesn’t support the compressed zcci format and i want both cores to work.
Is there another format that both cores support?
Has also anyone solved the aspect ration issue? When i launch any game, the image is squished until i toggle the screens (i use single screen only and toggle between them)
aspect_ratio_index = “20” custom_viewport_width = “3200” video_aspect_ratio = “1.663300” video_driver = “glcore”
titlegame.opt
This isn’t correct though. The bottom 3DS screen is not supposed to fill the monitor screen, it should be closer to 4:3.
“core provided” is correct by having a different ratio for each screen but you have to tap the toggle button first to fix the initial squish for some reason.
The idea I suggested was only for the main top screen. I’m out of ideas. After that, it works as you said; you just have to switch between the bottom and top screens. Don’t forget that Azahar is still in development.