Adding cores to RetroArch

In this guide, I will instruct you on how to download and install cores for Steam RetroArch

Finding the cores

You will (probably) need to do this every time RetroArch gets an update, if you want your cores to be as up to date as possible.

First, navigate to https://buildbot.libretro.com/stable/

Expand the folder if necessary until it looks like this image:

Select the folder for the latest stable version (currently 1.10.3, may vary)

Open the correct platform folder.

If you don't know what this means, and are on a desktop computer, click Windows.

If you are doing this on your Steam Deck, click Linux.

If you are one of the few still running a 32-bit computer, click x86. Otherwise, click x86-64.

Download and Install Cores

Now, you will download RetroArch_cores.7z from the directory you navigated to.


Once you have done that, you will need to extract them to where they need to go.

You may need to download 7-zip to do this. I will have a section at the bottom of this guide for this. If you can't extract the files please scroll all the way down.

First, extract them to somewhere you can find easily, be it your Downloads folder, your desktop, pretty much anywhere is fine.

Once you have done that, navigate to your extracted folder, then RetroArch-Win64 (or your architecture), then cores.

Select all and COPY every file here.

Once you have done that, you will need to find where you installed RetroArch to via Steam.


As seen in the picture, you can do that by finding RetroArch in your Steam Library, right clicking it, clicking properties, clicking Local Files, and clicking Browse.

This should open the RetroArch folder in your file browser. Open the cores folder that should be here and then PASTE your clipboard.

I recommend against overwriting the cores that RetroArch manages via DLC, as they will 'update' and fix themselves via Steam Update before launching your game.

Download the Info files

You should only need to do this once, unless RetroArch adds support for completely new cores at a later date.

You will need to download the info files from https://buildbot.libretro.com/assets/frontend/info.zip

If you are following the guide for the first time, and are using Windows, go to the file browser window your cores are open in, go up one level, and open the info folder.

If you are not following the guide for the first time, follow the steps necessary to open your Steam RetroArch folder, then open the info folder.

You can extract info.zip directly to your Steam RetroArch/info folder if desired, or do it the same way you did the cores. Once again, don't overwrite files that already exist, and you should be fine.

Note: If you are using a Steam Deck or other GNU/Linux based operating system, the info files can be put in the same folder with the core files.

7zip (archive extractor)

7-zip is basically WinRar, but better.

It handles basically every format known to man and it's free (as in freedom) as well as free (as in cost) software.

It does it's job and stays out of your way otherwise. What more can a guy ask for?

Anywho, you're probably wondering which version you need to download. They make it pretty dang simple for you to figure it out.



When you open an archive in 7zip for the first time, this will be what you are presented with (with different files, maybe)

You'll want to click extract (Don't ask me why it's represented with a minus sign)






In the specific case of this guide, you can copy the file directory from your open file explorer window, which should be in your RetroArch info folder, and paste it into the one and only text field.

P.S. Those are meant to be backslashes, not Yen signs. They are Yen signs because I have Japanese Locale enabled. Thanks Windows.

Thanks for reading

If you found this guide helpful, please tell your friends about it.
Happy Gaming!

[Neopolitan]

@BibiddyKitty: PeaZip can be installed via flatpak and works well for me even on Steam Deck.

[Himitsu]

Once again super useful and awesome guide.

[BibiddyKitty]

How I did it:
I couldn't install 7zip. I tried everything, it would not work. ARK also would not "extract" correctly, making an empty folder. The workaround- Drag the cores folder directly ontop the desktop from the compressed file, then download the infos and put them in the same folder.
Finding the Retroarch folder was tricky it looks different from the screenshot, but on desktop mode, open Steam. Right click Retroarch>properties>installed files>browse.
Instead of copying, I renamed the og core folder and moved it to desktop just in case, and then I moved the new cores folder into the Retroarch folder.
Can play Wii and PS2 now. The LRPS2 core wouldn't run Inuyasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask, but PS2 PLAY! core works with sound stuttering.

[[R&L]Dan_Laixer]

I already mentoned and checked the core list on my original comment.

This is not about which core should I use, but about the fact that there's no clear indication on https://docs.libretro.com/guides/core-list of the corresponding filenames or download links to each core.

Whoever made the Retroarch documentation is like "Yeah, there are this cores for this console, go figure out yourself the rest".

Yes, Retroarch itself can download and update cores on its own, but I can't wrap my head around the fact there not easy manual alternative.

[Neopolitan]

Apologies if I am simply being a tylenol-american here, but most people use mednafen_psx_hw_libretro.info, known in client as "Beetle PSX HW".

Their naming scheme could use some work, to be sure.

Is the information you are looking for not at this link?

https://docs.libretro.com/guides/core-list/#

[[R&L]Dan_Laixer]

@Neopolitan Info files have the same name as the core files but with a different extention

Now that I think about it, yeah I could extract the info.zip and do this from Ubuntu:

grep "\"playstation\"" *

Which produces:

duckstation_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
mednafen_psx_hw_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
mednafen_psx_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
pcsx1_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
pcsx_rearmed_interpreter_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
pcsx_rearmed_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
pcsx_rearmed_neon_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
rustation_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"
swanstation_libretro.info:systemid = "playstation"

But this is just a workaround

It still doesn't make sense that this info is not publicly and easily available

There should be a page where not only all cores are listed, but also sorted/filtered by plaform and with their corresponding download links and filenames

It can't be that hard

[pita]

I was having a hard time finding the cores, thanks!

[Senpaiyaa]

just downloaded retroarch. i thought it will just automatically list all the cores like in android. thanks !

[Neopolitan]

No, the info files should contain the information you're looking for, DanLaixer.

[[R&L]Dan_Laixer]

I can't wrap my head around the fact that all cores are just dumped into a single 7z where you can't tell which cores emulate which console.

You have to figure it out yourself by looking at the docs:
https://docs.libretro.com/guides/core-list/

However, RetroArch is capable of downloading specific cores on its own by just choosing the core
HOW!? Where the f are these file being downloaded from?

Do I have run WireShark while downloading a core to figure it out???