Almost four months after the last version, here we have a new iteration of the most popular video game emulator. Although to be honest and precise, the program is more of a set or "portal" from which to launch emulators, either individually or in the form of cores or colors. And just a few moments ago the launch of the Retro Arch 1.21.0.
In her News list We found many changes. Most of them detail improvements to the different cores, but there are also interface improvements and bug fixes. If you want to know the most interesting things that have arrived with RetroArch 1.21.0, keep reading.
RetroArch 1.21.0: General improvements and fixes
This release introduces numerous stability and functionality improvements. Bugs related to the automatic saves, the hot patching of files with dots in their names, and redefining directories via environment variables is now supported. Additionally, performance issues and crashes without a core selected have been resolved, and dropped frame counting has been improved, now based on core refresh rate rather than screen refresh rate.
Audio and video
The PipeWire audio system has been refined, with fixes to latency handling, the microphone, and application launch. A mute-on-rewind option has also been added. In video, support for BFI on mobile, improvements in synchronization with shader subframes and support for adaptive vsync in Vulkan.
Graphical interfaces and menus in RetroArch 1.21.0
The menus have received significant visual and usability improvements: the main menu has been unified across controllers, new themes and visual tweaks have been added (such as in XMB and Ozone), and handling of thumbnails, playlist tabs, and warning messages has been improved. The GLUI menu now allows full-screen thumbnail navigation and saves screenshots.
New features in platform compatibility
- 3DS: Multiple stability fixes, freezes, and TLS support.
- Apple (iOS/macOS): Support for CoreMIDI and CoreLocation, App Store improvements, shared GL, and screen orientation.
- Linux: : improvements in X11 input and sensor correction.
- Windows: socket optimizations.
- iOS/tvOS: Various stability fixes, list scanning, orientation locking, and Top Shelf art.
- Web (Emscripten): Added a new modern player and updated audio/video drivers.
- Consoles (Wii, WiiU, Vita): Specific fixes were included.
New features
New camera drivers (PipeWire, ffmpeg), cloud sync improvements, SSL support in the info menu, and a completely redesigned "turbo shot" option have been added. Also introduced are support for touch input on the web, MIDI devices, and a new achievement reading system (Cheevos) in online games.
Network and synchronization
HTTP network handling has been improved, with improved performance and support for redirects and DNS failures. Additionally, netplay functionality has been fine-tuned, especially when using online achievements. Cloud synchronization has also been improved, with fixes for Windows paths and ignored directories.
RetroArch 1.21.0 code now available, coming soon to your favorite frontend
RetroArch 1.21.0 is now available for download from your official website. It is available for all types of platforms: different versions of Windows — even those no longer supported by Microsoft –, all types of Linux systems — 32-bit, 64-bit AMD and ARM –, macOS, Android and even iOS with slight restrictions. It is also available on Xbox, PSVita, PSP, PS2 consoles; it will be available “soon” on PS3 and PS4, Switch, Wii… the list is endless, and can even be run in browsers.
On the other hand, it will soon be the basis of other platforms and front endas the IT IS (EmulationStation Desktop Edition) or Batocera, which in this case offers a Debian with just enough to run RetroArch with a more polished interface and little else (it also has a file explorer and the ability to transfer ROMs wirelessly to facilitate management).
More information in notes from this release.