Author: BuZz

RetroPie 4.3 is released

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RetroPie 4.3 includes a lot of improvements to our default launcher Emulation Station, including Favourites/Recently Played and custom ROM collections, video and image screensavers, power saving modes, and the ability to configure your own RetroArch hotkey enable button when setting up your gamepad.

Basic support for the Odroid XU3/4 boards has been added. It’s a source only install on top of the Hardkernel Ubuntu Minimal image, but most emulators run well.

Please note that RetroPie images for the Raspberry Pi are still based on Raspbian Jessie. Raspbian Stretch is not yet supported, and will be worked on after this release.

Many emulators have received updates and fixes, including the RetroArch frontend. See below for a detailed list of changes to RetroPie.

You can download a 4.3 image from https://retropie.org.uk/download/. For first installs please follow the Installation Instructions. If updating from 4.0.x you should make a backup first then choose Update all installed packages from RetroPie-Setup main menu. Anyone upgrading from 3.x will need to update the RetroPie-Setup script first. See the upgrade instructions for more details.

You can also install RetroPie on top of an existing Raspbian Jessie set up, or on top of Ubuntu on a PC/Odroid-C1/C2/XU3/XU4. Links to the relevant instructions can be found on the Download area.

If you want to support the project, donations are always appreciated and can be made on our Donation Page.

Thanks to everyone who helped with this release.

Changes since 4.2

  • Many updates to Emulation Station including:
    • Collections support including Favourite, All, Recently Played and custom collections.
    • Video and Image Screensaver support.
    • Power saving modes.
    • Many theming fixes and improvements.
    • Configuration of RetroArch hotkey enable button.
    • Allow using OMXPlayer for video playback on the RPI.
    • Many other fixes and improvements. Full changelog can be found here – https://retropie.org.uk/docs/EmulationStation-Changelog/
  • Added basic Odroid-XU3/4 support.
  • RetroArch updated to v1.6.7. Include minimal retroarch assets for the xmb interface by default.
  • AdvanceMAME updated to v3.5
  • fuse updated to v1.4.0
  • zesarux updated to v5.0
  • lr-fbalpha updated to 0.2.97.42
  • lr-imame4all renamed to lr-imame2000 to match upstream name.
  • lr-bluemsx updated to add Colecovision support.
  • lr-mame2003 updated with fixed audio for the Mortal Kombat series.
  • Added SDL1 version of scummvm – scummvm-sdl1 – for those with joypad and MT32 issues with the standard SDL2 version.
  • gamecon_gpio_rpi and db9_gpio_rpi updated for Kernel 4.9 compatibility.
  • Workaround for using PCSX2 on 64bit without our custom SDL library.
  • Updates/improvements to mupen64plus and the GLideN64 plugin.
  • Improved controller button mapping in the RetroPie-Setup menus.
  • esthemes – Many new themes available to install from esthemes configuration. Ability to update all installed themes.
  • Runcommand – user menu support.
  • usbromservice – fix BIOS and configuration folders not copying.
  • Enabled some additional packages on Odroid boards – hatari, zdoom, openblok, alephone and lr-ppsspp.
  • Bluetooth configuration – improved interoperability with the ps3 controller driver.
  • New configuration tool to change terminal font size
  • New packages added to experimental section:
    • pegasus-fe – Pegasus Frontend – new launcher/frontend in development.
    • lr-vice (C64 Emulator).
    • srb2 – Sonic Robo Blast 2 port.
    • cdogs-sdl – C-Dogs SDL – Classic overhead run-and-gun game.
    • lr-px68k (x68000 emulator).
  • Many other fixes and improvements.

RetroPie 4.2 is released

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A lot has happened since 4.1, with updates to EmulationStation adding video support and fixing the dreaded white screen of death. Many packages have been updated and RetroPie 4.2 includes the latest RetroArch v1.5.0 as well as Kodi 17 (installed optionally).

There are new experimental packages including lr-beetle-saturn (a Saturn emulator for x86_64 only), and DraStic (Nintendo DS emulator for RPI only) amongst others.

The pre-made Raspberry Pi 1/Zero image will now work on the new Pi Zero W. RetroPie 4.2 also includes initial support for the ODroid-C2 board (installed on top of the Odroid C2 Ubuntu minimal image).

You’ll also notice that the documentation has received a much needed update at https://retropie.org.uk/docs/.

There are many other changes, including usability improvements, and bug fixes – for more details please see the changelog below.

You can download a 4.2 image from https://retropie.org.uk/download/. For first installs please follow the Installation Instructions. If updating from 4.0.x you should make a backup first then choose Update all installed packages from RetroPie-Setup main menu. Anyone upgrading from 3.x will need to update the RetroPie-Setup script first. See the upgrade instructions for more details.

You can also install RetroPie on top of an existing Raspbian set up, or on top of Ubuntu on a PC/Odroid-C1/C2. Links to the relevant instructions can be found on the Download area.

Thanks to all those who contributed to this release with a special mention to fieldofcows for his excellent EmulationStation improvements.

Changes since 4.1:

  • EmulationStation Improvements
    • Video Support
    • White Screen of Death Fix
  • Support for the ODroid-C2  (on top of the Ubuntu 16.04 minimal image).
  • Kodi 17 now installable from optional packages.
  • AdvanceMame has been updated and split into three separate packages –  0.94, 1.4 and v3.3.
  • Updated to RetroArch v1.5.0
  • To match upstream changes, lr-mupen64plus has been renamed to lr-parallel-n64, and lr-glupen64 has been renamed to lr-mupen64plus.
  • Fixed launching Pixel desktop and other X11 apps from Emulation Station.
  • Fixed problems building Zdoom, ResidualVM and Mupen64Plus and PPSSPP.
  • Doom ports will automatically add launch scripts if it finds doom1.wad, doom2.wad, tnt.wad, or plutonia.wad.
  • lr-snes9x emulator added – a libretro port of the current snes9x codebase.
  • Added Amiberry (an Amiga emulator), which is an updated fork of uae4arm, with more features.
  • Multi disk zip support for Vice (C64 emulator), fs-uae, uae4arm and Amiberry (Amiga). You can now launch Amiga disk images directly from Emulation Station with uae4arm and Amiberry.
  • Standalone version of Stella (Atari 2600 emulator) updated to v4.7.3.
  • usbromservice – support mounting of usb stick over ~/RetroPie to keep roms on USB.
  • Ability to set custom ES themes in configs/all/platforms.cfg (can override any setting in RetroPie-Setup/platforms.cfg).
  • SDL2 updated to 2.0.5. Our patched SDL2 is now used on the PC version of RetroPie, which should resolve an issue with ps3 controller mapping.
  • Sselph’s scraper updated to the latest version, and new options added. Scraper has been moved to optional packages and needs to be installed before it will show up in configuration / tools.
  • Include PowerBlock and ControlBlock driver packages.
  • Input configuration script for Daphne.
  • RetroPie-Setup menus now works with all connected joysticks (mapping is still hardcoded).
  • Updated RPI detection code to support BRANCH=next firmware/kernel.
  • Overhaul of the runcommand launch script.
  • Raspbian Wheezy support removed.
  • Support Xbian on RPI,  and Devuan, Elementary OS, and Neon on X86.
  • Added emulationstation themes: fundamental, futura, and flat.
  • New packages added to experimental section:
    • lr-mrboom (an 8 player bomberman clone).
    • lr-mame2016 (Arcade emulator).
    • lr-mess2016 (Multiple omputers/console emulator).
    • DraStic (Nintendo DS Emulator – RPI only).
    • lr-beetle-saturn (Sega Saturn emulator – x86_64 only).
    • Minivmac (Macintosh Plus Emulator).
    • Quasi88 (NEC PC-8801 emulator).
    • np2pi (NEC PC-9801 emulator).
    • Xm7 (FM-7 / Fujitsu Micro 7 emulator).
    • Mehstation and Attract-Mode Frontends.
    • launchingimages (a script from Meleu to generate system launch images based on installed Emulation Station themes).
  • Many other code changes and bugfixes.

Legal help needed

RetroPie has been trademarked in the USA by a 3rd party. They are using the trademark to issue take down requests to retailers, including those who are just selling hardware listed as “compatible with RetroPie”. Meanwhile they are selling RetroPie via their website and Ebay.

There is a risk that this person may try and use the trademark against us too.

We would like to challenge the trademark – It was filed after we were using the name, and they are using it to associate themselves with our software.

If you are an attorney or think you could help – please drop us an email at retropieproject [at] gmail.com.

Many thanks.