Well, I found a solution.
I'll post it just in case anyone runs into my same problem.

I started from scratch using Pi Imager again. This time tho, I've been using the super magic hidden shortcut Shit+Ctrl-X to bring up a hid option panel!
Here I setup the wifi and the country. Then I flashed the sd.

When you first run the system inserting the sd back on the Pi, you'll have no wifi again for some reason. The system suggests to set the country (again) in the rasp-config, just click ok, and lo and behold, this time it works.

I could change the country to my zone, setup my wifi and access the Pi over the network connecting to \retropie

bingo.

@dankcushions oh sorry here it is with gles2n64:-

https://pastebin.com/ExrPVkqi

@mitu I see, it might be a dead end then, as retroflag gpi requires edits to the display settings to output (as it's a DPI/LCD screen connected by the GPIO). So it might be a total deadend.

I might mess with it for fun though over Xmas break and report back

@Ranma

You're welcome, I'm glad you're finding it useful.

I got a lot of requests for a Zero 1 image of my setup, and while I exclusively use my Zero 2W in my Pi Case, it seemed interesting (i.e., difficult) just from an embedded systems design standpoint so I decided to give it a go.

It was a challenging project but worth the results I was able to attain at the end: Neo Geo Pocket Color, of all things, was the most difficult system to get working full speed on the Zero 1's anemic hardware.

@kalaazar11 honestly can't remember, I think in the GUI there was a full screen setting or something like that to hide the cursor

@Slime1982 bless you. this was so painful trying to get this thing set up.

Ok so in the end I did have to brutalize a little the battery compartment. Whittled away a little of the plastic around the usb connector in the back to get my OTG cable to fit. Got the keyboard working and now the cfg was created finally. Now I just have the basic problem of controls not working as expected. Seeing as how the NES30pro controller uses the the d-pad buttons as axis controls and not as legitimate buttons, i need to get the axises to the cfg the right way.

I've seen people just switching to a Dualshock type in the controls menu but I'm missing this option as well. The troubles never end.

@dankcushions said in GBA Not Launching (bios added):

update retropie-setup script, then install lr-gpsp from source.

Fantastic, took a while, but that's fixed it!

Apologies for not spotting the earlier post, I was scouring through the tag PI ZERO W rather than RASPBERRY PI 0W

Of course, that's usually my go to scraper!

That's filled a chunk of the games, I'll play about with using that and altering the file names via SSH for the rest.

You have the emulators installed, but the systems will not show up until you actually copy games/ROMs on it - see https://retropie.org.uk/docs/First-Installation/#emulationstation.

EDIT: when using macOS to transfer ROMs, use the Finder's Go menu and then Connect to Server, type smb://retropie and then hit Connect. See https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Transferring-Roms/#samba-shares.

@lilbud basically it’ll just continue to boot then next part of the os without waiting for a WiFi signal and will connect when it’s ready in the background . Without it, It’ll wait either for an connection or just timeout and then continue to boot. No need to to have a solid WiFi connection on a retro pie setup. Where you would want it is if your project requires internet or WiFi to run your project so it has WiFi before the whole OS boots.

AHH the good old days where all it took to fix a console was a semi decent pair of lungs...hmmm me wonders if retroflag ever do a PS1 case if we'll be turning it upside down

@fitincontact I'm not sure what you mean. Check out this GPi discord. The author of that script hangs out there may be able to offer better help.

https://discord.gg/meTQeWc

Well I got it to work, but I just need a way to save the setting on restart. I went into RetroarchGUI Settings-Input-User 2 Binds and changed User 2 Device Index from disabled to Microsoft X-Box 360 pad. This makes my two player games work, but will not stick and changes back to disabled on exit. Is there something I can change in a config file?