RetroArch 1.9.6 is out now, and available to download on support platforms. This new update has a lot of new features packed in, such as being able to scan large libraries of games faster, preventing pesky audio-related crashes, and improvements to the Direct3D 11 driver on Windows, courtesy of the DuckStation emulator creator. You can grab the update on the Libretro site.

Version 1.9.6 also adds some major optimizations and performance increases for Xbox Series X|S users, as RetroArch can now make use of more resources on the system. When it comes to Dolphin, Series X|S users can play a wide variety of Nintendo GameCube and Wii titles at full speed, while even rendered at 4K resolution. DuckStation also benefits from the update, with equally good 4K PlayStation 1 game emulation.

Release notes

Windows users (with XAudio2 audio driver): RetroArch would previously hang/lock up if you happened to disconnect your current audio device. For instance, this could happen if you were playing with headphones on and you decided to suddenly disconnect your headphones. This has now been fixed. Instead of it locking up the program, instead the sound is just lost instead.

Security concerns over the AI Service on Windows have been addressed.

Improvements to the Windows installer have been made. This should hopefully prevent potentially disasterous situations from happening again. This could happen for instance when the user pointed the installer to install to a directory he should not be pointing to (like C:\Program Files for instance or the desktop), and did not heed the warning.

Linux users should hopefully no longer experience crashes when toggling between normal and threaded video mode with OpenGL thanks to a patch by grant2258.

The Direct3D 11 driver has been improved for Windows users thanks to Stenzek (DuckStation author). Several fixes: tear control support is queried. If not supported, flip mode presentation will not be used and Direct3D will resort back to the legacy blit model instead (less optimal and worse windowed mode). DXGI Alt+Enter handling has been disabled since it would conflict with RetroArch’s fullscreen mode switch. Non-vsynced output without the flip model should also be properly fixed now, when tear support is enabled and flip model is used, it should be possible to fastforward.

Source

 

[Flame]

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

 

[Deleted member 546149]

Wow this is good! When I pick up my Series X performance will be great

 

[Fugelmir]

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

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The vita has 4 snes cores on retroarch and they're all terrible.

 

[Deleted member 546149]

The vita has 4 snes cores on retroarch and they're all terrible.

That sucks

 

[Scarlet]

Very much looking forward to trying this on my Series X later!

 

[Deleted member 471305]

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

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That's me but with PS2 Retroarch.

 

[Deleted member 546149]

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

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W I I R E T R O A R C H

 

[hippy dave]

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

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Place your bets, which will come first?

1) a Retroarch update for Vita
2) a Vita emulator for Retroarch

 

[Rafciu]

Sadly still no way to play Citra core on Series.

 

[SG854]

What doesn't get talked about is (Black Frame Insertion) BFIv2 got implemented [I think] in recent updates. It seems like it. I don't have a 360hz display to test out though. It was silently implemented.

https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues/10754



You can set BFI to 1-5 depending on the refresh rate of your display.

1=120hz
2=180hz
3=240hz
4=300hz
5=360hz


If you have a 360hz display you can reduce motion blur on a LCD by 83%. This will essentially give you CRT motion clarity.

 

[lordelan]

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

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Wii U? Don't think any dev is still working on that. Thankfully it went to a state where it was upstreamed so future updates to those cores already available will come out for the Wii U as well but apart from that ... don't get your hopes up.

 

[Darth Meteos]

i wonder if the ps2 will run better on xbox series

 

[Stwert]

Cool, I’ll have to try this out on my XSX, it’s hardly been switched on since I got my PS5. Too many games, not enough time, not that adding this will help that problem

 

[gene0915]

Call me crazy but does RetroArch have the ability to update itself from within the app?

 

[the_randomizer]

The vita has 4 snes cores on retroarch and they're all terrible.

That's subjective. I can run Higan just fine, maybe it's your device that sucks.

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

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Pretty much, I used to be quite involved in following the Wii U scene, but ever since the devs turned their attention to the Vita, 3DS and Switch ports, I've become quite cynical. Simply put, @LibretroRetroArc and the others simply don't give two shits about improving the Wii U port. Remember dynarec and all the hype surrounding full speed PS1 and N64 cores? Yeah, not happening.

 

[MikaDubbz]

every time i see a RetroArch update i look for Vita and Wii U info.

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Is it too much to just ask for the Wii U version to fix back the controller issues? (Being able to change your controller and continue navigating Retroarch and for any connected controller to be able to navigate the menus.) These things were there in past builds, but it broke many builds back and they still haven't addressed it since.

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Wii U? Don't think any dev is still working on that. Thankfully it went to a state where it was upstreamed so future updates to those cores already available will come out for the Wii U as well but apart from that ... don't get your hopes up.

You're probably right, but it's really frustrating because they broke some controller junk a few builds back for the Wii U version and they still haven't fixed it.

 

[the_randomizer]

Wii U? Don't think any dev is still working on that. Thankfully it went to a state where it was upstreamed so future updates to those cores already available will come out for the Wii U as well but apart from that ... don't get your hopes up.

Yep, it's wasted potential at this point. They never fixed the memory leaks/system crashes either.

 

[Deleted member 546149]

A

Call me crazy but does RetroArch have the ability to update itself from within the app?

As of now no

 

[MikaDubbz]

Yep, it's wasted potential at this point. They never fixed the memory leaks/system crashes either.

Also I've had this one request for it that will never happen, but would be so awesome: for SameBoy (and some other GBC cores I believe) you can emulate and link 2 Gameboys at the same time, how I wish someone would update it so one Gameboy displayed to the TV while the other displayed to the Game Pad.

Sigh, the Wii U had features to offer that other devices can't readily accomplish, but it's got such a smaller install base and I imagine no one working on Retroarch really cares about Wii U, that these things will simply never go realized. And that's a shame, it really is wasted potential.