After over a year since the last version, and having been teased since March, comes the latest update for RetroPie. The newest release brings RetroPie up to version 4.5, and adds a whole host of changes. Before you ask, no, this build does not offer support for the just-released Raspberry Pi 4, though the development team is currently working to fix that. Some of the notable fixes and changes include updating RetroArch to v1.7.6, offering better Bluetooth support for those that use the DualShock 3, adding moonlight game streaming as an experimental module, and more, which can all be seen below in the official changelog.

• Dropped Raspbian/Debian Jessie support
• Raspberry Pi 3 A+ support (via Stretch firmware update)
• Many new es themes added
• Added Skyscraper (Scraper for Emulation Station game lists)
• RetroArch updated to v1.7.6
• Amiberry (Amiga emulator) updated to v2.25, including support for launching whdload and CD32 titles from ES.
• Jzintv (Intellivision emulator) updated to 20181225 release
• atari800 – updated to v4.0.0
• Mupen64plus – updated to latest version (GlideN64 stability and compatibility improved), as well as other changes.
• Fuse (ZX Spectrum emulator) updated to v1.5.7
• ZEsarUX (ZX Spectrum emulator) updated to v7
• advmame (Advance MAME arcade emulator) – updated to v3.9
• Fixed building of quake3 for RPI.
• Added love-0.10.2 (2d Game Engine) for compatibility with older games.
• Dosbox updated to SVN r4194 including joystick fix for 360 controllers.
• CGenius – updated to v2.3.1
• lr-flycast (libretro Dreamcast emulator) – renamed from lr-reicast and enabled for arm platforms including the RPI.
• reicast – Switched to updated upstream repository – the latest code includes bugfixes and improvements including better game compatibility as well as our RPI fixes.
• lr-ppsspp – switched to upstream repository for latest version
• lr-fbneo (Arcade and console emulator) – renamed from lr-fblpha – lots of improvements including neo geo cd support, and optional cyclone 68k core for better performance on slower devices for some games.The emulator can now be selected as an alternate emulator for Sega Genesis/Mastersystem/SG-1000, PC-Engine, MSX, ColecoVision and ZXSpectrum.
• Fixes and updates to many libretro cores
• Kodi updated to the 18 “Leia” release (only available in Raspbian Stretch)
• Improvements/fixes to joystick control in runcommand launch menu
• Fixes / Improvements to bluetooth pairing
• Added sixaxis driver – better DualShock 3 controller support with full bluetooth coexistence
  • Third-party (Shanwan/Gasia) controller support via customhidsony & custombluez drivers
• lr-mame2014 renamed to lr-mame2015
• Emulationstation – updated to v2.8.4 which includes:
  • 2 new scrapers added for the TheGamesDB and ScreenScraper. Also many bugfixes and improvements including:
    • Gridview support now in main version
    • Hide MAME bios files by default
    • Graphical / rendering fixes
    • Loading progress
    • Allow using analog sticks for navigation
    • More flexible audio configuration
    • Lots of code refactoring, bugfixes and performance improvements, including removing boost libraries making compilation faster (and code smaller).
    • Search and load artwork based on ROM name (image and video)
    • Experimental scripting support, triggered by events.

• Added new experimental modules
  • moonlight – NVIDIA GameStream client
  • steamlink – Steam Link streaming client for Raspberry Pi 3
  • jumpnbump – multiplayer platform game
  • mysticmine – open source indie game
  • bombermaaan – Classic bomberman game
  • lr-superflappybirds – Multiplayer Flappy Bird Clone
  • lr-scummvm – libretro version of scummvm (Allows playing of many classic point and click adventures)
  • lr-x1 – Sharp X1 libretro core
  • lr-redream – Dreamcast emulator
  • lr-pokemini – Pokemon Mini emulator
  • lr-81 – Sinclair ZX81 emulator
  • lr-quasi88 – NEC PC-8801 emulator
  • splitwolf – 2-4 player split-screen Wolfenstein 3D / Spear of Destiny port
  • lr-mupen64plus-next – a new WIP Libretro core which aims to improve upon the existing lr-mupen64plus core.

Source

 

[chartube12]

What is retropie anyways? A slimmed os for retroarch? Why bother?

I saw on the retroarch website, they have already tested a version for the 1gb raspberry pie 4. According to them, retroarch can play snes games, including all special chips games perfectly on the pie 4. No sound glitches or lag of any kind.

So wouldn’t retropie be pointless?

 

[gman666]

What is retropie anyways? A slimmed os for retroarch? Why bother?

I saw on the retroarch website, they have already tested a version for the 1gb raspberry pie 4. According to them, retroarch can play snes games, including all special chips games perfectly on the pie 4. No sound glitches or lag of any kind.

So wouldn’t retropie be pointless?

Retropie provides a lot of customization as a Front End for personal game consoles/arcade solutions.. It basically brings everything together for the end user and presents various metadata (Covers, Banners, Release Info, Custom Artwork, Music, and even Video Snaps) in a clean and customizable GUI. It's a very popular OS for raspberry pi (game based) projects. Basically any developments in Retroarch directly benefits Retropie because Retroarch is the bases for emulation. I've personally used Retropie for my bartop arcade and retro console.

 

[Another World]

is it strange that the thing that interests me the most is the "Pokemon Mini emulator". =P

https://www.pokemon-mini.net/

-another world

 

[cots]

An entire year has passed since the last release? Are there nighties (or at least weeklies) like RetroArch or other open source projects? A year seems like a long time between releases, not to mention RetroArch is at v1.7.7 right now and the entire update list is pretty short.

 

[Jayro]

I couldn't be more disappointed that there's still no Pi 4 support. Like, why release a useless release like this?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

An entire year has passed since the last release? Are there nighties (or at least weeklies) like RetroArch or other open source projects? A year seems like a long time between releases, not to mention RetroArch is at v1.7.7 right now and the entire update list is pretty short.

I use this link for weekly builds: http://files.retropie.org.uk/images/weekly/

 

[gizmomelb]

An entire year has passed since the last release? Are there nighties (or at least weeklies) like RetroArch or other open source projects? A year seems like a long time between releases, not to mention RetroArch is at v1.7.7 right now and the entire update list is pretty short.

when something is stable and has been around for so long, there is no need for nightlies. also less new stuff added as there's been so much added previously. updates are usually only to accomodate new emulators and / or existing emulator command line / parser changes.

 

[Sakitoshi]

I couldn't be more disappointed that there's still no Pi 4 support. Like, why release a useless release like this?

dude, the raspi 4 just released and the release drivers have horrible performance, they are working on it but it will take some time.

the update was well justified, they were stuck at 4.4 for quite a long time and many changes were made.

An entire year has passed since the last release? Are there nighties (or at least weeklies) like RetroArch or other open source projects? A year seems like a long time between releases, not to mention RetroArch is at v1.7.7 right now and the entire update list is pretty short.

there are weekly images like jayro mentioned, but there isn't really a need since you can update (all or only certain components if you want) directly from the device running retropie.

 

[gizmomelb]

dude, the raspi 4 just released and the release drivers have horrible performance, they are working on it but it will take some time.

agreed.. the sense of entitlement of "I want it nooooooaaaaaawwww...'' was strong from that poster.

 

[kuwanger]

re there nighties (or at least weeklies) like RetroArch or other open source projects?

The RetroPie is a Linux distro, based on Debian, so you can update it regularly. The major thing each new release adds, AFAIK, is things like extra customization of scripts and the like as well as the general bulk update of things. Nothing stops you from putting in a nightly build source, but that seems like a bad idea for a device that you probably want setup to "just work". To that end, disabling internet and having only yearly updates is probably the best approach. Certainly, that's the main appeal for me for consoles in general and other handheld/sbcs/etc that once setup you don't have to constantly fiddle with them.

The internet has, IMHO, really destroyed the ability to enjoy stuff just working. Oh, and FYI I don't have any really modenr consoles (Switch, PS3/XBox 360+), so I don't know how much the constant fiddling applies. I don't recall what version firmware my 2DS/3DS are on, but I don't go out of my way to update/connect online. I didn't even buy a Wii until the last firmware version was already released. *shrug* Constant updating sucks.

 

[XDel]

Should have my Pi 4 4Gb and my Atomic Pi both in the mail by the week's end. When I am done getting sunlight, I will certainly be tearing into them!

 

[Paccc]

I really like the prepared sdcard-images you can get that just works.

Got bored on playstation classic and booted up a raspberry pi 3 with retropi 4.4 and the ps1 controllers instead with no issues,
there were some problems like Dreamcast games not wanting to recognize any start buttons (xb1 controller) so closer integration and more stuff that just works without configuration is the only thing I need here.

 

[mightymuffy]

I was sold as soon as I read better DS3 bluetooth support, that's always been a pain, will be trying that out to see how much it's improved.

 

[cots]

The RetroPie is a Linux distro, based on Debian, so you can update it regularly. The major thing each new release adds, AFAIK, is things like extra customization of scripts and the like as well as the general bulk update of things. Nothing stops you from putting in a nightly build source, but that seems like a bad idea for a device that you probably want setup to "just work". To that end, disabling internet and having only yearly updates is probably the best approach. Certainly, that's the main appeal for me for consoles in general and other handheld/sbcs/etc that once setup you don't have to constantly fiddle with them.

The internet has, IMHO, really destroyed the ability to enjoy stuff just working. Oh, and FYI I don't have any really modenr consoles (Switch, PS3/XBox 360+), so I don't know how much the constant fiddling applies. I don't recall what version firmware my 2DS/3DS are on, but I don't go out of my way to update/connect online. I didn't even buy a Wii until the last firmware version was already released. *shrug* Constant updating sucks.

Cool. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I couldn't be more disappointed that there's still no Pi 4 support. Like, why release a useless release like this?

Because the Pi 4 has a completely new SoC, so it needs additional development and optimization that can't just be done in a couple weeks? I'd rather have a properly developed release than some 2 week rushed trash. I mean, the drivers released currently are garbage, needs a lot more work if you want something that will actually perform better than a Pi 3.


Anyways, got my own Pi 4 backordered, supposedly won't ship until like beginning of August so hopefully Retro Pie can start pushing an official release by around then, or at least a working nightly.

 

[RetroVortex]

Whoo boy! Just you guys wait. Pi 4, once its fully supported is going to be a Beastie.
In my initial and very rough hacky testing, I can confirm the Pi 4 can already:

• Mednafen PSX is fullspeed on some games, and a bit laggy on others. (Um Jammer Lammy (PAL) yes. Rival Schools. No)

• 2X Rendering in pcsx-rearmed working nice and smoothly

• BSNES performance fullspeed in Star Fox

• Mupen64Next, once it officially supports OpenGL ES 3 will be able to run stuff with newer plugins like Angrylion quite well in some games.

• PPSSPP (standalone)I had God of War: Chains of Olympus at a playable framerate with 2 frameskip.

• Someone else got Dreamcast working but I can't figure it out myself how they did, but it looked smooth.
  
• Yabause running games at 35-50fps in general but frameskip only kind of works in 2D games. (Virtua Fighter 2 does run really really bad so don't even try that)

And you think. Many improvements can be had on top of this too. It can play 1080p30 YouTube videos smoothly too (buster desktop is causing the issues reported with YouTube for sure. I installed PIXEL and YouTube works much better)
Obviously it can play other vids offline better but that YouTube's pesky VP9 throws a bit performance hit on any low-end PC device.

 

[Jayro]

Lol, BSNES...

 

[DaFixer]

Good news, just orderd a Retroflag MegaPi case and a controller.
And have Pi's to use for projects.

 

[Jayro]

I guess Pi 4 users get to wait until 4.6 then..?