v2026.04.02/emulators/beetle_lynx.yml

emulator: Beetle Lynx (Mednafen Lynx)
type: libretro
core_classification: community_fork
source: "https://github.com/libretro/beetle-lynx-libretro"
upstream: "https://mednafen.github.io/"
profiled_date: "2026-03-24"
core_version: "v1.24.0"
display_name: "Atari - Lynx (Beetle Lynx)"
cores: [mednafen_lynx]
systems: [atari-lynx]
verification: existence

notes: >
  Community fork of Mednafen's Lynx module (itself based on Handy by
  K. Wilkins) for libretro. Loads lynxboot.img from the system directory
  at game load time (libretro.cpp:191). CRom constructor reads exactly
  512 bytes (rom.cpp:50-78). If the file is missing or undersized, the
  ROM array is filled with 0x88 (DEFAULT_ROM_CONTENTS) and the core
  continues without error, but games will not boot without the real boot
  ROM. No hash validation is performed on the BIOS at load time.
  The cart database in cart.cpp includes the BIOS CRC32 0x0d973c9d for
  identification purposes, not validation.
  Upstream Mednafen throws an exception if the BIOS is missing or
  undersized; the libretro port silently degrades. Upstream supports
  custom palette loading (lynx.pal); the libretro port does not.

files:
  - name: "lynxboot.img"
    description: "Atari Lynx boot ROM"
    region: "World"
    required: true
    size: 512
    crc32: "0d973c9d"
    source_ref: "libretro.cpp:191, rom.cpp:50-78, cart.cpp:67"
    note: "512-byte boot ROM. Core silently degrades without it but games will not run."