v2026.04.02/emulators/nestopia.yml

emulator: Nestopia UE
type: libretro
core_classification: community_fork
source: "https://github.com/libretro/nestopia"
upstream: "https://gitlab.com/jgemu/nestopia"
logo: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/0ldsk00l/nestopia/master/icons/svg/nestopia.svg"
profiled_date: "2026-03-24"
core_version: "1.53.1"
display_name: "Nintendo - NES / Famicom (Nestopia)"
cores: [nestopia]
systems: [nintendo-nes, nintendo-fds]

notes: |
  Nestopia UE is a cycle-accurate NES/Famicom emulator. The libretro port
  tracks the upstream Nestopia JG project. NES cartridge games need no BIOS.
  Famicom Disk System games require disksys.rom (8 KB FDS BIOS) in the
  system directory. The core validates the BIOS via CRC32 against two known
  dumps: standard Famicom (0x5E607DCF) and Twin Famicom (0x4DF24A6C). An
  unknown BIOS triggers a warning but still loads.

  NstDatabase.xml is an optional game database for region autodetection,
  mapper selection, and 4-player adapter recognition. A copy is baked into
  the core binary (libretro/nstdatabase.hpp) as fallback. The upstream
  Nestopia JG requires this file; the libretro port makes it optional.

  An optional custom palette file (custom.pal, 64 RGB triplets) overrides
  built-in palettes when the nestopia_palette core option is set to Custom.
  The libretro port embeds all named palettes (Royaltea, Smooth FBx, etc.)
  that the upstream loads from external .pal files.

  Five Famicom games use external ADPCM audio samples placed in
  system/nestopia/samples/{game}/ as numbered .wav files. These originate
  from MAME sample ZIPs. Games function without them but miss some audio.

files:
  # --- Famicom Disk System BIOS (required for FDS games) ---
  - name: "disksys.rom"
    system: nintendo-fds
    description: "FDS BIOS ROM"
    required: true
    size: 8192
    validation: [crc32]
    md5: "ca30b50f880eb660a320674ed365ef7a"
    sha1: "57fe1bdee955bb48d357e463ccbf129496930b62"
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:1608-1634 (FDS load), source/core/NstFds.cpp:61-131 (Bios class, CRC32 validation)"
    notes: "Mapped at 0xE000-0xFFFF (8 KB). retro_load_game returns false if missing when loading .fds files. CRC32 checked: Famicom 0x5E607DCF, Twin Famicom 0x4DF24A6C."

  # --- NES game database (optional, overrides baked-in copy) ---
  - name: "NstDatabase.xml"
    system: nintendo-nes
    description: "Nestopia game database for region and mapper autodetection"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:1561-1586 (database load), libretro/nstdatabase.hpp (baked-in fallback)"
    notes: "XML database matching games by SHA1+CRC32. Used for region, mapper, mirroring, and 4-player adapter detection. Built-in fallback exists so this file is optional."

  # --- Custom palette (optional, core option nestopia_palette = Custom) ---
  - name: "custom.pal"
    system: nintendo-nes
    description: "External NES color palette"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 192
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:1540-1559 (palette load)"
    notes: "64 RGB triplets (64 x 3 bytes = 192 bytes). Loaded unconditionally at startup; applied only when nestopia_palette core option is set to Custom. Falls back to built-in Royaltea palette. Multiple valid palettes exist so no canonical hash."

  # --- ADPCM audio samples (optional, game-specific) ---
  - name: "nestopia/samples/moepro/"
    system: nintendo-nes
    description: "Moero Pro Yakyuu audio samples (16 .wav files, 00.wav-15.wav)"
    required: false
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:142-180 (load_wav), libretro/libretro.cpp:247 (LOAD_SAMPLE_MOERO_PRO_YAKYUU callback), source/core/NstSoundPlayer.hpp:53 (16 samples)"

  - name: "nestopia/samples/moepro88/"
    system: nintendo-nes
    description: "Moero Pro Yakyuu '88 audio samples (20 .wav files, 00.wav-19.wav)"
    required: false
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:142-180 (load_wav), libretro/libretro.cpp:249 (LOAD_SAMPLE_MOERO_PRO_YAKYUU_88 callback), source/core/NstSoundPlayer.hpp:54 (20 samples)"

  - name: "nestopia/samples/mptennis/"
    system: nintendo-nes
    description: "Moero Pro Tennis audio samples (19 .wav files, 00.wav-18.wav)"
    required: false
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:142-180 (load_wav), libretro/libretro.cpp:251 (LOAD_SAMPLE_MOERO_PRO_TENNIS callback), source/core/NstSoundPlayer.hpp:55 (19 samples)"

  - name: "nestopia/samples/terao/"
    system: nintendo-nes
    description: "Terao no Dosukoi Oozumou audio samples (6 .wav files, 00.wav-05.wav)"
    required: false
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:142-180 (load_wav), libretro/libretro.cpp:253 (LOAD_SAMPLE_TERAO_NO_DOSUKOI_OOZUMOU callback), source/core/NstSoundPlayer.hpp:56 (6 samples)"

  - name: "nestopia/samples/ftaerobi/"
    system: nintendo-nes
    description: "Aerobics Studio audio samples (8 .wav files, 00.wav-07.wav)"
    required: false
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:142-180 (load_wav), libretro/libretro.cpp:255 (LOAD_SAMPLE_AEROBICS_STUDIO callback), source/core/NstSoundPlayer.hpp:57 (8 samples)"