PlayStation (PS1) on RetroArch

RetroArch plays original PlayStation games through three cores: Beetle PSX and Beetle PSX HW, both ports of Mednafen's PSX module, and PCSX ReARMed, a fork of PCSX Reloaded with special optimizations for ARM processors. Each one makes a different trade-off between accuracy, speed and graphical enhancements.

This page covers what you need, which core to pick, and how to get your first game running in a few minutes.

What you need

RetroArch on your device. Beetle PSX and Beetle PSX HW run on Windows, Linux and macOS.
A PlayStation BIOS dumped from your own console, in accordance with your local laws. All three cores can start without one, but PCSX ReARMed is less compatible without it (see below).
Your PS1 games as disc images: a .cue sheet with its .bin file, or a compressed .chd or .pbp file.

Setting it up

Install RetroArch for your device from the download page.
Install a core. In RetroArch, go to Online Updater → Core Downloader and pick Beetle PSX, Beetle PSX HW or PCSX ReARMed from the list (see Which core to choose).
- If Core Downloader is missing, enable it under Settings → User Interface → Menu Item Visibility → Show Core Downloader.
- If you installed RetroArch from the Ubuntu PPA, install cores through the Ubuntu package manager instead (packages starting with libretro-).
Add your BIOS. Copy your BIOS files into RetroArch's system folder. The file names each core looks for:
- Beetle PSX and Beetle PSX HW: one file per game region.
```
system/scph5500.bin   (Japanese games)
system/scph5501.bin   (American games)
system/scph5502.bin   (European games)
```
  Without these files the cores fall back to OpenBIOS. A region-free BIOS from a PSP (PSXONPSP660.bin) or PS3 (ps1_rom.bin) can replace any of the three, but only after you enable the Override BIOS core option.
- PCSX ReARMed: any one of PSXONPSP660.bin, scph101.bin, scph7001.bin, scph5501.bin or scph1001.bin. If none of these is found, it uses another file whose name starts with scph. Without any BIOS it falls back to a High-Level Emulation BIOS, which lowers compatibility (for example memory card issues in the Suikoden games, or some games only showing a black screen), so supplying a real BIOS is recommended.
Prepare your games. These cores need a cue sheet that points to the disc image. If you only have a foo.bin file, create a text file named foo.cue next to it containing:
```
 FILE "foo.bin" BINARY
  TRACK 01 MODE1/2352
   INDEX 01 00:00:00
```
This works for most PS1 games, which are single-track; multi-track games need a longer cue sheet. .chd and .pbp files can be loaded directly.
Start a game. Load the .cue, .chd or .pbp file in RetroArch with the core you installed.

Multi-disc and copy-protected games

Multi-disc games: create a text file such as foo.m3u that lists each disc's .cue (or .chd) file on its own line, and load the .m3u file. You can then change discs through Quick Menu → Disc Control.
European (PAL) copy-protected games need a matching .sbi file next to the game files, for example Ape Escape (Europe).sbi next to Ape Escape (Europe).cue. With Beetle PSX and Beetle PSX HW, also leave the Skip BIOS core option off.

Which core to choose

Beetle PSX: the accuracy-first choice. It uses a software renderer that faithfully replicates the original PlayStation, with no hardware rendering. It can still raise the internal resolution to sharpen 3D models and reduce the typical PS1 polygon wobble (PGXP), at the cost of higher performance requirements.
Beetle PSX HW: also based on Mednafen's PSX module, but with hardware renderers for better visuals and performance. It needs Vulkan or OpenGL 3.3, and offers enhancements such as higher color depth, texture filtering, PGXP and, with Vulkan, texture replacement packs. The Vulkan renderer is the more stable one, with accuracy closer to the software renderer, which makes it a good middle ground. The OpenGL renderer shows graphical glitches of varying severity in all games. If RetroArch's video driver is not Vulkan or OpenGL, the core falls back to its software renderer at native resolution.
PCSX ReARMed: built with special optimizations for devices with ARM processors. It can render games at twice the native resolution for sharper 3D models, and it is the only one of the three that supports netplay.

What works

Save states, memory card saves and rewind
RetroAchievements
RetroArch's cheat system
Controller remapping and rumble
Multi-disc games with disc swapping
Multitap for more than two players
Mouse and light guns (Guncon, Justifier)

Netplay works only with PCSX ReARMed. Softpatching is not supported by any of these cores.

Rumble needs the controller type set to DualShock in Beetle PSX and Beetle PSX HW, or to analog with the Rumble Effects core option enabled in PCSX ReARMed.

In Beetle PSX HW, expect bugs with the hardware renderer's enhancements. Its hardware renderer has issues with interlacing shaders and CRT output, so use the software renderer for those. The hardware renderer also breaks when Run-Ahead uses its second-instance setting.

More information

Beetle PSX documentation: every core option, memory cards and controls.
Beetle PSX HW documentation: renderers, enhancements and texture replacement packs.
PCSX ReARMed documentation: every core option, memory cards and controls.
PlayStation compatibility list.
Installing cores, including the Ubuntu PPA.
Setup guides for other systems: PlayStation 2, GameCube and Wii, Sega Saturn.
Other cores available in RetroArch.