Libretro PicoDrive is an open-source Sega 8/16 bit and 32X emulator. It has been designed for portable devices based on the ARM architecture.
¶ 
License
This core is under non-commercial license.
¶ 
Compatibility
| RPI0/RPI1 | RPI3 | RPI4/RPI400 | RPI5 | ODROID XU4 | OGA/OGS/RG351 | PC | RG353 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
¶ 
Features
| Feature | Supported |
|---|---|
| Restart | ✔ |
| Saves | ✔ |
| States | ✔ |
| Rewind | ✔ |
| Netplay | ✔ |
| Core Options | ✔ |
| RetroAchievements | ✔ |
| RetroArch Cheats | ✔ |
| Controls | ✔ |
| Remapping | ✔ |
| Disk Control | ✔ |
¶ 
BIOS
No bios is required.
¶ 
Roms
¶ Supported extensions
Roms must have the extension:
- .68k
- .bin
- .gen
- .md
- .sgd
- .smd
- .zip
- .7z
This system supports compressed roms in .zip/.7z format. However, be careful, it is only an archive.
The files contained in the .zip/.7z must correspond to the extensions mentioned above.
Moreover, each .zip/.7z file must contain only one compressed rom.
¶ Location
Put the roms like this:
┣ 📁 recalbox
┃ ┣ 📁 share
┃ ┃ ┣ 📁 roms
┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 📁 megadrive
┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 🗒 game.zip
The roms using No-Intro format are highly recommended.
For more information about roms, go to this tutorial!
¶ 
Advanced configuration of the emulator
To be able to keep your custom configurations during an upgrade, we advise you to use our configuration override feature.
¶ Accessing to options
You can configure various options in two different ways.
- Via RetroArch menu:
┣ 📁 RetroArch Menu
┃ ┣ 📁 Core options
┃ ┃ ┣ 🧩 Name_option
- Via the file
retroarch-core-options.cfg:
┣ 📁 recalbox
┃ ┣ 📁 share
┃ ┃ ┣ 📁 system
┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 📁 configs
┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 📁 retroarch
┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 📁 cores
┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┣ 🧩 retroarch-core-options.cfg
¶ Core options
| Options | Options values | Variables (for configuration override) | Variables values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Auto ✅ / Japan NTSC / Japan PAL / US / Europe |
picodrive_region |
Auto / Japan NTSC / Japan PAL / US / Europe |
| Master System Type | Auto ✅ / Game Gear / Master System |
picodrive_smstype |
Auto / Game Gear / Master System |
| Master System ROM Mapping | Auto ✅ / Sega / Codemasters / Korea / Korea MSX / Korea X-in-1 / Korea 4-Pak / Korea Janggun / Korea Nemesis |
picodrive_smsmapper |
Auto / Sega / Codemasters / Korea / Korea MSX / Korea X-in-1 / Korea 4-Pak / Korea Janggun / Korea Nemesis |
| Sega CD RAM cart | Disabled ✅ / Enabled |
picodrive_ramcart |
disabled / enabled |
| Core-provided aspect ratio | PAR ✅ / 4/3 / CRT |
picodrive_aspect |
PAR / 4/3 / CRT |
| LCD Ghosting Filter | Désactivé ✅ / Weak / Normal |
picodrive_ggghost |
off / weak / normal |
| Renderer | Accurate ✅ / Good / Fast |
picodrive_renderer |
accurate / good / fast |
| Sample Rate (Hz) | 16000 / 22050 / 32000 / 44100 ✅ |
picodrive_sound_rate |
16000 / 22050 / 32000 / 44100 |
| FM filtering | Désactivé ✅ / Activé |
picodrive_fm_filter |
off / on |
| Master System FM Sound Unit | Désactivé ✅ / Activé |
picodrive_smsfm |
off / on |
| Mega Drive FM DAC noise | Désactivé ✅ / Activé |
picodrive_dacnoise |
off / on |
| Audio filter | Disabled ✅ / Low-pass |
picodrive_audio_filter |
disabled / low-pass |
| Low-pass filter % | 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 ✅ / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 / 90 / 95 |
picodrive_lowpass_range |
5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 / 90 / 95 |
| Input Device 1 | 3 Button Pad ✅ / 6 Button Pad / None |
picodrive_input1 |
3 Button Pad / 6 Button Pad / None |
| Input Device 2 | 3 Button Pad ✅ / 6 Button Pad / None |
picodrive_input2 |
3 Button Pad / 6 Button Pad / None |
| Dynamic Recompilers | Enabled ✅ / Disabled |
picodrive_drc |
enabled / disabled |
| Frameskip | Disabled ✅ / Auto / Manual |
picodrive_frameskip |
disabled / auto / manual |
| Frameskip Threshold (%) | 15 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 27 / 30 / 33 ✅ / 36 / 39 / 42 / 45 / 48 / 51 / 54 / 57 / 60 |
picodrive_frameskip_threshold |
15 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 27 / 30 / 33 / 36 / 39 / 42 / 45 / 48 / 51 / 54 / 57 / 60 |
| No Sprite Limit | Disabled ✅ / Enabled |
picodrive_sprlim |
disabled / enabled |
| 68K Overclock | Disabled ✅ / +25% / +50% / +75% / +100% / +200% / +400% |
picodrive_overclk68k |
Disabled / +25% / +50% / +75% / +100% / +200% / +400% |
¶ 
External links
- Source code used: https://github.com/libretro/picodrive/
- Libretro documentation: https://docs.libretro.com/library/picodrive/