After tireless work at getting everything to work, we’re finally ready to release Batocera v32. Strap yourself in because this is gonna be a big one!
If you’re a video kinda person, check out Batocera Nation’s highlight video:
Steam
First, an often requested feature, fully integrated Steam support! This is for x86/x86-64 only. We can’t work magic here.
That’s right, this means you can now easily install and run your native Linux and Steam Play compatible games right from within Batocera! You can check a community-maintained list of compatible Windows-only games on this list.
Enter Steam through the “Ports” system, and then you can launch your Steam games like usual.
If you’d like to install Windows-exclusive games, follow the instructions on the wiki.
What’s more is that you can also launch Steam games directly from the new Steam system in EmulationStation. Just update your games list after installing a new Steam game to see it!
Main Menu > Games Settings > Update Games
Refer to its wiki page for more information.
Flatpak improvements
Speaking of Flatpak, it now has a (basic) user interface! Those who prefer to use mouse clicks instead of SSH’ing in rejoice!
Search for an app using the text search box at the top. You can use this to install Steam!
Note: There is a bug right now is that two cursors will appear, the correct one you’re controlling is the white one.
Click the Upgrade button to update all installed flatpaks to their latest version. Restart when it prompts you to. Once you’re done installing your flatpaks, update your games list to have them appear in your “Ports” system.
You still need to use the SSH for are adding new flatpak repositories. But, you no longer need to run batocera-flatpak-update to update the ports list in ES, you can just use Update Games Lists. Although we aim to have all flatpaks functioning, we can’t guarantee 100% compatibility; audio tends to be a common issue. Report any issues you find to our github/Discord server.
Here are some lists of freely distributed Linux games!
New emulators/systems
There’s been a dose of new system emulation support added this patch:
- GSplus for Apple II and IIGS
- Tsugaru for FMTowns x86_64, in an alpha state
- Libretro/Uzem for Uzebox, a retro-minimalist 8-bit open source game console All platforms but RPi1/2/Capcom Home Arcade (CHA)
- ECWolf, an open source port of Wolfenstein 3D games x86_64
- Libretro/EmuSCV for Super Cassette Vision
- Sonic Retro Engine Decompilation (follow the installation instructions here!)
- Libretro/PCSX2 for PS2
- Libretro/DuckStation for PSX All platforms but RPi1/2/CHA
New device support
Capcom Home Arcade
The Capcom Home Arcade is now officially supported! Follow the special installation instructions on the wiki for guidance on how to install on to it. This rather uniquely shaped arcade stick is actually a customised (downclocked) Orange Pi PC hooked up to some high quality Sanwa joysticks/buttons. If you’re into the arcade stick scene, you’ll know that means good quality controls!
CHI GameForce
The CHI GameForce handheld is now officially supported! This powerful little handheld can support full speed emulation of SNES, Megadrive and most arcade games. It can do most PSX at full speed, though N64 and PSP are pushing its limits.
Handheld PC
Our handheld PC fans will like this: proper out-of-box configuration for the OneXPlayer and Aya Neo! No more messing around with batocera.conf (sorry if you’ve already installed Batocera and had to do this manually)!
Credit to Lbrpdx for the footage!
Radxa Zero
The Radxa Zero is now in a beta state! The installation method is a bit involved but once everything is set up it runs like a breeze; goes from cold-boot to EmulationStation within five seconds!
Official stable support is slated for v33.
New features
Super Game Boy
Super Game Boy functionality has had a remake! It’s now its own system grouped with the SNES, which is the system the accessory would plug into. It’s set up to use the built-in Super Game Boy emulator in the LR-Mesen-S core for your SBG-compatible Game Boy games. You can chuck your ROMs into the new roms/sgb folder. This is x86-64 only, other platforms can use mGBA though its SGB emulation isn’t perfect.
Video showing navigating to the SNES system and going into the Super Game Boy folder
Games have varying support for enhancements from the Super Game Boy.
Game Boy (Color) 2 Player save syncing
Game Boy and Game Boy Color 2 Player now has a Save Sync feature!
This lets you automatically copy your save files from your single-player GB and GBC systems respectively, saving you a lot of manual work if you find yourself switching between the systems often. Check out the updated instructions on the page for Game Boy 2 Player and Game Boy Color 2 Player on the wiki!
Bluetooth audio
Bluetooth audio is now supported! This much requested feature allows you to use your Bluetooth headsets/speaker system with your Batocera machine. To use it, pair it as you would any other Bluetooth device and then select your correct audio device from System Settings > Audio Output.
Speaking of which, since the Pair a New Controller menu item has been used to connect any Bluetooth device to Batocera, we’ve gone and renamed it to something more appropriate:
Screen reader
Speaking of audio, Batocera now features Orca screen reader to aid in navigating the main menu. Press F3 on the keyboard to enable/disable it! Check it out below:
Video showing the systems and options being read out loud when the user hovers over them. Credit to @cricri419 for the suggestion and @susan34 for the implementation!
Raspberry Pi 3 features
Raspberry Pi 3’s getting some love this patch. We’re switching it over to 64-bit fully! We initially had to keep the Pi 3 on 32-bit due to issues with the Mesa3D driver we wanted to move to but those issues have been ironed out. Here’s a list of some changes exclusive to the Raspberry Pi 3 build of Batocera:
- Moved completely over to the Mesa3D drivers
- Kodi has been re-enabled (it was absent from v31)
- Added Drastic for NDS
- Enabled DuckStation for PSX
- Mupen64Plus standalone now has the GLide64mk2 video plugin as an option
To Raspberry Pi 3 users, some manual action will be required after updating from v31 to v32 to be able to boot:
- Update your system to v32. You can use the UPDATES & DOWNLOADS menu, or the
batocera-upgrade command via SSH. Note that if you shutdown after this, you will no longer be able to boot, so read the next step before shutting down.
- Fix the files in the boot partitions for 64-bit booting using one of the two following methods:
- Shutdown your Pi 3, insert the Micro-SD card or USB drive into another computer, delete
config.txt from the root folder of the boot partition and rename config64.txt to config.txt.
- Before shutting down, via SSH, run
mount -o remount,rw /boot && mv -i /boot/config64.txt /boot/config.txt, confirm that the file to be overwritten is config.txt by pressing Y. If you want to be extra safe, run ls /boot after that command and the config64.txt file should no longer be present if it was successful. Reboot your Pi 3.
Note: We discovered that the default audio latency setting was too strict for the Pi 3, and this will be fixed in the next v33 release. In the meantime, Pi 3 users can add the line global.audio_latency=256 to their batocera.conf file in the system folder via the share (userdata). Certain emulators might be able to use a lower value, but this is the safest setting.
Other Pis’ features
Not to forget the Pi 4, we’ve added support for the DeskPi Pro Case and the ArgonOne V2/M2 Case's power switches!
The Pi 2 is also getting some love:
- Switched over to the Mesa3D driver (just like Pi 3!)
- Enabled Mupen64Plus/GLide64mk2 and Libretro/Mupen64Plus-Next for N64
- Enabled Libretro/Vice for Commodore 64
- Enabled Daphne for Arcade Laserdisc
You dirty cheaters
Libretro core cheats can now be downloaded with the Content Downloader! It’s now even easier than ever to cheat the system (but be aware you cannot use them while RetroAchievement’s Hardcore mode is turned on).
Other things
We’ve got a new splash video:
And some new synthwave music tracks from the talented musicians Alumo and Bolt Action! Here’s a sample:
| Alumo - Arcadia Sunset | Bolt Action - Pawn Shop |
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Check out Alumo’s Bandcamp page and Bolt Action’s Soundcloud page!
“Lightgun” is no longer its own system, it is an automatic collection of the applicable arcade games.
What an update! I honestly couldn’t keep track of it all! As always you can check out the full log of changes at the changelog. Happy retro gaming!
