¶ How do I enable analog (DualShock) mode?
Some games — Ape Escape, Gran Turismo 2, most late 3D titles — require an analog pad. The switch happens in RetroArch:
- Launch the game, then open the RetroArch menu with
HOTKEY+B. - Go to
Controls>Port 1 Controls. - On the
Device Typeoption, scroll until a type containinganalogis displayed (DualShockoranalog, depending on the emulator). - Go back twice, then choose
Resume.
To make the setting permanent, save a RetroArch override for the game or the folder.
¶ How do I handle a multi-disc game?
Create an .m3u file listing the discs: the game appears only once in the list, the memory card is shared between discs, .SBI files remain usable, and disc swapping works from the pad. The full procedure is described in Managing multi-disc games with an .m3u file.
The two other methods still floating around are best avoided:
- converting to
.PBPloses.SBIfiles and cannot be cleanly reversed — see Preparing your disc images; - swapping discs through RetroArch's file browser does not share saves between discs and cannot be driven from the pad.
¶ What is a "multi-track" game?
A multi-track game is a game whose disc contains, besides the data, one or more audio tracks (the CD music). It shows up as a .cue accompanied by several .bin files, one per track. This is normal and fully supported: launch the .cue, and never delete the extra .bin files — you would lose the soundtrack.
¶ Can a lone .BIN file work?
Yes, most of the time. But it is better to recreate a .cue file describing the disc's tracks: see Preparing your disc images.
¶ Which emulator should I choose?
PCSX-ReARMed is the default emulator on every board: it is the fastest and it is enough for the vast majority of games. On PC, Beetle PSX HW takes over as the default and offers a far more accurate rendering (internal high-resolution rendering, texture warping correction). SwanStation and DuckStation are excellent alternatives, especially for troublesome games, and accept the universal ps1_rom.bin BIOS.
To force an emulator on a game or a folder, use a configuration override.
¶ Can we play with more than two players?
Yes: Recalbox automatically enables the multitap as soon as more than two pads are connected, on PCSX-ReARMed, Beetle PSX and SwanStation. There is nothing to configure — plug the pads in before launching the game, and the game itself must support the multitap.
¶ My European game freezes after a few minutes
That is the signature of the LibCrypt protection, found on many PAL games from 1997 onwards. You are missing the matching .SBI file: place it next to your image, with exactly the same name (Game (Europe).cue and Game (Europe).sbi). See Preparing your disc images.
¶ Where are my saves?
In /recalbox/share/saves/psx/. Everything is detailed in Memory cards and saves.