Lakka Switch, L4T edition
​

I am proud to finally release the L4T version of Lakka Switch!
New kernel, new logo, new drivers, audio... everything is fresh and clean.

Did I mention Rayman 3 was full speed on Dolphin? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

General system updates

• New Linux kernel and underlying operating system, based on Linux4Tegra and Jetson Nano drivers
  • mainline kernel has been deprecated
  • system features should now be on par with the L4T Ubuntu distribution, except for dock support
  • Bluetooth was lost in the battle and needs some rest to come back stronger
• aarch64 is now the default and mainly supported architecture
  • arm has been deprecated since L4T doesn't support it
• New logo made with the help of jaames and the R:S community

New features and improvements

• Audio now works through the internal speakers and headphones
• The new GPU driver supports both Vulkan and OpenGL
• RAM is now locked at full speed (1600Mhz), was 800MHz before
• The system is now way more stable and should boot for everyone with a decent SD card (no more black screen of death)
• RetroArch has been updated to add menu widgets (fancy onscreen notifications)
• Overclock profiles have been updated :
  • Renamed all profiles
  • Added more overclock profiles
  • Added underclock profiles

New cores

• mupen64plus-next (N64 emulator)
  • The core is full speed, even on aarch64 thanks to the new dynarec
  • Includes the updated version of the GlideN renderer
• picodrive (various Sega consoles)
  • The core replaces Genesis Plus GX (Game Gear support has been dropped)
• Beetle PSX HW (PSX emulator with OpenGL and Vulkan renderer)
  • The core performs worse than PCSX ReARMed for now, even with Vulkan
• reicast (Dreamcast emulator)
  • The core is full speed on all commercial games, no visual glitches
  • The OIT renderer works (better accuracy), speed is still good on 1x resolution
  • The core needs the Dreamcast BIOS files to be placed in /lakka/storage/system/DC
  • WinCE games are currently not supported - there is a WinCE version of the reicast core in the works but the aarch64 dynarec is too slow for the games to be playable (for now)
• Yaba Sanshiro (Saturn emulator)
  • The core is full speed on all commercial games
  • Yabause and Kronos were also added but both perform worse than Yaba Sanshiro
• theodore (Thomson MO/TO emulator)

Updated cores

• Dolphin : Vulkan support
  • With Vulkan, Dolphin runs decently - some games are playable, some are full speed... see for yourself, try it and experiment with different games and settings!
• PCSX ReARMed : Switch optimizations and CHD support
• PPSSPP : doesn't crash anymore when closing content

Removed cores

• mupen64plus
• parallel-n64
• Genesis Plus GX
• Ishiiruka
  • It might come back once the core is updated with the (beta) Vulkan renderer

Credits

• Kernel and drivers work: NVIDIA, switchroot team (especially ByLaws and langerhans)
• Lakka Switch work: natinusala and plaidman
• RetroArch, original Lakka distribution: libretro team
• mupen64plus-next: Gillou and m4xw
• PCSX ReARMed: Switch optimizations by m4xw, CHD support by aliaspider
• Dolphin core: aliaspider
• reicast core: flyinghead

Download link

The Lakka Switch website has been updated with the new version: https://lakka-switch.github.io/documentation/

Please note that you can't dual boot Ubuntu and Lakka Switch for now (it will always boot Ubuntu).

 

[LeyendaV]

It was updated 1 month ago, are you sure you're using the right build?

Apparently not. Last time I downloaded it was from the official website, where are you checking?

 

[HappehLemons]

Apparently not. Last time I downloaded it was from the official website, where are you checking?

There are builds posted in this thread that was updated. Do a little digging and find it. The official website isn't updated anymore.

As I've been saying, and this is the last time I'm going to post this, use the build from MAY.

 

[TheCasualties]

Looks like it's on page 73, recompiled by mindwipe . link to that post- L4T Lakka Switch - now with audio and Vulkan

I didn't even notice there was a new as I tried Lakka back before that. I'll test it next time I want to play some N64. Hopefully it'll help others too! I do like the option to play docked, but it'll be good for portable mode at least.

Edit: good find WiiEJECT! I'll edit this link with the newer version.

 

[LeyendaV]

Looks like it's on page 72, recompiled by mindwipe and there's a direct link to the mega download lower on the page by hippy dave. link to that post- L4T Lakka Switch - now with audio and Vulkan

I didn't even notice there was a new as I tried Lakka back before that. I'll test it next time I want to play some N64. Hopefully it'll help others too! I do like the option to play docked, but it'll be good for portable mode at least.

For what I can see there was yet another update after that one. Check the post here.

EDIT:
That seems to be the newest update. I suggest to download the first one, overwrite with the second one and then update the cores by yourself. I'm doing that now and will test it right away.

EDIT 2:
After running some testing, RetroArch is still performing better than Lakka. However, with this update the difference is now way smaller, so I must conclude that it had become to a matter of personal preferences.
As an advice for anybody reading this, if you are gonna use Lakka then download the unofficial update posted on this thread instead of using any official source.

 

[HappehLemons]

For what I can see there was yet another update after that one. Check the post here.

EDIT:
That seems to be the newest update. I suggest to download the first one, overwrite with the second one and then update the cores by yourself. I'm doing that now and will test it right away.

EDIT 2:
After running some testing, RetroArch is still performing better than Lakka. However, with this update the difference is now way smaller, so I must conclude that it had become to a matter of personal preferences.
As an advice for anybody reading this, if you are gonna use Lakka then download the unofficial update posted on this thread instead of using any official source.

Can you lets everyone know in what regards it's performance is worse so people can make more informed decisions on what's the right choice?

 

[LeyendaV]

I dont get why you just have put forward what you have and how it apparently performs not as well, its something i too am interested in seeing but christ dude people have asked countless times at this point what have you got to show that, others in here including myself are legitimately interested in it if there is.

I think you are heavily mistaken here. The thing started cause me and some other users were using the official release of Lakka, that has been abandoned for over a year, and therefore the performance we were getting was extremely worse than RetroArch.
After being pointed to the unofficial update, I patched everything and run a test, then I came to the conclusion that the current "up-tp-date" version of Lakka is still running worse, but now the difference is so small that is truly a matter of personal preference which one you wanna use.

Thing is that HappehLemons seems to have a personal problem with every person that dares to say Lakka is bad, trying to push people to use it showing random videos of gameplay without specs when asked to. And not only with me, but he has been acting that way with every single person that says the opposite of what he belives.
Heck, he even came to the point of creating a secondary account only to insult me. Not discuss, just plain insults. So, since this situation has turned into a bizarre one, I'm just being a little sarcastic with him.
After all, as it was said on other thread where he was also being annoying, we should ignore and isolete people like him.

 

[Imancol]

The last build posted of Lakka is objectively faster in N64 versus any other method (Horizon, OS, SwitchRoot, L4T), and I'm assuming is goes for many of the other emulators in Lakka because it allows proper utilization of the GPU with almost no overhead.

While it's missing basic features like docked, wireless joycons and boot options you're 100% wrong saying it performs worse. I haven't found a N64 game that didn't run full speed on Lakka with the top handheld GPU profile, while ever other way of playing RA has lag, stutter and frame drops in games that are higher spec.

I was playing LineageOS a long time ago with a 4K N64 emulator in docked mode. It looked great. Although it was assumed that the CPU was disconnected and the application was frozen. But never experience Lag. Also try the citra emulator, before the official version came out, it was barely showing HUD in games, but it ran very well. I imagine that with the official version in PlayStore it was corrected and will run better.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

If you click on his username, you can just click ignore him so he doesn't show up on the forum for you at all anymore like I have. I'm hoping that the better users in this thread will continue to develop out Lakka and I await that. Someone was getting a github ready to continue to update Lakka.

The vifurcation was only to give support to a new core that allowed streaming.

 

[dalekman9999]

I think you are heavily mistaken here. The thing started cause me and some other users were using the official release of Lakka, that has been abandoned for over a year, and therefore the performance we were getting was extremely worse than RetroArch.
After being pointed to the unofficial update, I patched everything and run a test, then I came to the conclusion that the current "up-tp-date" version of Lakka is still running worse, but now the difference is so small that is truly a matter of personal preference which one you wanna use.

Thing is that HappehLemons seems to have a personal problem with every person that dares to say Lakka is bad, trying to push people to use it showing random videos of gameplay without specs when asked to. And not only with me, but he has been acting that way with every single person that says the opposite of what he belives.
Heck, he even came to the point of creating a secondary account only to insult me. Not discuss, just plain insults. So, since this situation has turned into a bizarre one, I'm just being a little sarcastic with him.
After all, as it was said on other thread where he was also being annoying, we should ignore and isolete people like him.

I have no stakes in the stuff between you two, i just figure if there is some difference if u know it id like to see it so i know what one i would benefit more from using. Thats all.

 

[Etunts]

joycon is not working.

 

[Imancol]

What type of controller is Lakka using? I was looking and it is not the same that Ubuntu uses.

 

[HappehLemons]

What type of controller is Lakka using? I was looking and it is not the same that Ubuntu uses.

It only supports official JoyCons.

 

[Imancol]

It only supports official JoyCons.

I know, but I was looking for the 50-joystick.conf file in the Lakka system structure to use it in Ubuntu and RetroArch, but I couldn't find it, so it uses a kind of rawlinux driver for the Joy-Con. Anyway I have left it, RetroArch on L4T Ubuntu has issues for Video Vulkan driver, it won't start next time if I select it, and it also won't let me select or download kernels. It is more a multimedia center, than a video game system.

I guess passing features from L4T Ubuntu to L4T Lakka would make more sense (like the ability to use finish and install on a partition that can be rewritten and updated).

 

[dalekman9999]

What, because he's a "NOT-SEE!?"

You can assign labels and categorize people however you wish. Doesn't mean it's necessarily the most informed, accurate, or even the best way to describe someone. I don't consider him to be the second coming of Jesus Christ or anything like that, but he does have good advice and is good background noise if I'm not in the mood for music atm.

Assumptions assumptions.
No its because he is borderline retarded and he ignored all the legal explanations to him about what made him popular, the c16 bill, and how he was totally incorrect on it and still wont admit it.
I hadnt intended on giving a serious reply but since you got so uppity about that comment i figured i could atleast put 30 seconds in for u.

 

[Basketto]

I think you are heavily mistaken here. The thing started cause me and some other users were using the official release of Lakka, that has been abandoned for over a year, and therefore the performance we were getting was extremely worse than RetroArch.
After being pointed to the unofficial update, I patched everything and run a test, then I came to the conclusion that the current "up-tp-date" version of Lakka is still running worse, but now the difference is so small that is truly a matter of personal preference which one you wanna use.

Thing is that HappehLemons seems to have a personal problem with every person that dares to say Lakka is bad, trying to push people to use it showing random videos of gameplay without specs when asked to. And not only with me, but he has been acting that way with every single person that says the opposite of what he belives.
Heck, he even came to the point of creating a secondary account only to insult me. Not discuss, just plain insults. So, since this situation has turned into a bizarre one, I'm just being a little sarcastic with him.
After all, as it was said on other thread where he was also being annoying, we should ignore and isolete people like him.

My tests I’ve found lakka to mostly outperform RA in horizon aswell. Horizon sometimes has better compatibility, and sometimes it makes no difference , as many games run full speed. Some games need tweaking, but when optimised, generally games on lakka will run better at lower clock speeds.
Their is a reason Dolphin hasn’t been ported to horizon, Linux(Lakka) in general is a better base OS to run most emulators, this isn’t just my 2cents either, the developers pretty much quoted this word for word .
Citra seems to be the exception for all platforms so far, offering the best performance on horizon RA. Considering the 3ds was the most recent ARM portable device by nintendo before the switch, it isnt that surprising though.

 

[LeyendaV]

My tests I’ve found lakka to mostly outperform RA in horizon aswell. Horizon sometimes has better compatibility, and sometimes it makes no difference , as many games run full speed. Some games need tweaking, but when optimised, generally games on lakka will run better at lower clock speeds.
Their is a reason Dolphin hasn’t been ported to horizon, Linux(Lakka) in general is a better base OS to run most emulators, this isn’t just my 2cents either, the developers pretty much quoted this word for word .
Citra seems to be the exception for all platforms so far, offering the best performance on horizon RA. Considering the 3ds was the most recent ARM portable device by nintendo before the switch, it isnt that surprising though.

That's what I've been trying to say all this time. In the end, it's a matter of personal preferences based on what consoles and (more specifically) games you wanna emulate.
On paper, Lakka should perform way better 100% of the time, since it's based on a system build specifically for emulation. Plus, it makes use of the four CPU cores and comes with Vulkan. Honestly, I would love to see a reborn of the official project, it's a shame it was abandoned so soon, specially now that the best cores are coming into scene.

 

[Swampat]

So I'm trying to boot into Lakka and I'm just stuck on the flower logo. Any fixes for this or nah?

 

[NightStorm1000]

Is the Project Dead? Last Image is from a year ago.

 

[sabin1981]

Is the Project Dead? Last Image is from a year ago.

Scroll up to the top of the page, people have been posting updated builds Personally, I just want to know if Docked mode was ever fixed/enabled? I don't care if wireless joycons work, since I use Pro wired controllers when docked

 

[HappehLemons]

Scroll up to the top of the page, people have been posting updated builds Personally, I just want to know if Docked mode was ever fixed/enabled? I don't care if wireless joycons work, since I use Pro wired controllers when docked

Dock mode works, but it's disabled because bluetooth doesn't work. So no pro controller or wireless joycons.

 

[Tyvar1]

Is the Project Dead? Last Image is from a year ago.

Here are the latest build:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/l4t-lakka-switch-now-with-audio-and-vulkan.538619/page-73#post-9067389

https://mega.nz/file/NollVKTK#VHH8GnFk9oqpRw95JY1IAYDo0dxQt8hvKdHHmdTjG_c