RetroArch Android - New Versions for the Google Play Store

[Deleted User]

Because of issues with the Google Play Store in August, the RetroArch team decided to release a Play Store version and a non-Play Store version.
Due to restrictions with older Android OSes you have only 50 cores with the non-Plus Play Store version.
If you want a RetroArch without any of the limits, you can still download it from the website/buildbot - that one has the Core Downloader.

The Google Play Store version has the following plus and minuses:

• – There is no more Core Downloader – in accordance with Google Play Store’s new policies, this had to be removed.
• + Instead, you will be able to select from 50 hand-curated libretro cores from within the application.
• + The Play Store version will be updated twice a week, possibly more if users request it. Both the cores and RetroArch itself will be updated in the process. You will no longer have to wait for months on end for a new version – instead, new versions will be pushed to the Play Store automatically.

Why only 50 cores? Unfortunately, if we don’t want to cut off support for Android OS versions lower than 8.0, we have to limit it to this number.

Source:https://www.libretro.com/index.php/retroarch-android-new-versions-for-play-store-please-read/

 

[Seriel]

It also mentions just below this that if you do have a newer device you can install the version that has a whole bunch of cores:

RetroArch Plus
RetroArch64 has now transformed into RetroArch Plus! What separates this version from the regular Play Store version?

• – It will only work on Android OS 8.0 and up.
• + Because of this, you have access to 127 cores instead.

So if you have a newer device, going for RetroArch Plus is a straight upgrade instead of sticking it out with the regular RetroArch version. In addition to this, all the pros and cons of the regular Play Store version also applies to this version.

 

[tfocosta]

I'm currently using RetroArch Plus for Android and I'm looking for more MAME cores.

At the moment the only options available in the Core Downloader are:

• Arcade (FinalBurn Neo)
• Arcade (MAME - Current)
• Arcade (MAME 2003)
• Arcade (MAME 2003-Plus)

I'm trying to play Metal Slug 1 using one of the above cores, but none of them seem to work and I can't find any other core in the list. I tried to use the Arcade (MAME - Current), but it freezes in the loading screen. Maybe it's a bad dump, not sure.

I remember to use a couple of Final Burn Alpha cores that worked perfectly, but they are no longer available on the core list for download.

Should I try to install those cores manually? Or, if they are not on the list, it means it's no longer possible to use them?

From what I've read in the link provided above, I need to use the RetroArch non-Play Store version to get full access to the core list. Will this solve my issue?

Many thanks.