SUPPORTED
EMULATORS
See which classic gaming systems the R36S can emulate, which emulator cores are commonly used, where to place your ROM files and what level of performance to expect.
Support for a wide range of classic gaming platforms.
Many systems run through optimized RetroArch cores.
Games are organized into system-specific directories.
Some systems offer more than one emulator or core.
R36S Supported Emulators
The exact emulator available can depend on your ArkOS version, custom firmware build and configuration. The entries below show common R36S / ArkOS options.
Nintendo Entertainment System
One of the lightest systems to emulate and generally runs extremely well on the R36S.
Super Nintendo
Most SNES titles run very well, including a broad range of classic 16-bit games.
Game Boy
Original Game Boy titles are very easy for the R36S hardware to emulate.
Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color emulation is generally excellent with minimal performance demands.
Game Boy Advance
The R36S is particularly well suited to Game Boy Advance games and generally provides very good performance.
Sega Master System
Master System games generally run smoothly with very low hardware requirements.
Sega Game Gear
The R36S handles Game Gear titles with excellent performance in most cases.
Sega Mega Drive / Genesis
16-bit Sega emulation generally performs very well on the RK3326 hardware.
PC Engine
PC Engine and TurboGrafx titles are a strong match for the R36S hardware.
Neo Geo
Neo Geo games generally perform very well when the correct ROM set and BIOS files are used.
Arcade
Many classic arcade games perform extremely well, but arcade ROM sets must match the emulator being used.
Sony PlayStation
PlayStation is one of the R36S's strongest 3D systems, with many games running very well.
Nintendo 64
Many N64 games are playable, but harder titles can require emulator changes, frameskip or other tuning.
Sega Dreamcast
Some Dreamcast games perform surprisingly well, while more demanding games can struggle.
PlayStation Portable
2D and lighter PSP games can perform well. Demanding 3D titles often require reduced settings or frameskip.
Nintendo DS
Many DS games are playable, although dual-screen and touchscreen-heavy games are less convenient.
Sega Saturn
Saturn emulation is demanding for RK3326 hardware and should be treated as experimental or game dependent.
Atari Systems
Classic Atari platforms are well within the R36S's performance capabilities.
WonderSwan
Bandai WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color games are lightweight and generally emulate well.
PICO-8
PICO-8 can be a great match for the R36S, depending on the firmware and runtime installed.
Ports
Compatible native Linux ports may run through PortMaster or firmware-specific port packages.
ROM & BIOS Locations
ArkOS generally stores game folders inside the ROM partition. When the card is viewed on Windows, macOS or Linux, this game partition may appear as EASYROMS.
When Is A BIOS Needed?
Some emulators can run without an external BIOS, while others work better or require system firmware files. BIOS filenames and checksums can be emulator-specific.
More Demanding Systems
The RK3326 is excellent for older systems, but later 3D consoles can push the hardware harder. Emulator, firmware and per-game settings matter significantly.
Some titles run very well while others require different emulator options, reduced accuracy or frameskip.
Lighter titles may be very playable, but demanding 3D games can have slowdowns or graphical issues.
Many 2D and lighter games are playable, while demanding 3D PSP titles can require reduced settings.
Saturn emulation is particularly demanding and should not be expected to perform perfectly across the library.
ArkOS and R36S community firmware builds can add, remove or update emulator cores over time. A system being supported does not mean every game on that system will run perfectly. Performance also depends on the ROM, BIOS, emulator core, graphics settings and the firmware build installed on your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about R36S emulators, ROM folders and system performance.
Get More From Your R36S
Explore our ROM management and firmware guides to learn how to organize your library, manage emulator files and customize your R36S setup.