After more than 10 years of existence, Recalbox reaches a decisive milestone with the release of version 10 — far more than a simple update. This new iteration marks a true turning point for the distribution, with the integration of new hardware, new systems, a complete overhaul of the user interface, the addition of revolutionary new features, and extended support for arcade and CRT.

You will find at the bottom of this article the full release notes, as well as the presentation video covering all the new features.

EXPANDED HARDWARE SUPPORT

Recalbox 10 reaches a major milestone in hardware compatibility. Whether you are an arcade purist with your JAMMA cabinet, a CRT enthusiast seeking absolute authenticity, or a nomadic gamer who wants to take your library everywhere, this new version adapts to every use case. From the classic Raspberry Pi, boosted by the Raspberry Pi 5, to the latest-generation PC gaming handhelds, including more exotic peripherals such as Arduino spinners or the GunCon 2 light gun, Recalbox 10 pushes compatibility limits to offer unprecedented flexibility. Here is a complete overview of the new supported hardware:

New Raspberry Pi models and cases:

• Raspberry Pi 5 (2GB RAM version) and Raspberry Pi 500
• Optimized compatibility with recent PCs
• Support for Retroflag cases (64Pi Case, DreamCase) and Argon One v3

New-generation portable experience:

• Full support for Steam Deck LCD and OLED with advanced integration (brightness, sound, sleep mode)
• Experimental support for Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go

CRT, Arcade, and exotic peripheral compatibility:

• RGB DUAL 2 (SCART, RCA, VGA, Mini Jack), enhance your CRTs and monitors
• RGB JAMMA 2 with full support, give your JAMMA cabinets a second life
• Recalbox Card Reader and its RecalCards, insert your Recalbox RecalCards!
• GunCon 2 light gun for CRT TVs (experimental, in 15 kHz with RGB DUAL 2 or RGB JAMMA 2)
• Taito Trackball/Spinner and Baolian Spinner
• DIY spinners based on Arduino

NEW SYSTEMS AND EMULATORS

Recalbox 10 continues to expand its catalog of emulated systems while optimizing performance on existing platforms. The arrival of new sixth-generation consoles — some known to be difficult to emulate on modest hardware — demonstrates the technical progress achieved by the team. PC and Steam Deck players welcome the original Xbox, while Raspberry Pi 5 users will discover emulators that previously seemed out of reach for this type of hardware. Arcade also benefits from major optimizations delivering truly impressive performance:

On PC and Steam Deck:

• Original Xbox

On Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB minimum):

• Model 3
• Nintendo DS
• GameCube and WiiWares (Wii)

Arcade optimizations: Major improvements on MAME and FBNeo for impressive performance, especially on Raspberry Pi 5.

COMPLETE USER INTERFACE OVERHAUL

While Recalbox 10 impresses with new hardware and system compatibility, its graphical overhaul may be what impacts your daily experience the most. No more slowdowns in overloaded menus, no more single interface, no more complex theme switching. The team has completely redesigned the frontend to deliver a fluid, modern, and highly customizable experience, accessible in just a few clicks whether you use HDMI, CRT, or an arcade cabinet. Whether you have 10 or 150 systems enabled, navigation remains instant and smooth. Here are the main improvements:

Ultra-fast navigation:

• New texture manager with background image loading, ensuring smooth navigation at all times, even with more than 150 systems enabled.
• New menus with a more intuitive organization, making it quick and easy to find your way around
• Quick system switching with L and R triggers (jumping five systems at a time)
• Redesigned system logos

New theme and integrated theme manager:

• New customizable default theme
• Around ten themes available at launch
• Preview, download, and install in 2 clicks
• Automatic updates

Advanced system management:

• Show and hide systems on the fly, without rebooting
• Fine customization to keep only the consoles you use daily

REVOLUTIONARY FEATURES FOR GAME LISTS

Managing game lists has always been a challenge for retro gaming enthusiasts: regional duplicates, unnecessary system files, endlessly growing collections, disappearing favorites — a real headache for some. Recalbox 10 tackles this head-on with a series of features that will revolutionize how you organize and browse your libraries. From automatic duplicate cleanup to advanced favorite management, along with new sorting and search options, everything has been designed to make your lists clearer, faster, and more enjoyable to browse:

• One Game, One ROM (1G1R) – The game-changer: This new feature automatically groups different versions of the same game according to your preferred regions, eliminating endless lists and duplicates. Lists become drastically cleaner while still preserving access to all versions.

Improved arcade view:

• Grouping games by clone/parent system
• Removal of duplicates, BIOS files, system files, and non-working games

Simplified ROM management:

• Delete ROMs directly from the interface
• Automatic detection of modifications (add/remove) with gamelist update
• Per-system updates without reboot
• Automatic scraping of newly detected games (Patrons only)

Optimized favorites:

• Return of the “Favorites on top of the list” option
• Lock feature to prevent accidental modifications
• Separate save in gamelist-userdata.ini (preserves favorites after extern scraping)

Enhanced sorting and organization:

• Sort by playtime, region, number of players, genre, developer, rating…
• Clear headers depending on sort type
• Customizable decorations: region flags, genre, number of players…
• Disc number display (e.g., CD 1/2, 2/2) — especially useful for PlayStation and Amiga (via decoration customization)

New search functions:

• Search for different versions of the same game across all platforms
• Browse by license (e.g., view all available Street Fighter games)

AND EVEN MORE

Beyond the major visible improvements, Recalbox 10 fine-tunes the user experience down to the smallest details. Whether you play multiplayer on your couch, seek the authentic CRT arcade experience, or simply need to reset a configuration that went wrong, this version provides simple and automated solutions. No more obscure technical manipulations: Recalbox detects your needs and adapts intelligently. Here are the improvements that will make your daily life easier:

MULTIPLAYER AND CONTROLLER IMPROVEMENTS

• Automatic multitap activation on Super Nintendo, PlayStation, and Saturn when 3 controllers are detected
• Vibration support in compatible systems

RGB DUAL 2 AND RGB JAMMA 2 REVOLUTION

CRT and arcade users benefit from major improvements:

• Complete overhaul of CRT mode management with dynamic resolutions
• 15 kHz and 31 kHz support on RGB DUAL 2 and RGB JAMMA 2
• 24 kHz support on RGB JAMMA
• “HDMI Priority” option to plug in an HDMI screen without unplugging everything
• High score support for MAME
• Access to service mode and DIP switches on RGB JAMMA

SPLIT SETTINGS RESET

Two options for greater peace of mind:

• Reset emulator settings: return all emulators to default settings
• Restore factory settings: complete system reset without deleting games, scraps, saves, or favorites

A STORE THAT EVOLVES WITH THE PROJECT

Recalbox 10 brings native support for new Recalbox hardware. On this occasion, we have updated our store with customizable RecalTower kits designed to fit each user’s needs. HDMI, CRT, Card Reader… each kit corresponds to a specific configuration. For simplicity, kits including the Raspberry Pi 5 come with Recalbox 10 preinstalled.

Modularity: an installation that evolves with your needs

The store now includes all hardware sold separately:

An HDMI user who now wants to play on a CRT simply needs to purchase the RGB Dual 2 add-on. Still craving more nostalgia? The Card Reader add-on and its RecalCards will allow them to launch games “the old-fashioned way” by inserting Recalbox-made cartridges. Adding each of these add-ons is completely Plug and Play — no manipulation required. Just plug it in, everything is instantly recognized, and play:

A passionate user who wants to give a second life to their arcade cabinet can now get the RGB JAMMA 2:

Accessories: retro gaming references combining quality and simplicity

Because it is essential to guide our users toward high-quality hardware that is tested and guaranteed plug-and-play compatible with Recalbox, we provide on our store the must-have references in controllers and arcade sticks:

The 8BitDo Pro 3 controller, the absolute reference, and for Xbox controller fans, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 controller now available on the shop! For players who want to fully enjoy their arcade library, the 8BitDo Arcade Stick will be their best ally for high scores!

"With more supported machines, more features, a fully modernized interface, and an ever-stronger respect for original hardware, Recalbox 10 simply represents the very best of Recalbox. Our goal is to make retro gaming even simpler, more accessible, and even more faithful to the games that shaped our childhood." – The Recalbox Team

This article only covers a small portion of the improvements included in V10, among more than a hundred that you can find in the full release notes at this link.