emulator: RACE (Neo Geo Pocket)
type: libretro
core_classification: community_fork
source: "https://github.com/libretro/RACE"
upstream: "https://github.com/8bitpsp/race"
profiled_date: "2026-03-25"
core_version: "v2.16"
display_name: "SNK - Neo Geo Pocket / Color (RACE)"
cores: [race]
systems: [snk-ngp, snk-ngpc]

notes: |
  RACE is a Neo Geo Pocket and Neo Geo Pocket Color emulator originally by
  Judge_ (MHE), ported to GP2X by Flavor, to PSP by Akop Karapetyan, modified
  by theelf, then adapted for libretro.

  No external BIOS files are required. The upstream versions (GP2X, PSP) support
  optional loading of NPBIOS.BIN, but the libretro port disabled it entirely
  with #if 0 in race-memory.c:loadBIOS(). The comment explains: "Using a real
  bios file causes nothing but issues."

  The core uses a software HLE approach: a compiled-in koyote_bin RAM dump
  (post-boot console state) is copied into mainram at startup, a fake SWI jump
  table is built at cpurom[0xE000], and doBios() in tlcs900h.c handles 33 BIOS
  functions in software. The Z80 sound CPU is emulated via cz80 or DrZ80.

files: []

analysis:
  npbios:
    filename: NPBIOS.BIN
    size: 65536  # 64 KB (0x10000)
    loaded_by: "race-memory.c:loadBIOS()"
    status: disabled
    source_ref: "race-memory.c:337-361"
    upstream_status: optional
    upstream_ref: "memory.cpp:346-365 (8bitpsp/race)"
    note: |
      loadBIOS() is wrapped in #if 0 and always returns 0 in the libretro port.
      In upstream (8bitpsp/race, alekmaul/race), the function is live and loads
      NPBIOS.BIN optionally, falling back to HLE if not found.