emulator: VBA-Next
type: libretro
core_classification: frozen_snapshot
source: "https://github.com/libretro/vba-next"
upstream: "https://github.com/visualboyadvance-m/visualboyadvance-m"
profiled_date: "2026-03-25"
core_version: "SVN"
display_name: "Nintendo - Game Boy Advance (VBA Next)"
cores:
  - vba_next
systems:
  - nintendo-gba

notes: |
  Frozen snapshot of VBA-M circa 2011, optimized for libretro by Squarepusher.

  Built-in HLE BIOS (myROM array, src/gba.cpp:8423) handles all standard SWI
  calls. No external BIOS file needed for most games.

  BIOS loading gated by HAVE_HLE_BIOS (build/Makefile.common:3) and core option
  vbanext_bios (default: enabled). When enabled, retro_init resolves gba_bios.bin
  in system_dir (libretro/libretro.cpp:198-202). CPUInit loads via utilLoad(),
  validates size == 0x4000, sets useBios = true (src/gba.cpp:12430-12438). On
  failure, myROM is memcpy'd as HLE fallback (src/gba.cpp:12443).

  With real BIOS, execution starts at 0x00000000 (BIOS entry point). Without,
  jumps to 0x08000000 (ROM entry), skipping boot animation
  (src/gba.cpp:12657-12675).

  CPUIsGBABios accepts extensions: .gba, .agb, .bin, .bios, .rom
  (src/gba.cpp:8851-8873).

  Upstream VBA-M CPUInit (src/core/gba/gba.cpp:3674-3702) is functionally
  identical. No divergences in BIOS handling.

files:
  - name: gba_bios.bin
    system: nintendo-gba
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 16384
    validation: [size]
    description: "GBA BIOS"
    note: "Optional. HLE replacement handles all standard SWI calls. Real BIOS adds startup logo and may improve edge-case accuracy."
    source_ref: "libretro/libretro.cpp:198-202, src/gba.cpp:12430-12438"