emulator: Vircon32
type: libretro
core_classification: official_port
source: "https://github.com/vircon32/vircon32-libretro"
upstream: "https://github.com/vircon32/ComputerSoftware"
profiled_date: "2026-03-25"
core_version: "2026.2.18"
display_name: "Vircon32"
cores:
  - vircon32
systems:
  - vircon32

notes: |
  Vircon32 is a libretro core for the Vircon32 fantasy console, a 32-bit
  virtual game console with fixed hardware specs (60 fps, 640x360, 16
  sound channels, up to 4 gamepads).

  The Standard BIOS v1.2 is embedded directly into the core binary as a
  C header (embedded/StandardBios.h), generated from Assets/StandardBios.v32
  at build time. The core never strictly requires an external BIOS file.

  BIOS loading logic (libretro.cpp:415-429):
  1. Check if system_dir/Vircon32Bios.v32 exists on disk
  2. If found, load it via Console.LoadBiosFile() (external override)
  3. If not found, load the embedded BIOS via LoadEmbeddedBios()

  This runs inside context_reset() (libretro.cpp:473-474), which is called
  whenever the OpenGL context is (re)created.

  The BIOS file format is a V32 ROM with a specific signature
  (ROMFileFormat::BiosSignature). It must contain exactly 1 texture and
  1 sound. The loader validates the signature, file structure, and version
  compatibility before loading program ROM, video ROM and audio ROM
  (V32Console.cpp:259-431).

  The external BIOS file allows users to replace the boot animation with
  a custom one. Game compatibility is not affected by BIOS choice.

files:
  - name: "Vircon32Bios.v32"
    system: vircon32
    description: "Vircon32 console BIOS (custom override)"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 1073060
    md5: "73f04397cbb2dafcf2047b19a856153a"
    sha1: "67ddbcd018f03ed74b6e013074d92cc5f1f51c80"
    source_ref: "libretro.cpp:422-425"
    notes: |
      Optional external BIOS placed in the system directory root.
      If present, overrides the embedded Standard BIOS v1.2.
      The hashes above correspond to the Standard BIOS v1.2 bundled
      in Assets/StandardBios.v32 of the source repo. Custom BIOSes
      will have different hashes but must follow the V32 BIOS format.

platform_details:
  embedded_bios:
    version: "Standard BIOS v1.2"
    source_ref: "libretro.cpp:28, Assets/StandardBios.v32"
    file_size: 1073060
    md5: "73f04397cbb2dafcf2047b19a856153a"
    sha1: "67ddbcd018f03ed74b6e013074d92cc5f1f51c80"
    notes: |
      The standard BIOS is compiled into the core binary as
      embedded_StandardBios[] via a generated header file. It provides
      the boot animation (Vircon32 logo + startup sound). LoadEmbeddedBios()
      writes the raw bytes into a stringstream and passes it to
      Console.LoadBiosData().

  bios_format:
    source_ref: "VirconDefinitions/FileFormats.hpp, V32Console.cpp:259-431"
    notes: |
      A V32 BIOS ROM file must have:
      - BiosSignature in the header (distinct from CartridgeSignature)
      - Exactly 1 texture (boot screen graphics)
      - Exactly 1 sound (boot sound)
      - Program ROM, Video ROM and Audio ROM in sequential layout
      The loader validates all of this before accepting the file.

  cartridge_format:
    extensions: "v32"
    source_ref: "V32Console.cpp:468-696"
    notes: |
      Cartridges use CartridgeSignature with up to 256 textures and
      1024 sounds. Program ROM can be up to 128M words (512 MB).