emulator: Stella
type: standalone + libretro
core_classification: official_port
source: "https://github.com/stella-emu/stella"
profiled_date: "2026-10-21"
source_commit: "2c3d7023e9136f75c789803b44f119d8749dc104"
core_version: "8.0_pre"
display_name: "Atari - 2600 (Stella)"
cores:
  - stella
  - "STELLASA"
systems:
  - atari-2600

notes: |
  The libretro core is built from stella-emu/stella, the tree of the
  standalone emulator, with its wrapper in src/os/libretro. The binary
  reports library_name "Stella" (src/os/libretro/StellaLIBRETRO.hxx:59)
  and the version of src/common/Version.hxx:35. The stella_libretro.info
  lists display_version "6.6".

  The Atari 2600 has no BIOS ROM: TIA, RIOT and 6507 CPU are emulated in
  software. The SuperCharger (Starpath) BIOS is replaced by built-in code
  (ourDummyROMCode in src/emucore/CartAR.cxx:635).

  The libretro core reads the system directory (src/os/libretro/libretro.cxx:1716-1724)
  but nothing reads the path it stores. Its base directory is a stella
  folder under the save directory, or ./ without one
  (src/os/libretro/OSystemLIBRETRO.hxx:71-79). The standalone base
  directory is the configuration directory, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/stella on
  Linux and the application data folder on Windows
  (src/os/unix/OSystemUNIX.cxx:79, src/os/windows/OSystemWINDOWS.cxx:32).

  KidVid Voice Module tapes: the tape the game selects and KVSHARED.WAV are
  looked up in KidVidAudio.zip in the base directory, then loose in the
  base directory, and both must be present (src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268).
  The archive holds the same seven files listed below.
  The libretro build compiles with SOUND_SUPPORT and ZIP_SUPPORT
  (src/os/libretro/Makefile:599) and plays them (src/os/libretro/SoundLIBRETRO.hxx:127-133).
  Without them the game runs on a timing-based fallback with a beep
  (src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:343-348).

  EEPROM save data for AtariVox and SaveKey peripherals is managed as
  NVRAM, not user-supplied.

files:
  - name: KVS1.WAV
    description: "KidVid Voice Module audio tape 1 (Smurfs Save the Day)"
    required: false
    load_from: {libretro: save_dir, standalone: config_dir}
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:246-248, src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268"
  - name: KVS2.WAV
    description: "KidVid Voice Module audio tape 2 (Smurfs Save the Day)"
    required: false
    load_from: {libretro: save_dir, standalone: config_dir}
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:246-248, src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268"
  - name: KVS3.WAV
    description: "KidVid Voice Module audio tape 3 (Smurfs Save the Day)"
    required: false
    load_from: {libretro: save_dir, standalone: config_dir}
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:246-248, src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268"
  - name: KVB1.WAV
    description: "KidVid Voice Module audio tape 1 (Berenstain Bears)"
    required: false
    load_from: {libretro: save_dir, standalone: config_dir}
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:246-248, src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268"
  - name: KVB2.WAV
    description: "KidVid Voice Module audio tape 2 (Berenstain Bears)"
    required: false
    load_from: {libretro: save_dir, standalone: config_dir}
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:246-248, src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268"
  - name: KVB3.WAV
    description: "KidVid Voice Module audio tape 3 (Berenstain Bears)"
    required: false
    load_from: {libretro: save_dir, standalone: config_dir}
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:246-248, src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268"
  - name: KVSHARED.WAV
    description: "KidVid Voice Module shared audio samples"
    required: false
    load_from: {libretro: save_dir, standalone: config_dir}
    category: game_data
    source_ref: "src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:255-268, src/emucore/KidVid.cxx:329-331"