blueMSX - RetroBIOS

Type	standalone + libretro
Classification	community_fork
Source	https://github.com/libretro/blueMSX-libretro
Upstream	http://bluemsx.msxblue.com/
Version	SVN
Profiled	2026-03-23
Cores	bluemsx
Systems	msx, msx2, msx2plus, msxturboR, colecovision, sega-sg1000, sega-sc3000, sega-sf7000, spectravideo

Technical notes

The directory structure must be preserved exactly as shipped in the repo's system/bluemsx/ folder. The core expects Machines/ and Databases/ subdirectories inside the system directory. Each machine model has its own subdirectory with a config.ini and associated ROM files.

Default machines (used when selecting base type names like "MSX", "MSX2", etc.) reference ROMs from "Machines/Shared Roms/". Machine-specific variants (e.g. "MSX2 - Panasonic FS-A1F") have their own ROMs in their own subdirectory.

C-BIOS machines work for cartridge-based games without any copyrighted BIOS. For disk/tape support, real BIOS ROMs are required.

80 files | 15 required, 65 optional | 80 in repo, 0 missing | 1 with HLE fallback

MSX.rom -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• MSX1 generic BIOS. Used by default 'MSX' machine config.

MSXJ.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXJ.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX - Japanese/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 Japanese BIOS. Used by 'MSX - Japanese' machine.

MSXBR.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXBR.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 Brazilian BIOS.

MSXFR.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXFR.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 French BIOS.

MSXG.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXG.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 German BIOS.

MSXKR.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXKR.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 Korean BIOS.

MSXR.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXR.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 Russian BIOS.

MSXSE.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXSE.ROM
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 Swedish BIOS.

MSXSP.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXSP.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• MSX1 Spanish BIOS.

MSXAR.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXAR.ROM
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 Arabic BIOS.

MSXR2.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXR2.ROM
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• MSX1 Russian BIOS (variant 2).

MSXHAN.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXHAN.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 8.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX1 Korean Hangul extension ROM.

MSX2.rom -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• MSX2 generic main BIOS. Used by default 'MSX2' machine config.

MSX2EXT.rom -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2EXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• MSX2 extension BIOS (SubROM). Required alongside MSX2.rom.

MSX2J.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2J.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Japanese main BIOS.

MSX2JEXT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2JEXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Japanese extension BIOS.

MSX2BR.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2BR.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Brazilian main BIOS.

MSX2BREXT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2BREXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Brazilian extension BIOS.

MSX2FR.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2FR.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 French main BIOS.

MSX2FREXT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2FREXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 French extension BIOS.

MSX2G.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2G.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 German main BIOS.

MSX2GEXT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2GEXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 German extension BIOS.

MSX2KR.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2KR.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Korean main BIOS.

MSX2KREXT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2KREXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Korean extension BIOS.

MSX2R.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2R.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Russian main BIOS.

MSX2REXT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2REXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Russian extension BIOS.

MSX2R2.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2R2.ROM
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Russian main BIOS (variant 2).

MSX2SE.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2SE.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Swedish main BIOS.

MSX2SP.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2SP.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Spanish main BIOS.

MSX2SPEXT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2SPEXT.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Spanish extension BIOS.

MSX2AR.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2AR.ROM
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Arabic main BIOS.

MSX2AREXT.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2AREXT.ROM
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Arabic extension BIOS.

MSX2HAN.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2HAN.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2 Korean Hangul BIOS.

MSX2P.rom -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2P.rom
• System: msx2plus
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2+/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• MSX2+ main BIOS. Used by default 'MSX2+' machine config (auto-selected for .dsk/.cas/.rom).

MSX2PEXT.rom -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2PEXT.rom
• System: msx2plus
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2+/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• MSX2+ extension BIOS (SubROM).

MSX2PMUS.rom -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSX2PMUS.rom
• System: msx2plus
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2+/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX2+ MSX-MUSIC BIOS (FM-PAC built-in). Used by MSX2+ and MSX2 default configs.

MSXTR.ROM -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTR.ROM
• System: msxturboR
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSXturboR/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX turboR main BIOS.

MSXTREXT.ROM -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTREXT.ROM
• System: msxturboR
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSXturboR/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX turboR extension BIOS.

MSXTRMUS.ROM -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTRMUS.ROM
• System: msxturboR
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSXturboR/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX turboR MSX-MUSIC BIOS.

MSXTROPT.ROM -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTROPT.ROM
• System: msxturboR
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSXturboR/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX turboR option ROM (firmware utilities).

MSXDOS23.ROM -required

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXDOS23.ROM
• System: msxturboR
• Size: 64.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSXturboR/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX-DOS 2.3 ROM. Used by turboR default config for disk operations.

KANJI.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/KANJI.rom
• Size: 256.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2+/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• Kanji font ROM (256 KB). Used by MSX2+, turboR, and Japanese MSX2 machines.

MSXKANJI.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MSXKANJI.rom
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2+/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX-Kanji driver ROM. Used by MSX2+, turboR, and Japanese MSX2 for kanji display.

FMPAC.rom -optional, HLE available

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/FMPAC.rom
• Size: 64.0 KB
• Source: Src/Memory/MegaromCartridge.c:289-305
• Platforms: recalbox
• FM-PAC cartridge ROM (YM2413 FM synthesis). If missing, core uses built-in minimal ROM stub.

XBASIC2.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/XBASIC2.rom
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MSX-BASIC 2 extension ROM. Used by MSX2, MSX2+, and turboR default configs.

PAINT.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/PAINT.rom
• Size: 64.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Paint utility ROM. Used by some MSX2 Japanese machine configs.

SWP.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/SWP.rom
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Software World Processor ROM. Used by Al Alamiah MSX2 machines.

ARABIC.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/ARABIC.rom
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Arabic character set extension ROM.

HANGUL.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/HANGUL.rom
• Size: 128.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Korean Hangul font ROM (128 KB).

RS232.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/RS232.ROM
• Size: 8.0 KB
• Platforms: lakka, recalbox, retroarch, retrodeck, retropie
• RS-232C serial interface ROM.

MOONSOUND.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MOONSOUND.rom
• Size: 2.0 MB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• MoonSound (OPL4) wavetable ROM (2 MB). Used by MSX2, MSX2+, and turboR configs.

PANASONICDISK.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/PANASONICDISK.rom
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX2+/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Panasonic disk controller ROM. Used by MSX2+ and turboR default configs.

PHILIPSDISK.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/PHILIPSDISK.rom
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/MSX/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Philips disk controller ROM. Used by MSX1 and MSX2 default configs.

NATIONALDISK.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/NATIONALDISK.rom
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• National disk controller ROM.

MICROSOLDISK.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/MICROSOLDISK.ROM
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Microsol disk controller ROM.

SUNRISEIDE.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/SUNRISEIDE.rom
• Size: 64.0 KB
• Source: Src/Memory/MegaromCartridge.c:310
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Sunrise IDE interface ROM. Loaded as expansion cartridge.

BEERIDE.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/BEERIDE.ROM
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: Src/Memory/MegaromCartridge.c:318
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Beer IDE interface ROM.

NOVAXIS.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/NOVAXIS.rom
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Source: Src/Memory/MegaromCartridge.c:326
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Novaxis SCSI interface ROM.

nowindDos1.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/nowindDos1.rom
• Size: 512.0 KB
• Source: Src/Memory/MegaromCartridge.c:334
• Platforms: recalbox
• Nowind USB disk interface with MSX-DOS 1.

nowindDos2.rom -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/nowindDos2.rom
• Size: 512.0 KB
• Source: Src/Memory/MegaromCartridge.c:338
• Platforms: recalbox
• Nowind USB disk interface with MSX-DOS 2.

GCVMX80.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/GCVMX80.ROM
• Size: 8.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• GCV MX-80 printer interface ROM.

ARAB1.ROM -optional

• Path: Machines/Shared Roms/ARAB1.ROM
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox, retrodeck
• Arabic support ROM (variant 1).

cbios_main_msx1.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX - C-BIOS/cbios_main_msx1.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX1 main ROM (open source). Bundled with core. Cartridge games only.

cbios_logo_msx1.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX - C-BIOS/cbios_logo_msx1.rom
• System: msx
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX1 logo ROM (open source). Bundled with core.

cbios_main_msx2.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX2 - C-BIOS/cbios_main_msx2.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX2 main ROM (open source). Bundled with core. Cartridge games only.

cbios_logo_msx2.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX2 - C-BIOS/cbios_logo_msx2.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX2 logo ROM (open source). Bundled with core.

cbios_sub.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX2 - C-BIOS/cbios_sub.rom
• System: msx2
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX2/MSX2+ sub ROM (open source). Bundled with core.

cbios_main_msx2+.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX2+ - C-BIOS/cbios_main_msx2+.rom
• System: msx2plus
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX2+ main ROM (open source). Bundled with core. Cartridge games only.

cbios_logo_msx2+.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX2+ - C-BIOS/cbios_logo_msx2+.rom
• System: msx2plus
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX2+ logo ROM (open source). Bundled with core.

cbios_music.rom -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Machines/MSX2+ - C-BIOS/cbios_music.rom
• System: msx2plus
• Size: 16.0 KB
• Platforms: recalbox
• C-BIOS MSX2+ music ROM (open source). Bundled with core.

coleco.rom -required

• Path: Machines/COL - ColecoVision/coleco.rom
• System: colecovision
• Size: 8.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/COL - ColecoVision/config.ini
• Platforms: lakka, recalbox, retroarch, retrobat, retrodeck, retropie
• ColecoVision BIOS ROM. Required for ColecoVision mode.

sf7000.rom -required

• Path: Machines/SEGA - SF-7000/sf7000.rom
• System: sega-sf7000
• Size: 8.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/SEGA - SF-7000/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• Sega SF-7000 BIOS ROM. SG-1000 and SC-3000 have no BIOS requirement.

svi318.rom -required

• Path: Machines/SVI - Spectravideo SVI-318/svi318.rom
• System: spectravideo
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/SVI - Spectravideo SVI-318/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• SVI-318 BIOS ROM.

svi328.rom -required

• Path: Machines/SVI - Spectravideo SVI-328/svi328.rom
• System: spectravideo
• Size: 32.0 KB
• Source: system/bluemsx/Machines/SVI - Spectravideo SVI-328/config.ini
• Platforms: recalbox
• SVI-328 BIOS ROM.

msxromdb.xml -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Databases/msxromdb.xml
• MSX ROM database for mapper auto-detection. Bundled with core.

msxsysromdb.xml -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Databases/msxsysromdb.xml
• MSX system ROM database. Bundled with core.

colecodb.xml -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Databases/colecodb.xml
• ColecoVision ROM database. Bundled with core.

msxcaswavdb.xml -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Databases/msxcaswavdb.xml
• MSX cassette/WAV media database. Bundled with core.

segadb.xml -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Databases/segadb.xml
• Sega SG-1000/SC-3000/SF-7000 ROM database. Bundled with core.

svidb.xml -optional, bundled in binary

• Path: Databases/svidb.xml
• Spectravideo SVI ROM database. Bundled with core.

Data directories

• bluemsx >``

Generated on 2026-03-25T14:56:43Z