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Vircon32 - RetroBIOS
Type libretro
Classification official_port
Source https://github.com/vircon32/vircon32-libretro
Upstream https://github.com/vircon32/ComputerSoftware
Version 2026.2.18
Profiled 2026-03-25
Cores vircon32
Systems vircon32
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).

Technical 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.

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

Vircon32Bios.v32 -optional, HLE available : Vircon32 console BIOS (custom override)

  • System: vircon32
  • Size: 1.0 MB
  • SHA1: 67ddbcd018f03ed74b6e013074d92cc5f1f51c80
  • MD5: 73f04397cbb2dafcf2047b19a856153a
  • Source: libretro.cpp:422-425
  • Platforms: lakka, retroarch, retropie
  • 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.

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