emulator: QUASI88
type: libretro
source: "https://github.com/libretro/quasi88-libretro"
profiled_date: "2026-03-18"
core_version: "0.6.4"
display_name: "NEC - PC-8000 / PC-8800 series (QUASI88)"
cores:
  - quasi88
systems:
  - pc-8801

# QUASI88 is a NEC PC-8801 emulator. The libretro port includes a pseudo-BIOS
# (pbios_n88, pbios_disk) compiled into the core that provides basic compatibility
# when real BIOS files are missing. With the pseudo-BIOS, many disk-based games
# will boot, but compatibility is lower than with real ROMs.
#
# ROM file search order (libretro.c:444-491):
#   1. <download_dir>/<filename>
#   2. <system_dir>/quasi88/<filename>
#   3. <system_dir>/<filename>
#   Each ROM entry has up to 4 alternate filenames tried in order.
#
# ROM loading (libretro.c:550-594):
#   N88.ROM and DISK.ROM (SUB_ROM) are the only two checked for failure.
#   If missing, the core falls back to the built-in pseudo-BIOS.
#   All other ROMs are loaded silently if present, ignored if absent.
#
# The original QUASI88 (memory.c:80-95) uses uppercase-first filenames
# (N88.ROM, N88EXT0.ROM, etc.) while the libretro .info file standardizes
# on lowercase with underscore variants (n88.rom, n88_0.rom, etc.).
# The core tries both naming conventions.
#
# FONT.ROM/FONT2.ROM/FONT3.ROM are not listed in the .info file.
# When missing, the core uses built-in fonts or falls back to kanji ROM glyphs.

notes: |
  Files go in <system_dir>/quasi88/ or directly in <system_dir>/.
  The pseudo-BIOS built into the core covers N88-BASIC V2 and the disk
  subsystem at a basic level. For full compatibility (N-BASIC, V1H/V1S modes,
  dictionary lookup, kanji display), real ROM files are needed.

  N88_0.ROM (EXT0) is marked required in the .info file because it contains
  the N88-BASIC V2 extension used by most software. EXT1-EXT3 are version-
  specific extensions (V1H, V1S, older V2) needed only for specific titles.

  The core option "quasi88_basic_mode" selects N88 V2, N88 V1H, N88 V1S,
  or N mode. Each mode requires its corresponding ROM to be present.

files:
  # -- Required for full operation --

  - name: n88.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88.rom"
    size: 32768
    required: true
    note: "N88-BASIC main ROM (32 KB). Core falls back to pseudo-BIOS if missing."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:550"
    aliases: ["N88.ROM"]

  - name: n88_0.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88_0.rom"
    size: 8192
    required: true
    note: "N88-BASIC V2 extension ROM 0 (8 KB). Needed for most PC-8801 software."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:555"
    aliases: ["N88_0.ROM", "N88EXT0.ROM", "n88ext0.rom"]

  # -- Optional extensions --

  - name: n88_1.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88_1.rom"
    size: 8192
    required: false
    note: "N88-BASIC V1H extension ROM 1 (8 KB). For V1 High-speed mode software."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:556"
    aliases: ["N88_1.ROM", "N88EXT1.ROM", "n88ext1.rom"]

  - name: n88_2.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88_2.rom"
    size: 8192
    required: false
    note: "N88-BASIC V1S extension ROM 2 (8 KB). For V1 Standard mode software."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:557"
    aliases: ["N88_2.ROM", "N88EXT2.ROM", "n88ext2.rom"]

  - name: n88_3.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88_3.rom"
    size: 8192
    required: false
    note: "N88-BASIC extension ROM 3 (8 KB). Older V2 extension, rarely needed."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:558"
    aliases: ["N88_3.ROM", "N88EXT3.ROM", "n88ext3.rom"]

  - name: n88n.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88n.rom"
    size: 32768
    required: false
    note: "N-BASIC ROM (32 KB). For PC-8001 compatible N-BASIC mode."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:559"
    aliases: ["N88N.ROM", "N80.ROM", "n80.rom"]

  - name: disk.rom
    path: "quasi88/disk.rom"
    size: 2048
    required: false
    note: "Disk subsystem ROM (2 KB, 2D type). Core falls back to pseudo-BIOS if missing. 8 KB variant (2HD type) also accepted."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:552"
    aliases: ["DISK.ROM", "N88SUB.ROM", "n88sub.rom"]

  - name: n88knj1.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88knj1.rom"
    size: 131072
    required: false
    note: "Kanji ROM level 1 (128 KB). Required for Japanese text display. Also used as font fallback."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:560"
    aliases: ["N88KNJ1.ROM", "KANJI1.ROM", "kanji1.rom"]

  - name: n88knj2.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88knj2.rom"
    size: 131072
    required: false
    note: "Kanji ROM level 2 (128 KB). Extended kanji character set."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:561"
    aliases: ["N88KNJ2.ROM", "KANJI2.ROM", "kanji2.rom"]

  - name: n88jisho.rom
    path: "quasi88/n88jisho.rom"
    size: 524288
    required: false
    note: "Dictionary ROM (512 KB). Japanese dictionary lookup, very few titles use it."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:562"
    aliases: ["N88JISHO.ROM", "JISYO.ROM", "jisyo.rom"]

  # -- Font ROMs (not in .info, core has built-in fallback) --

  - name: font.rom
    path: "quasi88/font.rom"
    size: 4096
    required: false
    note: "ANK font ROM (4 KB). Falls back to built-in font or kanji ROM glyphs."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:566"
    aliases: ["FONT.ROM"]

  - name: font2.rom
    path: "quasi88/font2.rom"
    size: 4096
    required: false
    note: "Second font ROM (4 KB). Falls back to built-in ANH font."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:576"
    aliases: ["FONT2.ROM"]

  - name: font3.rom
    path: "quasi88/font3.rom"
    size: 4096
    required: false
    note: "Third font ROM (4 KB). Zeroed out if missing."
    source_ref: "src/LIBRETRO/libretro.c:588"
    aliases: ["FONT3.ROM"]