Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Retropie VS RetroBat

Compare Retropie VS RetroBat and see what are their differences

Retropie logo Retropie

RetroPie allows you to turn your Raspberry Pi or PC into a retro-gaming machine.

RetroBat logo RetroBat

RETROBAT RetroBat is a software distribution designed for emulation and to be the easiest way to enjoy your game collection on your Windows computer.
  • Retropie Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-06
  • RetroBat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-01

Retropie features and specs

  • Wide Compatibility
    RetroPie supports a vast number of retro gaming consoles and platforms, making it a versatile choice for retro gaming enthusiasts who want to emulate different systems.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The system offers a fairly intuitive user interface that is accessible even to those who are not highly tech-savvy, simplifying the process of setting up and playing games.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize their setups extensively, including themes, control schemes, and other settings, to create a personalized gaming experience.
  • Active Community
    There is a large and active community surrounding RetroPie, which means users can find support, tutorials, and a wealth of resources easily online.
  • Cost-Effective
    Running RetroPie on inexpensive hardware like Raspberry Pi offers a low-cost way to enjoy retro gaming without needing to buy old consoles and cartridges.

Possible disadvantages of Retropie

  • Setup Complexity
    While the interface is user-friendly, initial setup can be complex for complete beginners, requiring some technical know-how particularly around installing and configuring ROMs.
  • Limited Performance
    Running on Raspberry Pi, particularly older models, might not offer the best performance for more demanding games or systems, leading to lag and reduced emulation accuracy.
  • Legal Issues
    The use of ROMs and copyright-protected games can involve legal risks, as users must ensure they own the original game media to comply with copyright laws.
  • Hardware Limitations
    Depending on the model of Raspberry Pi or other hardware used, there might be limitations in terms of the number of USB ports, processing power, and support for modern display standards.
  • Software Updates
    Keeping the system updated can be less straightforward than on more mainstream platforms, potentially leading to security or compatibility issues if not maintained properly.

RetroBat features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    RetroBat simplifies the process of setting up a retro gaming environment on Windows by offering a pre-configured setup that minimizes the need for manual configuration.
  • Comprehensive Emulator Support
    RetroBat supports a wide range of emulators, allowing users to play games from various classic gaming platforms within one system.
  • Active Community
    The project has an active community that provides support and updates, which helps in troubleshooting issues and staying up-to-date with the latest features.
  • Regular Updates
    RetroBat is regularly updated to include new features and improve compatibility with the latest emulator versions and game files.
  • Customization Options
    Users have the flexibility to customize their gaming experience with various options for themes, control configurations, and game organization.

Possible disadvantages of RetroBat

  • Windows-Only
    RetroBat is designed specifically for Windows, which limits its accessibility to users on other operating systems like macOS or Linux.
  • Hardware Requirements
    Running multiple emulators and high-performance games might require a powerful PC, which might not be available to all users.
  • Initial Setup Complexity
    Although it simplifies many processes, the initial configuration can still be challenging for users who are unfamiliar with retro gaming or emulation.
  • Dependency Management
    Ensuring that all necessary dependencies and additional components are correctly installed can be a hassle for some users.
  • Potential Legal Issues
    Users must own the original games they intend to emulate to avoid piracy, as downloading ROMs of games not owned is illegal in many jurisdictions.

Retropie videos

Review: RetroPie - Raspberry Pi 3

More videos:

  • Review - What Retropie Can Do
  • Review - RetroGamingBox | Raspberry Pi 3 | Retropie | Quick Review

RetroBat videos

Review - Retrobat Windows 10 com Netplay - PC64 bits - 16G

More videos:

  • Review - RetroBat Emulation Front End For PC - 1,700 Games + Ready to play most systems
  • Review - 🕹️Instalación y review de RETROBAT 3.1. EMULATION STATION para WINDOWS rápido y portable.
  • Review - 100,000 Retro Games For Under $100 & Plug & Play? Retrobat 2TB Hard Drive Review..
  • Review - RetroBat Build Your Own 8TB PC Emulation Build - Epic Retro Gaming Build
  • Review - Setup Retrobat on a Mini PC - Go from work to Retro Gaming in Windows

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Retropie and RetroBat)
Gaming
62 62%
38% 38
Emulators
45 45%
55% 55
Gaming Tools
44 44%
56% 56
Video
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Retropie seems to be a lot more popular than RetroBat. While we know about 87 links to Retropie, we've tracked only 2 mentions of RetroBat. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Retropie mentions (87)

  • MicroMac, a Macintosh for Under £5
    You can do this with a Rasberry Pi 400, no problem. I have one running https://retropie.org.uk/ and it works great. - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Super Mario 64 on the Web
    I agree! I picked up [RetroPie](https://retropie.org.uk/) again during the pandemic. I'm sure many did the same haha. That's when I learned [N64 emulation is difficult](https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Optimization-for-Nintendo-64/). Well done. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Plug and play retro home console suggestion?
    I would have thought a well set-up Raspberry pie running RetroPie in a nice case (e.g. https://thepihut.com/products/superpi-4-case-for-raspberry-pi-4) and a couple of decent controllers would be the best thing. Source: over 1 year ago
  • My First Raspberry Pi Project: Portable Retro Game Console
    This website has step by step instructions on how to set up a RetroPie. It is really easy. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Gpu in emulator pc
    The most I am familiar with emulators of that era is retro pi https://retropie.org.uk/. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

RetroBat mentions (2)

  • GPD Win Max 2021 just arrived - best standalone emulator for each system?
    Check out RetroBat. It uses EmulationStation as the frontend and comes pre-packaged with all kinds of emulators; kinda like RetroPie but for Windows. It uses RetroArch as well as standalone emulators. Source: over 3 years ago
  • LaunchBox or Batocera for a PC emulation box?
    If you're familiar with batocera stick with it. If you're more comfortable in windows use the windows unofficial batocera (that the real batocera team tweets support for). It's called retrobat. Find it here: http://retrobat.ovh/. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Retropie and RetroBat, you can also consider the following products

Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.

RetroArch - RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

LaunchBox - LaunchBox is a portable, box-art-based games database and launcher for DOSBox, emulators, arcade cabinets, and PC Games. Download it free!

Lakka - Lakka is the official Linux distribution of RetroArch and the libretro ecosystem.

Playnite - Source code generated using layoutit.com

Pi-hole - Pi-hole is a multi-platform, network-wide ad blocker.