Properties2
TypeConcept
Note createdMay 7, 2026

RetroBat is a Windows-only emulation distribution that bundles EmulationStation as its UI, RetroArch, and 30+ standalone emulators. It covers 230+ systems out of the box with unified controller autoconfiguration and a console-style interface designed for gamepad navigation.

It is not a competitor to Playnite — RetroBat handles emulator configuration and controller mapping, while Playnite acts as a universal game library. They can be integrated together.

  • Website: retrobat.org
  • Supports portable mode (external drive)

Folder Structure

  • bios\ — BIOS files for each emulator (e.g., bios\pcsx2\bios\ for PS2)
  • roms\<system>\ — game files (e.g., roms\ps2\, roms\ps3\, roms\switch\)
  • emulators\ — emulator binaries (some auto-downloaded on first launch, others manual)
  • saves\ — unified save folder

Key Features

  • Automatic controller mapping for all supported emulators
  • Built-in scraper (ScreenScraper, TheGamesDB) for metadata, covers, and video previews
  • Per-game and per-system settings from the UI
  • Emulators like PCSX2 auto-download on first game launch; others like RPCS3 or Switch emulators must be placed manually