RetroAchievements
How to sign in, configure, and browse RetroAchievements in archr-launcher
RetroAchievements adds achievements and leaderboards to classic console and handheld games. archr-launcher supports RetroAchievements natively. You can sign in from the Settings menu, view your account summary card, configure Hardcore and notification options, and browse your achievement progress for each game.
Signing In & Enabling Achievements
Create a free account
Register at retroachievements.org.
Connect the handheld to Wi-Fi
Open Settings › Network › Wi-Fi and connect to your wireless network.
Sign in on the handheld
Open Settings › Achievements:
- Turn RetroAchievements on.
- Select Account (Sign in ›) and type your RetroAchievements user and password with the on-screen keyboard.
- The launcher checks them with RetroAchievements and shows a card on the right with your user name, points and softcore points. Only an access token stays on the device; the password is never saved. Sign out at the bottom of the page removes it.
- Optional: Web API key (optional) takes the key from retroachievements.org › Settings › Keys. With it, the card also shows the year you joined and your last game. Remove the API key deletes it.
Viewing Achievements for a Game
Browsing achievements in the launcher supports fewer systems and formats than unlocking them in emulators. This launcher version does not identify PSP, Nintendo DS or Saturn games.
Once you are signed in and RetroAchievements is enabled:
- Open any supported system on the Games screen.
- Highlight a game and press Y to open the Quick Menu.
- Select Achievements.
The game's Achievements screen shows:
- Your unlock progress bar (
X of Yachievements andX of Y pts). - A Hardcore badge at the right end of the progress bar when Hardcore mode is on.
- Every achievement in the game's set, with its badge, title, description and points; locked ones are dimmed. Up / Down move one row, L1 / R1 a page.
Settings Reference
Preferences and the account username and token are saved to /storage/.config/system/configs/system.cfg and applied to RetroArch by setsettings.sh before every game launch. The launcher's web API key is stored separately in /storage/.config/archr-launcher/cheevos-web-key and is not passed to RetroArch.
| Option in Launcher | Key in system.cfg | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| RetroAchievements | global.retroachievements | Enables or disables RetroAchievements globally |
| Hardcore mode | global.retroachievements.hardcore | Disables savestate loading, rewind, slow motion, and cheats for competitive mastery |
| In-game notices | global.retroachievements.verbose | Shows unlock notifications and progress banners inside RetroArch |
| Encore mode | global.retroachievements.encore | Allows already-unlocked achievements to trigger again during a replay |
| Live status | global.retroachievements.richpresence | Publishes what you are currently playing on your RetroAchievements profile |
| Screenshot on unlock | global.retroachievements.screenshot | Automatically saves a PNG in /storage/roms/screenshots/ whenever an achievement unlocks |
| Unlock sound | global.retroachievements.sound | Chooses the sound played when an achievement unlocks |
Additional keys supported in system.cfg:
global.retroachievements.leaderboards=1: enables leaderboard score submissions.global.retroachievements.badges=1: displays badge icons in RetroArch notifications.global.retroachievements.challengeindicators=1: displays an on-screen indicator when an active challenge is in progress.global.retroachievements.testunofficial=1: includes unofficial achievements for testing.
You can also disable achievements for a single system in system.cfg by replacing global. with the system ID (for example, snes.retroachievements=0).
Supported Systems & Emulators
RetroArch and standalone emulators
Achievements work in RetroArch and in some standalone emulators, including PPSSPP and Flycast. Switch to a compatible RetroArch core only when the emulator you picked has no support.
On RK3326, these systems with achievements use a standalone emulator by default:
| System | Default Emulator | Achievements |
|---|---|---|
psp | PPSSPP standalone | Supported by PPSSPP |
nds | DraStic | Switch to RetroArch (melonds, melondsds, desmume or skyemu) |
n64 | Mupen64Plus standalone | Switch to RetroArch (mupen64plus_next or parallel_n64) |
saturn | Yabasanshiro standalone | Switch to RetroArch (yabasanshiro) |
To change the core in archr-launcher:
- For an entire system: open Settings › Games, select the System at the top, and change Emulator to RetroArch and Core to the desired libretro core.
- For a single game: highlight the game in the Games list, press Y, and change Core.
Covered Systems
RetroAchievements is enabled for these system folders:
3do, arcade, arduboy, atari2600, atari7800, atarilynx, cdi, colecovision, cps1, cps2, cps3, dreamcast, famicom, fbn, fds, gamegear, gb, gba, gbc, genesis, intellivision, mastersystem, megacd, megadrive, megadrive-japan, msx, msx2, n64, nds, neogeo, nes, ngp, ngpc, odyssey2, pcengine, pcenginecd, pcfx, pokemini, psp, psx, saturn, sega32x, segacd, sfc, sg-1000, snes, snesmsu1, supergrafx, supervision, tg16, tg16cd, vectrex, virtualboy, wonderswan, wonderswancolor, and hack folders (gbh, gbah, gbav, gbch, genh, ggh, nesh, snesh).
Hardcore Mode
Hardcore mode is required to earn the Mastered badge on RetroAchievements. While Hardcore mode is enabled:
- Rewind, slow motion, and cheats are disabled.
- Saving state is still allowed for convenience when powering off, but loading a save state immediately drops the current session out of Hardcore mode and notifies you on screen.
- Enabling Netplay automatically disables Hardcore mode while the global Netplay switch is on.
Troubleshooting
Nothing unlocks even though the game is on RetroAchievements. RetroAchievements identifies games by hashing the ROM. Changes to the content, such as a translation patch or a bad dump, can alter that identification; supported headers may be stripped before hashing. Use verified No-Intro (cartridges) or Redump (discs) ROMs.
Login fails. Verify your username and password in Settings › Achievements and check that your handheld has internet access:
curl -sI https://retroachievements.orgHardcore turned itself off. Either you loaded a save state during the session, or Netplay is still enabled in Settings › Games › Netplay.
Changes made inside RetroArch's own menu do not persist. setsettings.sh regenerates the achievement settings in retroarch.cfg before every game launch from /storage/.config/system/configs/system.cfg. Always change your achievement options in Settings › Achievements.