RetroArch Handy Core (Atari Lynx): Setup, BIOS, Options and Feature Support

Handy is an Atari Lynx video game system emulator that runs as a libretro core inside RetroArch. According to the official libretro documentation, Handy was also the original name of the Lynx project, started at Epyx and later finished by Atari. This guide collects the documented prerequisites, file requirements and limitations for using the core; it is a summary of the official documentation, not a hands-on tested walkthrough.

Core reference

The tables below are also provided as structured data on this page.

Prerequisites: BIOS and content files

The core requires the Lynx boot image named lynxboot.img, described in the official documentation as required. The documented MD5 checksum for that file is fcd403db69f54290b51035d82f835e7b, which you can use to confirm you have the expected dump before launching content.

Documented content is the .lnx file extension, matched against the libretro database entry "Atari - Lynx". The core's own directory name is "Handy", which is where the core's files are organized within the RetroArch setup.

Refresh rate and aspect ratio

The core's provided FPS is 75. The documented aspect ratio depends on the "Display rotation" core option: with rotation set to None the aspect ratio is 80/51, while with rotation set to 90 or 240 it is 51/80. If your image looks stretched or squeezed, check the display rotation setting first.

Saves and save states

According to the feature table in the official documentation, the Handy core supports save states but does not support battery saves. State files follow the naming pattern content-name.state# in the state directory. Plan on using save states rather than in-game save files.

Documented feature support

The official feature table marks Restart, Screenshots, States, Rewind, Core Options, Memory Monitoring for achievements, Controls and Remapping as supported. Netplay is listed as supported on a state basis, with the explicit note that this is not link-cable emulation. The same table marks Saves, the Cheats menu, native cheats, Multi-Mouse, Rumble, Sensors, Camera, Location, Subsystem, Softpatching, Disk Control, Username, Language, Crop Overscan and LEDs as unsupported.

Core author and license

The core is credited to K. Wilkins and is distributed under the zlib license, according to the official documentation.

Where to find the documentation

The source for every claim on this page is the official libretro documentation page for the Handy core. Consult it directly for current details, since emulator core documentation can change over time.

• Save state files use the pattern content-name.state# in the state directory.