RetroArch RACE Core: Neo Geo Pocket / Color Setup Guide

RACE is a Neo Geo Pocket (NGP) and Neo Geo Pocket Color (NGPC) emulator that targets multiple platforms. In RetroArch it is distributed as a libretro core under the internal core name RACE. The same authors, licensing, content types, saves and feature support described in the official libretro documentation are summarized below.

Background and Authorship

The RACE core was authored by Judge_, Flavor, Akop Karapetyan, theelf, frangarcj and negativeExponent. It is released under GPLv2.

Supported Content and Databases

The documentation lists two ROM file extensions for the RACE core: .ngp and .ngc. It also references two libretro databases used to identify content: SNK - Neo Geo Pocket and SNK - Neo Geo Pocket Color.

Save and State Files

Cartridge battery saves are written as 'content-name'.ngf, and save states use the pattern 'content-name'.state#. These file names follow the loaded content name, so keep your library tidy when switching between .ngp and .ngc titles.

Feature Support

The documentation marks the following as supported: Restart, Screenshots, Saves, States, Rewind, Core Options, Memory Monitoring (achievements), Controls and Remapping. Netplay is also listed as supported, though not as link-cable emulation. The following are marked unsupported: RetroArch Cheats, Native Cheats, Multi-Mouse, Rumble, Sensors, Camera, Location, Subsystem, Softpatching, Disk Control, Username, Language, Crop Overscan and LEDs.

Limitations and Recovery Notes

Because softpatching and cheat support are documented as unsupported, plan to run untranslated, unpatched ROMs and to rely on the core's own behavior instead of on disc/softpatch or cheat workflows. If a state is corrupted, the usual RetroArch recovery is to reload the content and fall back to the .ngf battery save rather than to the affected state slot. The source does not describe a dedicated repair procedure for broken .ngf files.