Which Old Gaming OS Should You Use?

Whether you’re looking to revisit some old favorites or just take a stroll through gaming history, there are many Linux-based operating systems that focus exclusively on retro games. Choosing the right product may seem difficult, but it’s simple once you know what you’re looking for.

Retro Gaming on Linux: Spoiled for Choice

While RetroPie, Batocera, and Lakka could easily be described as “gaming operating systems,” they all run Linux under the hood. It is generally stripped down, with minimal installations that can run on limited hardware, including single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi.

Another benefit of these distributions, compared to general purpose Linux distributions such as Debianor even more game-oriented distributions like Bazettis that minimal nature frees up valuable system resources. This means that more of your hardware is available to run games, or as is often the case with legacy-focused systems like the ones we’re looking at here, emulators.

Of course, nothing stops you from just downloading and running emulators like Retro Arch Directly on any Linux distribution you’re running. These older distros simply take care of much of the setup process for you, running on a screen that looks more like a games console or Steam’s Big Picture mode than a typical desktop.

It’s worth noting that while we’ll be exploring the differences between these three distros, the basic selection of supported emulators and legacy gaming systems is roughly equivalent between them. All of these distributions depend heavily on libretrowhich runs RetroArch, so the games should run somewhat similarly too, depending on your hardware.

One area where these distributions differ is in shading. These are optional hardware-accelerated video filters that can add effects or mimic the look of playback on an old CRT monitor. Although you can add your own shaders, the number of shaders included will vary between RetroPie, Batocera, and Lakka.

RetroPie: Perfect for retro games on Raspberry Pi

while RetroPie It is still perhaps the most popular legacy Linux-based gaming operating system, but it is also the most specialized. Although you can run it on a PC, many of the design decisions are based on the limitations of the hardware the Raspberry Pi was originally intended to run.

For example, although RetroPie includes shaders, there are fewer of them than you’ll find in Batocera or Lakka. These built-in shaders are designed to run on lower-end Pi models. Even with the availability of more powerful devices like the Raspberry Pi 5, shaders set their sights a little lower.

However, RetroPie supports more devices than just PC and Raspberry Pi, but the list is not large. Currently, the only other official installation targets are the Odroid C1, C1+, and C2 single-board computers. Unlike both Lakka and Batocera, you won’t currently find any official mobile installers.

By default, RetroPie runs on top of Raspbian, a lean version of Debian that runs on Raspberry Pi and other similar devices. However, RetroPie itself is modular, and there are instructions on the website for installing it on a system already running Debian.

Batocera: The most user-friendly gaming distro

Right out of the gate, you might notice that Batucira It has a similar appearance to RetroPie. This is because both are used Simulation stationA multi-emulator front-end that makes navigating your library and running games a breeze. On the other hand, Batocera makes it easy to get up and running on a wide range of devices.

Compared to the other two options we’re looking at here, Batocera is easy to install on the widest range of devices. In addition to PCs, Valve’s Steam Deck, and Raspberry Pi, you’ll also find a wide range of mobile and other low-cost devices supported.

Batocera is also a great option for using older computers, meaning computers that are 20 years old or more. You’ll find a version of Batocera available that runs on 32-bit computers, and also supports Intel Atom hardware, so you can do something with that old netbook that’s been around for years.

Although Batocera offers easy setup and customization, it doesn’t offer the most customization on this list. For example, although it has many more built-in shaders than RetroPie, it doesn’t have as many shaders as Lakka.

Lakka: A retro gaming Linux distro for power users

Although it is newer and does not offer easy support for a wide range of devices, Laca It’s still very easy to use. If you’re using a controller that’s fairly widely used, you can expect to support a working controller out of the box most of the time.

As with the other options here, Lakka supports PCs as well as all currently supported Raspberry Pi models. Although it does not support easy installation on as many mobile devices as Batocera, it does feature support for some models of Anbernic and Odroid. It also has an interesting trick: it is the only one of these distros at the moment that offers the Nintendo Switch as a supported installation target.

If you really like pixel art and want to customize its look, Lakka’s built-in shaders may not suit every individual need, but they’re a great place to start. Lakka features the most built-in shaders of these distros, and the interface makes it easy to activate and use.

Lakka’s user interface is noticeably different from both RetroPie and Batocera. Instead of EmulationStation as the front-end, Lakka uses an interface inspired by the PlayStation XMB interface. If you download RetroArch and use it on its own, the interface will look familiar.

So what is best for you?

If you intend to use a Raspberry Pi for all your old games, or you run Debian as your operating system of choice and want a simple way to install emulators, RetroPie is a great option. The main downside of RetroPie is that it’s not easy to get up and running on a wide range of devices. As long as you stick to the supported hardware, it’s easy to get up and running.

Assuming you’re looking for most of the options available, especially when it comes to shaders, Lakka is the OS for you. Although these may require some additional configuration, this will get you closer to playing old games the way you remember them. It’s also currently the only option that supports (relatively) easy installation on Nintendo Switch.

Finally, Batocera is the best choice for most people who just want to start playing their old games. It doesn’t have many shaders, but it has image stabilization for many different devices, including older computers, and it’s just as easy to run on your everyday computer as it is on more specialized hardware.

If you decide to try Batocera or Lakka, remember that they are designed to easily operate as a live CD or live USB environment, leaving your computer’s operating system completely untouched. This allows you to try them out without fear of having to commit to either.