Windows Setup

1. Herunterladen der Rec0m88-Setup.exe file from the downloads page.
2. Doppelklicken Sie auf die .exe Datei, um das Installationsprogramm auszuführen.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts. If Windows Defender warns you, click “More info” → “Run anyway.”
4. Open the application from your desktop or start menu.

macOS Setup

1. Herunterladen der .dmg file (Intel or Apple Silicon).
2. Open the DMG file and drag the Rec0m88.app Symbol in Ihr Anwendungen Ordner.
3. Öffnen Sie Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal) and run the following command to remove the quarantine flag macOS adds to apps from unidentified developers:

   xattr -cr /Applications/Rec0m88.app

4. Launch Rec0m88 from your Applications folder as normal.

Why this step? Rec0m88 is not signed with an Apple Developer certificate, so macOS will block it on first launch. The command above clears the download quarantine so the app can run. You only need to do this once per install.

Alternative (no Terminal): Double-click the app, dismiss the warning dialog, then go to System-Einstellungen → Privacy & Security, scroll down, and click Auf jeden Fall öffnen next to the Rec0m88 message.

Linux Setup

Recommended — Debian / Ubuntu (.deb):

1. Herunterladen der .deb package for your architecture (most users: amd64).
2. Install it by double-clicking the file, or from a terminal:
   sudo apt install ./Rec0m88_5.0.2_amd64.deb update the version number as needed.
3. Launch Rec0m88 from your applications menu.

Other distributions (.AppImage):

1. Herunterladen der .AppImage Datei.
2. Right-click the file → Properties → check “Allow executing file as program”.
3. Double-click to run. If the app fails to start with a sandbox error, you may need to install libfuse2 and/or launch it with the --no-sandbox flag. The .deb package above avoids both issues and is the recommended option.

Xbox Series X|S Setup (Dev Mode)

📦 Step 1: Install the App

1. Herunterladen Rec0m88-Xbox.zip und extract it on your PC.
2. Boot your Xbox Series X|S into Developer Mode.
3. On your PC, open a browser and go to your Xbox’s Device Portal IP address.
4. Klicken Sie auf Add under “My games & apps.”
5. Select Rec0m88_x64.msix (or .appxbundle) from the extracted folder.
6. When prompted for dependencies, upload the files from the extracted Dependencies Ordner.
7. Klicken Sie auf Install. Launch Rec0m88 from your Xbox Dev Dashboard.

📁 Step 2: Set Up Your ROM Folder

Put your ROMs on an external USB hard drive (formatted as NTFS or exFAT) and plug it into your Xbox.

1. Open Rec0m88 on Xbox. Go to File → Set ROM Folder (or open the Library and click Set ROM Folder & Scan).
2. Use the built-in file browser to navigate to your external drive and select the folder containing your ROMs.
3. That’s it — the app remembers this folder across sessions. You only need to do this once.

🔄 Step 3: Auto-Scan Your Library

No more building a JSON catalog on your PC. Rec0m88 scans your ROM folder directly on the Xbox.

1. Gehe zu File → Auto-Scan Library, or click the Scan button in the Library overlay.
2. The scanner runs in the background — you’ll see a progress badge in the title bar.
3. It walks every subfolder, identifies ROMs by file extension, and detects the platform automatically.
4. Games appear in the Library live as they’re found.
5. Progress saves every 5 seconds. If you turn off your Xbox mid-scan, it picks up exactly where it left off next time.

🔑 Step 4: Import API Keys (Optional)

Typing API keys on a controller is painful. Instead, create a JSON file on your PC and import it.

{
  "rawg_api_key": "your-key",
  "igdb_client_id": "your-id",
  "igdb_client_secret": "your-secret"
}

🎯 Step 5: Auto-Match Games (Cover Art)

After scanning, Auto-Match populates your library with Cover Art, descriptions, and metadata.

1. Ensure you have a RAWG API key configured (see Step 4).
2. Open the Library and click the Match button — or go to File → Auto-Match All Games.
3. The matcher runs in the background. Cover art, ratings, release dates, and genres populate automatically.
4. For games that fail to match, click the Fix Match button on their card.

Loading Content & Configuration

Rec0m88 automatically detects the system for any game based on its file extension (e.g., .sfc, .psx). For systems that require a BIOS file, the game will not launch until the correct file is configured.

.zip-Dateien werden ebenfalls unterstützt. If you load a .zip file directly, you will be prompted to choose the correct system from a list.

Wie man eine BIOS-Datei einstellt

1. Navigate to Einstellungen → BIOS from the top menu bar.
2. Hover over the system you wish to configure (e.g., PSX, Sega CD).
3. Klicken Sie auf Ändern... and locate the BIOS file on your device.
4. The menu will update from “Not Set” to showing your file path!

Haftungsausschluss: Rec0m88 does not provide BIOS files or game ROMs. Users are responsible for sourcing their own legally-obtained files.

GameCube & Wii System Files

GameCube and Wii games run through the Dolphin core, which needs a small set of free system files to work — especially for Wii titles. These files are not included with Rec0m88 and must be installed once, manually. They come from the Dolphin emulator project and are free to download.

Seeing a “Wii system memory” error? If a Wii game shows “Could not write to/read from Wii system memory,” it means the system files below haven’t been installed yet. Follow the three steps and you’re set.

Three-Step Setup

Where the files go

Copy the Sys folder into Rec0m88’s Dolphin system directory so you end up with Sys/Wii und Sys/GC inside it. The exact location depends on your OS:

Windows

%APPDATA%\Rec0m88\rec0m88-system\dolphin-emu\Sys\

Paste %APPDATA%\Rec0m88\rec0m88-system\dolphin-emu into the File Explorer address bar, then drop the Sys folder inside.

macOS

~/Library/Application Support/Rec0m88/rec0m88-system/dolphin-emu/Sys/

In Finder, press Cmd+Shift+G, paste the path, then drop the Sys folder inside.

Linux

~/.config/Rec0m88/rec0m88-system/dolphin-emu/Sys/

Good to know

• This is a one-time setup. The files stay in place across Rec0m88 updates.
• GameCube games often run even without these files, but Wii games require them.
• For an .iso, .rvz, .gcz, or .wia disc, Rec0m88 asks whether it’s a GameCube or Wii game when you load it.

Haftungsausschluss: These system files are part of the open-source Dolphin project. Rec0m88 does not distribute copyrighted Nintendo firmware, and none is required for the Dolphin core.

API Keys (Cover Art)

To enable automatic game cover art in the Game Library, configure your API keys.

Adding & Editing Cheats

Rec0m88 uses JSON files to store and load cheat codes. These files are saved in a persistent user data folder, which means they will not be deleted, reverted, or removed when the application updates.

1. Navigieren Sie in der oberen Menüleiste zu Einstellungen.
2. Klicken Sie auf Cheats-Ordner öffnen.
3. Der Dateiexplorer Ihres Betriebssystems öffnet das Verzeichnis, das die JSON-Dateien des Cheats enthält (z. B, psx.json, snes.json).
4. Sie können jetzt die JSON-Dateien nach Bedarf bearbeiten, hinzufügen oder entfernen. Rec0m88 liest die aktualisierten Dateien automatisch beim Start oder wenn ein Spiel geladen wird.

🏆 RetroAchievements Integration

Rec0m88 features a deep, native integration with RetroAchievements. Track your mastery of classic games, compete on leaderboards, and view your progress right inside the emulator.

Logging In

To start earning achievements, you must link your RetroAchievements.org account:

1. Klicken Sie auf Settings → RetroAchievements → Login to RetroAchievements…
2. Enter your username and password.
3. Your password is used once to securely fetch a session token. Rec0m88 never stores your password.

Once logged in, the Achievements button on your bottom toolbar will light up.

Hardcore vs Softcore Mode

RetroAchievements defines two ways to play: HARDCORE und SOFTCORE. You can toggle your preference at any time from the Settings → RetroAchievements menu.

HARDCORE MODE (Empfohlen)

• Strict Rules: To ensure a level playing field, the following emulator features are strictly disabled while Hardcore mode is active:
  • Loading Save States (saving may be permitted depending on the core, but loading is blocked)
  • Cheat Codes and Cheat Search tools
  • Rewinding and Frame-Stepping
  • Slow-Motion and Fast-Forward capabilities
  • Debuggers and Memory Viewers
  • Tool-Assisted Speedrun (TAS) tools or macro inputs
• Refusals: Attempting to use any of the above restricted features will show a red error notification (“Disabled in Hardcore Mode”) or the input will simply be ignored to prevent accidental disqualification.
• Leaderboards: Speedrun times and high scores are actively tracked and automatically submitted to the RetroAchievements server.
• Indicator: A visible HARDCORE chip will appear in your top “Now Playing” bar to prove the mode is active.

SOFTCORE MODE

• Casual Play: Save states and cheats are completely allowed.
• Achievements: You still earn achievements, but they count towards a separate Softcore score on the website.
• Leaderboards: Leaderboards will still track your progress on-screen for fun, but they will state “SOFTCORE (not submitted)” and will not be uploaded to the server.

In-Game UI & Overlay

The Full Achievements Panel

While a game is running, you can press F10 (or click the Achievements button on the toolbar) to open the full RetroAchievements overlay.

• View all Locked und Unlocked achievements for the current game.
• Check the Leaderboards Tab to view your personal best times and scores compared to active leaderboards.
• Filter, sort, and search the list easily.

Live Side Panels

Rec0m88 will automatically open minimal, non-intrusive side panels on wide screens:

• Left Panel (Achievements): A grid of icons showing your earned and locked badges. Clicking a badge jumps you straight to its details in the main overlay.
• Right Panel (Leaderboards): A live-updating tracker. When a leaderboard challenge starts (e.g., a speedrun level), this panel tracks your live time/score and flashes Green when successfully submitted, or Red if you fail/cancel the run.

Offline Queues & Game Library Tracking

Offline Queue & Auto-Sync

If your internet connection drops while playing, Rec0m88 protects your hard-earned achievements:

• Unlocks are securely cached to your local drive.
• A red badge with a number (e.g., “2”) will appear on your Achievements toolbar button, indicating pending unlocks.
• The app will silently retry syncing these unlocks to RetroAchievements every 60 seconds in the background until successful.

Game Library Integration

As you unlock achievements, your Game Library Organizer gets smarter:

• Games in your library will display a Progress Strip at the bottom of their card.
• It shows your exact unlock count (e.g., 15 / 50), total points earned, and a percentage bar.
• If you unlock everything, the card gets a gold MASTERED badge.
• You can click “View” on these cards to browse the game’s achievements even when the emulator isn’t running!