Screenshot of the arcade game The Bradley Trainer, which fell into the public domain due to the fact the game was created for the US Federal Government. Image by US Army, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

DICE

ARCADE EMULATOR CORE

DICE

DICE is a Libretro core that implements very early arcade / pre-CPU arcade-style games (simple discrete-logic titles such as Pong-style and other pre-microprocessor arcade hardware). It is distributed as a libretro-compatible core and intended to be used inside frontends such as RetroArch.

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ArcadePRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

Open sourcePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why DICE exists

DICE provides a libretro-core wrapper and implementation for a class of simple arcade systems (pre-CPU/discrete-logic arcade hardware) so those titles can be launched from Libretro frontends and benefit from RetroArch features (input mapping, overlays, recording, etc.).

BEST FOR

Best use case

Run simple, pre-CPU arcade titles from a Libretro frontend (RetroArch or other libretro host) where you want unified input, overlays and playlist management for these small arcade games.

Gameplay from Street Fighter II on Arcade.

The people behind DICE

History and status

DICE is listed and documented in the official Libretro documentation as an arcade-focused core covering pre-CPU arcade titles. The project appears in the libretro core list and has supporting documentation describing how to launch its games, including use of 'dummy' launcher files for titles that require a specific filename to be recognized. DICE is maintained as part of the Libretro ecosystem (core distribution via the Libretro cores list / RetroArch core downloader). For practical installs, users typically obtain the core through RetroArch's online updater or build/install lr-dice from its source tree if they require a manual build or platform not covered by the updater. Confirm current upstream development activity and releases on the core's source repository or the Libretro docs before relying on a specific feature set.

What DICE supports

Arcade (pre-CPU / discrete-logic arcade titles — simple games like Pong and similar)
Libretro frontends (RetroArch and other libretro hosts)
Multiple platforms supported by the libretro frontend (desktop, Linux-based emulation distributions, Android, etc.), subject to core availability on each platform
Uses ROM files or dummy launcher files as described in libretro documentation

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get DICE

Official distribution: use your libretro frontend's core downloader (for example RetroArch Online Updater) to fetch lr-dice when available. Alternatively, follow the libretro documentation page for DICE and the libretro core download guide to obtain pre-built cores or build from source. If a manual build is required, fetch the core source repository referenced from the Libretro documentation and follow that repository's build instructions.

Get DICE ↗

DOCUMENTATION

Official documentation

Read the official configuration, compatibility, and troubleshooting material before changing advanced options.

Read official documentation ↗

Broken or missing download? Emulator projects move and official links sometimes change. Please contact Retro Replay so the source can be verified and updated.

DICE setup guide

Setup note: Setup notes: DICE is a libretro core and must be run inside a libretro frontend (commonly RetroArch). Some games rely on exact filenames or 'dummy' launcher files so the core can identify the expected game; consult the core documentation for per-game filename requirements.

1) Install a libretro frontend: Install RetroArch or another libretro-compatible frontend on your platform. Use the platform-specific RetroArch packages or builds for your OS/distribution.
2) Download the lr-dice core: In RetroArch use Main Menu → Online Updater → Core Updater and select 'DICE' (lr-dice) if present. If the core is not available in the updater for your platform, obtain the core by building from the project's source repository referenced in the Libretro documentation or fetching a platform-specific build from a trusted distribution that packages libretro cores.
3) Prepare game files and dummy launchers: DICE supports simple arcade ROM files and, for some titles, uses specially-named 'dummy' launcher files so RetroArch will pass the correct filename to the core. Check the core documentation and any provided 'dummy_files' or launcher examples in the core repository; copy the matching dummy launcher file into your arcade ROM folder and give it the exact name required by the core if the game's emulator driver expects that filename.
4) Place ROMs in a content folder: Put the game ROM or the dummy launcher file in a folder scanned by RetroArch. Avoid distributing or storing copyrighted commercial ROMs you do not own. The core's documentation will indicate whether a single file, a ZIP or a specific structure is required for a given title.
5) Load the game in RetroArch: From RetroArch: Load Core → select lr-dice, then Load Content → navigate to the ROM or dummy launcher file you prepared. If the core requires matching data files or specific names, ensure those are present. Use the RetroArch playlist and thumbnail tools as desired.
6) Troubleshooting and compatibility: If a game crashes or fails to start, verify you used the correct filename/launcher file and that the core build version matches documentation expectations. Check the libretro 'Arcade getting started' guide and the DICE documentation for notes about ROM formats and naming. For platform-specific problems, consult the core's source repository issues or the Libretro support channels.
7) Advanced: build from source: If you need a platform build not distributed via the core updater, follow the build instructions in the core's source repository (tools and dependencies vary by platform). Use the libretro core build conventions and place the resulting core library (for example lr-dice.so, lr-dice.dll or lr-dice.dylib) into your RetroArch cores folder, then refresh RetroArch's core list.

Software reminder: DICE is distributed as a libretro core only — RetroArch or another libretro frontend is required to run it. The core does not include commercial game ROMs, BIOS files, or firmware; obtain those from legitimate backups of hardware you own and follow local law.

Sources and further reading

Detailed guides and tutorials

Explore step-by-step guides for DICE as they are published.

Use DICE on Android

An Android ARM64 Libretro build exists for DICE. Run the core through RetroArch for Android; the standalone desktop download and Android core may have different menus and features.

Emulates: Arcade.

Verified Android core build ↗ · Browse all Android emulators →