Gameplay from Street Fighter II on Arcade. Image from the Retro Replay media library.

FinalBurn Neo

ARCADE EMULATOR

FinalBurn Neo

FinalBurn Neo (FBNeo) is an open-source arcade-focused emulator that runs games from many commercial arcade PCBs and a number of console/computer drivers. It is actively maintained through its GitHub repository and is commonly used both as a standalone emulator and as a libretro/RetroArch core.

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Gameplay from Street Fighter II on Arcade. Image from the Retro Replay media library.

ArcadePRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

Open sourcePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why use FinalBurn Neo?

FBNeo focuses on practical, playable arcade emulation of many popular boards (CPS1/CPS2/CPS3, Neo·Geo, PGM, Cave, and many others) and provides a balance between accuracy and performance. It is widely used where a smaller, more playability-oriented arcade library is preferred over large-preservation projects.

BEST FOR

Best for

Users wanting a lightweight, actively updated arcade emulator with broad support for arcade boards and good integration as a RetroArch/libretro core; hobbyists building dedicated arcade/RetroArch systems; those who prefer FBNeo’s compatibility choices over preservation-focused projects.

The people behind FinalBurn Neo

History and status

FBNeo is a community-driven fork of older FinalBurn projects. The project’s source, issue tracker, releases, and documentation are hosted on GitHub and the project is maintained there with periodic releases and frequent nightly builds. Development and documentation (including platform-specific notes and system requirements) are available via the official GitHub repository and its wiki, and the emulator is distributed both as standalone builds and as a libretro core used in RetroArch-like frontends. Because FBNeo’s supported game list and ROM/BIOS expectations have changed over time, users should consult the repository and release notes for the ROMset version and BIOS archives required by a particular build. Project activity and releases are publicly visible on GitHub and in community documentation and front-end projects (e.g., Batocera, libretro docs).

What FinalBurn Neo supports

Windows
Linux
macOS
libretro/RetroArch (core)
Embedded Linux distributions used by retro frontends (e.g., Batocera/Recalbox)

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get FinalBurn Neo

Official builds, source code, and release artifacts are published from the project’s GitHub repository Releases page. For RetroArch usage, a libretro core of FBNeo is also available through libretro builds or frontend package systems; standalone binaries and build instructions are in the repository.

Get FinalBurn Neo ↗

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.

FinalBurn Neo setup guide

Setup note: Practical setup notes — verified from the project documentation and community front-end guidance. This guide covers obtaining FBNeo, basic BIOS/ROM placement considerations, and running FBNeo either standalone or as a RetroArch core. It does not provide ROMs, BIOS files, or copyrighted content.

1) Obtain the emulator: Go to the project GitHub to download releases or clone the source. Use official Releases for prebuilt artifacts or clone the repository to build from source. Confirm the release or nightly you want by checking the repository Releases page and the README/wiki for any build prerequisites.
2) Build prerequisites and platforms: FBNeo provides build instructions and notes in its repository and wiki. Follow the platform-specific notes (Linux, Windows, macOS) in the repo: install the compiler toolchain and libraries the README or platform README files list, then build the project using the provided build system or scripts. For macOS, consult the project’s macOS README for specific device/input notes.
3) BIOS and ROMset considerations: FBNeo requires specific BIOS archives for some systems (for example, Neo·Geo and other boards where an external BIOS image is required). The exact BIOS archive names and ROMset layout expected depend on the FBNeo build and dat/versioning used; verify which BIOS archives and ROMset version are required by the build in the project documentation or release notes. Do not expect FBNeo to include BIOS or commercial game files — obtain those legally and place them where the emulator or frontend expects (see step 5).
4) Using FBNeo as a RetroArch/libretro core: If you prefer RetroArch, use the FBNeo libretro core provided by libretro builds or your frontend package manager. Configure RetroArch’s system/BIOS directory as documented by RetroArch so FBNeo can find required BIOS files. For RetroArch-specific differences (runahead, core options, input mapping), consult the libretro documentation for the FBNeo core.
5) File placement and folders: Follow the repo/wiki and your frontend’s guidelines for ROM and BIOS directories. Frontends like Batocera and Recalbox commonly document the folder names and BIOS archives they expect for FBNeo; when running standalone, place BIOS and parent sets where the FBNeo binary or configuration indicates (see the project wiki and README for directory defaults and options).
6) Controls, input devices, and lightgun support: FBNeo supports keyboard, gamepads, and common arcade input devices; wiki pages document supported devices and configuration tips. Lightgun or specialized devices may need additional configuration or support through frontend/device drivers; check the system requirements and wiki pages for device-specific notes.
7) Troubleshooting and compatibility: Because FBNeo’s ROMset and supported game lists evolve, if a game fails to load check the required parent sets, BIOS archive names, and the FBNeo dat/version referenced by the build. Consult the GitHub issue tracker, wiki, and front-end documentation (e.g., Batocera/RetroArch docs) for common fixes and community guidance.

Software reminder: Do not download or use copyrighted games, BIOS files, or firmware unless you legally own them. FBNeo does not include commercial ROMs or proprietary BIOS images; obtain those files legally and consult the emulator’s documentation for correct names and placement.

Sources and further reading

Release log

Selected releases and changes. The weekly emulation roundup covers the wider build log.

September 28, 2026 — September 28 nightly (Development build): Adds zstd-compressed ZIP support and improves NES mapper work-RAM handling. Official release and source ↗ · Weekly roundup →