Choose Load Archive or extraction for arcade ZIPs in RetroArch on Android
For MAME and FBNeo arcade romsets, keep a lawful set in its original ZIP and choose Load Archive with the matching arcade core; extracting the chips destroys the normal set-name and archive contract. Browse Archive is for selecting a member when a core supports that workflow, while some non-arcade cores require an extracted file because their content contract needs a full path. Check the selected core's documented extensions and one authorized test case before expanding a library.
Do this in order
- 01
Record the RetroArch package, core name and version, lawful content source, original filename, size, and a local checksum before changing the file.
- 02
Read that core's official information page and supported extensions, and classify the content as an arcade romset, one-file image, or multi-file package.
- 03
For a MAME or FBNeo arcade set, preserve the ZIP and exact set filename; select Load Archive and the core revision that matches the set generation.
- 04
Use Browse Archive only when you intentionally need a member and the core documentation supports loading that member type; do not choose a plausible-looking chip file from an arcade set.
- 05
Extract only when the core requires or documents a full-path file workflow, then checksum the extracted target and retain the original archive as the provenance record.
- 06
Cold-launch one authorized item, verify identification, input, audio, save behavior, and relaunch, then record the accepted archive decision before importing more content.
Decision and diagnostic table
| Content contract | Default decision | Failure to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| MAME/FBNeo arcade romset | Keep the named ZIP intact | Extracted chips lose the normal set contract |
| Single supported image in a ZIP | Follow the core page; Load or Browse may work | Assuming every core handles archives equally |
| Core requires a real path | Extract to a controlled folder | Feeding an archive where the core must open related files |
| Unknown archive or rights | Withhold import | Testing mystery content or an unauthorized bundle |
Arcade ZIPs are sets, not convenience wrappers
Libretro's arcade guide explains that arcade cores identify a romset by its archive name and validate the chip images inside. It explicitly recommends ZIP for arcade sets and warns that extracting an arcade romset prevents the expected workflow.
Load Archive and Browse Archive express different intent
RetroArch's launcher offers Load Archive to pass the archive as content and Browse Archive to select a member. The correct choice still belongs to the selected core's extensions and loading contract, not to the frontend menu alone.
Preserve a before-and-after receipt
A source URL or dump record establishes provenance; checksums establish file identity; the core and version establish compatibility. Keep all three. Extraction changes the object being loaded and therefore needs its own checksum rather than inheriting the archive's identity.
RetroArch archive support does not authorize game data. Import only your own lawful dump or content whose license covers your use. Do not use ROM bundles, BIOS packs, decrypted images, or mirrors merely because RetroArch can browse the archive.