RetroArch now has official snap packages to make it easy to install it in 64-bit and/or armhf versions of Ubuntu 16.04 and higher.

RetroArch is a front-end for emulators, game engines and media players that designed to be fast, lightweight, portable and without dependencies.

It enables you to run classic games on a wide range of computers and consoles through its slick graphical interface. Settings are also unified so configuration is done once and for all.

RetroArch has advanced features like shaders, netplay, rewinding, and more!

The Libretro Team announced the snap packages for RetroArch, so you can easily install it in Ubuntu Software Center (need login)

or open terminal and run a single command:

sudo snap install retroarch

Input your password (no visual feedback while typing) when it prompts and hit Enter.

Once installed, open it from application launcher and enjoy!

Uninstall:

To remove the snap package, either use Ubuntu Software app, or run command:

sudo snap remove retroarch

In addition, for those who prefer traditional .deb packages, a stable PPA is available with RetroArch packages for all current Ubuntu releases.

RetroArch is an open source, modular, multi-system frontend for the libretro API that is designed to be fast, lightweight, and portable. It emulates nearly every classic gaming console on your machine.

For Ubuntu users, there’s now an official PPA repository that contains RetroArch and Libretro core libraries. Here’s some of them:

• Yabause – Sega Saturn Emulator
• VBA-M, VBA-NEXT (optimized port of VBA-M)
• TGB DUAL Emulator
• Stella – Atari 2600 VCS Emulator
• Snes9x, Snes9x-next (optimized port of Snes9x 1.52+)
• QuickNES NES emulator
• ProSystem – emulator for Atari – 7800
• PPSSPP – PSP emulator
• Virtual Boy
• Neo Geo Pocket Color
• PCSX ReARMed
• GBA
• and more…

Install RetroArch in Ubuntu:

There is now an official PPA repository for RetroArch and Libretro core libraries, currently supports Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04, Linux Mint 17, eOS Freya.

1. To add the PPA, open terminal from the Dash/Menu (or press Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libretro/stable

2. After adding the PPA, update system cache and install a full RetroArch environment as well as all available cores by running below commands one by one:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install retroarch retroarch-* libretro-*

RetroArch is an open-source multi-system game emulator that is designed to be fast, lightweight, and portable. It is formerly known as SSNES.

Currently supported cores include:

• bNES, a NES / Famicom emulator.
• bSNES, a SNES / Super Famicom emulator.
• Final Burn Alpha, a multi-arcade system emulator.
• FCEUmm, a NES / Famicom emulator.
• Gambatte, a Game Boy / Game Boy Color emulator.
• Genesis Plus GX, a Sega Genesis / Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear and SG-1000 emulator.
• iMAME4All, a multi-arcade system emulator.
• Mednafen PSX, a Sony PlayStation emulator.
• Meteor, a Game Boy Advance emulator.
• NXEngine, a Cave Story / Doukutsu Monogatari engine.
• Prboom, a DOOM engine.
• SNES9x Next, a SNES / Super Famicom emulator.
• VBA Next, a Game Boy Advance emulator.

Install RetroArch Emulator:

For Ubuntu 13.10, Ubuntu 13.04, Ubuntu 12.10, Ubuntu 12.04 and their derivatives, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. When it opens, run command below one by one to install RetroArch:

add-apt-repository ppa:hunter-kaller/ppa

apt-get update

apt-get install retroarch libretro*

UPDATE 2015-05: For Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 15.04, there’s now an official PPA for RetroArch. Use below commands instead:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libretro/stable

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install retroarch retroarch-* libretro-*