Important
This is kUI-Cold: the original C-based kUI (0.09a → 0.81a). It is no longer in development and receives no further updates.
kUI has been rewritten from the ground up as a clean, fully independent OS — faster and self-sufficient. All development continues there:
Get it: grab the latest build from the new releases page. Already on 0.81a? Open Tools → Updater on your device to upgrade in place — no reformat, no data loss.
A custom firmware for TrimUI Brick/Hammer built on NextUI (GPL-3.0).
- 47 systems out of the box — every D-pad (or Joystick) + buttons platform with a libretro core
- Carousel with Artbook artwork for every system
- UI Modes — Lists (text only), Covers (lists + boxart), or Carousel (the full experience) (new in 0.81a)
- Screen-fit bezel overlays for 17 platforms — console-shaped bezels for handhelds, CRT frames for home consoles (new in 0.81a)
- Game metadata — year · publisher · genre under the boxart, plus L1/R1 platform hopping (new in 0.81a)
- 5 LED profiles — Default, Low Battery, Critical, USB, Sleep
- Power Profile — Auto / Performance / Powersave kernel governors
- Unified Settings — Collections, Boot Logo, Themes, LED Control, Date & Time, Developer
- Developer submenu — Disable sleep, Enable SSH, Start SSH on boot, Clean dot files (ported from nx-redux)
- Simple Mode — games only: no Tools, minimal menus, one toggle (new in 0.81a)
- The Dude — gamification companion built into the launcher: session quests (revisit / marathon / try / blind Mystery), daily quests, weekly challenges, 46 achievements, streaks (built-in as of 0.81a)
- Scraper & Patcher — native artwork + metadata scraper
- PakDek — in-house pak manager for additional emulators and tools
- RA PreFetch — bulk pre-download offline RetroAchievements data for your library
- RetroAchievements — earn achievements online or offline, tracked in-game with login support
- Themes — five Artbook variants (Default, Nintendont, Noir, Outline, Circuit), applied instantly, no downloads (new in 0.81a)
- Launch hooks — boot / pre-launch / post-launch / pre-sleep / post-resume script hooks for pak authors (new in 0.81a)
- True OTA updates — update kUI from the device over WiFi with a live progress bar; no reinstall, no data loss (new in 0.81a)
See the latest release page for the full changelog (upstream commits absorbed, bug fixes, etc.).
| Category | Systems |
|---|---|
| Consoles | Channel F, Atari 2600, Odyssey 2, Intellivision, ColecoVision, Vectrex, SG-1000, NES, Master System, Atari 7800, TurboGrafx-16, SuperGrafx, Genesis, SNES, Neo Geo, GX4000, 3DO, Amiga CD32, Jaguar, Neo Geo CD, Virtual Boy |
| Add-ons | FDS, TurboGrafx-CD, Sega CD, 32X, Jaguar CD |
| Handhelds | Game Boy, Lynx, Game Gear, Supervision, Mega Duck, GBC, NGP/NGPC, WonderSwan/Color, Pokemon Mini, GBA |
| Computers | ZX Spectrum, Atari 800/XL/XE/5200, C64, C128, VIC-20, PET, Plus/4, CPC, MSX, Amiga |
| Other | PICO-8, Uzebox, Doom, Arcade |
| PakDek | DraStic, N64, Dreamcast, PPSSPP, ScummVM (and more) |
- Format SD card as FAT32 (MBR)
- Copy all contents to SD card root
- Copy ROMs into matching
Roms/folders - Copy BIOS files into matching
Bios/folders - Insert SD card and power on
- Wait
- Sii felice
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| MENU + R1 | Save state |
| MENU + L1 | Load state |
| MENU + B | Reset |
| MENU + START | Save & quit |
| R3 | Fast forward |
| MENU + SELECT | Game switcher |
| A | Open / Auto-resume |
| X | PIN game |
| Y (double) | WIPE saves |
| Y (triple) | WIPE collection |
- kUI by ArjunKdaf
- NextUI by LoveRetro (GPL-3.0)
- Artbook Next by Anthony Caccese
- Developer submenu ported from nx-redux by mohammadsyuhada
- Overlay bezels by Shin (KrutzOtrem) (MIT)
- Libretro cores by their respective authors
kUI tracks NextUI by cherry-picking, so GitHub's "N commits behind" badge overstates the real gap — cherry-picks get new commit SHAs the badge can't match. The true picture, commit by commit (what's absorbed and what isn't), is in UPSTREAM_TRACKING.md.
❤️ Libretro — none of this would be possible without the incredible work of the libretro team and of core developers who keep retro gaming alive. Thank you. ❤️
GPL-3.0 — see LICENSE