R36S Netplay Guide: Online Multiplayer Retro Gaming Setup

What is RetroArch Netplay?

Netplay is a peer-to-peer multiplayer system built into RetroArch. Both players run the same ROM on their own device, and Netplay synchronizes inputs in real time so the game state stays identical on both machines.

Because Netplay syncs controller inputs rather than video streams, it uses very little bandwidth — typically less than 50KB/s — making it viable even on modest WiFi connections.

Why Netplay Is So Fussy About Matching

Before the requirements list, it helps to know why it is a list of absolutes rather than suggestions. RetroArch netplay does not stream video or game state — it streams button presses, and each console independently simulates the game from them. That is why bandwidth is negligible.

It also means both machines must be deterministic twins: given the same ROM and the same inputs, they must land on bit-identical results, frame after frame, for the whole session. Anything that makes one machine compute even slightly differently — a different ROM revision, a different core version, a core option changed on one side — and the two simulations drift apart. That drift is a desync, and it is why a session can look fine for a minute and then fall apart: the divergence has to accumulate before it becomes visible.

This single fact explains every rule further down this page. It is also why run-ahead must be off: run-ahead works by simulating frames in advance and rewinding, which is precisely the kind of timeline manipulation that breaks lockstep.

Requirements for R36S Netplay

• A working network connection — on a standard R36S that means an OTG adapter plus a supported Wi-Fi dongle, covered in the section above. The Plus and XX variants have Wi-Fi built in.
• RetroArch updated — Ensure you're on a recent RetroArch version (check Main Menu → Information → System Information).
• Matching ROMs — Both players need the same exact ROM file.
• Same core — Both players must use the same emulator core (e.g., both using Mupen64Plus-Next for N64).

Getting the R36S Online First

Netplay needs a network connection, and on the R36S that is the step people underestimate. The standard R36S has no Wi-Fi radio at all, so there is nothing to "turn on" until you add hardware. The R36S Plus and R36XX variants do have Wi-Fi built in; if you have one of those, skip to the menu steps below.

For a standard R36S you need two things:

1. A USB-C OTG adapter in the OTG port — not the charging port, they are not interchangeable
2. A USB Wi-Fi dongle with a supported chipset. This is the part that trips people up: most cheap dongles have no working driver in ArkOS or Rocknix and will simply never appear. Our Wi-Fi setup guide lists the chipsets that work — check it before buying rather than after.

Once the dongle is recognised, the firmware menus are straightforward. On ArkOS: Options → Wi-Fi → enable and pick your network. On Rocknix: System Settings → Network → enable Wi-Fi and select your SSID.

Setting Up Netplay: Hosting a Session

The "host" player runs the game locally and waits for others to connect.

Step 1: Configure Netplay Settings

1. Open RetroArch main menu (outside any game).
2. Go to Settings → Netplay.
3. Set Netplay Username to something your friend will recognize.
4. Enable Use Relay Server — this is critical for most home connections as it bypasses NAT issues without port forwarding.

Step 2: Start Hosting

1. Load your game normally (launch the ROM).
2. Open the RetroArch Quick Menu (SELECT + Y(NORTH) on ROCKNIX, FN + X on ArkOS).
3. Go to Netplay → Start Netplay Host.
4. RetroArch will display a connection address (relay server address + room ID).
5. Share this address with your friend.

Joining a Netplay Session

1. Load the same game and core as the host.
2. Open RetroArch Quick Menu → Netplay → Connect to Netplay Host.
3. Enter the host's address (relay address + room ID they shared).
4. Press Connect — the game will sync and both players will see the same screen state.

Using the Netplay Lobby

RetroArch also has a public Netplay Lobby where you can find strangers to play with.

1. In RetroArch main menu: Netplay → Refresh Netplay Lobby List.
2. Browse available sessions, filtered by core/game.
3. Select a session to join directly.

Best Games for R36S Netplay

Reducing Netplay Input Lag

Netplay adds some latency since inputs must be synchronized over the network. You can minimize this:

Input Delay Setting

In Settings → Netplay → Input Delay Frames: this deliberately delays your own inputs so the remote player's can arrive in time to be applied on the same frame. Two to four frames suits most connections.

The trade-off is direct and unavoidable: each frame of input delay is roughly 16 ms of added lag for you, bought in exchange for a session that holds together. Too low and remote inputs keep arriving late, which surfaces as stutter or outright desyncs; too high and the controls feel mushy even though the connection is fine. Start at 3, then move one frame at a time in whichever direction the actual symptom points — there is no benefit to raising it preemptively.

Which games tolerate this decides what is worth playing online at all. Turn-based and slower titles — puzzle games, RPGs, sports — barely notice four frames. Fighting games and precision platformers notice immediately, and no setting fixes that: you are up against the round-trip time of your connection, not a misconfiguration.

Spectate Mode

If you want to watch without playing: Settings → Netplay → Netplay Mode → Spectate. Spectators can join any hosted session without affecting gameplay.

Troubleshooting Netplay Issues

Local Multiplayer (Same Device)

The R36S supports local multiplayer through the USB-C port with OTG adapters. Connect a second USB controller and both players can use the same R36S screen:

1. Connect a USB hub via USB-C OTG adapter.
2. Plug in a second USB or Bluetooth controller.
3. In RetroArch: Settings → Input → verify Player 2 controller is detected.
4. Launch a multiplayer game — both controllers are active automatically.