Flash Player¶

Overview¶

Adobe Flash Player once powered countless browser games and interactive experiences, but it was deprecated in 2020. REG-Linux now relies on open-source reimplementations (Lightspark and Ruffle) to keep .swf content playable locally without the security issues of the legacy plugin.

Quick reference¶

ROM folder: /userdata/roms/flash
Accepted formats: .swf
Emulators: Lightspark (native), libretro: ruffle
System group: engines

BIOS¶

No BIOS is required.

Game files¶

Copy your Flash movies/games (.swf) into /userdata/roms/flash/. There are no additional assets to drop unless the game points at relative folders—keep any assets/, images/, or sound folders next to the SWF so Lightspark/Ruffle can load them naturally.

Emulators¶

Lightspark¶

Lightspark is a C/C++ reimplementation of Flash Player that targets modern PCs and offers AS3 coverage plus OpenGL rendering.

Options¶

Standardized options: flash.videomode, flash.padtokeyboard, flash.decoration.

Ruffle (libretro)¶

Ruffle is the Rust-based port that focuses on AS1/2 compatibility and sandboxed playback.

Options¶

Standardized options: flash.videomode, flash.padtokeyboard, flash.decoration.

Controls¶

Flash games usually expect keyboard + mouse input. A default RETROpad mapping is provided, but you can remap to shoulder buttons or extra controllers if a title uses arrow keys, space, or mouse clicks.

Troubleshooting¶

If a SWF refuses to start, ensure the file is not corrupted and that any required asset folders remain next to it.
Some Flash releases depend on unsupported features (like video playback). Try the other engine if one falls back to an error.
Refer to the generic support pages for additional help.