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Vita3K - General Guide

Vita3K is an experimental open-source Sony PlayStation Vita emulator.

Vita3K Quickstart Guide

Vita3K Game Compatibility and ID List

Vita3K Homebrew Compatibility and ID List

Vita3K Wiki

Vita3K Github

Vita3K Webpage

Where to put the games?

Vita3K games should be put into the retrodeck/roms/psvita/ directory.

What file formats are supported?

File Format Description
.psvita PSVita file

Does Vita3K require BIOS or Firmware?

Yes, it requires two firmwares.

It also requires licence and keys files play games.

Firmware files

  • The Firmware: PSVUPDAT.PUP
  • The Firmware Font Package: PSP2UPDAT.PUP

The firmware and font firmware can be downloaded and installed from the RetroDECK Configurator.

You can also install them manually:

Open Vita3K from the Configurator and press File - Install Firmware to install the downloaded firmware.

Licence Files and Keys

Licence files .bin .rif or licence keys called a zRif are required for many games.

They need to be installed by pressing File - Install Licence then either Select work.bin / rif for the files or Enter zRif to input the key.

Folder structure

Type Folder Comment
ROMs Folder retrodeck/roms/psvita/
Saves Folder retrodeck/saves/psvita/vita3k/
Config Folder ~/.var/app/net.retrodeck.retrodeck/config/Vita3K/ config.yml
Data Folder ~/.var/app/net.retrodeck.retrodeck/data/Vita3K/

How-to: Get games to show up inside RetroDECK

Example:

In this guide will have an example fake game we want to add: OutWipe 4820.

Step 1: Install the Game

  1. Open the Vita3K emulator via Configurator
  2. Press File and either: Install .pkg or Install .zip, .vpk (depending on what game file you have).
  3. The game is now installed, if so wished, the package file can be deleted, only the .psvita file is needed at this point.

Example:

OutWipe 4820 is a .pkg file so we chose the Install .pkg option and navigate to where we have the file on the system to install it.

Step 1b: Add Licences

During installation the Vita3K could call for a Licence File or Key

Either add the .bin or .rif files or input the zRif key in the prompt.

Step 1c: Install any DLCs or patches

Install the patches and DLC the same way as the game by repeating Step 1 to 1b for the filetype the patch/DLC is in pkg, zip, vpk.

Step 2: How-to: Get the Title ID

  1. Open the Vita3K emulator via Configurator
  2. The third column contains the Title ID of the game you just installed (this is unique to every game).

Another method is to check the: Vita3K Game Compatibility and ID List.

Example:

OutWipe 4820 Title ID is PCSF00007

Step 3: Create the .psvita file

  1. Create a new empty .psvita file in retrodeck/roms/psvita/
  2. Name it according to your game: GameNameHere.psvita, avoid using exotic characters like: / \ () [] < > , . etc..
  3. The end result should look like: retrodeck/roms/psvita/GameNameHere.psvita.

Example:

retrodeck/roms/psvita/OutWipe 4820.psvita.

Step 4: Open the pstvita file and add the Title ID

  1. Open up the empty GameNameHere.psvita file with the text editor.
  2. Type in the Title IDthe the first row. Make sure you don't add any spaces or line-breaks and the file should just contain the Title ID.

Example:

The OutWipe 4820.psvita file contains only the word: PCSF00007 and nothing else.

Step 5: Quit and Launch RetroDECK

  1. Close Vita3k, RetroDECK Configurator and RetroDECK.
  2. Open RetroDECK again.
  3. The game should now be added to the ES-DE frontend and be able to be played.