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iFly vs Flycast in RetroArch
iFly is a standalone iOS/tvOS app built on Flycast. RetroArch runs the same Flycast core inside a general-purpose multi-system frontend. Here is how they differ.
Both apps ultimately run Flycast, the upstream Dreamcast, NAOMI, and Atomiswave emulator. The difference is what wraps around it: iFly is a dedicated native app built specifically for Dreamcast on Apple platforms; RetroArch is a general-purpose, cross-platform frontend with Flycast as one of many installable cores. Facts below are drawn from iFly's own feature pages. Where iFly's site does not document a claim about RetroArch, the table says so rather than guessing.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | iFly | Flycast in RetroArch |
|---|---|---|
| App type | Standalone native SwiftUI app | Multi-core frontend; Flycast is one of many cores |
| Emulation core | Flycast, ARM64-optimized interpreter, JIT-less | Flycast (libretro core) |
| Systems covered | Dreamcast, NAOMI, Atomiswave | Dozens of systems, one per core |
| UI | Native SwiftUI, tailored to iOS/tvOS | RetroArch's own cross-platform menu, shared across all platforms |
| Graphics backend | Custom Metal renderer with HDR upscaling | Not documented |
| Shaders | 1,000+ native Metal shaders | RetroArch shader library (Slang/GLSL), per-core options |
| Controller support | MFi, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch controllers, with haptics and Jump Pack rumble mapping | MFi and other controllers via RetroArch input config |
| VMU tooling | Floating VMU window, VMU Watch companion (Apple Watch), native VMU file manager | Not documented |
| Save states | Yes, with off-thread auto-saves | Yes, RetroArch save states |
| iCloud sync | Saves, VMUs, and BIOS sync across devices; ROMs stay local | Not documented |
| Cheat codes | Automatic cheat code downloads | Manual cheat file management |
| Artwork | Automatic artwork downloads | Manual via playlists/thumbnails |
| Texture packs | Custom texture-pack support with a management UI | Not documented |
| Distribution | Sideload (AltStore/SideStore) today; App Store planned | App Store, or sideload via AltStore |
| Extras | iFly Plus: CRT/filter packs, HD texture packs, per-game tuning profiles, watermark-free clips, unlimited Handoff | Not documented |
Where RetroArch Stands Out
RetroArch covers dozens of systems in one app, so if Dreamcast is just one of several consoles you want to emulate, a single RetroArch install with multiple cores (including Flycast) avoids installing a separate app per system. It also carries a large shader library shared across every core, and per-core configuration options for users who want to tune emulation behavior directly.
Where iFly Stands Out
iFly is built as a native SwiftUI app specifically for Dreamcast on iOS and tvOS, rather than a shared cross-platform menu wrapped around a core. That focus shows up as a Metal renderer with HDR upscaling, 1,000+ native shaders, automatic cheat code and artwork downloads, a native VMU file manager, a floating VMU window, and a VMU companion app for Apple Watch. iFly Plus adds CRT and filter shader packs, HD texture packs, per-game tuning profiles, watermark-free clips, and unlimited Handoff on top of a free core that already includes save states, iCloud sync, and RetroAchievements-adjacent save/cheat tooling.
Which Should You Pick?
If Dreamcast is the console you care about and you want a native iOS/tvOS interface built around it — with VMU tooling, Apple Watch support, and Apple-silicon-tuned rendering — iFly is built for exactly that. If you already run RetroArch for other systems and want Dreamcast alongside them in the same frontend, adding the Flycast core there keeps everything in one place. There is no technical reason you cannot use both.
Try iFly
iFly is free to install and free to play. See what else it offers, or see how it compares to Provenance's Dreamcast core.