Tico Switch

tico
tico
General
Author	dantiicu
Type	Other Emulators
Version	0.4.0-alpha
License	tiicu
Last Updated	2026/02/10
Links
	Download
	Website
	Source

Tico is the first custom emulation frontend for Nintendo Switch — a controller-first, native C++ interface designed for performance, simplicity, and long-term portability.

User guide

tico is a multi-platform emulation frontend focused on delivering a console-quality user experience.

Instead of file browsers, configuration menus, and fragmented tools, tico provides a unified interface that automatically organizes games, manages assets, and launches embedded emulator cores with zero user configuration.

It is designed to feel like a real console UI — not a development tool.

What tico does not include

tico does not include:

ROMs
BIOS files
System firmware
DRM circumvention tools

Users are responsible for legal ownership of games and compliance with local laws.

Features

Interface

Redesigned UI with full dark mode
Home screen with customizable game shortcuts and a dedicated favorites page
Dynamic customizable cards — use custom images as console covers with swappable symbols and backgrounds
Unified multi-console launcher
Controller-first navigation
Instant library loading with intelligent caching
One-button rescan system
Nintendo Switch account integration (avatar and nickname displayed in the interface)

Settings

Comprehensive Settings screen with Display, Audio, Gamelist, and Emulator sections
Per-core aspect ratio settings (stretch or integer scaling)
Per-core display configuration

Game Management

Automatic No-Intro and Redump naming support
Auto-organization by system and region
Direct pinning from library to home screen
Structured save and asset directories

Embedded and External Emulator Cores

Built-in, statically linked cores
External core support for flexible management, easier updates, and licensing compliance
Resume app state support for external cores
No manual installation
No configuration required
Optimized builds for Nintendo Switch

Architecture

Written in modern C++
Native performance
No scripting languages
No heavy frameworks
Designed for long-term portability

Supported Systems

Game Boy (GB)
Game Boy Color (GBC)
Game Boy Advance (GBA)
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
PlayStation 1 (PS1)
PlayStation Portable (PSP)
Sega Dreamcast (DC)
Sega Game Gear
Sega Master System
Sega Mega Drive (Genesis)
Sega CD

Installation

Copy the tico folder to the root of your SD card
Place tico.nro inside the switch folder
Launch any game while holding R to open the Homebrew Menu
Open tico
Enjoy

Important: tico does not work in applet mode.

Migrating from earlier versions

The project directory has been renamed from tiicu to tico. Existing users must:

Navigate to the root of the SD card
Rename the tiicu folder to tico
Move custom assets: sdmc:/tiicu/covers → sdmc:/tico/assets/covers and sdmc:/tiicu/backgrounds → sdmc:/tico/assets/backgrounds

All ROMs, saves, states, and configuration will remain intact.

Directory Structure

ROMs should be organized in the following structure:

sdmc:/tico/roms/{console}/
sdmc:/tico/assets/covers/{console}/
sdmc:/tico/assets/backgrounds/{console}/
sdmc:/tico/saves/{console}/
sdmc:/tico/states/{console}/

Where {console} can be: gb, gbc, gba, nes, snes, psx, psp, dc, game-gear, master-system, genesis, sega-cd

Artwork must match ROM names (without extension) and must be in JPG format.

Custom ROM Path

You can set a custom ROM root directory in the config file:

sdmc:/tico/config/roms.jsonc

Inside your custom path, keep consoles separated in their respective folders.

BIOS Requirements

PlayStation (PS1)

Copy SCPH1001.bin from your console
Place it in: sdmc:/tico/system/psx/

Dreamcast

Place the following BIOS files in:

sdmc:/tico/system/dc/

dc_boot.bin — Dreamcast Boot ROM
dc_flash.bin — Dreamcast Flash ROM

Sega Systems

All Sega BIOS files should be placed in:

sdmc:/tico/system/sega-cd/

Sega CD / Mega CD:

bios_CD_U.bin — Sega CD (NTSC-U)
bios_CD_E.bin — Mega CD (PAL)
bios_CD_J.bin — Mega CD (NTSC-J)

Master System:

bios_U.sms — Master System (NTSC-U)
bios_E.sms — Master System (PAL)
bios_J.sms — Master System (NTSC-J)

Game Gear:

bios.gg — Game Gear TMSS BOOTROM

Mega Drive:

bios_MD.bin — Mega Drive TMSS BOOTROM

Optional Enhancement ROMs:

sk.bin — Sonic & Knuckles (2 MB)
sk2chip.bin — Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KB)
ggenie.bin — Game Genie
areplay.bin — Action Replay (Pro)

Super Nintendo (Satellaview)

For Satellaview games on SNES:

Copy BS-X.bin to: sdmc:/tico/system/snes/

Controls

Navigation

Use D-PAD Left/Right to navigate between home screen pages
Use L or R to swap between docked screens

In-Game

Press + and - together to suspend gameplay and access game options
Configure aspect ratio settings per-core for optimal display

Configuration

Settings Screen

The built-in Settings screen provides access to:

Display Settings — Visual preferences
Audio Settings — Sound output and volume controls
Gamelist Settings — Library organization and display options
Emulator Settings — Per-core configuration

Core Settings

PSP core settings can be customized at:

sdmc:/tico/config/cores/ppsspp.jsonc

Core improvements include:

PPSSPP (PSP): 2x resolution rendering, 60fps support
SwanStation (PS1): 2x resolution rendering, TrueColor mode enabled
SNES9x (SNES): Overclock mode (Compatible), Flicker Reduction, Sinc Audio Resampling
mGBA (GBA): Smart Color Blending, No Frameskip
Gambatte (GB/GBC): Ghosting Reduction, Sinc Audio Resampling

Screenshots

Changelog

0.4.0-alpha 2026/02/10

Redesigned: Complete visual overhaul with new UI, refined colors, and sleek iconography
Redesigned: Full dark mode across the entire application
New: Dynamic customizable cards — custom images as console covers, swappable symbols and backgrounds
New: Nintendo Switch account integration (avatar and nickname)
New: Comprehensive Settings screen (Display, Audio, Gamelist, Emulator)
New: Sega Dreamcast support
New: Favorites page opens automatically on launch
New: Per-core aspect ratio settings (stretch or integer scaling)
New: External core support for flexible management and licensing compliance
New: Resume app state support for external cores
Changed: Project directory renamed from tiicu to tico
Changed: Asset directories moved under sdmc:/tico/assets/
Changed: Navigation — D-PAD Left/Right swaps home screen pages, L/R navigates docked screens

0.3.0-alpha 2026/01/23

Fixed: Custom ROM paths now work correctly
Fixed: Moving shortcuts no longer creates duplicates
Fixed: PlayStation analog stick/axis controls now function properly
Improvement: "Add to homescreen" automatically navigates to first available page
New: Alert notification when all home screen pages are full
New: Sega Game Gear support
New: Sega Master System support
New: Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) support
New: Sega CD support
New: PSP CHD format support
New: Advanced PPSSPP settings customization via config file

0.0.2 2026/01/20

Major: ROM scanning no longer strictly enforces No-Intro or Redump naming
New: Custom ROM path configuration support
New: NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) support
Improvement: Desktop items now animate gracefully on startup
Improvement: Consoles organized alphabetically in launcher
Improvement: Better animation when entering games
Bugfix: Shortcuts no longer disappear when deleting or moving other shortcuts
Core: PPSSPP 2x resolution rendering, 60fps support
Core: SwanStation 2x resolution rendering, TrueColor mode
Core: SNES9x Overclock mode, Flicker Reduction, Sinc Audio Resampling
Core: mGBA Smart Color Blending, No Frameskip
Core: Gambatte Ghosting Reduction, Sinc Audio Resampling

External links