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)
SteamGridDB integration — download cover art directly from the tico interface (API key required from steamgriddb.com)

Settings

Comprehensive Settings screen with General, Display, Audio, Gamelist, and Emulator sections
General settings: clock format (12-hour or 24-hour), ROM root directory picker with in-app folder navigation
Per-core aspect ratio settings with unified display modes: 4:3, 16:9, Stretch, Integer 1×, and Integer 2×
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

System

Auto directory initialization — tico creates the complete folder structure for all supported consoles on first launch
BIOS validation — tico checks for required BIOS files before launching a game and displays a clear error if any are missing

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 Saturn
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

Note: On first launch, tico auto-generates its full directory structure. After opening tico once, reconnect your Switch to a PC or phone to copy ROMs, saves, and BIOS files into the correct locations.

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.

Note: If you have a custom ROM path set via the old custom_roms_path field in roms.json, migrate your path through the new Settings interface — that field is deprecated and will be ignored.

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, saturn, 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 through the built-in Settings screen under General Settings. Use the in-app folder navigation to select your preferred ROM root directory.

Note: Changing the ROM root path invalidates existing caches; a one-time rescan will be required.

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

BIOS Requirements

PlayStation (PS1)

Place one of the following BIOS files in: sdmc:/tico/system/psx/

scph5501.bin
scph5502.bin
scph5500.bin
scph1001.bin

Sega Saturn

Place one of the following BIOS files in: sdmc:/tico/system/saturn/

saturn_bios.bin
sega_101.bin
mpr-17933.bin

Dreamcast

Place the following BIOS file in:

sdmc:/tico/system/dc/

dc_boot.bin — Dreamcast Boot 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)

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

Sega Saturn

Press ZL and − to switch between Standard Pad and 3D Pad

Configuration

Settings Screen

The built-in Settings screen provides access to:

General Settings — Clock format, ROM root directory
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
Flycast (Dreamcast): Seamless handheld-to-docked transitions, 1080p docked mode
Beetle Saturn (Saturn): 720p/1080p output, FXAA, Scanlines, Bilinear filters, Standard Pad and 3D Pad support

Screenshots

Changelog

0.5.0-alpha 2026/02/18

New: Sega Saturn support (720p/1080p, 60fps 2D / 30fps 3D, Standard Pad and 3D Pad, FXAA/Scanlines/Bilinear filters)
New: SteamGridDB integration — download cover art directly from the interface (API key required)
New: General Settings section (clock format, ROM root directory picker with in-app folder navigation)
New: Unified aspect ratio display modes across all cores (4:3, 16:9, Stretch, Integer 1×, Integer 2×)
New: Auto directory initialization on first launch for all supported consoles
New: BIOS validation — checks for required BIOS files before launching and displays clear error messages
Improvement: Flycast seamless handheld-to-docked transitions, fixed 1080p docked resolution
Improvement: Expanded PS1 BIOS compatibility (scph5501.bin, scph5502.bin, scph5500.bin, scph1001.bin)
Improvement: Simplified Dreamcast BIOS requirement (dc_boot.bin only)
Changed: Custom ROM path configuration via roms.json is deprecated — use the Settings interface instead
Various minor fixes and stability improvements

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