Deecy is an experimental, open-source Dreamcast emulator for Windows and Linux, written in Zig. It can load .gdi, .cdi, and .chd disc files through its command-line interface. Setup requires Dreamcast BIOS and flash dumps named dc_boot.bin and dc_flash.bin in the data folder; users then select the directory containing their disc images. Deecy should detect and map controllers automatically, with manual guest-port assignment and customizable keyboard bindings also available. Keyboard shortcuts provide four save-state slots and four matching load-state slots. The emulator supports fullscreen mode and unlimited emulation speed. On Linux, the --scif option pipes a serial port to /tmp/deecy/scif for dcload-serial prototyping. DreamPicoPort is available as an optional build dependency. The project offers unstable builds and maintains a compatibility list. It is free, though several areas remain unfinished, including AICA filtering, framebuffer handling, exclusion modifier volumes, and renderer features.
Who it is for
Deecy may suit Dreamcast users on Windows or Linux who can provide the required BIOS and flash dumps. Its Linux serial option may also interest people prototyping with dcload-serial.
What is good
- Loads .gdi, .cdi, and .chd disc files.
- Offers four save-state and four load-state slots.
- Supports automatic controller mapping and configurable keyboard bindings.
- Available for Windows and Linux at no cost.
What to know first
- Requires BIOS and flash dumps.
- Described as experimental, with unfinished areas.
- The available builds are unstable.
Verdict
Deecy provides core Dreamcast emulation features across Windows and Linux, including several disc formats, controller options, and save-state slots. Its experimental status, unstable builds, and required BIOS files are important considerations.
Compared on Dreamcast emulators
- Free plan
- Yes
- Supported platforms
- Windows, Linux
- Controller support
- Yes
- Save states
- Yes
- Dreamcast BIOS required
- Yes