Here is a complete and concise ruleset / guide for RTA emulator submissions.

On Windows, you will have to download and run the prerequisite installer from here one time: https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk-Prereqs/releases

You'll find the download for Bizhawk itself here: https://tasvideos.org/Bizhawk/ReleaseHistory

Before playing for the first time, you must load the firmware. In order to load the firmware, you must have a GBA firmware file. Find your Bizhawk folder, and copy the firmware file into the "Firmware" folder. For example, on Bizhawk 2.10 for Windows, you'll find the Firmware folder in the "BizHawk-2.10-win-x64" folder you downloaded. Note that you only need to do this once, but if you change to a different Bizhawk version, or redownload Bizhawk, you will need to do this again. You do not need to show that the file is in the folder in your run submission videos, as it is not proof that the real firmware was loaded in the instance you were playing on.

Once you've got Bizhawk running, please go to Config > Controllers... At the bottom of the Controller Configuration screen, set U+D/L+R to 'Forbid' to avoid these types of inputs, as they are impossible on original hardware, and your run will be invalid if you use these inputs by mistake. This is usually only an issue for keyboard and hitbox players due to the split d-pad, so don't worry too much if you forgot to turn it off.

A soft or hard reset must be visible before your run in the submission video (this rule applies to all other platforms). Before this reset, or after the in-game time is displayed following the credits, the following items must be shown in order for your run to be verified:

1. Bizhawk version. You must be on Bizhawk version 2.5 or newer. Go to the "Help" menu in Bizhawk, and select "About." This will bring up a window that has the version number, make sure it is visible in your submission video.
2. Proper firmware loaded. Go to the "Config" menu in Bizhawk, and select "Firmwares." This will bring up a new window. Scroll down to "GBA." You must show the green checkmark all the way to the left, or the full hash on the right. To show the full hash, you must expand the "Hash" column (Note: Right-clicking on the GBA row and selecting "Get Info" will always show the correct hash, even if the proper firmware is not loaded. This is not proof of using the correct firmware).

If these requirements aren't met, or you play on another emulator other than Bizhawk, you may only submit IGT.

Here is a video that shows how to meet these requirements.

hi baria

thanks

Find it terrible that only bizhawk is the only one allowed and it dosen't even prevent anything. In all honnesty included Mgba would be better as the emulator is way more stable and actually have a better support for some controller and easier set-up. (Since Wavebird controller is just bullshit on Bizhawk as well as N64 / Snes one)

and since others GBA game allow Mgba i don't see with the Metroid one should be he case (Exalmple fire emblem , f-zero , kirby etc.. the rule is just dumb and prevent people to run it on a stable base)

reminder that BizHawk is a wrapper around mGBA, plus, while you call the rule "dumb", it has a reason as Fusion and Zero Mission RTA times are extremely sensitive to the BIOS image being legitimate, the current GBAtroids ruleset for emulators makes it clear that the BIOS dump checksum must be shown, which plain mGBA wouldn't do as it doesn't have the provisions to show that at all: if the other games don't care and they're timing by real time rather than in game time, either they didn't evaluate the fact people might just forgo loading the BIOS and get unfair advantages (as the routines the BIOS pack would be replaced with native and more "optimized" counterparts), or they never went as far as JRP did as in counting the time skew between real hardware and emulator w/a BIOS loaded and BIOSless to prove the fact it gives an unfair advantage.

VBA is banned because it's outright inaccurate for RTA purposes as it runs faster than a vanilla console or whoever uses BizHawk with the configuration from the ruleset, regardless if a BIOS image is loaded or not.

I am all for accuracy and inclusivity, which is the reason I spent so much time writing and reviewing the above guide and linking resources. If people want more emulators, then we have to come together and do the work of fully testing them. It's a lot of work, but people feel strongly about the accuracy of the emulators, so it must be done. Feel free to start the discussion about it in the Metroid Fusion discord server, that probably will garner more attention if you're willing to help do the work. I believe the claim that Bizhawk mGBA is less stable than mGBA standalone is unfounded, but I could be wrong. Anecdotally, I have never had an issue with it crashing or being buggy in 3.5 years of heavily using it. Also, saying that our rules are "just dumb" isn't really appreciated, I and others have put a lot of time and thought into them.

I'm not super interested in mGBA, I've heard it has input lag issues. Also, a Bizhawk dev told me that they're working on an emulator specifically for GB/GBC/GBA speedrunning: https://github.com/CasualPokePlayer/GSE

I am very interested in this emulator, it's pretty new. It also uses the mGBA core. I think it should have less overhead without all the Bizhawk features, and actually enforces loading the GBA BIOS for accuracy. Please don't think we're gatekeeping or anything like that, I want as many people who want to run the game to be able to run the game.

can i get some clarification. im using bizhawk. ive seen that mgba core comes with bizhawk now, but when going to firmware for bios verification, it doesnt show the info that the people in the videos say it should. it also doesnt allow me to select between vba-next and mgba like in the videos. also even after setting skip bios to false, it still skips straight to the game.

also im using bizhawk version 2.11

You can't switch cores anymore because Bizhawk only comes with mGBA core now. If you don't see the green checkmark in the firmwares screen, you haven't obtained a GBA BIOS file and put it in the Firmware folder, as per this guide. The "skip bios" option set to false won't show the GBA startup animation without that firmware file.

still , if you reset and you see a bios unmodified + the settings being native (59,75) that should be good again F-zero need a legetimate bios , yet there not that issue , kirby need a legetimate bios , yet there is not that issue. super mario advance 3 and 4 need the bios , yet it dosen't have that issue , all pokemon on GBA need too (aside from pinball but that's another story)

I can understand for Mario 64 or Ocarina of time because there is category or stuff that can't be poossible on real harddware and vice-versa , but the GBATroid aside of dual movement imput (going left and right at the same time) and memory corruption for fusion , which IS possible on real hardware as well as emulation shouldn't have rule to restrain the software as long the setting are properly shown , if using an emulator (+ AGAIN , romhacking.net warn that bizhawnk have a breach like project 64 since months now)