RetroArch controls map real-world controller buttons to a virtual controller called a 'RetroPad'. When you configure your controller in EmulationStation, the RetroPie setup script automatically configures RetroArch with the same controls. For emulators which are not libretro cores, there are emulator-specific configurations under the respective system's wiki page. This allows a specific setting or button mapping for a certain console or even just for a certain game. However, RetroArch also provides the freedom to configure specific emulators individually and even individual games differently if the user wants.

For example, lr-snes9x is the libretro core of the SNES emulator called snes9x RetroArch and libretro provide ability to configure controllers once for many emulators instead of having to configure each emulator individually. In RetroPie, the libretro emulator cores are identified with a lr- in front of their name. With a few simple changes to the emulator source code, almost any existing emulator could become a libretro core. RetroArch then handles the input controls and output graphics and audio while the emulator core handles the emulation of the original system. RetroArch and libretro provide a way to take an existing emulator and load that emulator as a library or 'core'. RetroArch is the official front end for the libretro API.

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