diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetro.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetro.cs
index d7c91a3165..629c5c1412 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetro.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetro.cs
@@ -104,150 +104,150 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores
 
 		public enum RETRO_KEY
 		{
-			   UNKNOWN = 0,
-   FIRST = 0,
-   BACKSPACE = 8,
-   TAB = 9,
-   CLEAR = 12,
-   RETURN = 13,
-   PAUSE = 19,
-   ESCAPE = 27,
-   SPACE = 32,
-   EXCLAIM = 33,
-   QUOTEDBL = 34,
-   HASH = 35,
-   DOLLAR = 36,
-   AMPERSAND = 38,
-   QUOTE = 39,
-   LEFTPAREN = 40,
-   RIGHTPAREN = 41,
-   ASTERISK = 42,
-   PLUS = 43,
-   COMMA = 44,
-   MINUS = 45,
-   PERIOD = 46,
-   SLASH = 47,
-   _0 = 48,
-   _1 = 49,
-   _2 = 50,
-   _3 = 51,
-   _4 = 52,
-   _5 = 53,
-   _6 = 54,
-   _7 = 55,
-   _8 = 56,
-   _9 = 57,
-   COLON = 58,
-   SEMICOLON = 59,
-   LESS = 60,
-   EQUALS = 61,
-   GREATER = 62,
-   QUESTION = 63,
-   AT = 64,
-   LEFTBRACKET = 91,
-   BACKSLASH = 92,
-   RIGHTBRACKET = 93,
-   CARET = 94,
-   UNDERSCORE = 95,
-   BACKQUOTE = 96,
-   a = 97,
-   b = 98,
-   c = 99,
-   d = 100,
-   e = 101,
-   f = 102,
-   g = 103,
-   h = 104,
-   i = 105,
-   j = 106,
-   k = 107,
-   l = 108,
-   m = 109,
-   n = 110,
-   o = 111,
-   p = 112,
-   q = 113,
-   r = 114,
-   s = 115,
-   t = 116,
-   u = 117,
-   v = 118,
-   w = 119,
-   x = 120,
-   y = 121,
-   z = 122,
-   DELETE = 127,
+			UNKNOWN = 0,
+			FIRST = 0,
+			BACKSPACE = 8,
+			TAB = 9,
+			CLEAR = 12,
+			RETURN = 13,
+			PAUSE = 19,
+			ESCAPE = 27,
+			SPACE = 32,
+			EXCLAIM = 33,
+			QUOTEDBL = 34,
+			HASH = 35,
+			DOLLAR = 36,
+			AMPERSAND = 38,
+			QUOTE = 39,
+			LEFTPAREN = 40,
+			RIGHTPAREN = 41,
+			ASTERISK = 42,
+			PLUS = 43,
+			COMMA = 44,
+			MINUS = 45,
+			PERIOD = 46,
+			SLASH = 47,
+			_0 = 48,
+			_1 = 49,
+			_2 = 50,
+			_3 = 51,
+			_4 = 52,
+			_5 = 53,
+			_6 = 54,
+			_7 = 55,
+			_8 = 56,
+			_9 = 57,
+			COLON = 58,
+			SEMICOLON = 59,
+			LESS = 60,
+			EQUALS = 61,
+			GREATER = 62,
+			QUESTION = 63,
+			AT = 64,
+			LEFTBRACKET = 91,
+			BACKSLASH = 92,
+			RIGHTBRACKET = 93,
+			CARET = 94,
+			UNDERSCORE = 95,
+			BACKQUOTE = 96,
+			a = 97,
+			b = 98,
+			c = 99,
+			d = 100,
+			e = 101,
+			f = 102,
+			g = 103,
+			h = 104,
+			i = 105,
+			j = 106,
+			k = 107,
+			l = 108,
+			m = 109,
+			n = 110,
+			o = 111,
+			p = 112,
+			q = 113,
+			r = 114,
+			s = 115,
+			t = 116,
+			u = 117,
+			v = 118,
+			w = 119,
+			x = 120,
+			y = 121,
+			z = 122,
+			DELETE = 127,
 
-   KP0 = 256,
-   KP1 = 257,
-   KP2 = 258,
-   KP3 = 259,
-   KP4 = 260,
-   KP5 = 261,
-   KP6 = 262,
-   KP7 = 263,
-   KP8 = 264,
-   KP9 = 265,
-   KP_PERIOD = 266,
-   KP_DIVIDE = 267,
-   KP_MULTIPLY = 268,
-   KP_MINUS = 269,
-   KP_PLUS = 270,
-   KP_ENTER = 271,
-   KP_EQUALS = 272,
+			KP0 = 256,
+			KP1 = 257,
+			KP2 = 258,
+			KP3 = 259,
+			KP4 = 260,
+			KP5 = 261,
+			KP6 = 262,
+			KP7 = 263,
+			KP8 = 264,
+			KP9 = 265,
+			KP_PERIOD = 266,
+			KP_DIVIDE = 267,
+			KP_MULTIPLY = 268,
+			KP_MINUS = 269,
+			KP_PLUS = 270,
+			KP_ENTER = 271,
+			KP_EQUALS = 272,
 
-   UP = 273,
-   DOWN = 274,
-   RIGHT = 275,
-   LEFT = 276,
-   INSERT = 277,
-   HOME = 278,
-   END = 279,
-   PAGEUP = 280,
-   PAGEDOWN = 281,
+			UP = 273,
+			DOWN = 274,
+			RIGHT = 275,
+			LEFT = 276,
+			INSERT = 277,
+			HOME = 278,
+			END = 279,
+			PAGEUP = 280,
+			PAGEDOWN = 281,
 
-   F1 = 282,
-   F2 = 283,
-   F3 = 284,
-   F4 = 285,
-   F5 = 286,
-   F6 = 287,
-   F7 = 288,
-   F8 = 289,
-   F9 = 290,
-   F10 = 291,
-   F11 = 292,
-   F12 = 293,
-   F13 = 294,
-   F14 = 295,
-   F15 = 296,
+			F1 = 282,
+			F2 = 283,
+			F3 = 284,
+			F4 = 285,
+			F5 = 286,
+			F6 = 287,
+			F7 = 288,
+			F8 = 289,
+			F9 = 290,
+			F10 = 291,
+			F11 = 292,
+			F12 = 293,
+			F13 = 294,
+			F14 = 295,
+			F15 = 296,
 
-   NUMLOCK = 300,
-   CAPSLOCK = 301,
-   SCROLLOCK = 302,
-   RSHIFT = 303,
-   LSHIFT = 304,
-   RCTRL = 305,
-   LCTRL = 306,
-   RALT = 307,
-   LALT = 308,
-   RMETA = 309,
-   LMETA = 310,
-   LSUPER = 311,
-   RSUPER = 312,
-   MODE = 313,
-   COMPOSE = 314,
+			NUMLOCK = 300,
+			CAPSLOCK = 301,
+			SCROLLOCK = 302,
+			RSHIFT = 303,
+			LSHIFT = 304,
+			RCTRL = 305,
+			LCTRL = 306,
+			RALT = 307,
+			LALT = 308,
+			RMETA = 309,
+			LMETA = 310,
+			LSUPER = 311,
+			RSUPER = 312,
+			MODE = 313,
+			COMPOSE = 314,
 
-   HELP = 315,
-   PRINT = 316,
-   SYSREQ = 317,
-   BREAK = 318,
-   MENU = 319,
-   POWER = 320,
-   EURO = 321,
-   UNDO = 322,
+			HELP = 315,
+			PRINT = 316,
+			SYSREQ = 317,
+			BREAK = 318,
+			MENU = 319,
+			POWER = 320,
+			EURO = 321,
+			UNDO = 322,
 
-   LAST
+			LAST
 		};
 
 		[Flags]
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetroEmulator.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetroEmulator.cs
index 0d969de4ba..30cc967d13 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetroEmulator.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/LibRetroEmulator.cs
@@ -151,9 +151,19 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores
 						IntPtr pKey = new IntPtr(*variables++);
 						string key = Marshal.PtrToStringAnsi(pKey);
 						Console.WriteLine("Requesting variable: {0}", key);
-						*variables = unmanagedResources.StringToHGlobalAnsi("0").ToPointer();
+						//always return default
+						//TODO: cache settings atoms
+						if(!Description.Variables.ContainsKey(key))
+							return false;
+						//HACK: return pointer for desmume mouse, i want to implement that first
+						if (key == "desmume_pointer_type")
+						{
+							*variables = unmanagedResources.StringToHGlobalAnsi("touch").ToPointer();
+							return true;
+						}
+						*variables = unmanagedResources.StringToHGlobalAnsi(Description.Variables[key].DefaultOption).ToPointer();
+						return true;
 					}
-					return false;
 				case LibRetro.RETRO_ENVIRONMENT.SET_VARIABLES:
 					{
 						void** variables = (void**)data.ToPointer();
@@ -165,7 +175,11 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores
 								break;
 							string key = Marshal.PtrToStringAnsi(pKey);
 							string value = Marshal.PtrToStringAnsi(pValue);
-							environmentInfo.Variables.Add(Tuple.Create(key, value));
+							var vd = new VariableDescription() { Name = key};
+							var parts = value.Split(';');
+							vd.Description = parts[0];
+							vd.Options = parts[1].TrimStart(' ').Split('|');
+							Description.Variables[vd.Name] = vd;
 						}
 					}
 					return false;
@@ -223,14 +237,29 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores
 			else return false;
 		}
 
+		//meanings (they are kind of hazy, but once we're done implementing this it will be completely defined by example)
 		//port = console physical port?
 		//device = logical device type
 		//index = sub device index? (multitap?)
 		//id = button id
 		short retro_input_state(uint port, uint device, uint index, uint id)
 		{
+			//helpful debugging
+			//Console.WriteLine("{0} {1} {2} {3}", port, device, index, id);
+
 			switch ((LibRetro.RETRO_DEVICE)device)
 			{
+				case LibRetro.RETRO_DEVICE.POINTER:
+					{
+						switch ((LibRetro.RETRO_DEVICE_ID_POINTER)id)
+						{
+							case LibRetro.RETRO_DEVICE_ID_POINTER.X: return (short)Controller.GetFloat("Pointer X");
+							case LibRetro.RETRO_DEVICE_ID_POINTER.Y: return (short)Controller.GetFloat("Pointer Y");
+							case LibRetro.RETRO_DEVICE_ID_POINTER.PRESSED: return (short)(Controller["Pointer Pressed"] ? 1 : 0);
+						}
+						return 0;
+					}
+
 				case LibRetro.RETRO_DEVICE.JOYPAD:
 					{
 						//The JOYPAD is sometimes called RetroPad (and we'll call it that in user-facing stuff cos retroarch does)
@@ -274,7 +303,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores
 		class RetroEnvironmentInfo
 		{
 			public bool SupportNoGame;
-			public List<Tuple<string, string>> Variables = new List<Tuple<string, string>>();
 		}
 
 		//disposable resources
@@ -402,14 +430,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores
 				Description.LibraryVersion = system_info.library_version;
 				Description.ValidExtensions = system_info.valid_extensions;
 				Description.SupportsNoGame = environmentInfo.SupportNoGame;
-				foreach (var vv in environmentInfo.Variables)
-				{
-					var vd = new VariableDescription() { Name = vv.Item1 };
-					var parts = vv.Item2.Split(';');
-					vd.Description = parts[0];
-					vd.Options = parts[1].TrimStart(' ').Split('|');
-					Description.Variables[vd.Name] = vd;
-				}
+				//variables need to be done ahead of time, when theyre set through the environment
+				//some retro_init (for example, desmume) will continue to use variables (and maybe other parts of the environment) from within retro_init
 			}
 			catch
 			{
@@ -493,6 +515,12 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores
 			})
 				definition.BoolButtons.Add(string.Format(item,"RetroPad"));
 
+			definition.BoolButtons.Add("Pointer Pressed");
+			definition.FloatControls.Add("Pointer X");
+			definition.FloatControls.Add("Pointer Y");
+			definition.FloatRanges.Add(new ControllerDefinition.FloatRange(-32767, 0, 32767));
+			definition.FloatRanges.Add(new ControllerDefinition.FloatRange(-32767, 0, 32767));
+
 			return definition;
 		}
 
diff --git a/output/defctrl.json b/output/defctrl.json
index 480ee87cee..f52ba215ab 100644
--- a/output/defctrl.json
+++ b/output/defctrl.json
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
       "P2 RetroPad X": "",
       "P2 RetroPad A": "",
       "P2 RetroPad L": "",
-      "P2 RetroPad R": ""
+      "P2 RetroPad R": "",
+      "Pointer Pressed": "WMouse L",
     },
     "NES Controller": {
       "P1 Up": "UpArrow, J1 POV1U, X1 DpadUp, X1 LStickUp",
@@ -1142,6 +1143,28 @@
         "Deadzone": 0.1
       }
     },
-    "Apple IIe Keyboard": {}
+    "Apple IIe Keyboard": {},
+    "LibRetro Controls": {
+      "Pointer X": {
+        "Value": "WMouse X",
+        "Mult": 1.0,
+        "Deadzone": 0.1
+      },
+      "Pointer Y": {
+        "Value": "WMouse Y",
+        "Mult": 1.0,
+        "Deadzone": 0.1
+      },
+      "P1 Pointer X": {
+        "Value": "",
+        "Mult": 1.0,
+        "Deadzone": 0.1
+      },
+      "P1 Pointer Y": {
+        "Value": "",
+        "Mult": 1.0,
+        "Deadzone": 0.1
+      }
+    }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file