So everytime I read the SDK documentation it seems to assume that somehow my host configuration will help enable GL acceleration in the SDK... but that's never been the case for me.

In fact, I have this suspicion the libGL on the X86 SDK always uses the Mesa SW renderer no matter what. I've tried both nvidia propietary drivers, intel free drivers and NeoMagic non-3D capable card, and it always uses Mesa SW rendering, without warnings.

(Note that getting accelerated GL in the SDK is one of the reasons I tend to mention VMGL in my bug reports).

Without acceleration, transitions tend to skip lots of frames (maybe more noticeable on my workstation, which is old) and fullscreen SDL apps are nearly unusable.

Works out the box for me. I use nvidias latest drivers and debian sid.