Source Ports on macOS

macOS

Developer	Apple
Type	Operating systems
Release date	2001
Latest release	macOS 13 Ventura

This page is about game engine recreations and source ports that run on macOS (previously Mac OS X).

For emulators that run on macOS (previously Mac OS X), see Emulators on macOS.

What is a Source Port?

Sometimes creating an emulator for a whole system is overkill. If the source code for a game is available, it is possible to modernise the code and port it to multiple platforms that the original game developer did not originally envisage. This is called a source port.

Alternatively, if the source code is not available, it is possible to make a game engine recreation from scratch. This is much more difficult to do and to make the resulting game match the original.

Getting the App

Some of the games on this list will have a macOS app bundle available to download on the project's home page or git. But a lot of them do not. However there is a project called Mac Source Ports which takes open-source games, compiles them into a macOS app bundle (Universal Binary where possible), signs and notarises them, and makes them available to download for free.

The Mac Source Ports builds are often the most convenient way to play these games, so if a build is available it is recommended.

Compiling the Source Code and the Terminal

In some cases there is no app bundle available for download, so you may have to compile the source code yourself, or to run the game using the command-line. No instructions will be provided here, but the project's git page usually will tell you how to go about it. This list will indicate if an app bundle is available or not.

Getting the Game Data

For most source ports and game recreations, game data from the original game is required and this must be legally obtained from the original release for copyright reasons. Game data for most of the games below are available to purchase from GoG or Steam (GoG is preferred as they do not have DRM). The game data for the Windows version is often compatible, but always check before purchasing.

In order to extract the data from GoG installers, you can use Mac Source Port's Extractor tool. Otherwise, innoextract can be used from the command-line.

Generally, the game data should be put in the `~/Library/Application Support/` directory (where `~` represents your user home folder). But this is dependent on the individual game, so check the installation instructions.

A few games were open-sourced and released with their game data included, so for these games no additional steps are required.

Source Port List

Name	Supported games	Source	App Bundle	Build available	PPC	x86	x64	Arm	Includes Game Data	Gamepad Support	Active	Recommended
Abuse 1996	Abuse	git	✓	MSP Build [1]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	?	✓	✓
Arx Libertatis	Arx Fatalis	git	✓	MSP Build [2] Homebrew [3]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	?	✓	✓
NakedAVP	Aliens Vs Predator (2000)	git	✓	MSP Build [4]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓
GemRB	Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 Icewind Dale 1 & 2 Planetscape: Torment	git	✓	Official Build [5] MSP Build [6][7]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓
Billy Frontier	Billy Frontier	git	✓	Official Build [8] MSP Build [9]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	?	✓	✓
BStone	Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold Blake Stone: Planet Strike	git	✓	MSP Build [10]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓
Bugdom	Bugdom	git	✓	Official Build [11]	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	?	✓	✓
Osu!(Laser)	Osu!	git	✓	Official Build [12]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	?	✓	✓
SDLPoP	Prince of Persia (DOS)	git	✓	Official Build (intel only) [13] Homebrew [14]	✗	✗	✓	~	✓	✗	✓	✓
SuperTuxKart	SuperTuxKart	git	✓	Official Build [15]	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
wipEout-Rewrite	wipEout (PS1)	git	✗	No builds provided	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✗
ET: Legacy	Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory	git	✓	Official Build [16]	✗	✗	✓	✓	~	✓	✓	✓