Game engine recreations and source ports

From Emulation General Wiki
Revision as of 20:14, 21 August 2026 by ItsTheGuy (talk | contribs) (Miscellaneous: Fix again.)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
For list of demakes, see List of notable ports#Demakes.
For a list of game engines, see Game engines.

Ports may be more attractive than emulation in some cases, and this goes too for unofficial ports developed by the community. However, the port may be of poor quality, in which case you're better off just emulating the game using whichever definitive version (usually its target platform during development). This article will hopefully help the reader make an informed decision.

Game engine recreations and source ports can be better than emulation on a game-by-game basis, adding improvements to the original, better performance and ports to less powerful systems were emulation is impractical/slow. This is especially true when a developer only wants to get one game (or a number of games that use the same engine) working. In that case, re-implementing that game alone would save more time than implementing the platform it runs on. These kinds of projects are common when abandonware has large communities; when the original developer has disbanded and can no longer support or update it, an effort is then made to get it running natively on newer versions of-- and/or entirely different-- operating systems and platforms. Examples are OpenMW for Morrowind.

Some projects are implemented in ways that the original developer did not intend; for example, for a platform other than which publishers marketed it for. And they're not just limited to game engines either; Webamp is a JavaScript application that re-implements Winamp in the web browser. These projects are almost always open-source, which also allows new programmers to fix bugs that could have been difficult to track down during development (alternatively, the bugs may be emulated to allow old mods to continue to safely exploit them). When most of the effort is on programming, the project will usually require the original game's assets (such as files in the installation directory or ROMs) until those ever get remade. This lets the developers claim they aren't infringing the game's copyrights since the player must obtain the original to use it; if the game is still being sold, this could allow the publisher to even earn revenue from the project. This aspect is debatable however, as some source code recreations did result in cease-and-desist letters and even lawsuits from companies such as in the case of re3 and reVC for the 3D-era Grand Theft Auto games, with Take-Two Interactive alleging that the source ports were made to facilitate piracy and that "the work is not licensed in any way"; some have speculated that the suit among others was to keep fan-made mods from getting in the way of their much-maligned Definitive Edition remasters.

For the sake of brevity, most of these projects often refer to themselves under some variety of fan remakes. The External links section has lists for a number of known and available projects.

On Linux downloading and using game engines is easy with Luxtorpeda - a Steam Play compatibility tool (like Proton) that allows you to run games from Steam using various different game engines and re-implementations. Alternatively some package managers/app stores, such as flatpak and snap include source ports.

For macOS, Mac Source Ports provides many of the games below but built for Apple Silicon (or as a Universal Binary where possible), with the apps signed and notarised. For the majority of the games, you will have to provide your own game data. The data for most of the games can be purchased on GOG or Steam (The game data from Windows versions usually work ok).

For a work-in-progress list of source ports that work on macOS see the Source ports on macOS page.

If you're looking for a specific game title, use the 'Ctrl+F' shortcut to search within this page.

Types of Game Ports

Original game

While the game was originally developed, while preparing the game logic and general behavior, the developers wrote the game code (the so called source code) in a high-level programming language (like C) that was then converted via an assembler to machine code (sequences of zeroes and ones, also called assembly), which varies depending on the target CPU architecture (x86 for PC Windows games, ARM for mobile phones or the Nintendo GBA / DS / 3DS, PowerPC for MacOs or the Nintendo Wii, MIPS for the N64 or the PS1, and so on...) and the result is the executable file of the game. If everything goes right, the published game will only have that executable.

Some details may vary in practice. Developers of older systems were desperate for ROM space and system performance, and the assemblers just weren't high quality, so they just wrote directly in assembly. In those cases, the official source codes that were eventually released or leaked just contain opcode names for the CPU instructions with label names and developer comments.

In other cases, especially visual novels but also many modern game engines (middleware game engines), the developer didn't use a programming language, but rather a scripting language, alongside a game engine developed by someone else. That scripting language was human-readable just like a source code, but was included with the published game. In that case, the executable was just there to parse that scripting and call the appropriate behavior.

Besides the game code, that is the programming that regulates the game behavior, there are the game assets, which are the graphics, videos, sound effects, game maps, game text and associated cutscene data, player stats... which are then called by the programming. The game assets will be rarely included in their full quality, but will be downgraded and modified to fit the game's technical limitations (hardware, storage size, etc) with any unneeded materials discarded.

The resulting code and assets will only work properly on a very specific CPU architecture, on a very specific game console with very specific hardware.

That code can be reused with different assets and game scripting (for events and the like) to create more games. The reusable part is called the game engine. Not all developers can afford to develop a full game engine from scratch, and many would rather focus on the assets. That's why some developers sold user licenses for their game engines to other developers, like with RenderWare, Unreal, and the like. Those are middleware game engines.

Games targeting multiple consoles usually incorporated in the development process a software development kit (SDK) acquired from Nintendo, Sony or Microsoft. When compiling the game, the SDK will include assemblers that target that console's unique CPU architecture and hardware features, conversion tools that prepare the game assets for compatibility with that console, software libraries that help integrate the game with the console-specific OS features and take full advantage of them... These are included as part of the middleware game engines nowadays, provided the game developer was subscribed to that console's official developer progam.

Official ports (Port)

These are supposed to be the developer's best effort to convince you to double-dip and buy the game once more on another platform. They go by various names: conversions, ports, remakes, remasters, HD versions, definitive editions, [$CONSOLE_NAME] editions... The selling point, besides the availability on a new platform, will be higher quality game assets, long-awaited bug-fixes to the game code, or even new content... The fan expectation will be that this content is sourced from the company's vaults (uncompressed videos, in-engine versions of prerendered cutscenes, scrapped gameplay content) and finished by the same development team with the same vision, creativity and quality control. After all, the developer has full access to the source code and game assets. (Supposedly.)

While that may have been the case for some stellar ports long ago, it's the exception today rather than the norm to find a port that offers more than the bare minimum: availability on another platform, unlocked framerate and resolution, and an upscale filter applied on videos and game textures with some minimal redrawing (and they don't even bother anymore with that much, with the recent ports with heavy AI use, so you can expect the SuperEagle/XBR emulator filter aesthetic). In fact, it may even be an inferior experience accounting for the inevitable content cuts (censorship, licensed content, platform changes, special gameplay controls they couldn't be bothered to re-implement...) and many developers lost the source code or the know-how to make use of it, after twenty years of layoffs too many.

That means that the gap between fan ports and official ports is smaller than what you may think. Those official ports are still considered valuable by the community if they target PC or a modern platform that's equally modding friendly.

Fan games and recreations (New Game)

Fans who don't have access to the developer's internal files, but just the finished game.

Some fans go the fangame route and recreate the game from scratch. In this case, the game code will be 100% original, and the game sprites will be recreations based on the finished game artwork, either relying on game screenshots, or extracting the game assets and converting the graphics (and other assets) to a format that can be exploited for a new game project. Either way, this isn't a port, but rather a full game development project. When these projects come to term, they will often release as a complete package with everything included and ready to play.

These projects won't be accurate to the gameplay feel of their original inspirations, and will include original graphics, which may be a good or bad thing depending on your tastes, the game, or the developer's restraint. They are not recommended for purists. Their availability will be limited if the game publisher takes them down because they reuse the name or some graphics from the original inspirations, and the developer may even continue the project as an original game IP, like what happened with the unlicensed Super Mario Bros. 3 MS-DOS port from 1990 that became Commander Keen.

  • Donkey Kong Land Remake: PC recreation of Donkey Kong Land, originally on Game Boy
  • New Super Mario Land: SNES recreation of Super Mario Land, originally on Game Boy
  • Sonic Triple Trouble 16-Bit: PC recreation of Triple Trouble, originally on the Master System
  • AM2R: PC recreation of Metroid 2, originally on Game Boy
  • Recreations of Game & Watch games for PC

While it's true that many official ports started as similar recreations without access to the source code, this article will consider these out of scope of what constitutes an unofficial game port.

Official source code releases (Source Code Only)

Source codes for games used to be treated like trade secrets, or would be sold for huge amounts of money to recoup the R&D costs poured into development. It's rare to see the publishers themselves release the source code, unless it's a show of goodwill towards the community, or an abandonware game.

Source ports can be made using those official source code releases. The most famous example that is often used is id Software's release of Doom in 1997. It led to so many ports being released that the community began to joke about what devices haven't gotten it running yet (see the Doom Wiki for a list). Examples are GZDoom, vkQuake, Kex Engine. On the less glamorous side is Nintendo's 2020 Gigaleak which exposed huge amounts of source codes, which allowed the community to build unreleased games such as the cancelled Japanese version of Dr. Mario 64 or many Star Fox or Pokemon development builds with interesting features that eventually were reprised in fan romhacks.

This skips the step of figuring out how the game works. The biggest disadvantage with these source codes is that they were originally used with specific development environments and tools (like the inaccessible official SDKs, as opposed to fan alternatives), that are no longer readily available or compatible with modern operating systems. If it's an officially-sanctioned release, it might have limitations on its use in open source projects, and it might have content omitted from it because it requires more third-party authorizations for a full source release. If it's a leaked source, the original publisher will go on a warpath to purge it from the internet, and it can't be used in open-source projects openly as a result. On the community side, developers will be wary of compromising projects that strictly abide by clean-room reverse engineering doctrine. This means that their usefulness will be more limited in practice to documentation, and that fan disassembly projects will be still needed before anything useful can be freely released.

Disassemblies (Source Code Only)

For games that don't have an official source code released, fans will only have the released game files (the binary) to work with. However, it's still possible to figure out its source code through a reverse-engineering process known as disassembly. This takes the game executable, which is a binary file (a sequence of ones and zeroes), and tries to generate a disassembly, which is the human-readable "source code", sort of. It will have recognizable functions, variables, instructions, calls to known input/output hardware specific to that console (graphic calls, gamepad poll reads, updating the color memory, etc).

However, that "source code" will be of little use in that state. It's written in assembly rather than a high-level language (like C), which is hardly reader-friendly when it comes to complex programs. Unlike with source codes, there won't be any variable or function names; temporary labels that use their hexadecimal position in the binary or memory will be used instead, and the fan researching the game will have to come up with names for them as he figures their purpose after painstaking guesstimates and trials-by-fire. There won't be any developer comments either. It's also possible that the "source code" output is complete garbage if it was generated with false assumptions: the tool will try to disassemble parts of the executable that aren't actual code, or will work in the wrong memory mode causing garbage writes/reads, or work with the wrong assembly language...

Game executables typically have a entry point where the first assembly instruction is. Emulators will typically start from there, and some emulators offer debugger output that can be helpful for researchers working on disassemblies, since they will parse the game executable correctly and the emulator developers will have accounted for any weird hardware quirks. That falls under dynamic disassembly. Another approach relies on using Ghidra or IDA Pro with the ROM file directly, which falls under static disassembly and has the advantage of analyzing ALL of the game, not just the parts normally accessible in the average playthrough, and auto-generates an equivalent of the code in a higher-level language like C (or pseudo-code) that can be more helpful with figuring out the game logic.

Romhacks used to rely on partial disassembly, but complete disassemblies that cover the entire game were soon released. These include not just the full game code, but also the assets, alongside various scripts to extract and convert the asset data (often sourced from the ROM to appease the copyright holders). What makes a disassembly "complete" is a matter of debate, but not all disassemblies were created equal. The bare minimum is whether running an assembler makefile on that project will convert everything into a ROM that's a byte-perfect replica of the original ROM (100% matching). But the golden standard will be whether the purpose behind every function or variable was properly documented and tested. Mod support, after all, relies heavily on the ability to move code around or extend it, which is hardly practical with a disassembly full of "non-matching" blobs of data that are directly copied in binary form from the original file with giant stickers that say "do not touch, do not move".

A successful disassembly project will be a modern fan-made source code of the game, targeting the original platform, and creating a perfect replica of the game. It will be written in assembly, rather than high-level programming languages.

To use a disassembly project, you will usually need the original ROM, and the assembler tools and make files recommended by the project... to make a copy of that same original ROM. Unless you're a developer who wants to use this disassembly project to make a more interesting project, like a romhack, a mod, or a port, this is useless for you.

While one might think the use of assembly language (as opposed to better programming languages) is way too primitive and unpractical, the truth is that many games from pre-fifth generation consoles were originally written directly in assembly. Since the purpose of disassembly projects is to recreate the source port, as authentically as possible, this is ideal.

Decompilations

On its own, the term means to revert the game from a binary file to its state before the source code was compiled. But in practice, the term means different things depending on its context.

Middleware game engines (Source Code, Port)

Let's start with situations where the game engine uses a scripting language rather than "proper" programming. The game engine developers will provide the game developers with various ways to obfuscate their "source code" (their beloved trade secrets), but it won't change the fact that the game shipped with its source code, and that the game engine merely interprets it. This means it's still possible to get the source code easily, with its function and variable names and everything (maybe not always the developer comments), by merely decompiling the game assets.

For these reasons, it's often trivial to get the full programming for games developed in Unity, GameMaker, Godot, Ren'Py... and freely mod the game. With some additional effort, mainly to convert any console-specific assets like textures and sound effects, it's even possible to make unofficial ports of these games to other platforms. This is typically abused for Vita, PC and Android ports. These ports will be based on an existing game (or engine fan port) already ported for that platform, that will be the host of the new scripting and game assets. In especially badly protected games, it's possible to generate the entire project file, in which case you can download the game engine SDK and open that file using it as if you're the original developer. That's how you get plagiarist developers going as far as sell an unauthorized copy of the game on their own and passing the approval processes.

Not all games developed on these engines can be cracked wide open this way. The developer can only use parts of the game engine's features and discard the rest.

Original games (Source Code Only)

For more traditional game engines, if the game isn't too old (and thus its source code written in assembly), the developer will usually work with traditional high-level languages (C, C++). The C source code will be compiled using a specific compiler version with specific parameters (optimization flags, etc), and the result will the assembly code and a binary file representing the game executable, like with the examples from before. The main difference is that assembly code was machine-generated rather than handcrafted. While this may mean it's more unoptimized, this isn't as important for developers as the more advanced hardware gains made up for that... until they didn't anymore.

A decompilation project is similar to a disassembly project, with the main difference it now takes the original game executable and generates a source code in C (before the compiler) rather than assembly. And just like it, it's useless for the average mortal (you give it a game file, you get the same game file back). Not all decompilation projects are created equal, or even usable for other projects without significant further work.

Decompilation projects are more easily said than done, because quality-wise the auto-generated C code prepared by the likes of Ghidra and IDA Pro is absolute rubbish. Since the objective is to replicate the original source code, researchers can go mad as they wonder why a C function doesn't exactly compile to a 1:1 byte match of the original binary file equivalent. It turns out that the original binary was generated using a primitive compiler from 1997 and some obscure SDK revision for that console, which they will need to track down. Half-assing this is possible, but will lead to further problems down the line, because misaligned code can behave differently and can introduce bugs or slowdown just because of console quirks alone.

Game engine reimplementations (New Game)

When multiple games rely on the same game engine, it might be worthwhile to recreate the game engine on the new target platform, and then have it load the game assets from the original game files.

How the developers go about this process depends on their philosophy.

They may think it's enough to develop the new game engine as a fan game that's compatible with the original files. The abstract features of the projects are implemented going by how components are expected to be used rather than how the game actually uses them. This forgoes game assembly, and in the case some official source code was released, avoids any discussions about clean-room design, albeit obsessing over propriety or property in fan projects is an exercise in futility and wasted goodwill. This isn't always bad, however, as it might be more desirable to redevelop a more optimized version of the engine than a more authentic one.

They may also opt to go all the way and disassemble or decompile the original executable. Some projects may still include the original game executable as a dependency the new game engine will still rely on, if not all of its functions have an equivalent high-level implementation in the new game engine.

So called collections include different engine types, an example being ScummVM that contains many recreations and source ports.

Source port (Port)

A port based on an official source code release.

Typically, it will be a hassle-free game executable and its assets, or as a romhack that modifies the original game executable to the new game executable. That's because anyone using official source codes operates with a different philosophy than fan reverse engineering projects.

Decomp port (Port)

A port based on an unofficial fan-made source code release, whether it's a decompilation project, or disassembly project.

Typically, the project maintainers will base it off an existing project with heavy modifications to fix its shortcomings (won't boot at all, very glitchy), add basic quality of life features (controls, video options, unlocked framerate, user interface), and ideally even more features like bugfixes of notable bugs and issues present in the original game, randomizers, actual mod support, and so on. This is made possible thanks to the project maintainers putting in the work to research the game and try to get as close to the original source code as possible.

They will require the player provide a game ROM/ISO so that the project owners won't be held accountable for piracy or including assets. An installer will then generate the game executable and assets. It will be a pain to get the exact game version required by the installer, but the full game will be typically reuploaded elsewhere without that requirement if you feel adventurous.

Recomp port (Port)

A different hybrid approach to make ports fast, based on a disassembly project, and on existing emulation research.

This approach is sold as an alternative to emulation for underpowered target systems, that would run the game at full speed. Instead of a full emulator, a native program is generated instead. The game's code is converted to assembly code for the target platform's CPU architecture, while all hardware calls to the original hardware (graphics, sound, etc) is redirected to the equivalent APIs in the target hardware just like with emulators... or rather that part is taken exactly from existing emulators. The goal isn't some deep dive in the game secrets or advanced mod support: they just want a port that works, and one that works better than an existing emulator.

This isn't unheard of in official ports: Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch) relied on this for Super Mario Galaxy. Many older PC ports of PS1 games emulated the PS1 graphics and sound engine while the game code was reimplemented as native PC code.

To make these recomp projects, a so-called recompiler tool is used to generate the new source code of the native game executable. When games have ongoing concurrent decomp and recomp projects, the recomp project will be less time consuming, and can make use of the decomp project's progress. However, the port won't be perfect without even more modifications. Recomp ports that halfass this aspect will typically exhibit graphical bugs similar to very early emulators for that console, and will have crashes and softlocks for untested functions. So even though it takes way less time to get a working executable, the work to make it as playable as the original (or even better) will be as hard as a decomp port.

On A.I.-assisted projects

A.I. usage is very controversial, but not all of its advocates or critics approach it for the same reasons that interest the average emugen wiki user.

It has certainly its legitimate uses for unofficial port projects. A main obstacle is telling apart valid code and simulate its execution without having to emulate it. Some code can be quickly labeled with inferences based on a known hardware call. In that sense, it can make "quick work" of a recomp port and achieve 100% recomp progress faster. The texture upscale algorithms for HD texture packs are also another form of A.I. as well. We can say it achieved it benefited that project in that situation. Opposition to A.I. usage in that case would not be from a place of concern for the player, but over ethical concerns: corporate A.I. politics and their impact on humanity, plagiarism, and more specifically whether the resulting project is still legal or clean-room or respecting its license. The player may or may not care about these concerns, but they're not the main topic of this article.

The other face of A.I.-assisted projects are the so-called AI slop ports, pumped en masse as engagement farming, and aggressively promoted with various ulterior motives. Which brings us to the question: "Why would I use a decomp / recomp instead of emulation?" or "Why would I play this game using this port instead of that version?"

AI-slop ports often fundamentally fail this simple test. But it's not necessarily an issue with the game, the target platform, the decomp/recomp approaches, emulation, or even automation of repetitive programming tasks (the so-called A.I.). It's more often than not an issue with that specific port, and that specific author, and a certain snake oil seller mentality that doesn't put the player's best interests in mind, or care whether this new project is better or useful.

Ports of 16-bit games targeting the 3DS that struggle to hit full framerate, while an option to experience these same games in full speed with no bugs exist on that same hardware, officially provided no less. A recomp alpha of a N64 game released as a "full release" with graphical bugs unseen in N64 emulation since UltraHLE in 1999, even Nintendo's own crappy official emulators, while a fullspeed widescreen 60 FPS way to play that game exist on the same platform. Decomp ports that no longer clean up glitches in the decomp source or its chaotic code but will still advertise "mod support". And so on, and so forth. A lot of noise, misinformation and bad advice that tries to attack the credibility of emulation or game mods or fan ports just to humor the whims of a few loud voices.

It can be useful to ask, then: "Did I try emulation before for this platform? Is what I actually want an emulator with launcher support and widescreen / 60 FPS patches?" and "Which features does this recomp / decomp port build currently offer, that aren't offered by existing emulators?" and, if the AI use is a red flag for you, "Did the author of the project show any original programming skill before, or is it just 100% vibe-coding?" These questions will be enough to answer whether a specific project is worth your time and the missed advantages from emulation (save state support, convenient cheat codes, etc)

Multi-game engine

Action-adventure

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
OpenLara[1] Windows Linux macOS Android iOS Linux ARM Nintendo 3DS PlayStation Vita Switch Game Boy Advance Xbox SailfishOS 3DO 32X Web Xbox One Windows 8 Phone git

SailfishOS

~ ~ PC: Tomb Raider 1–4

Handhelds: Tomb Raider 1

OpenTomb Windows git Tomb Raider 1–5
Tomb Raider Automated Fix Windows TR1

TR2

~ Tomb Raider 1 & 2 + expansions
Tomb Raider 1 & 2 Classic Collection PlayStation Vita git

VitaDB

~ Tomb Raider 1 & 2 Classic (Android versions)
TRX Windows Linux macOS git Tomb Raider 1 & 2 + expansions
CroftEngine Windows Linux git ~ ? Tomb Raider 1
TR2Main Windows git ? Tomb Raider 2

Bullet Hell

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
ReC98: The Touhou PC-98 Restoration Project Multi-platform git [note 1] Touhou 1–5 (PC-98)

FPS

See also Game engine recreations and source ports/FPS for more in-depth description sorted by engine

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
BuildGDX Windows Linux macOS Website Blood, Duke Nukem 3D, Powerslave/Exhumed, Redneck Rampage, Redneck Rampage Rides Again, Rock 'n' Shaolin/Legend of the Seven Paladins 3D, Shadow Warrior, TekWar, Witchaven, Witchaven II
EDuke32

VoidSW [2]

Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD Website EDuke32: Duke Nukem 3D, Ion Fury, NAM, World War II GI

VoidSW: Shadow Warrior

Metaforce Windows Linux macOS Dev builds

git

(WIP) Retro Games

(Metroid Prime 1–3 & Donkey Kong Country Returns)

Nuclide Linux Website

git

(WIP) GoldSrc Games

(Half-Life, Counter-Strike 1.5, Team Fortress etc..)

openDarkEngine Windows Linux git Thief 1-2, System Shock 2
Raze Windows Linux macOS git Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, Redneck Rampage, Shadow Warrior and Exhumed/Powerslave, Nam, WW2 GI
RedNukem Windows Linux git Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem 64, Redneck Rampage, Redneck Rampage Rides Again, NAM, World War II GI
Serious Sam Classic VK Windows Linux FreeBSD git Serious Sam: The First Encounter, Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
Surreal Engine Windows Linux macOS git (WIP) Unreal Gold, Unreal Tournament 99
Xash3D FWGS Windows Linux macOS Android 0.99

git

Half-Life 1 engine games
Xash3DS Nintendo 3DS git Half-Life 1 engine games
XLEngine Windows Linux git [note 2] Star Wars: Dark Forces, Daggerfall

Later: Outlaws, Blood, Shadow Warrior

Horror

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Free In The Dark Windows Linux git ~ Alone in the Dark 1-3
OpenAWE Windows Linux git Alan Wake, Alan Wake's American Nightmare

Platform

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Commander Genius Windows Linux macOS Switch 3.6.1 Commander Keen 1-6, Cosmos Cosmic Adventure 1-3, Keen Dreams
MBHaxe Windows Linux macOS Android iOS Web git Marble Blast Gold, Platinum & Ultra
OpenGOAL Windows Linux macOS 0.2.31 Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II, Jak 3, Jak X[3]
RSDKv5 Windows Linux macOS Android PlayStation Vita PlayStation 3

Switch Nintendo 3DS Wii Wii U

Sonic 1 & 2

Sonic CD

Sonic Mania

Sonic Origins fork

Sonic the Hedgehog 1–2, Sonic CD and Sonic Mania.

(Retro Engine v5)

Point & Click Adventure

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
ScummVM Windows Windows 9x Linux macOS PlayStation Portable PlayStation Vita Android Dreamcast Switch Wii Haiku AmigaOS MorphOS RiscOS MiNT Nintendo DS 2026.3.0 Adventure games and RPGs (LucasArts, Sierra, Activision, Humongous & more. Over 250 games.)

Racing

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
OpenDriver Windows Linux git ~ Driver 1-2
OpenNFS Windows Linux macOS git Need for Speed I–III, Need for Speed: High Stakes, Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
ProjectR Windows Linux macOS Website San Francisco Rush: The Rock, San Francisco Rush 2049

RPG

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
BaKGL Windows Linux macOS git ~ Betrayal at Krondor
EasyRPG Windows Linux Pandora PlayStation Vita Android Switch Wii AmigaOS MorphOS Nintendo 3DS 0.8.1.1 RPG Maker 2000/2003 games
Exult Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD Android iOS git Ultima VII: The Black Gate, Ultima VII Part Two: The Serpent Isle, Ultima VI: Remake
Falltergeist Windows Linux git (WIP) Fallout 1-2
GemRB Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD Android git Infinity Engine

(Baldur's Gate series (1998–2001), Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale series (2000–2002))

gen1recomp Windows Linux Linux ARM macOS Switch Xbox One Xbox Series X/S Android git Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow
JoiPlay Android 1.20.023

RPG Maker Plugin

Ren'Py Plugin

Ruffle Plugin

RPG Maker XP/VX/VA/MV/MV games/Ren'Py/TyranoBuilder/HTML based games
MKXP Windows Linux macOS 2023 Builds RPG Maker XP/VX/VX Ace games
MKXP-Z Windows Linux macOS 2.4.2 RPG Maker XP/VX/VX Ace games
Neko RPGXP Player Android 2.01 ~ RPG Maker XP/VX/VA/MV games
UnderworldGodot Windows Linux git Ultima Underworld 1-2
xoreos Windows Linux macOS 0.0.6 ~ (WIP) BioWare's Aurora engine & derivatives

(BioWare's 7 PC/console RPGs, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, The Witcher)

RTS

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
openage Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git ~ Genie Engine

(Age of Empires, AoE II (HD), Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds)

OpenRA Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD PlayStation Vita git Early Westwood games (Command & Conquer Tiberian Dawn, C&C: Red Alert, Dune 2000).

Soon: 2nd-gen C&C (C&C: Tiberian Sun).

OpenSAGE Windows Linux macOS git ~ (WIP) EA's Command & Conquer games

(C&C: Generals, C&C: Generals - Zero Hour) Soon: The Battle for Middle-earth series (2004–2006), C&C 3 + expansion.

Stratagus[4] Windows Linux macOS Android 3.3.2 [note 3] [note 4] Wargus (v3.3.2): Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness + Beyond the Dark Portal, Aleona's Tale

War1gus (v3.3.2): Warcraft: Orcs & Humans Stargus (v3.3.0): StarCraft (partially playable as of v2.4.1) Games natively made on the Stratagus engine: Aleona's Tale (Wargus), Astroseries, Bos Wars, Wyrmsun

Vanilla Conquer Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git Early Westwood games (Command & Conquer, C&C: Red Alert, Dune 2000).

Based on the official source code release by EA, with the goal of serving as a portable drop-in replacement for the original executables as well as a platform for mod developers.

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Impacto Windows Linux macOS Android Switch git (WIP) MAGES. Engine (Science Adventure games)
Xsystem35 Windows Linux Android 2.17.1 Alicesoft. System35 Engine (RPG and strategy games)

Various

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
DREAMM* Windows macOS Linux 4.0.0 LucasArts: Maniac Mansion, Zak McKracken, Indiana Jones (Last Crusade & Fate of Atlantis & Infernal Machine & Desktop Adventures), Loom, Monkey Island (1 & 2 & Curse & Escape), Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max, Full Throttle, The Dig, Grim Fandango, Rebel Assault (1 & 2), X-Wing, Tie-Fighter, Dark Forces, Dark Forces 2 Jedi Knight, Mysteries of the Sith, Shadows of the Empire, Yoda Stories, Mortimer and the Riddles of the Medallion, Outlaws (+13 more in the 3.0 beta)
Jorio's ports of Pangea Software games Windows Linux macOS depending on game Billy Frontier, Bugdom, Bugdom 2, Cro-Mag Rally, Mighty Mike (Power Pete), Nanosaur, Nanosaur II: Hatchling, Otto Matic
OpenGMK Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git GameMaker game engines
M-HT SR / SRW Windows Linux Pandora depending on game Albion (1995), X-Com: UFO Defense (UFO: Enemy Unknown), X-Com: Terror from the Deep, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator, Battle Isle 3: Shadow of the Emperor (Battle Isle 2220: Shadow of the Emperor)
MegaZeux Windows Linux macOS Android FreeBSD Web Nintendo 3DS Wii Wii U PlayStation Portable PlayStation Vita Dreamcast MS-DOS AmigaOS GP2X Pandora 2.93d MegaZeux games

Single game engine

Action-adventure

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
2 Ship 2 Harkinian Windows Linux macOS git The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)
Bomberman 64: Recompiled Windows Linux macOS git Bomberman 64
Courage Reborn Windows Linux macOS Android Switch TBA TBD The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Dinosaur Planet: Recompiled Windows Linux 0.2.0 Dinosaur Planet
donut Windows git The Simpsons: Hit & Run
Dusklight Windows Linux macOS Android iOS 1.4.1

git

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GameCube)[5]
The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening DX HD - PC Port Windows 1.5.8 TBD The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Link's Awakening DX HD Windows git [ Game engine recreations and source ports ~] The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
MegaMan64 Recompiled Windows Linux macOS git Mega Man 64
Mystical Ninja Recompilation Windows Linux macOS git Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Open Ocarina Windows git The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
OpenDrakan Windows Linux git ~ Drakan: Order of the Flame
Redguard Unity Windows Linux git The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard
Ship of Harkinian Windows Linux macOS Wii U Switch 9.0.2

Nightly builds

git

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time + Master Quest[6]
sm Windows Linux macOS Switch PlayStation Vita git ~ Super Metroid
Starfox64Recomp Windows Linux 1.0.2 Star Fox 64
Starship Windows Linux macOS Switch 2.0.0 Star Fox 64
tmc (pc port) Windows Linux git ~ The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Zelda3 Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM Switch git

Android

Xbox One

Vita

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Zelda 64: Recompiled Windows Linux 1.2.2 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)

FPS

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Aleph One Windows Linux macOS 1.11 Marathon (1994), Marathon 2: Durandal, Marathon Infinity, Pathways Into Darkness
BStone Windows Linux macOS 1.3.3 Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold, Blake Stone: Planet Strike
BetterSpades Windows Linux macOS git Ace of Spades
D2X-XL

DXX-Rebirth

Windows Linux macOS 1.18.77

git

Descent, Descent II
Descent Wii Wii 1.12

git (forked)

Descent
DXX-3DS[7] Nintendo 3DS git Descent, Descent II
DXX-Retro[7] Windows macOS git Descent, Descent II
DXX-Switch[7] Switch git ? Descent, Descent II
Duke Nukem Zero Hour: Recompiled Windows Linux macOS Alpha 0.0.3 ? Duke Nukem Zero Hour
EDuke32 Wii Wii Website Duke Nukem 3D
Librelancer Windows Linux git ? Freelancer
Freespace 2 Wii Wii beta 3 ? Freespace 2
Freespace 2 Source Code Project Windows Linux macOS Knossos installer and mod manager Freespace 2, also includes Freespace 1 and expansion Silent Threat through fanmade ports to the FS2 engine.
LithTech Jupiter System Windows Linux git ? No One Lives Forever 2
NakedAVP Windows Linux macOS 1.2.2 Aliens Vs Predator Gold
NBlood Windows Linux git Blood + expansion
OpenJK Windows Linux macOS Build

git

~ Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
OpenJKDF2 Windows Linux macOS Web Nintendo DS Android git ~[note 5] (WIP) Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
OpenMoHAA Windows Linux macOS git Medal of Honour: Allied Assault + expansions
OpenXRay Windows Linux macOS git S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Series
PCExhumed Windows Linux git Powerslave (PC)
Powerslave EX Windows Linux macOS git Powerslave (console)
Perfect Dark Windows Linux git Perfect Dark
Shockolate Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git System Shock 1
The Force Engine Windows Linux 1.22.42 Current: Star Wars: Dark Forces

Future: Outlaws

Surreal 98 (DXU24) Windows Modders channel ~ (WIP) Deus Ex
xGreed Windows 1.1.12.55 In Pursuit of Greed
Portal: Still Alive Windows ModDB Portal: Still Alive
id Tech Engines
dhewm3 Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD AmigaOS Switch git

dhewm3-amigaos4

Doom 3 (Original)
Doom64 EX Windows Linux macOS 2.5 Doom 64 (Original)
Doom64 EX Plus Windows Linux macOS 5.2

Ultra fork

Doom 64 (Original)
ECWolf Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM Android 1.4.2 Wolfenstein 3D, Spear of Destiny, Super 3D Noah’s Ark
Hammer of Thyrion Windows Linux macOS 1.5.9 Hexen II
Heretic Wii[8] Wii 0.5 ? Heretic
Hexen Wii

HHexen (Wii)[9]

Wii 1.0

0.5

? Hexen
HHeretic[8] Linux 0.2.4 ? Heretic
HHexen[9] Linux 1.6.4 ? Hexen
ioquake3 Windows Linux macOS AmigaOS 1.36 Quake III: Arena
iortcw Windows Linux macOS git

Salted fork

~ Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Linux Hexen[9] Linux 0.6.0 Hexen
PrBoom Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git ~[note 6] Doom I–II, Final Doom
PsyDoom Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM git ~ Doom, Final Doom
q2repro Windows git ~ Quake 2 Remastered
Quake GameCube/QuakeGX[10] Nintendo GameCube Wii 0.0.5-2 (GX) ? Quake 1
Quake Rev PAK[11] Wii release 4 ? Quake 1–2, ThreeWave CTF mod for Quake 2, QuakeWorld
Quakespasm

vkQuake[12]

Windows Linux macOS 0.96.3

Ironwail fork

Quake 1 (The Ironwail fork supports the Remastered version)
RBDOOM-3-BFG Windows Linux macOS git Doom 3 (BFG Edition)
realrtcw Windows Linux macOS ModDB page Return to Castle Wolfenstein (based on iortcw)
Rise of the Triad for Linux Windows 7 Linux Dreamcast 1.1.2 Rise of the Triad: Dark War
rottexpr Windows Linux macOS git

Barrett fork

Rise of the Triad: Dark War
Tyrquake Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git Quake 1
vitaQuake II Windows Linux macOS PlayStation Vita git

PS Vita

~ Quake 2
WiiDoom

WiiDoom-Fork (music support)

Wii 0.4.5

Fork

Doom I–II, Final Doom, Chex Quest I–II (forked version only but with some conversion issues)
Wii-DOOM

Wii-HERETIC Wii-HEXEN Wii-STRIFE

Wii r33 Wii-DOOM: Doom I–II, Final Doom

Wii-HERETIC: Heretic Wii-HEXEN: Hexen Wii-STRIFE: Strife: Quest for the Sigil

Wolfenstein 3D Wii Wii 1.31 Wolfenstein 3D, Spear of Destiny
Yamagi Quake II Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD 8.51 Quake 2

Horror

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Amnesia: The Dark Descent Redux Windows Linux git ~ ~ Amnesia: The Dark Descent
FNaF 1 3DS -old/obsolete-

FNaF 1 3DS -remastered-[13]

Nintendo 3DS 0.2.3

0.3.1-pre1

Five Nights at Freddy's
FNaF 1 PSP[13] PlayStation Portable 1.3.1 Fix 1 Five Nights at Freddy's
FNaF 2 3DS[13] Nintendo 3DS beta 1.0 Five Nights at Freddy's 2
FNaF 3 3DS[13] Nintendo 3DS beta 0.1.3 Five Nights at Freddy's 3
FNaF 4 3DS[13] Nintendo 3DS beta 0.3 ~ Five Nights at Freddy's 4
MikuPan Windows Linux git ~ Fatal Frame
OpenBiohazard2 Windows Linux git ~ Resident Evil 2
sh3redux Windows Linux git Silent Hill 3
sh1pc Windows Linux git ~ Silent Hill

MMO

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
2009scape Windows Linux macOS Android website Runescape
AzerothCore Windows Linux FreeBSD website ? World of Warcraft
ClassicUO Windows Linux macOS website

git

? Ultima Online
CrossUO Windows Linux macOS git ? Ultima Online
Darkflame Universe Windows Linux macOS git ? LEGO Universe
TrinityCore Windows Linux macOS git ? World of Warcraft
WoWee Windows Linux macOS git ? Word of Warcraft

Platform

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Abe's Amazing Adventure Wii Wii r3 ? Abe's Amazing Adventure
Abuse 2025 Windows macOS git ~ Abuse
Abuse Wii Wii 0.8.684.2 ? Abuse
Banjo: Recompiled Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM 1.0.1 ? Banjo-Kazooie (N64)
BMHeroRecomp Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM git ? Bomberman Hero
Cave Story Engine 2 Windows Linux macOS Nintendo 3DS Wii U PlayStation 2 Wii Nintendo DS git

archive

Wii, NDS, PS2

[note 7] [note 8] Cave Story
doukutsu-rs Windows Linux macOS Android Switch git Cave Story
C1 Windows Linux git ~ Crash Bandicoot
C2C Windows git ~ Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Ghostship Windows Linux macOS git Super Mario 64
hodex Xbox binaries

source code

SDL fork

~ Heart of Darkness
Jazz² Resurrection Windows Linux macOS Android Switch git Jazz Jackrabbit 2
Jump 'n Bump Wii 0.3.1 ? Jump 'n Bump
katam Windows Linux macOS git ? Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
OpenMBU Windows git ~ ~ Marble Blast Ultra
Maze of Galious 3DS Nintendo 3DS 1.0 ? The Maze of Galious remake
MazeOfGaliousWii Wii 0.63.3 ? The Maze of Galious remake
NXEngine

nxengine-evo

Windows Linux macOS 1.0.0.6

git

Cave Story
OpenCrashWOC Windows Linux git ? Crash Bandicoot: Wrath Of Cortex
OpenHCL PlayStation Portable Wii Nintendo 3DS PlayStation Vita git ~ Hydra Castle Labyrinth
OpenJazz Windows Linux macOS Pandora RiscOS Haiku GP32 Dreamcast Wii Nintendo 3DS Switch git ~ Jazz Jackrabbit 1
OpenMadoola Windows git The Wing of Madoola
R.E.L.I.V.E. Windows Linux macOS git Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus
rawgl Windows Linux macOS git Another World/Out of This World
ReDuke Windows Linux macOS Beta 4 Duke Nukem (Duke Nukum)
REminiscence Windows Android 0.5.5 Flashback (Another World's spiritual sequel)
Rigel Engine Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM git Duke Nukem II
sa2 Windows Linux macOS git ? Sonic Advance 2
SDLPoP Windows Linux macOS git Prince of Persia (1989)
Sonic the Hedgehog Forever Windows Android Switch Wii U 1.5.1 ~ Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Absolute Windows 1.2.1 ~ Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic-2-CE TI84+CE 1.10 ~ Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic 3 A.I.R. (Angel Island Revisited) Windows Linux macOS Android PlayStation Vita Switch Web git Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
Sonic Mania 3DS Nintendo 3DS Build ~ Sonic Mania 3DS
srb32x Genesis [14] v0.2a ~ Sonic Robo Blast 2
smw Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM Switch git

Switch

Super Mario World, Super Mario All-Stars[15]
Super Mario 64 Port Multi-platform Depends on port Super Mario 64 (N64)
Super Mario Bros. Remastered Windows Linux macOS 1.0.2 Super Mario Bros.[16]
Super Mario World Remastered Plus Windows Linux macOS 1.1 Super Mario World
Unleashed Recompiled Windows Linux macOS git Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360)
xrick Windows Linux Nintendo GameCube BeOS AmigaOS GP32 #021212 Rick Dangerous
TheXTech Windows Linux macOS Android Haiku Switch Wii U Wii Nintendo 3DS PlayStation Vita Web 1.3.7.2-hotfix1 Super Mario Bros. X[17]

Racing

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
CannonBall Windows Linux macOS Pandora Linux ARM git OutRun
CannonBall (Wii) Wii git OutRun
CTRPC[18] Windows WIP ~[note 9] Crash Team Racing
Dethrace Windows Linux macOS git ~ Carmageddon
DRally Windows Linux git ? Death Rally
MarioKart64Recomp Windows Linux macOS git Mario Kart 64
NFSIISE Windows Linux macOS Android git ~ Need for Speed II: SE
Open Test Drive Unlimited /

OpenTDU

Windows Linux git TBD Test Drive Unlimited
Open1560 Windows git Midtown Madness 1
OpenC1 Windows Linux macOS 1.4

git

Carmageddon
OpenLGR Windows Linux macOS git Lego Racers
OpenMC2 Linux macOS (via Wine) git ~ Midnight Club II
OpenSWE1R Windows Linux macOS git ~ (WIP) Star Wars Episode 1: Racer
REDriver2 Windows Linux Web git Driver 2
RoadFighterWii Wii 1.0 Road Fighter remake
RVGL Windows Linux macOS Android Linux ARM Pandora 23.1030a1 Re-Volt
SpaghettiKart Windows Linux Switch git Mario Kart 64
snowboardkids2-recomp Windows Linux macOS Linux ARM git Snowboard Kids 2
stuntcarremake[19] Windows 7 Linux Pandora Build 08 Stunt Car Racer (Amiga / AtariST)
Wipeout Phantom Edition Windows git ~ Wipeout
Wipeout Rewrite Windows Linux macOS git Wipeout

Real-time

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s) Genre
OpenVic Windows Linux git Victoria 2 Grand Strategy
Project Alice Windows Linux 1.3.0 Victoria 2
CorrinoEngine Windows Linux git Emperor: Battle for Dune Real-time strategy
Dune Dynasty Windows Linux 1.5 Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
Dune II: The Maker Windows 0.7.0

Nightly

Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
Dune Legacy Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD 0.99.5 Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
KaM Remake Windows Build

git

Knights and Merchants
KeeperFX Windows 1.3.1 Dungeon Keeper
OpenDUNE Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git ~ Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
OpenKeeper Windows Linux git Dungeon Keeper 2
TA3D Windows Linux macOS git Total Annihilation
WarsmashModEngine Windows Linux git ~ Warcraft III
wkbre2 Windows Linux git Warrior Kings: Battles
FreeSynd Windows Linux macOS 0.9 Syndicate (1993) Real-time tactics
Syndicate Wars Port Windows Linux macOS 0.3.3

Fan Expansion fork

~[note 10] Syndicate Wars
OpenApoc Windows Linux macOS git ~[note 11] X-COM: Apocalypse Selectable real-time or turn-based tactics

RPG

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Ambermoon.net Windows Linux macOS git Ambermoon
Arcanum CE Windows Linux macOS Android iOS git Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arkanum Windows Linux git Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arx Libertatis Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git Arx Fatalis
Daggerfall Unity Windows Linux macOS Android v1.1.1

v1.1.1.9 (Android)

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
DevilutionX Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD Haiku AmigaOS

Xbox Android iOS Nintendo 3DS PlayStation Vita Xbox One Xbox Series X/S Switch

git Diablo
Fallout CE Windows Linux Android iOS macOS Switch

Nintendo 3DS PlayStation Vita

git

3DS git

Vita git

Fallout 1
Fallout 2 CE Windows Linux Android iOS macOS Switch

Nintendo 3DS PlayStation Vita

git

3DS git

Vita git

Fallout 2
Freeablo Windows Linux macOS git ~ Diablo
Infinity Blade 1 & 2 for Windows Windows IF1 Archive.org page

IF2 Archive.org page

Infinity Blade
Memoria Windows Linux macOS git Final Fantasy IX
Noah Windows Linux git (WIP) Xenogears
NorseWorld: Ragnarok Windows git Ragnarok / Valhalla
OpenEnroth Windows Linux macOS git Might and Magic VII
OpenDiablo2 Windows Linux macOS git Diablo II
OpenGothic Windows Linux macOS git Gothic II
OpenMW Windows Linux macOS Android 0.50.0 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
OpenTESArena Windows Linux macOS git (WIP) The Elder Scrolls I: Arena
OpenVIII Windows Linux git Final Fantasy VIII
OpenNox Windows Linux git ~ Nox
pokeemerald Windows Linux macOS git ? Pokémon Emerald
Quest 64: Recompiled Windows Linux git ~ Quest 64
REGoth Windows Linux git Gothic, Gothic II
reone Windows Linux git (WIP) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 1-2
Riiablo Windows Linux macOS Android git ? Diablo II
sdlpal Windows Linux macOS Android git ~ The Legend of Sword and Fairy (PAL)
Severed Chains Windows Linux macOS git Legend of Dragoon
UndertaleDecomp Windows git Undertale
Undertale Mobile Mod for iOS and Android Android iOS ModDB page
Undertale Yellow Android Port Android 1.1.1 ? Undertale Yellow
Undertale Yellow Remastered /

Undertale Justified (+ mobile port)

Android 0.1.0 ?

Sandbox

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
CavEX Wii 0.3.0 Minecraft b1.7.3
ClassiCube Windows macOS Linux FreeBSD NetBSD Android iOS Xbox 360 Xbox Web Classic Mac OS Haiku MS-DOS Switch Dreamcast Wii Nintendo GameCube Nintendo 3DS PlayStation 3 PlayStation 2 PlayStation Vita PlayStation Portable Nintendo DS Nintendo 64 PlayStation Symbian Saturn 1.3.7 Minecraft 0.30
IsleDecomp Windows Linux macOS Web Nintendo 3DS iOS Xbox One Xbox Series X/S git

Portable git

Play in browser

LEGO Island
Minecraft PSP PlayStation Portable 3.4.2 Minecraft
OpenRW Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git ~ ~ Grand Theft Auto III
PSP Minecraft PlayStation Portable 3.0.0 Minecraft
re3

reVC

Windows Linux Switch Nintendo 3DS Wii U PlayStation Vita git (re3)

git (reVC)

re3 (3DS)

re3 (Switch)

reVC (Switch)

ReVC (Vita)

re3 (Wii U)

reVC (Wii U)

[note 12] Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
San Andreas Unity Windows Linux macOS Android git ~ Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Wiicraft (2020) Wii git ? Minecraft v1.2.5
WoxelCraft Wii git ? 3D Voxel Engine (Minecraft)

Sim

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s) Genre
Akhenaten Windows Linux macOS PlayStation Vita Switch git ~ Pharaoh City-building
CaesarIA Windows Linux macOS Android Haiku 0.5 (2016) Caesar III
eZeus Windows Linux git ~ Zeus
FreeSerf Windows Linux macOS git

Forkserf git

The Settlers
Freeserf.net Windows Linux macOS git ? The Settlers
JSettlers Windows Linux Android git ? The Settlers 3
Julius

Augustus (Gameplay changes)

Windows Linux macOS PlayStation Vita Switch 1.8.0

4.0.0

Caesar III
Ozymandias Windows Linux macOS PlayStation Vita Switch git ~ Pharaoh
Return To The Roots Windows Linux macOS git The Settlers II: Veni, Vidi, Vici
CorsixTH Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD git Theme Hospital Construction/Management
OpenLoco Windows Linux macOS git Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
OpenRCT2 Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD OpenBSD Android git

OpenLauncher

RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (with RCT1 and expansions from both games being importable) or RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic (as of v0.4.2)[20]
OpenTTD Windows Linux macOS git Transport Tycoon Deluxe
OpenTTD (Wii) Wii 1.3.2 ? Transport Tycoon Deluxe
Pizza Legacy Windows Linux macOS git ? Pizza Tycoon
RCT Classic Vita PlayStation Vita git ? ~ RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic (Android)
TiP-Recomp Windows Linux git ~ Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
terminal-recall Windows Linux macOS git

Nightly Builds

Terminal Velocity, Fury3 Flight Combat
Openblack Windows Linux macOS Android iOS git Black & White God Game
LainTSX Web git Lain PSX Interactive fiction
Lain Bootleg Remake Windows Linux macOS git Lain Bootleg
ACGC PC Port Windows Linux git ? Animal Crossing Life Sim
FreeSims Windows Linux git ? The Sims
FreeSO Windows git ~ The Sims Online
Simitone Windows git ~ ~ The Sims

TBS

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
1oom Windows Linux git Master of Orion
Civ2-clone Windows Linux macOS git (WIP) Sid Meier's Civilization 2
civctp2 Windows Linux Pandora Dragonbox Pyra git

ctp2 for Linux/Pandora/Pyra

~ Call to Power II
CivOne Windows Linux macOS git (WIP) Sid Meier's Civilization
DopeWars Windows Wii [21] 1.1 ? DopeWars (Palm OS)
fheroes2 Windows Linux macOS Android Switch PlayStation Vita git Heroes of Might and Magic II
FreeHeroes Windows Linux git ? Heroes of Might and Magic III
GLSMAC Windows Linux git Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
JA2-Stracciatella Windows Linux macOS Android git Jagged Alliance 2
OpenCiv1 Windows Linux macOS git ? Sid Meier's Civilization
OpenXcom Windows Linux macOS Android git UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense), X-COM: Terror From the Deep
OpenXcom CE Windows Linux macOS iOS Android 8.6 UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense), X-COM: Terror From the Deep
OpenXcom CE Brutal Windows Linux macOS 2026-04-28 UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense), X-COM: Terror From the Deep
VCMI Windows Linux macOS Android git Heroes of Might and Magic III

Visual Novel

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
DDLC-LOVE PlayStation Portable PlayStation 3 Nintendo 3DS PlayStation Vita Switch 1.2.3 (PSP, Vita)

1.1.9 (PS3, 3DS, Switch)

[note 13] Doki Doki Literature Club!
Doki-Doki-Literature-Club-Vita PlayStation Vita git ~ Doki Doki Literature Club!
Katawa Shoujo Re-Engineered Windows Linux macOS Android iOS Build

git

Katawa Shoujo

Miscellaneous

Name Platform(s) Latest Version libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s) Genre
Alley Cat Remeow! Edition Windows archive Alley Cat Action
remc2 Windows Linux git

HD Fork

~ ~ Magic Carpet 2 Action
PyTouhou Windows Linux macOS Haiku Pandora Website (WIP) Touhou 6 Bullet Hell
Th06 Windows Linux macOS git (WIP) Touhou 6
uth05win Windows git Touhou 5
LSD: Revamped Windows Linux macOS 0.3.0 LSD: Dream Emulator Exploration
3SX Windows macOS github ? Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Fighting
BattleShip Windows macOS Linux Android git Super Smash Bros.
Ikemen GO Windows Linux macOS Android 1.0.0-rc.2

Nightly

Remake of the Ikemen engine that supports Mugen resources.
Party Board Windows Linux macOS git ~ Mario Party 4 Party
SpaceCadetPinball Windows Linux macOS Android PlayStation Vita Wii Wii U Nintendo 3DS Switch AmigaOS MorphOS Web git 3D Pinball for Windows – Space Cadet Pinball
Jewels Wii 1.01 ? gljewel Puzzle
Lemmini Windows macOS git Lemmings
Dr. Mario 64 Recomp Windows v1.0.0 ~ Dr. Mario 64
OpenTyrian Windows Linux Android git

Opentyrian2000 fork

Tyrian Shoot 'em up
OpenTyrianWii Wii 1.7 ? Tyrian
Future Cop: MIT Windows Linux git ? Future Cop: LAPD Third Person Shooter
max vita PlayStation Vita git Max Payne
SVR07-Recomp Windows git ? SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 Sports
Butterscotch Windows macOS Linux Haiku Android PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 Web FreeBSD PlayStation Vita git WIP GameMaker Studio games compiled as VM Any

Developers tools

Worth mentioning utilities for those who want to create their own port or recreation. Useless for those who just want to play, as they still require a lot of extra work to run games. If the latter fact is suddenly no longer true, such a project will be moved to a more appropriate part of the list.

Name Game(s) Latest version Active Target platform(s) Known projects based Notes
N64: Recompiled Nintendo 64 (whole library) git Theoretically, any Bomberman 64: Recompiled

Dinosaur Planet: Recompiled

Goemon 64: Recompiled

Mario Kart 64: Recompiled

Quest64: Recompiled

Zelda 64: Recompiled

PSRetrox PlayStation 2 (whole library) git PC
PSXRecomp PlayStation (whole library) git Tomba: Recompiled

Mega Man X6: Recompiled

XenonRecomp

XenosRecomp

Xbox 360 (whole library) git (XenonRecomp)

git (XenosRecomp)

Declared, any Unleashed Recompiled Currently known supported platforms are:

x86 and ARM64 with Direct3D 12 and Vulkan

See also

Game engine recreations and source ports specifically for

Current computers and operating system(s):

Consoles:

Legacy systems:

Notes

  1. https://x.com/i/status/2075343280154214711
    https://activitypub.nmlgc.net/@rec98/statuses/01KX4F7FMS09099ZFC0EZ2NPKN
  2. XL Engine has ceased development, and has been superseded by The Force Engine from the same developer
  3. Stargus is in pre-alpha but development has been halted. Stratagus, Wargus, and War1gus are being updated regularly.
  4. StarCraft is only partially playable in Stargus as of v2.4.1. Warcraft games for Wargus & War1gus work well if installed correctly.
  5. Both Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II and its expansion Mysteries of the Sith work fine in the Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android versions of OpenJKDF2, and has mod support. The Android version (released in v0.9.7 update) currently has gamepad support (in both menus and gameplay, but movement controls are not mapped by default, which the player can do in the Joysticks settings) and limited touchscreen support (in menus, but can tap/drag in-game to look and shoot, but currently not separately). The Nintendo DSi port (also released in v0.9.7), however—as impressive as it is to fit a late 90s PC game on a Nintendo DSi—is currently not a recommendable method of playing these games—especially Mysteries of the Sith—due to RAM limitations (sluggish gameplay with low rendering graphics, but Dark Forces II is stated to be fully playable while MotS struggles with out-of-memory issues; but is more stable on a 3DS due to more RAM but does not have variable refresh support when playing on a 3DS), cutscenes glitching, no audio support yet, and limited controls (but can use touchscreen to look).
  6. PrBoom-plus is still active
  7. Cave Story Engine 2's licence
  8. Cave Story Engine 2, or CSE2 for short, received a DMCA cease and desist notice from Nicalis, the current IP owner of Cave Story, despite the original Cave Story being a freeware developed by Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya.
  9. According to the description of the Progress Update #3 video, the PC Port is now 70% finished
  10. Fan Expansion is still active
  11. The project is in very active development, but is still in beta.
  12. re3 and reVC have been taken down by Take-Two again. This also includes GaryOderNichts's Wii U ports, Graber's Switch ports, and the PS Vita ports of re3 and reVC.
  13. DDLC-LOVE is a DDLC! port programmed in Lua. Even in its final release, there may be issues DDLC-LOVE may not have been able to fix but it's still playable. The developer recommends PS Vita users to use Doki-Doki-Literature-Club-Vita for the full DDLC! desktop experience including mod support.

References

  1. OpenLara was inspired by OpenTomb
  2. VoidSW is included with EDuke32
  3. The project de-compiled the game into GOAL code. The project also developed a general-purpose GOAL compiler. A port of 'Jak X' may be viable because it was made in GOAL too.
  4. Stratagus is an open-source real-time strategy game engine. Some standalone games like Aleona's Tale (included in Wargus's installation), Astroseries, Bos Wars, and Wyrmsun were built on the Stratagus game engine. Source ports for Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (War1gus), Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness + Beyond the Dark Portal (Wargus), and StarCraft (Stargus) were also built on the Stratagus engine.
  5. As of v1.4.1, Dusklight supports the North American and European GameCube releases. The Japanese GameCube release is supported as of commit 9560843, likely to be included in the next Dusklight release. The Wii releases are currently unsupported.
  6. As of v9.0.0 Blair Alfa, Ship of Harkinian supports all NTSC and PAL ROMs for Nintendo 64 and GameCube (including Master Quest versions as of v4.0.0 Zhora Alfa) except beta releases, iQue, and Lodgenet versions. Previously, only PAL ROMs were supported, with earlier versions supporting only PAL debug versions. Use the (SoH Compatibility Checker to check if your ROM is supported in the latest version. Launch the PC version and locate the ROM to generate an oot.otr file. Additionally and optionally, you can load the PAL version of the Master Quest version in the PC version to create an oot-mq.otr to add another game mode.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 DXX-Retro, also known as DXX-Rebirth-Retro, requires files from DXX-Rebirth version 0.58.1 to be able to use. DXX-Switch is a port of DXX-Retro for Nintendo Switch and DXX-3DS is a Nintendo 3DS port of DXX-Switch, but they have technical issues that make them less playable.
  8. 8.0 8.1 HHeretic is an open source game engine of Heretic for Linux. Heretic Wii is a Wii port is based on HHeretic 0.2.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 HHexen, also known as Hacked Hexen, is a Hexen source port was created by Dan Olson and maintained by the Hammer of Thyrion (Hexen II). It is a more advanced and portable version of the Linux Hexen source port and effectively replaced it. Hexen Wii and HHexen (Wii) are both Wii ports of Hexen based on HHexen 1.6.1.
  10. QuakeGX is a Wii port of Peter Mackay's GameCube Quake port. Both are available on the same website. A forked version of QuakeGX called Quake Wii was later merged with QuakeGX.
  11. Quake Rev PAK (or QRevPack for short) is a collection of game engines of the Quake series that merges Q1Rev (Quake 1), Q2Rev (Quake 2), Q2CTFRev (ThreeWave Capture the Flag mod for Quake II), and QWRev (QuakeWorld) in one. All by the same developer Izhido.
  12. vkQuake is based on Quakespasm, but uses Vulkan instead of OpenGL for rendering
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Five Nights at Freddy's 1 3DS -remastered- is an updated version of Five Nights at Freddy 1's 3DS by the same developer FreDev, also known as BumboDEV and BaseDEV. The developer also attempted Nintendo 3DS ports of Five Nights at Freddy's 2, 3, and 4 but development stopped after the developer [lost the source code for Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and would have to reverse engineer it again. Those ports were only in a state of demonstration and were not fully playable, having incomplete A.I., gameplay, and missing screens. Download links to the latest version of these 3DS ports and the PS Vita port can be found on the old Discord server.
  14. For the 32X add-on
  15. In smw only the Super Mario All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels are able to be ran currently.
  16. A Remake / Celebration of the original 'Super Mario Bros.' games. Features new levels, custom modes, new characters, alongside a full level editor / custom level system!
  17. The Super Mario Bros. X fan game project was written in VB6 originally and being a closed source for a long time. It was founded in 2009 and supported up to 2011, later abandoned by its author. For a long time, various people hacked it and attempted to reverse-engine and make clones. After 11 years, the source code was finally open. Later, by an independent developer, it was ported from VB6 into C++ with the SDL2 library and released as "TheXTech". The TheXTech, unlike the original game engine, is cross-platform and lightweight. It's able to work on a variety of operating systems and processor architectures.
  18. Executable title in video is "CTRPC" the video titles however are titled "Crash Team Racing - PC Port"
  19. Based on Stunt Car Racer Remake for Windows
  20. As of v0.4.22, the OpenRCT2 launcher can autodetect the Steam installation of RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic or Apple Arcade installations of RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic+. RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic(+) can be used in place of RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, RollerCoaster Tycoon, and all expansions.
  21. DopeWars PC port's download link is currently not working.
Curated Lists:

Specific gaming systems

News:

  • GamingOnLinux.com (For the latest news on releases and updates of game recreations and source ports that work on Linux)
  • Reddit feed (Aggregation quality is a little bit spotty. You have to wade through the news posts a bit for the relevant software.)
  • List of Open Source Games on Reddit (Thread by u/AMD_CEO. Wed Jul 1, 2020. Had added recommendations to links also seen above.)

Videos: