GitHub developer tangerineturtle1 has released NX2navi, creating a native Windows port for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake through static recompilation. This solution does not emulate Switch 2 hardware in real-time (it is not an emulator); instead, it converts the game into x86-64 code before execution and renders it using a custom Vulkan renderer.
A developer named tangerineturtle1 on GitHub recently released the NX2navi project, porting the brand-new The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake to the Windows PC platform. The project uses static recompilation technology rather than emulating Switch 2 hardware to run the game; it converts the game code into x86-64 instructions before launch and then outputs visuals through a customized Vulkan renderer.
Since the project does not include game files, players need to prepare version 1.1.1 of the game data themselves. The launcher compiles the game code locally, with the initial processing taking approximately 10 to 25 minutes. Visually, RTX GPU users can utilize DLSS, while other GPUs can use FSR 3.1 and its frame generation technology; HDR is also supported. Game resolution can be increased up to 5K, and the frame rate is uncapped, supporting up to 240 FPS (default is 60 FPS). Additionally, the project supports 21:9 and 32:9 ultra-wide monitors, while keeping the game HUD interface at a 16:9 aspect ratio.
The Ocarina of Time Remake was just released last week. The game was already runnable via emulators on its launch day, though performance was far from ideal at the time. In comparison, NX2navi has made significant progress but remains in early development. Known issues listed by the developer include graphical glitches, occasional crashes, and brief stuttering when entering new areas.
In terms of hardware, the project requires at least 16GB of RAM, approximately 30GB of storage space, and a graphics card supporting Vulkan 1.3 and Mesh Shader technology. A previous demo video showed that the game consumed 18.6GB of VRAM when running on an RTX 5090. However, the developer stated in an updated demo that current VRAM usage has been significantly reduced.
Fan-made PC ports are nothing new; RecompLauncher alone lists nearly 200 similar projects. In 2024, Zelda 64: Recompiled successfully brought The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask to PC; last year, Unleashed Recompiled completed the PC port of the Xbox 360 version of Sonic Unleashed.
Unlike emulators, static recompilation performs instruction conversion once before the game runs, whereas emulators must simulate console hardware and translate game instructions in real-time during execution, often resulting in additional performance overhead. Through static recompilation, the game can ultimately run like a standard PC program, making targeted optimizations easier. Of course, this technique requires more development effort for each individual game.
However, previous projects of this kind typically ported older games that had been out for over a decade. In contrast, the Ocarina of Time Remake is a full-priced new release that came out less than a week ago. More importantly, Nintendo has consistently maintained a tough stance against such projects.
In 2024, the Yuzu emulator development team ultimately agreed to pay Nintendo $2.4 million in damages and shut down the project. A few months later, the Ryujinx emulator ceased operations after Nintendo contacted its main developer. Recently, a Reddit moderator was ordered by a court to pay $4.5 million in damages for involvement in Switch game piracy.
To obtain the game data, players usually need to hack their Switch 2. Meanwhile, these porting projects cannot prevent players from using unpurchased copies of the game. For many players, this could ultimately evolve into straightforward piracy. Even the README file for the NX2navi project explicitly warns users not to share compiled game files. This detail alone highlights the significant legal risks facing the project.