You can now run Nintendo Switch games natively on iPhones and Macs

Key Points:

• A new open-source project called nxnative allows Nintendo Switch games to run as native apps on iPhones, iPads, and Macs by leveraging the shared Arm-based processors, eliminating the need for emulation.
• The tool replaces Nintendo-specific components with a host program and translates graphics to Apple's Metal API, enabling games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey to run, with some titles supporting 60 fps after updates.
• Setting up nxnative requires users to have their own game files, decryption keys, a Mac with Xcode, and involves sideloading the app since it’s not available through the App Store; it only supports newer devices like the iPhone 15 Pro or iPads with M1 chips.
• Mac app builds are straightforward and have demonstrated good performance, such as Monster Hunter Rise running at 60 fps on a base M1 MacBook Air, but features like amiibo support and online play are currently unavailable.
• The project operates independently of Nintendo and does not distribute game data, but it relies on code from the Ryujinx emulator, which has faced legal challenges from Nintendo, highlighting potential risks for nxnative’s future.