Key Takeaways (TL;DR): An enthusiast has managed to run Mario Kart World, a Switch 2 exclusive, on an iPhone using a closed build of the nxnative emulator. The author won't release the code. Meanwhile, Splatoon Raiders has been ported to PC. No public versions are available yet.

An anonymous developer has achieved a remarkable feat: running Mario Kart World, a game currently exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, on an iPhone. The port was made using a closed build of the nxnative emulator, a tool designed to bridge the gap between Nintendo's hardware and Apple's ecosystem. The developer has stated they will not release the code publicly, citing potential legal and technical reasons.

How It Works Under the Hood

The nxnative emulator is a specialized piece of software that translates the Switch 2's ARM-based instructions into a format compatible with iOS devices. Unlike traditional emulators that rely on dynamic recompilation, nxnative uses a static translation approach, which can offer better performance but requires significant manual tweaking. The closed build used for this port likely includes custom optimizations for the iPhone's A-series chips, such as the A17 Pro or M-series processors, which share architectural similarities with the Switch 2's custom NVIDIA Tegra chip.

Key technical challenges overcome include:

  • GPU Translation: Mapping the Switch 2's Maxwell-based GPU calls to Apple's Metal API, which required extensive reverse engineering.
  • Input Handling: Adapting the Joy-Con controls to touchscreen and gyroscopic inputs, which is still in a rudimentary state.
  • Performance Scaling: Maintaining a stable 30 FPS at 720p resolution, which is impressive given the game's demanding physics and rendering.

Parallel Developments: Splatoon Raiders on PC

In a related development, another enthusiast has managed to run Splatoon Raiders, a Switch 2 spin-off, on a standard PC. This port uses a different approach, leveraging the Yuzu emulator's open-source codebase with custom patches. However, like the Mario Kart World port, no public binaries or source code have been released. The community speculates that these ports are proof-of-concept demonstrations rather than ready-for-consumer products.

"These ports show that the Switch 2's hardware is not as impenetrable as Nintendo hoped, but the lack of public releases suggests the developers are wary of legal action or simply want to keep their work private," notes a prominent emulation forum moderator.

What This Means for Users

For now, these ports remain a curiosity for tech enthusiasts. If you're eager to try Switch 2 games on your iPhone or PC, you'll need to wait for public releases, which may never come due to Nintendo's aggressive legal stance. However, if you're interested in exploring the emulation scene, consider following dedicated forums like GBAtemp or Reddit's r/emulation for updates.

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