Nintendo Switch


The Switch in its two forms, portable (above) and docked (below).
Developer	Nintendo
Type	Hybrid video game console
Generation	Eighth generation
Release date	2017
Predecessor	Wii U
Emulated	✓

For software that emulates the Switch, see Nintendo Switch emulators.

Since the Nintendo Switch was hacked early in its launch, there has been a lot of interest for emulators due to the Switch's portability. These emulators will only work on Switches with CFW on them, i.e. Switch consoles susceptible to the Tegra hardware exploit. For more information and guides on how to homebrew your Switch, or if you even can, visit r/SwitchHacks.

Alternative Operating Systems[edit]

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
Lakka	5.0	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Switchroot Android	17.1	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Switchroot Linux	Various	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Switchroot Android[edit]

A build of Android 10 "Q" for the Switch, based on Lineage OS 17.1. Since it shares the same Nvidia Tegra X1 system-on-chip, the build is based off the Nvidia Shield TV build of LineageOS. Its most notable feature is the ability to work both in handheld and docked mode and using the Joycons as a Bluetooth controller (though not all apps may detect them correctly). There is also another build that lets the Switch function as an Android TV box. Many emulators and Android software can run, including DraStic, Dolphin, and Citra.

Switchroot Linux[edit]

Many GNU/Linux distributions are available, including Ubuntu Bionic and Focal, Fedora, and Gentoo. With these, it is possible to run many emulators and software for GNU/Linux on these systems. Play! has had some success with playing PS2 games on Ubuntu, albeit at around 10 FPS.

Emulators (Multi-Systems)[edit]

Arcade[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
MAME-NX (based on MAME 0.72)	git	Mid	MAME license (Non-commercial)	~	~
pFBN (based on FinalBurn Neo)	git	Mid	Non-commercial	✓	✓
RetroNX (early 1.7.4 Retroarch port)	git	Low-Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
SuperModel-NX (for L4T ubuntu)	2021	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	~	~

RetroArch[edit]

Stable

Nightly

GitHub

Switch RetroArch Cores

RetroArch BIOS/ROMs

Available cores (as of Retroarch 1.19.1 stable)
Cores	Game/System list	Recommended Working?
2048	2048	TBD
CrocoDS	Amstrad - CPC	✓
Caprice32	Amstrad - CPC/GX4000	✓
Anarch	Anarch	TBD
FB Alpha 2012	Arcade	✓
FB Alpha 2012 CPS-1		TBD
FB Alpha 2012 CPS-2		TBD
FB Alpha 2012 Neo Geo		TBD
FinalBurn Neo		TBD
MAME 2000		✓
MAME 2003		✓
MAME 2003-Plus		✓
Arduous	Arduboy	TBD
Ardens	Arduboy	TBD
Stella	Atari - 2600	✓
Stella 2014	Atari - 2600	TBD
a5200	Atari - 5200	TBD
Atari800	Atari - 5200	TBD
ProSystem	Atari - 7800	✓
Virtual Jaguar	Atari - Jaguar	✓
Beetle Lynx	Atari - Lynx	TBD
Handy	Atari - Lynx	✓
Beetle Cygne	Bandai - WonderSwan/Color	✓
Cannonball	Cannonball	✓
NXEngine	Cave Story	✓
ChaiLove	ChaiLove	TBD
JAXE	CHIP-8/S-CHIP/XO-CHIP	TBD
Gearcoleco	Coleco - ColecoVision	TBD
PUAE	Commodore - Amiga	✓
PUAE 2021	Commodore - Amiga	TBD
VICE x128	Commodore - C128	TBD
Frodo	Commodore - C64	TBD
VICE x64, fast		✓
VICE x64sc, accurate		TBD
VICE xscpu64	Commodore - C64 SuperCPU	TBD
VICE xcbm5x0	Commodore - CBM-II 5x0	TBD
VICE xcbm2	Commodore - CBM-II 6x0/7x0	TBD
VICE xpet	Commodore - PET	TBD
VICE xplus4	Commodore - PLUS/4	TBD
VICE xvic	Commodore - VIC-20	TBD
Dinothawr	Dinothawr	TBD
PrBoom	Doom	✓
boom3	Doom 3	✓
boom 3 xp	Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil	TBD
DOSBox-Pure	DOS	✓
DOSBox-SVN	DOS	TBD
bk	Elektronika - BK-0010/BK-0011(M)	TBD
FreeChaF	Fairchild ChannelF	TBD
REminiscence	Flashback	✓
Game Music Emu	Game Music Emu	TBD
vecx	GCE - Vectrex	✓
Gong	Gong	TBD
GW	Handheld Electronic	✓
SquirrelJME	Java ME	TBD
Jump 'n Bump	Jump 'n Bump	TBD
LowRes NX	LowRes NX	TBD
Lutro	Lua Engine	TBD
minivmac	Mac II	TBD
O2EM	Magnavox - Odyssey2 / Philips Videopac+	✓
FreeIntv	Mattel - Intellivision	✓
SameDuck	Mega Duck / Cougar Boy	TBD
fMSX	Microsoft - MSX	✓
Bomberman	Mr.Boom	TBD
blueMSX	MSX/SVI/ColecoVision/SG-1000	TBD
Beetle PCE FAST	NEC - PC Engine / CD	✓
Beetle PCE	NEC - PC Engine / SuperGrafx / CD	TBD
Beetle SuperGrafx	NEC - PC Engine SuperGrafx	✓
QUASI88	NEC - PC-8000 / PC-8800 series	TBD
Neko Project II Kai	NEC - PC-98	✓
Beetle PC-FX	NEC - PC-FX	✓
DeSmuME	Nintendo - DS	~
melonDS	Nintendo - DS	~
DoubleCherryGB	Nintendo - Game Boy / Color	TBD
Gambatte		✓
Gearboy		✓
SameBoy		TBD
TGB Dual		✓
gpSP	Nintendo - Game Boy Advance	TBD
mGBA		✓
VBA Next		✓
VBA-M		TBD
FCEUmm	Nintendo - NES / Famicom	✓
Mesen		✓
Nestopia UE		✓
QuickNES		✓
Mupen64Plus-Next	Nintendo - Nintendo 64	✓
PokeMini	Nintendo - Pokemon Mini	✓
bsnes	Nintendo - SNES / SFC	✓
bsnes-hd beta		TBD
Snes9x		TBD
Snes9x 2010		✓
Mesen-S	Nintendo - SNES / SFC / Game Boy / Color	✓
Beetle VB	Nintendo - Virtual Boy	✓
Mu	Palm OS	TBD
Retro8	Pico-8	TBD
PocketCDG	PocketCDG	TBD
TyrQuake	Quake	✓
vitaQuake 2 [Rogue]	Quake II - Ground Zero	TBD
vitaQuake 2 [Xatrix]	Quake II - The Reckoning	TBD
vitaQuake 2 [Zaero]	Quake II - Zaero	TBD
vitaQuake 2	Quake II	TBD
vitaQuake 3	Quake III: Arena	TBD
XRick	Rick Dangerous	✓
EasyRPG	RPG Maker 2000/2003	✓
ScummVM	ScummVM	✓
Flycast	Sega - Dreamcast/Naomi	✓
SMS Plus GX	Sega - MS/GG	TBD
Genesis Plus GX	Sega - MS/GG/MD/CD	✓
Genesis Plus GX Wide	Sega - MS/GG/MD/CD	✓
PicoDrive	Sega - MS/GG/MD/CD/32X	✓
Gearsystem	Sega - MS/GG/SG-1000	✓
Yabause	Sega - Saturn	✓
PX68k	Sharp - X68000	✓
X Millennium	Sharp X1	TBD
EightyOne	Sinclair - ZX 81	✓
Fuse	Sinclair - ZX Spectrum	✓
NeoCD	SNK - Neo Geo CD	✓
Beetle NeoPop	SNK - Neo Geo Pocket / Color	✓
RACE	SNK - Neo Geo Pocket / Color	TBD
PCSX ReARMed	Sony - PlayStation	✓
PPSSPP	Sony - PlayStation Portable	✓
Super Bros War	Super Bros War	TBD
Numero	Texas Instruments TI-83	TBD
Opera	The 3DO Company - 3DO	✓
Theodore	Thomson - MO/TO	✓
TIC-80	TIC-80	TBD
Uzem	Uzebox	TBD
VaporSpec	VaporSpec	TBD
Vircon32	Vircon32	TBD
WASM-4	WASM-4	TBD
Potator	Watara - Supervision	TBD
ECWolf	Wolfenstein 3D	TBD

Emulators (Single system)[edit]

Atari[edit]

Atari 130 / 800 / 5200[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Atari800-switch	git	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

This atari800 port disappeared around 2021 without leaving any trace.

Bandai[edit]

Bandai Tamagotchi P1[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Tamatool-NX	git	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Commodore[edit]

Amiga[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
UAE4All2	git	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Microsoft[edit]

DOS[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
DOSBox-switch	git	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	~

Nintendo[edit]

Nintendo 64[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
GlideN64 (old RetroArch core)	3.0	Mid	Proprietary	✗	✗
Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online (splitted in "standard" and "mature")	N/A	Low	Proprietary	✓	~
rokuyon	rolling	Low	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗ (WIP, slow)

Nintendo DS[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	DSi	Recommended
DeSmuME-NX	0.0.3	Low	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗	✗
DeSmuME-NX (with jit)	2019	Low	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗	✗
melonDS (fork of melonDS)	R6fix1	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	~	~	~
NooDS	rolling	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗	✗ (WIP)

melonDS standalone includes a JIT compiler so it's generally faster than its retroarch counterpart

Nintendo 3DS[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Citra	POC	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	~

Nintendo Game Boy / Color[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online	N/A	Low	Proprietary	✓	✓
GameLadNX	1	Low	MIT (Permissive)	✗	✗
khedgb	Update 7	Low	Proprietary	✗	✗
mGBA	0.10.3 git	Mid	MPL 2.0 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
PlutoBoy	git	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Nintendo Game Boy Advance[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
44VBA (forked from libretro vba-next)	v20220417	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	~	~
Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online	N/A	High	Proprietary	✓	✓
gdkGBA	git	Low	Unlicense (Public domain)	✗	✗
mGBA	0.10.3 git	Mid	MPL 2.0 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
NooDS (Loads gba games from the emulated nds slot-2)	rolling	Low-Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~ (WIP)
Switch-gba	1.0.2	Low	?	✗	✗
VBA-M NX	git	Low	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
VBA-Next	0.7	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Nintendo Game & Watch[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
MADrigal Switch (includes RetroArch 1.8.5, the gw-libretro core version 1.6.3 and all 59 games)	10-05-2020	Mid	Proprietary	~	~

Any recent RetroaArch release includes direct G&W support through the handheld-electronic core which should be a better choice. You can even download the games with the online updater on retroarch itself.

Nintendo NES Nintendo Entertainment System / Family Computer Disk System[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
LaiNES	git	Mid	BSD-2-Clause (Permissive)	✗	✗
NESalizer	2018	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
NESwitch	git	Mid	?	✗	✗
Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online	2.3.0	Mid	Proprietary	✓	✓
NoiES	git	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
pNES (based on Nestopia)	git	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Nintendo SNES Super Nintendo Entertainment System[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
pSNES (based on snes9x)	git	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
snesnx2005	0.0.1-alpha1	Mid	Non-commercial	✓	~
Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online	3.4.0	Mid	Proprietary	✓	✓

SEGA[edit]

Dreamcast[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Flycast	CI Builds git	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
reicast	Alpha	Low-Mid	Proprietary	✗	✗

Genesis / Mega Drive[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
pGEN (based on Genesis Plus GX)	git	Mid	Non-commercial	✓	✓
SEGA Genesis - Nintendo Switch Online	N/A	High	Proprietary	✓	✓

Saturn[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Yaba Sanshiro (Yaba三四郎) (based on Lakka)	2.2.0	Mid	Proprietary	~	~

Sony[edit]

Playstation[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
DuckStation	git	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
PCSX-ReARMed	v0.0.2	Low	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

PlayStation 2[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Play!	git	Low-Mid	BSD-2-Clause (Permissive)	~	✗

PlayStation Portable[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
PPSSPP	1.17.x	Mid-High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	~	✓

PlayStation Vita[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Vita2hos	git	Low-Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗

SNK[edit]

Neo Geo Pocket / Color[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Neopop-SDL	v0.2	Mid	?	✗	✗

x86 CPUs[edit]

Name	Latest Version	8086*¹	286	386*²	486*³	Pentium*⁴	Pentium II*⁵	Celeron*⁶	Pentium III*⁷	Pentium 4*⁸	License	Active	Recommended
switch-bochs	git	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	?	?	?	?	LGPLv2.1 (Copyleft)	✗	~
UniPCemu	itch.io	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	?

*¹8086 emulation includes the 8088 CPU. *²386 emulation includes the SX and SL. *³486 emulation includes variants. *⁴Pentium emulation includes variants. *⁵Pentium II emulation includes variants. *⁶Celeron emulation includes variants. *⁷Pentium III emulation includes variants. *⁸Pentium 4 emulation includes variants.

Fantasy computers[edit]

CHIP-8[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
AXChip8	1.0	Mid	?	✗	✗
Chip8-NX	0.3	Mid	?	✗	✗
Swip8	1.0.0	Mid	Proprietary	✗	✗

Pico-8[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Fake-08	v0.0.2.20	High	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✓

Source ports[edit]

Multi game engine[edit]

Name	Latest version	License	Libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Commander Genius	2.6.3.1	Non-commercial	✗	✓	✓	Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons, Commander Keen in Keen Dreams, Commander Keen in Goodbye Galaxy, Commander Keen in Aliens Ate My Babysitter
CPyMO	v1.1.9	AGPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	?	PyMO Visual Novel / AVG Game Engine
EasyRPG	0.8	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓	✓	RPG Maker 2000/2003 games
LÖVE Potion	3.0.1	MIT (Permissive)	✗	✓	✓	Love2D LUA engine
MegaZeux	2.93b	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	✓	Caverns of Megazeux and multiple ZZT style ascii games
OpenBOR	git	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✗	✓	✓	Pak mods
ResidualVM	0.4.0	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗	✗	Grim Fandango, Escape from Monkey Island, Myst III, The Longest Journey. Recently merged into the main scummvm project.
ScummVM	2.8.1	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓	✓	Adventure games and RPGs (LucasArts, Sierra, Activision, Humongous & more. Over 250 games.)

Single game engine[edit]

Name	Latest version	License	Libretro	Active	Recommended	Supported game(s)
Action-adventure
Ship of Harkinian	8.0.4 Nighty build git	?	✗	✓	✓	The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (any PAL version)^{[N 1]}
Zelda3	git	MIT (Permissive)	✗	✓	✓	The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Pinball
SpaceCadetPinball	git	MIT (Permissive)	✗	?	✓	3D Pinball for Windows – Space Cadet
Platformer
Cave Story Engine 2	Website ~~git~~^{[N 2]}	removed due to DMCA take down	✗	✗^{[N 2]}	?	Cave Story
NXEngine-evo	git	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗	?	Cave Story
RVM Sonic CD	git	?	✗	?	?	Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011)^{[N 3]}
Sonic 1 and 2 (2013)	git	Non-commercial	✗	?	?	Sonic the Hedgehog 1 (2013)^{[N 3]}, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2013)^{[N 3]}
Sonic 3 A.I.R. (Angel Island Revisited)	Website	Proprietary	✗	?	?	Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
Sonic CD (2011)	git	Non-commercial	✗	?	?	Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011)^{[N 3]}
Sonic Robo Blast 2	v2.2.11	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	✓	Sonic Robo Blast 2
smw	git	MIT (Permissive)	✗	✓	✓	Super Mario World
Racing
SRB2Kart	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	?	?	Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart
RPG
DevilutionX	git	Sustainable Use License	✗	✓	✓	Diablo
OpenMW (unofficial)	git	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	~	The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Sim - City-building
Julius Augustus (gameplay changes)	git git	AGPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	✓	Caesar III
TBS
Fheroes2	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	~	Heroes of Might and Magic II
Visual Novel
ONScripter-jh	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	✓	Visual Novel

↑ As of v8.0.0, Ship of Harkinian supports any PAL ROM of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64 or GameCube (SoH Compatibility Checker to check if your ROM is supported). Launch the PC version and locate the ROM to generate an oot.otr file and place it in the soh Switch app folder. 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.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 There is also an official Nintendo Switch remake called Cave Story+ with 3D graphics and the most features out of any other existing version (making it the "definitive version") that may be more recommendable depending on the user's preference. Cave Story Engine 2, or CSE2 for short, is a source port of the classic Cave Story by Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya. CSE2 came with a portable version and an enhanced version of the original freeware but in November 2020, the CSE2 source port has received a DMCA cease and desist notice from Nicalis, the current IP owner of Cave Story, and the unofficial Switch port received a DMCA cease and desist as well.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Sega Forever classics version on Android or iOS can also be used.

Streaming[edit]

Name	Latest version	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Moonlight-NX	1.2.0	Mid	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	~	~

Emulators on Switch

Contents