Video game emulators, hardware/software that enable a PC to behave like a different machine in order to run classic games, have existed for decades. Thanks to emulators, a generation of gamers have had easy access to libraries of retro titles, including titles developed or published by Nintendo. Unfortunately, emulation has likewise always carried a fair share of complications.
Because emulators require an original game’s files (assets owned by the game’s developers or publishers), issues of copyright infringement have plagued the emulation scene — and the unauthorized distribution of game ROM files specifically — for years. Nintendo has always been at the forefront of efforts to discourage emulation, shutting down emulators on copyright grounds since seemingly the dawn of time. Beyond concerns of copyright, video game emulation has also proved an inelegant way to play old games, as users essentially trick their PC into simulating the experience of a traditional console. As you can imagine, some hiccups arise when old files and modern PCs miscommunicate.
What if there was a way to bring beloved Zelda games to PC without suffering the wrath of copyright infringement and Nintendo’s robust legal team? And what if the games ran like they were born for PC?
This is all possible, and easier than ever, with a new tool called N64: Recompiled. This program — the brainchild of modderMr-Wiseguy, with help from AngheloAlf, dcvz, and Thar0 — takes potentially incompatible Nintendo 64 ROM files and automatically recodes them to run natively on PC. The resulting native PC port thus contains entirely new computer code optimized for modern machines, which paves the way for easier implementation of mods/additions and sidesteps all issues of copyright infringement.
The developers’ first test of this new tool is a reverse-engineered native PC port ofThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. The port, titled Zelda64Recomp,uses the famous RT64 renderer (made by DarioSamo) for graphics to give the game a remastered look.
Zelda64Recomp (which does not require the use of N64: Recompiled to run) is available now. Users will simply need to provide their own legally obtained ROM of the game, from which Nintendo-owned assets such as graphics and sounds will be extracted.
View the project’s trailer herein all of its high-def glory.
How Does N64: Recompiled Work?
Traditional emulators use dynamic recompilation while Mr-Wiseguy’s tool uses static recompilation, wherein the entirety of the game’s original code is rapidly reverse engineered into modern computer code. There are many differences, but for our purposes, the most notable difference is that dynamic methods don’t allow people to easily make improvements or massive changes to the game itself, such as making it run at 60 FPS.
Mr-Wiseguy’s program takes a ROM’s code and translates it, recompiling it into a usable format written in a modern programming language — in this case, C source code. This new tool produces translated game code within minutes while considering modern hardware and specs. This technique allows gifted coders to easily incorporate any of the following perks into any N64 game: ray-tracing, 4K, gyro controls, widescreen viewing, modding potential, autosaves, reduced loading times, low latency, incredible audio, and quality-of-life improvements. Also, it is an the ideal environment for randomizers to be born.
And, as mentioned above, the game code produced by this tool is wholly original and contains no Nintendo-owned code, art, sounds, or other game assets. The resulting PC ports should therefore be shielded from any legal consequences, as long as the code alone is distributed and users provide their own assets from legally-sourced ROMs.
Recompilation/reverse engineering projects are not a new thing. Coders have undertaken such passion projects over months and sometimes years, doing decompilation by hand — and that’s not to mention the additional time it takes to develop a functional native PC from the reverse-engineered code. In fact, we’ve covered severalZeldareverse engineering projects in the past, including those for Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past. N64: Recompiled just automates most of the tedium.
What Does This Mean for Emulators and Native Ports?
Mr-Wiseguy’s new PC port ofMajora’s Maskprovides a perfect example of N64: Recompiled’s potential. Because its method of reconfiguring games into modern code eliminates all original code and assets, the port ignores the technical limitations and legal concerns posed by conventional emulators.
Content creatorNerrel explains the potential applications in their amazing explanation video, “Recompilation: An Incredible New Way to Keep N64 Games Alive.” In the video, Nerrel obtained a demonstration from Mr-Wiseguy on what the tool can do. It does all of the heavy lifting for the player and/or coder — minimal settings finagling required.
Mr-Wiseguy’s program uses a method that retains the game’s retro charm. The colors, lighting, and effects are barely affected compared to other ports, which may not run frame-by-frame similarly. They actively work to patch known bugs and game-breaking errors players discover. As Nerrel notes in their video, discovering these errors along the way is still less labor-intensive than conventional port projects.
In this day and age, emulators are ancient relics. Their foundations are decades old, and a modern refresh was in order. Though emulators run original software on a system it was not initially intended for, the emulator community will likely never die. Some people adore the experience of configuring the perfect emulation, attempting to keep the game preserved as true to form as possible.
The retro game community is equally aware of the benefits of a native port, which completely restructures a game’s code for it to run on a modern system’s hardware. Despite the advent of N64: Recompiled, efforts to reverse engineer classic games and develop native PC ports by hand will likely continue in the preservation/coding communities, as each method brings its unique spin to a game port. For example, beyond Zelda64Recomp, there are actually multiple Majora’s Maskreverse engineering projects currently in the works, including those by the Zelda Reverse Engineering Team and Harbour Masters.
The Future of Native N64 Ports and Game Preservation
A tool like N64: Recompiled will be huge in reviving classic games that are inaccessible to current audiences. It could give hidden gems some justice in the age of ports, remasters, and remakes.
You can find N64: Recompiled right here, and Mr-WiseguyMajora’s Maskport right here.
Currently, Mr-Wiseguy is working on a native PC port of Ocarina of Time, and it will be in users’ hands in the near future.
Have you tried to play the Majora’s Mask port made possible by N64: Recompiled? How do you think the tool will impact the modern-retro gaming scene, especially for PC players? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Mr-Wiseguy (1, 2) (via Nerrel, Nintendo Wire)
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