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

Nintendo Switch games can now run natively on iPhones and Macs, according to a new open-source project called nxnative. Tears of the Kingdom, which is part of the Switch collection, can sit on an iPhone's home screen as a standalone app with its own icon. There's no emulator involved; the original game code runs directly on Apple's chips.

This compatibility exists because both the Switch and Apple's recent devices use Arm-based processors. The Nintendo-specific components are replaced with a small host program that functions as the console's operating system, while graphics are translated to Apple's Metal API. The tool gained attention after tech account Techjunkie Aman shared details on X. Notable supported games include Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Metroid Dread, and Super Mario Odyssey.

Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Fire Emblem Engage have even improved their frame rates, jumping from 30 fps to 60 fps. However, setting up the process requires some effort, including having game files and decryption keys from your own Switch console, along with a Mac running Xcode to execute the build script. The initial build can take up to an hour, and sideloading is required, using tools like AltStore or Sideloadly.

The apps are limited to iPhone 15 Pro or newer, or iPad with M1 chip or newer, running iOS 26 or iPadOS 26. Older iPhones cannot handle the compressed textures used in these games, and features like amiibo functionality and online play are not supported. Mac app building requires an additional command during the build process. While the project isn't affiliated with Nintendo, it relies on code from the Ryujinx emulator, which faced legal issues with Nintendo.