Video Game Porting
Ongoing coverage on Video Game Porting.
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Columns - Game Gear Columns is coming to the Amiga
A new port of SEGA's classic puzzle game Columns, based on the Game Gear version, is in development for the Commodore Amiga. The developer is utilizing AI and emulation for the project, with plans for a potential HD reskin. An open-source alpha build is available for community testing.
Aonic - HOT NEWS as Sonic the Hedgehog gets an early demo on the Amiga and it's impressive!
A highly anticipated work-in-progress demo of Sonic the Hedgehog, titled Aonic, has been released for the Amiga 1200. Developed by reassembler, this impressive homebrew project meticulously recreates the Sega Mega Drive classic by utilizing its original source code and disassembled assets. While the gameplay, physics, and speed are preserved, the current build omits audio and features some visual differences due to significant engineering optimizations required for the Amiga hardware.
A native port of Donkey Kong 64 is finally playable on PC thanks to a team of programmers who boast that 'no generative AI [was] used at any point in the process'
A native PC port of Nintendo's 1999 game Donkey Kong 64 has been released by a team of programmers who emphasize that no generative AI was used in its development. The recompilation runs on modern hardware at high resolutions and framerates, offering improved performance and mouse support over the original.
AmiGTA1 - A native AmigaOS 68k port of Grand Theft Auto is in the works
Developer Grzegorz Korycki is creating AmiGTA1, a native AmigaOS 68k reimplementation of the original Grand Theft Auto engine. This project aims for authentic classic hardware setups and requires players to supply their own game files for conversion. The alpha release already demonstrates a functional Liberty City with smooth performance, showcasing core mechanics like movement and carjacking.
c0man - The MSX text-based pacman has now been ported to Amiga by TFHFony
Arnaud de Klerk, also known as TFHFony, has ported the MSX1 text-based game C0man to the Commodore Amiga. This native port retains the original's Pac-Man-style maze, green-on-black aesthetic, and minimalist audio, but runs on the Amiga's 68000 processor. The port utilizes a clever graphical coincidence between the MSX's 8x8 tile grid and the Amiga's resolution, allowing for a direct mapping of game elements.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess wasn't enough, you can now run Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask…
A fan has successfully ported The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask to run natively on iOS and iPadOS, building upon a previous fan-made port of Ocarina of Time. This new port, named MaskPad, utilizes the Ship of Harkinian project and offers full controller support, alongside touch, keyboard, and mouse input.
Elden Ring Finally Lands on Switch 2 August 28 — Here's What Fixed the 15fps Disaster | Gamedoper
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is launching on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026, for $79.99. This version includes the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, along with new classes, armor, and weapons. The port faced significant performance issues initially, but has since seen improvements, targeting 30-40fps in handheld and 30fps docked.
Microsoft is reportedly planning to bring Xbox 360 games to PC, according to leaked documents
Microsoft is reportedly planning to bring Xbox 360 games to PC through a new backward compatibility initiative, according to leaked developer documents. This program, expected to roll out between 2027 and 2028, will allow developers to opt-in to making their Xbox 360 titles available for purchase and play on PC and handheld devices.
Pitfall 2600 - A brilliant classic has been ported over to the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive with the help of AI
A fan-made port of the classic Atari 2600 game Pitfall! has been released for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive. Developed by Paulo Manrique, the project utilizes AI to generate new 16-bit artwork and features while maintaining the original gameplay and collision detection. The creator, David Crane, also made the original game for Activision in 1982.
Dev ports Half-Life to the PS1, asks Valve if it's cool with that, and says he'll "make it public"…
A developer named Manny has successfully ported the original Half-Life to the PlayStation 1 hardware, creating a custom renderer and game runtime in Rust. The port runs at an average of 17 frames per second and includes all seven maps of the Hazard Course. Manny has reached out to Valve for permission to release the source code, stating he will make it public if he doesn't hear back within a month.
It looks like someone has managed to get Grand Theft Auto 5 running on an original Switch, and now I'm wondering…
A fan has reportedly managed to port Grand Theft Auto 5 to the original Nintendo Switch, though performance is poor, reaching a maximum of 22FPS. This has sparked speculation about what Grand Theft Auto 6 might look like on the more powerful Nintendo Switch 2, despite current-gen console performance expectations suggesting a challenging port.
Deathchase for the VIC-20 - A port of the classic Spectrum 3d forest chase game has arrived on the VIC-20
A port of the classic ZX Spectrum 3D forest chase game Deathchase has been released for the Commodore VIC-20, requiring an 8K RAM expansion. Developer Kweepa implemented a clever raster split technique to overcome the VIC-20's color limitations and optimized performance by using a custom lookup table for faster rendering. The port retains the core gameplay while leaving approximately 2K of memory free for community modifications.
YouTuber gets Minecraft running on an original Game Boy Color, and it even looks kinda playable
YouTuber Game of Tobi has successfully ported Minecraft to the original Game Boy Color, creating a functional 3D version of the game. While not the full experience, the port allows players to walk around and break/place blocks. A black and white version also runs on the original Game Boy.
Google's AI Studio lead has vibe coded a port of Command & Conquer for iOS
Ammaar Reshi, lead of product and design at Google AI Studio, announced the successful port of the 2003 game Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour to iOS devices using Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 AI model. The port features native ARM64 compilation, touch controls designed for RTS gameplay, and is available on GitHub, though it requires users to provide their own game copy.
Ico and Shadow of the Colossus creator Fumito Ueda would like to see his old games on PC someday, too
Fumito Ueda, the acclaimed director behind Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and The Last Guardian, expressed his desire to see his older games ported to PC. While his upcoming project Gen Atlas will be his first directed game released on PC through a partnership with Epic Games, Ueda hopes for opportunities to bring his PlayStation titles to a wider audience. He acknowledged that Sony holds the rights to these games, making their PC release uncertain.
Xbox Says Gears of War: E-Day PS5 Port Was Not Pulled 'Last-Minute' After Art With PS5 Logo Leaks
Xbox clarified that Gears of War: E-Day was not a last-minute cancellation for PlayStation platforms. This statement follows an accidental publication of artwork that included the PlayStation 5 logo, suggesting it was a planned launch platform.
Virtuos eager to port Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 to the Nintendo Switch 2
Porting studio Virtuos has expressed strong interest in adapting Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. While the article mentions the current Nintendo Switch, the studio believes the successor console would be a more suitable platform for these demanding titles. No official announcement has been made by Nintendo regarding these ports.
Batman: Arkham Trilogy port studio says Nintendo Switch has “a lot of life in it” with very “loyal audience”
Untold Games, the studio responsible for porting the Batman: Arkham Trilogy to the Nintendo Switch, believes the console still has significant potential due to its loyal audience. CEO Elisa Di Lorenzo stated that hardware power isn't the sole factor for players and that integrating platform-specific constraints early in development is crucial for successful ports.
As Xbox 'Reevaluates' Exclusives, Its Hellblade 2 PS5 Port Is Considered a Success
Microsoft is reevaluating its approach to game exclusivity as new lead Asha Sharma aims to improve the Xbox brand. Titles already ported to PlayStation 5, such as Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 and Forza Horizon 5, are considered successful, with Ninja Theory reporting a profit for Hellblade 2's PS5 release. The company is now focusing on future projects, while also considering future PS5 ports for games like Forza Horizon 6.
007: First Light Studio Needs “A Bit More Time” to Ensure Quality of Nintendo Switch 2 Version
IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 version of 007: First Light is running on the hardware but requires additional time to ensure quality, with a late Summer 2026 release window now expected. This follows a pause in development for the Borderlands 4 Switch 2 port due to challenges with investment and sales potential. Take-Two Interactive reaffirmed its commitment to releasing titles like PGA Tour 2K25 and WWE 2K26 on the platform.
