An unofficial PC port of the Nintendo 64 classic Star Fox 64 has been released, allowing fans to experience the beloved game with modern enhancements. Developed by Harbour Masters, the same team behind the PC ports of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, this project—titled Starship—has been reverse-engineered from the original game to run natively on PC.
Key Features of the Starship Port
- Modern Enhancements: The port includes support for widescreen resolutions, 4K visuals, and higher frame rates (up to 60 FPS), significantly improving the graphical fidelity and performance compared to the original N64 release.
- Rendering API Options: Players can choose between DirectX11 (Windows), OpenGL (all platforms), and Metal (macOS) for rendering, providing flexibility based on their hardware.
- Keyboard and Mouse Support: In addition to traditional controller support, players can use a keyboard and mouse for controls.
- Modding Potential: Like Harbour Masters’ previous projects, this port opens the door for future mods, including texture upgrades, model replacements, and possibly advanced features like ray tracing.
How It Works
The Starship port requires players to provide their own legally sourced ROM of Star Fox 64 (USA Version 1.1 Rev A). The ROM is then processed into a format compatible with the PC port, ensuring no copyrighted assets are distributed with the project. This approach avoids legal issues while allowing fans to enjoy a modernized version of the game.
Star Fox 64 PC Port Released!
— ReCollect64 (@DefaultDNB) December 23, 2024
Welcome to Centauri Alfa! ~ Dec 23, 2024https://t.co/ZjA81VMTRV#N64 #ReCollect64 pic.twitter.com/LHVRkbnfXR
Fan Reception
The release has been met with widespread enthusiasm from retro gaming communities. Fans have praised Harbour Masters for their dedication to preserving classic games while enhancing them for modern hardware. Many have noted that this native PC version offers a superior experience compared to emulation, thanks to its improved performance and modding capabilities.
Availability
The Starship port is currently available for Windows PCs, with potential future support for macOS, Linux, and even homebrew platforms like the Nintendo Switch or Wii U. The project is free to download but requires users to own a legitimate copy of the game ROM. This unofficial PC port breathes new life into Star Fox 64, offering fans a chance to revisit or discover one of Nintendo’s most iconic titles in a way that takes full advantage of modern technology.
