Unofficial port of Nintendo 64 Duke Nukem game Zero Hour has been ported to PC by recompilers.
A growing number of N64 games are being ported to PC thanks to a new recompilation process, and the latest title is Duke Nukem: Zero Hour. Released as an exclusive for the Nintendo console in 1999, the game was welcome to mixed reviews, and as a third-person Duke Nukem title rather than the more familiar FPS, it stands out. However, while reviews didn’t layer on the platitudes — Duke Nukem 3D was three years earlier — this isn’t a bad game, offering a fun mix of time travel and new weapons.
What is recompiling?
Like other recent N64 ports to PC, Duke Nukem: Zero Hour is coming to the PC thanks to recompiling. But what is this process?
In as basic terms as possible, software called N64: Recompiled reads the N64 game’s CPU code, and translates it into C source code, as literally as possible, to maintain the original game’s logic. A custom runtime then handles the source code and graphics and other elements, linking modern application layers, and the new codebase is compiled into an executable suitable for Windows or Linux.
Various games have been recompiled in this way, including The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time (as the Zelda 64: Recompiled project), and while initial results tend to be good, they’re typically upgraded with enhancements over time.
For example, Duke Nukem: Zero Hour is missing mouse control, which will probably be added later. Take a look:
Where can you find Duke Nukem: Zero Hour for PC?
The recompilation project is hosted on GitHub, where you can download it for PC. Note that as usual for unofficial ports, you will need the original game or ROM of Duke Nukem: Zero Hour for the game assets.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
