Discontinued
Skyline Emulator: Why the Early Android Switch Emulator Stopped, and What Happened to Strato and Pine
An early Android-only Switch emulator, stopped in 2023; its successor Strato has also stalled
- License
- MPL-2.0 / GPL-3.0
- Ended
- 2023-05
Key points
- Skyline was an Android-only Switch compatibility layer that worked much like Wine. It was previously called MonoNX and Lightswitch.
- It stopped in May 2023 after Nintendo filed a DMCA notice against a key-dumping tool and the team feared legal risk. The last build is Edge 69.
- Strato, the continuation by original team members, lost its lead developer in March 2024. Its last progress report is from 2024-02, with no repo updates after 2024-09.
- Pine, another continuation, shipped v1.0 in July 2024. Its original repo was named in a February 2026 DMCA notice and is now gone.
- As of October 2026, use Eden on Android, with Citron Neo as a backup. Any official Skyline download site is third-party.
Skyline has been discontinued and isn't worth using today. It was one of the first Android-only Switch emulators, and in May 2023 its team ended all development over legal concerns. Its two continuations, Strato and Pine, have also stopped. As of October 2026, the recommended option on Android is Eden, with Citron Neo as a backup.
What Skyline was
According to Emulation General Wiki, Skyline (formerly MonoNX and Lightswitch) was a free Switch compatibility layer for Android, written in C++ and Kotlin and licensed under MPL-2.0.
It worked differently from traditional emulators like yuzu and Ryujinx, closer to Wine on a PC. Because the Switch and Android phones both use ARM CPUs, Skyline ran most of a game's original code directly on the phone's processor and only translated the parts that talk to the system. The team called it an emulator for convenience.
Before yuzu's Android version arrived on May 30, 2023, Skyline was one of the few ways to play Switch games on Android. The team did a lot of work to get 3D games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild rendering and to raise frame rates, but many games still ran at low frame rates with minor glitches.
Why it stopped (May 2023)
In early May 2023 the Skyline team announced on Discord that development was over. Skyline itself wasn't sued; the trigger was Nintendo's DMCA notice against a key-dumping tool. The team wrote:
"We find ourselves in a position where we are potentially violating their copyright by continuing to develop our project, Skyline, by dumping keys from our own Switches. All development on Skyline has been ceased due to the potential legal risks involved, this website will remain up for the time being but may be taken down in the future."
The final build is Edge 69. TheGamer noted at the time that without further work, Android updates would eventually leave Skyline unusable.
The continuations: Strato and Pine
| Project | Developer | Status as of October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Strato | Two of the original Skyline developers | Android only, GPL-3.0; lead developer "Lynx" announced his departure in March 2024; last progress report 2024-02; last commit 2024-09-02. Effectively stalled |
| Pine | Ishan09811 | Android only; v1.0 in July 2024; original repo named in the 2026-02-12 DMCA notice and no longer loads |
Strato set out to continue where Skyline left off, using the same compatibility-layer approach. After its lead stepped away, the project passed to other developers, but no meaningful progress followed.
The DMCA cleanup continues
Even years after it stopped, Nintendo is still going after this line:
- 2026-02-12: Nintendo's DMCA notice to GitHub named Skyline and Pine.
- 2026-08-17: Nintendo filed seven notices in one day, one of them covering the Skyline fork network (29 repositories).
Beware of fake sites and paid knockoffs
- Sites offering an "official Skyline download" or "latest Skyline" are third-party. There have been no new Skyline builds for years, and their installers can't be verified.
- Closed-source paid Android "emulators" like Egg NS and DamonSwitch were found by Emulation General Wiki to violate open-source licenses by copying yuzu and Skyline code, and they charge a monthly fee for touch controls. Avoid them.
See how to spot fake emulator sites.
What to use on Android now
| Your phone | Pick |
|---|---|
| Most Snapdragon phones (Adreno GPU) | Eden with Turnip drivers |
| Want another yuzu-based option to compare | Citron Neo |
| High-end phones like Snapdragon 8 Elite | Also try Kenji-NX (updates have slowed) |
For chips and drivers, see the Android guide, Turnip drivers explained and the Android platform page. For keys and firmware, see keys and firmware explained.
FAQ
Does Skyline still work?
It isn't worth using. Skyline stopped in May 2023, its last build, Edge 69, hasn't been updated in over three years, and its compatibility is far behind today's Eden. On Android, switch to Eden or Citron Neo.
Did Nintendo sue Skyline?
No. The team stopped on its own. After Nintendo filed a DMCA notice against a key-dumping tool, the Skyline team concluded that continuing development with keys dumped from their own Switches could be seen as copyright infringement, and in May 2023 ended all development over potential legal risks.
What are Strato and Pine? Are they still updated?
Both are Android-only Skyline continuations. Strato comes from original Skyline developers; its lead left in March 2024 and the repo has seen no updates since September 2024. Pine, by Ishan09811, released v1.0 in July 2024; its original repo was named in a February 2026 DMCA notice and no longer loads. Treat both as stopped.
Is this the same Skyline used for Smash Bros. mods?
No. The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate modding scene has a mod loading framework also called Skyline. It is unrelated to this Android emulator, so keep that in mind when searching.
Which Switch emulator should I use on Android now?
Eden first, with Citron Neo as a backup. High-end phones like Snapdragon 8 Elite models can also try Kenji-NX. For chips and drivers, see our Android guide and Turnip driver guide.