Nintendo Switch
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
あつまれ どうぶつの森 · 集合啦！動物森友會
- Perfect: No noticeable issues start to finish
- Playable: Can be finished; minor glitches or slowdowns
- In-game: Gets in-game, but issues get in the way
- Menus: Reaches the title screen or menus only
- Boots: Starts, then hangs on a black screen or intro
- Nothing: Does not start
Yes, and PC is the most stable: Citron lists it as Perfect and Ryubing as In-game, and users report a steady 30fps (the game's native cap) on PC and Steam Deck, including a 50-hour run with no graphics issues. The big 3.0 update from January 2026 (released alongside the Switch 2 Edition) crashed Ryubing stable 1.3.3 at launch and needs a Canary build from January 2026 or later; Citron NEO added the new commands that 3.0's local wireless needs in January 2026. A fix exists for the Mac bug where indoor backgrounds turn white; MeloNX on iPhone runs it smoothly per user reports but crashes when taking photos, and as of November 1, 2026, iPhone users can also use nxnative (a native port tool, not an emulator; needs update 3.0.3 and an iPhone 15 Pro or newer), officially at 30fps like the Switch. Android phones with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or newer mostly hold a stable 720p/30fps on Eden. An unofficial native PC and Android port (ACNHRecomp, not an emulator) also exists; see the related news.
Settings & known issues
- Update 3.0.0 needs a Ryubing Canary from January 2026 or later; launch and local-wireless crashes are fixed (#234/#236).
- If the in-game clock is wrong, set the time zone in the emulator's system settings (Ryubing docs).
- On Apple Silicon Macs, turn off Hypervisor in Ryubing if it crashes (official docs).
- White indoor backgrounds on Apple GPUs: fixed in MeloNX 2.6, still reported on Ryubing 1.3.339.
- A crowded island can drop to 11fps; one user got back to 30fps after adjusting settings (user report).
- nxnative needs update 3.0.3 and has no online play; an iPhone 18 Pro report shows the island map drawing wrong (issue #73, open).
Compatibility reports
| Platform | Emulator | Result | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Eden 0.2.1 | Perfect | Resolution 1x; handheld mode · Intel Core i5-13400F | emuready.com 2026-08-15 |
| Windows | Citron Neo | Perfect | github.com 2026-05-17 | |
| Windows | Eden 0.2.0 - rc1 | Perfect | Avg 30 FPS; resolution 3x; handheld mode · AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | emuready.com 2026-04-02 |
| Windows | Eden 0.0.4 | Perfect | Avg 50fps; resolution 1x; handheld mode · AMD Ryzen 3 2200G | emuready.com 2026-01-02 |
| Windows | Eden v0.2.1 | Playable | Stable fps the first few days; unstable after building the Project K viewing tent, as low as 11 fps; restored to a constant 30f… · Intel i9 3.6GHz | reddit.com 2026-06-29 |
| Windows | Eden 22.1.0 | Playable | Resolution 1x; handheld mode · AMD Ryzen 5 4600H | emuready.com 2026-06-04 |
| Windows | Eden 0.2.0 | Playable | Resolution 1x; handheld mode · AMD Athlon 64 2800+ | emuready.com 2026-04-30 |
| Windows | Citron | Playable | Not stated (PC) | reddit.com 2026-01-31 |
| Windows | Ryubing 1.3.3 | Playable | Resolution 1x · Intel Core i5-13400 | emuready.com 2025-12-27 |
| Windows | yuzu | Playable | web.archive.org 2024-03-04 | |
| Windows | Ryubing | In-game | github.com 2024-09-23 | |
| Windows | Ryubing | Nothing | Not stated (PC) | reddit.com 2026-01-31 |
| Windows | Eden | Nothing | Not stated (PC) | reddit.com 2026-01-31 |
| Windows | Sudachi | Nothing | Not stated (PC) | reddit.com 2026-01-31 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Citron 0.12.25 | Perfect | Avg 30 FPS; resolution 1080p (1x docked); docked mode · AMD Ryzen 5 7640U | emuready.com 2026-02-23 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden | Perfect | Steam Deck | emuready.com 2025-06-06 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden Nightly - May 10, 2026 | Playable | Avg 30 (capped at 30) FPS; resolution 1x; docked mode · AMD Ryzen 7 3800X | emuready.com 2026-05-11 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden | Playable | Steam Deck | git.eden-emu.dev 2025-09-18 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden | Playable | Steam Deck | emuready.com 2025-07-12 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden | In-game | Steam Deck | emuready.com 2025-10-10 |
| Mac | Ryubing Canary 1.3.339 (same on Stable 1.3.3) | Playable | Apple M1 8GB (macOS 26.2) | github.com 2026-08-02 |
| Mac | Ryubing | Playable | Mac (macOS 26, model not stated) | youtube.com 2025-09-28 |
| Mac | Astris | In-game | MacBook Pro 16" M2 Pro 16GB | youtube.com 2026-09-16 |
| Mac | Ryubing 1.3.269 | In-game | MacBook Neo 512GB (modified with added thermal pad) | youtube.com 2026-04-22 |
| Mac | Ryubing | In-game | MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB) | youtube.com 2026-03-19 |
| Mac | Ryujinx 1.1.0-macos1 | In-game | Apple M2 8GB | github.com 2022-11-29 |
| iPhone / iPad | nxnative | Playable | 30 FPS (as on Switch); game 3.0.3 | nxnative.dev 2026-11-01 |
| iPhone / iPad | nxnative 577df01 | Playable | Game 3.0.x · iPhone 18 Pro | github.com 2026-10-26 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX | Playable | iPhone 15 Pro | reddit.com 2025-06-22 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX | In-game | iPhone 14 Pro Max | youtube.com 2025-04-05 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX | Nothing | iPad A16 (GetMoreRAM not installed) | reddit.com 2026-04-18 |
| Android | Eden 0.2.1 | Perfect | User-reported avg: 30 fps · AYN Thor Pro | emuready.com 2026-10-10 |
| Android | Eden 0.2.1 | Perfect | Not stated · AYANEO Pocket DS | emuready.com 2026-09-18 |
| Android | Eden 0.2.1 | Perfect | Not stated · Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (SD) | emuready.com 2026-08-29 |
| Android | Kenji-NX 1.1.3 | Perfect | Not stated · Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 3 | emuready.com 2026-05-16 |
| Android | Eden v0.2.0 | Perfect | User-reported avg: 30 fps · AYN Odin 3 Max | emuready.com 2026-05-14 |
| Android | Kenji-NX 2.1.0 pr2 | Playable | User-reported avg: 12 fps · Vivo iQOO Neo 9 | emuready.com 2026-06-04 |
| Android | Citron v2026.02.1 | Playable | Not stated · Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | emuready.com 2026-04-24 |
| Android | Kenji-NX 2.1.0 | Playable | Not stated · RedMagic 11 Pro | emuready.com 2026-04-01 |
| Android | Eden | Playable | Author says mostly 30 FPS when not recording, occasionally dropping to 24 FPS · Moto g75 | youtube.com 2026-03-30 |
| Android | Sudachi c5aff15 (Build caddd81) | Playable | User-reported avg: 20-30 at intro, 20 or lower in-game · Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | emuready.com 2026-02-02 |
| Android | Citron 2026.2.1 | In-game | Not stated · RedMagic 11 Pro | emuready.com 2026-04-01 |
| Android | Sudachi C7431bd | In-game | User-reported avg: 30 fps · Google Pixel 7 Pro | emuready.com 2025-09-21 |
Related news
Game info
- Developer
- Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Released
- 2020-03-20
- Genre
- Simulation
- Title ID
- 01006F8002326000
- Updated
- 2026-11-01
FAQ
Can I play Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Windows with an emulator?
The best reported result on Windows is "Perfect" with Eden, Resolution 1x; handheld mode (report from 2026-08-15). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Can I play Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Mac with an emulator?
The best reported result on Mac is "Playable" with Ryubing (report from 2026-08-02). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Can I play Animal Crossing: New Horizons on iPhone / iPad with an emulator?
The best reported result on iPhone / iPad is "Playable" with nxnative, 30 FPS (as on Switch); game 3.0.3 (report from 2026-11-01). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Can I play Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Android with an emulator?
The best reported result on Android is "Perfect" with Eden, User-reported avg: 30 fps (report from 2026-10-10). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Where can I find the Animal Crossing: New Horizons ROM?
Switch emulators load games as XCI (cartridge) or NSP (digital) files; this game's Title ID is 01006F8002326000. You also need prod.keys and firmware; what they are and which folder they go in is covered in our "prod.keys, title.keys and Firmware Explained" guide. →
Related guides
Best Switch Emulator in 2026: Picks for PC, Steam Deck, Mac, iPhone and Android
The best Nintendo Switch emulator for every platform as of October 2026: Eden for PC, Steam Deck and Android, Ryubing for Mac, MeloNX for iPhone and iPad.
Best Switch Emulator Settings for Performance and Graphics (2026 Guide)
Short answer: defaults + Vulkan, 2x resolution on a 1080p screen, shader cache on, a 60 fps mod per game. Every Eden, Ryubing and MeloNX setting explained, with presets.
Switch Emulator Troubleshooting: Crashes, Shader Stutter, Black Screen and More (2026)
Fix Eden, Ryubing and MeloNX crashes, shader stutter, black screens, glitches, audio, memory, save and FPS problems with symptom, cause and fix tables (Oct 2026).