Nintendo Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
ゼルダの伝説 ティアーズ オブ ザ キングダム · 薩爾達傳說 王國之淚
- 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. PC (Windows or Linux) is the best way to play it today: Eden, Citron NEO and Ryubing all have full-playthrough reports, and users report 60fps on mid-to-high-end GPUs with a dynamic-FPS mod. On Apple Silicon Macs, Ryubing and Astris mostly run at 30fps, with user reports of 45-60fps using UltraCam, and nxnative (a native port tool, not an emulator) is reported at a locked 60fps on an M3 Pro. MeloNX on M-series iPads reaches about 1080p/30fps but uses a lot of RAM; as of November 1, 2026, nxnative on iPhone (needs game update 1.4.3 and an iPhone 15 Pro or newer) holds a steady 30fps on an iPhone 16 Pro Max, though 8GB devices get killed by iOS after 30-90 minutes. On Android, Eden on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or newer mostly sits around 30fps; game update 1.4.x needs Ryubing 1.3.3, Eden v0.0.4-rc1, Citron v0.8.0 or later. Unofficial native PC, Android and Mac ports (such as TotK Recomp, not emulators) also exist; see the related news.
Settings & known issues
- Game update 1.4.x needs Ryubing 1.3.3, Eden v0.0.4-rc1 or Citron v0.8.0+; older builds hang or crash.
- ErrorOutOfDeviceMemory means VRAM ran out: turn on texture recompression (Ryubing docs).
- Raise resolution with a mod like UltraCam, not emulator upscaling (FSR+FXAA blurs). Avoid outdated 60fps mods.
- AMD RX 400/500 cards show rainbow ground artifacts on Windows; Ryubing docs suggest Linux.
- Black squares were fixed in Eden v0.0.3 and a stutter regression in v0.0.4-rc3; Eden's 2026-10-26 daily build fixes remaining dark squares on Qualcomm/Turnip Android (daily build only, not in v0.2.1).
- Flickering shrine shadows on Eden: set GPU mode to Accurate (issue #523).
- nxnative only supports game update 1.4.3; 8GB iPhones and iPads get killed by iOS in long sessions, so save often.
Compatibility reports
| Platform | Emulator | Result | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Citron Neo | Perfect | github.com 2026-05-17 | |
| Windows | Eden 0.2.0 | Perfect | Avg 30 FPS; resolution 1x; handheld mode · AMD Ryzen 3 4300U | emuready.com 2026-03-07 |
| Windows | Eden 0.1.1 | Perfect | Avg 30 FPS; resolution 1x; docked mode · AMD Ryzen 9 4900H | emuready.com 2026-02-03 |
| Windows | Eden v0.2.1 / nightly | Playable | AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT | github.com 2026-10-15 |
| Windows | Eden nightly | Playable | 30-40 fps most of the time, near 60 fps inside temples · i7-4790K | reddit.com 2026-10-14 |
| Windows | Eden | Playable | 1x resolution, 30 fps · i5-8400 | reddit.com 2026-10-07 |
| Windows | Citron Neo Stable | Playable | AMD Ryzen 5 5600G with Radeon Graphics (6 Cores, 12 Threads) | github.com 2026-10-03 |
| Windows | Eden | Playable | Stable 50-60 fps, same frame rate at 4K (same on Yuzu) · i5-9400F | reddit.com 2026-10-03 |
| Windows | Citron Neo stable | Playable | Ryzen 5 5600G integrated graphics (Vega) / 16GB | github.com 2026-10-03 |
| Windows | Eden 0.2.1 | Playable | Avg 60 FPS; resolution 2x; docked mode · AMD Ryzen 9 5950X | emuready.com 2026-09-27 |
| Windows | Ryubing | Playable | Randomly drops to 20 fps · Ryzen 7 9700X | reddit.com 2026-09-07 |
| Windows | Eden 0.2.1 | Playable | Avg 60 FPS; resolution 1x; handheld mode · AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | emuready.com 2026-07-27 |
| Windows | Ryubing | Playable | Mostly 60 fps, occasional stutter · i9-14900KF | reddit.com 2026-07-09 |
| Windows | Eden | Playable | 1440p, stable 60-89 fps (on a 1080p display) · Ryzen 5 7600X | reddit.com 2026-07-07 |
| Windows | Ryubing 1.3.3 | Playable | Resolution 2x · AMD Ryzen 5 5600 | emuready.com 2026-06-23 |
| Windows | Eden 0.2.0 | Playable | Avg 30 FPS; resolution 1x; handheld mode · AMD Ryzen 9 7900X | emuready.com 2026-05-31 |
| Windows | Ryubing 1.3.269 | Playable | Resolution (source field says "100x", likely a data entry format issue) · AMD Ryzen 5 5600X | emuready.com 2026-05-20 |
| Windows | Citron | Playable | 4K 30FPS · RTX 5070 Ti + R7 9800X3D | youtube.com 2026-02-04 |
| Windows | Citron | Playable | 720p 30-35 FPS · Ryzen 5560U | reddit.com 2025-11-24 |
| Windows | Citron Canary Refresh v0.6.1 | Playable | Avg 40-60 FPS; resolution 1440p; docked mode · AMD Ryzen 7 5800X | emuready.com 2025-07-06 |
| Windows | Ryujinx 1.1.742 | Playable | About 20 fps · AMD Ryzen 5 5560U | github.com 2023-05-02 |
| Windows | Eden Latest (2026-08) | In-game | i5-11600 | reddit.com 2026-08-03 |
| Windows | Citron Canary Refresh Version 0.6.1 | In-game | Avg 12 FPS; resolution x0.75 (540p/810p); handheld mode · Intel Core i7-7700 | emuready.com 2025-08-14 |
| Windows | Ryubing | In-game | github.com 2024-08-24 | |
| Windows | Ryujinx | In-game | github.com 2024-08-24 | |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden 0.2.1 | Perfect | Resolution 2x; handheld mode · AMD Ryzen 5 5600 | emuready.com 2026-10-11 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden 0.2.0-rc1 | Perfect | Avg 90 FPS; resolution 2x; docked mode · AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D | emuready.com 2026-03-15 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Citron | Perfect | Steam Deck OLED | emuready.com 2025-07-20 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden 0.2.0-rc2 | Playable | Avg 75 FPS; resolution 2x; docked mode · AMD Ryzen 7 5700G | emuready.com 2026-04-09 |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Eden 0.0.2-pre-alpha | Playable | Avg 70 FPS; resolution 1080p; docked mode · AMD Ryzen 5 7600 | emuready.com 2025-07-23 |
| Mac | nxnative nxnative 8c80f39a, game 1.4.3 | Playable | 60fps (15-20fps inside Sifumim Shrine) · M3 Max 48GB, macOS 27.2 · User report: frame time about 16.7ms outside the shrine and about 50-66ms inside; still slow after re-entering | github.com 2026-11-04 |
| Mac | nxnative d8bc921 | Playable | Locked 60 FPS; game 1.4.3 · M3 Pro (36GB) | github.com 2026-10-29 |
| Mac | nxnative ff44c59 | Playable | 60 FPS, drops to 30 in heavy scenes like rain; game 1.4.3 · M4 Pro (48GB) | github.com 2026-10-26 |
| Mac | Astris | Playable | Default 30fps; with UltraCam, renders at 1600x900, 60fps · MacBook Pro M3 Max | youtube.com 2026-06-01 |
| Mac | Astris | Playable | With UltraCam, about 45-60fps, not locked at 60 · Mac mini M4 16GB (10-core GPU) | youtube.com 2026-06-01 |
| Mac | Astris v1.07 (as written by the author) | Playable | UltraCam 4K (shadow 2048), avg ~42fps; UltraCam 1440p, avg ~60fps · MacBook Pro M4 Pro 24GB（14CPU/20GPU，macOS 26.4.1） | youtube.com 2026-05-01 |
| Mac | Astris v1.07 (as written by the author) | Playable | UltraCam 1080p (shadow 1024), avg ~50fps · Mac mini M4 16GB（10CPU/10GPU，macOS 26.4.1） | youtube.com 2026-05-01 |
| Mac | Ryubing | Playable | Native 4K, default 30fps cap · MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro 64GB | youtube.com 2026-03-18 |
| Mac | Ryubing 1.3.3 | Playable | 60fps at start, drops to 30-34fps after 2-5 minutes · Mac M4 Pro (macOS 26) | reddit.com 2026-02-18 |
| Mac | Ryubing | Playable | Recommended to lock at 30fps; drops to 25fps during shader compilation stutter · MacBook Pro M5 base model 16GB (10-core GPU) | youtube.com 2025-12-19 |
| Mac | Astris | In-game | MacBook Pro 16" M5 Max (40-core GPU) 48GB | youtube.com 2026-07-12 |
| Mac | Ryubing | In-game | Drops to the low teens of fps in open world · MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB) | youtube.com 2026-03-19 |
| Mac | Ryubing Canary 1.3.252 | In-game | Mac M3 Pro 18GB (macOS 26.3) | github.com 2026-02-11 |
| iPhone / iPad | nxnative | Playable | 60 FPS (30 on Switch); needs game 1.4.3 | nxnative.dev 2026-11-01 |
| iPhone / iPad | nxnative 7dc250e | Playable | Steady 30 FPS (render scale 0.8); game 1.4.3 · iPhone 16 Pro Max (8GB) | github.com 2026-10-29 |
| iPhone / iPad | nxnative | Playable | 29-30 FPS; game 1.4.3 · iPad Pro 11 (M2, 8GB) | github.com 2026-10-25 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX 2.4 | Playable | 1080p / 30fps; ~11GB memory in 30-min test · iPad Pro M5 16GB (iPadOS 24.5) | youtube.com 2026-07-12 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX 1.5.0 | Playable | 15-30 fps (capped at 30) · iPad Air 5 (M1) | reddit.com 2025-03-12 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX 1.2.1 | Playable | 1080p / 30fps · iPad Pro M4 16GB (iPadOS 18.3.1) | youtube.com 2025-02-27 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX 2.4 | In-game | iPad Air (M1) | reddit.com 2026-06-15 |
| iPhone / iPad | MeloNX | In-game | iPhone 17 Pro Max | youtube.com 2026-01-30 |
| Android | Eden PR build #4324 commit c3bdfd1… | Perfect | User-reported avg: 30 fps · AYN Thor Pro | emuready.com 2026-09-21 |
| Android | nxnative nx2android v0.3.0 (unreleased dev build), game update 1.4.3 | Playable | 30fps, 60 in caves and shrines · Lenovo Legion Y700 (Snapdragon 8 Elite / Adreno 830) · Self-reported by nx2android (a community Android fork of nxnative, not part of the official project), listed in its README's game table. "Smoothest with a Turnip Vulkan driver"; 60fps in the open world is still work in progress. The config is marked experimental and needs the unreleased v0.3.0 dev build | github.com 2026-11-03 |
| Android | Eden v0.2.0-rc2-optimized | Playable | User-reported avg: 45-60 fps · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (SD) | emuready.com 2026-10-26 |
| Android | Eden v0.2.0-rc2 | Playable | About 45 FPS outdoors, 70-80 FPS in shrines · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | reddit.com 2026-10-26 |
| Android | Eden | Playable | Title: 30fps · iQOO Neo 9 Pro | youtube.com 2026-10-12 |
| Android | Citron V.0.1.4 | Playable | Not stated · Realme 11 Pro | emuready.com 2026-05-01 |
| Android | Citron 2026.2.1 | Playable | User-reported avg: 25 fps · AYANEO KONKR Pocket FIT (G3 Gen 3) | emuready.com 2026-02-05 |
| Android | Sudachi caddd81 | Playable | User-reported avg: 30 fps · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (SD) | emuready.com 2026-01-24 |
| Android | Kenji-NX 2.0.3 | Playable | Not stated · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (SD) | emuready.com 2025-09-19 |
| Android | Eden Nightly 2026-10-18 | In-game | Two segments: "unlocked fps, frame generation off" and "30FPS + 2x frame generation" · iQOO 15 | youtube.com 2026-10-21 |
| Android | Eden Nightly 2026-06-15 (package renamed to Ludashi for full speed) | In-game | 2x resolution, 30 FPS; also a 1x resolution unlocked-fps clip (no number given) · iQOO 15 | youtube.com 2026-06-15 |
| Android | Kenji-NX 2.05 | Nothing | Not stated · AYANEO KONKR Pocket FIT (G3 Gen 3) | emuready.com 2026-02-05 |
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Game info
- Developer
- Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development / Monolith Soft Inc.
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Released
- 2023-05-12
- Genre
- Action / Adventure
- Title ID
- 0100F2C0115B6000
- Updated
- 2026-11-05
FAQ
Can I play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Windows with an emulator?
The best reported result on Windows is "Perfect" with Citron Neo (report from 2026-05-17). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Can I play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Mac with an emulator?
The best reported result on Mac is "Playable" with nxnative, 60fps (15-20fps inside Sifumim Shrine) (report from 2026-11-04). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Can I play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on iPhone / iPad with an emulator?
The best reported result on iPhone / iPad is "Playable" with nxnative, 60 FPS (30 on Switch); needs game 1.4.3 (report from 2026-11-01). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Can I play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Android with an emulator?
The best reported result on Android is "Perfect" with Eden, User-reported avg: 30 fps (report from 2026-09-21). Results vary by device and emulator version.
Where can I find the The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ROM?
Switch emulators load games as XCI (cartridge) or NSP (digital) files; this game's Title ID is 0100F2C0115B6000. 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. →
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