Smash Ultimate PC recomp: what ssbu-recomp is and how far along it is
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is getting a native PC port. Not an emulator: ssbu-recomp by Denkishi statically recompiles the Switch game (version 13.0.4) into a Windows x64 program with its own runtime and a Vulkan renderer. It went viral on Oct 12, 2026 after @mdaman010's post (about 3k likes and 330k views). Here's what it actually does, what works, and what you need. Checked against the official repo on Oct 13, 2026.
Legal: CRT Forge links to official project repos only. We never host or link ROMs, ISOs or game dumps. Bring your own dump from a copy you own. This isn't legal advice.
Smash Ultimate is getting a native PC port, no emulator required. ssbu-recomp uses static recompilation to turn Super Smash Bros. Ultimate into a native Windows program.
— @mdaman010 View post on X
What is ssbu-recomp?
It's a static recompilation: every function of the game's ARM64 machine code is translated to C ahead of time, then compiled with clang into a game DLL. The parts the Switch provided (about 1,100 system-library calls, files, audio, input, movies, and the NVN graphics API) are re-implemented by the project's runtime on Windows, a bit like Wine does for Windows apps. Shaders are translated to SPIR-V as they load.
The headline feature for modders: fighter move scripts decompile into readable, editable C++. The repo reports 95% of all fighters' animation-command scripts (80,880 of 84,886) come out behaving the same as the original in a differential test, and a fighter rebuilds in about a second.
Status (October 2026)
From the repo's own status table. It's honest about what was and wasn't tested:
| Area | State |
|---|---|
| Boot, opening movie, title screen and menus | Works |
| 1v1 Smash vs CPU, full match to the results screen | Works |
| Classic Mode, Training, Home-Run Contest | Start and play (tested with scripted input only) |
| World of Light (Adventure) | Intro reached; map and fights not tested |
| Team battles, Squad Strike, 3-8 players | Not tested |
| Online | Not available (runs as an offline console) |
| Speed | 59-60 fps in a fight once shaders are prepared, even on an Intel iGPU |
| Controllers | Any pad through SDL3, but not yet confirmed with physical pads |
| Mods | Fighter scripts as readable C++, rebuilt in about a second; a hook table makes every game function replaceable from a mod DLL |
| Linux / Steam Deck | Not started (Windows only) |
| Rollback netcode | Planned, not started |
Requirements
- Your own dump of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, game version 13.0.4, from a copy you own. We don't link dumps, keys or firmware, and neither does the project.
- Windows 10 or 11 x64 and a GPU with a Vulkan 1.3 driver.
- To build: Python 3.10+, LLVM/clang 9.0.0, MSVC Build Tools with a Windows SDK, Vulkan-Headers, glslang and SDL3, as listed in the repo's BUILDING.md.
- About 7 GB of disk for the build, plus shader caches. A fresh build takes about 45 minutes.
How to try it
- Dump your own copy of the game (version 13.0.4).
- Clone the official repo and install the build requirements.
- Run
python scripts/setup.py --dump <your dump folder>plus the dependency folders listed in BUILDING.md. - Launch with
python scripts/run.py --userdata <folder for your saves>.
No prebuilt downloads exist. Anything claiming to be a ready-made "Smash Ultimate PC download" is not from this project.
Built with Claude, and it says so
The author writes that they're not a reverse engineer, and that almost all of the code was written by Claude coding agents they direct: they pick the problem and the workaround, the agent implements it, and a test says whether it held. That loop is why one person could take on a project this size. More projects like this: games built with coding agents.
What's next
The repo's plan: every mode playable at a steady 60 fps, an internal resolution scale, a mod platform with a small C++ SDK, and the shared fighter state machine as readable source so wavedash or a turbo mode become ordinary mods. Rollback netcode is planned but not started. A related matching decomp effort is based on sbergeron42/ssbu-decomp.
Credit: ssbu-recomp is by Denkishi (GPL-3.0). Viral post by @mdaman010. More native ports: Xbox 360 recomps, N64 PC ports, and the full decomp hub. New to this? Decomp vs recomp vs emulation.
Other recomps: Sonic Unleashed (UnleashedRecomp) and the Xbox 360 recomps hub.
FAQ
Is there a Smash Ultimate PC port?
Yes, an unofficial one in progress: ssbu-recomp by Denkishi statically recompiles Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 13.0.4 into a native Windows x64 program. It's early. Menus and full 1v1 matches work, and many modes are untested.
Is ssbu-recomp an emulator?
No. There's no CPU interpreter or JIT. The game's AArch64 code is translated to C ahead of time and compiled for PC, and the Switch system libraries and graphics API are re-implemented on Windows with a Vulkan (or OpenGL) renderer.
Can I download ssbu-recomp?
There are no prebuilt releases. You build it yourself from the official GitHub repo with your own dump of game version 13.0.4. The repo says a fresh build takes about 45 minutes and about 7 GB of disk.
Does it include the game?
No. The repo has no game code, assets, keys or firmware. Everything game-derived is generated on your PC from your own dump. Don't download dumps from anywhere.
Was ssbu-recomp made with AI?
Yes. The author says almost all of the code was written by Claude coding agents they direct, with every claim backed by a test or measurement.
Does it work on Steam Deck or Linux?
Not yet. The runtime is Windows-only today and Linux support hasn't started.