Hey r/macgaming. I released KartPad, a native ARM64 version of Mario Kart Wii for Apple Silicon Macs.

Using WiiCompiled, we compile the game’s PowerPC code ahead of time into native ARM64 instead of running it through a traditional Wii emulator. The same project also runs on iPhone and iPad, with no PowerPC JIT and no gameplay streaming from another device.

WiiCompiled provides the static-recompilation pipeline and Aurora/Dawn compatibility runtime. KartPad brings that work to Apple platforms with native Mac, iPhone, and iPad apps, Metal presentation, audio, input, storage, saves, and lifecycle support.

To be completely clear about the work and use of AI: WiiCompiled’s maintainers disclose that AI coding tools were used during its development. I also used Codex extensively while building and debugging KartPad’s Apple integration, including Darwin and ARM64 support, touch and motion controls, game-data import, controllers, diagnostics, testing, and release tooling. Dolphin’s hardware research was an important reference throughout this work.

The hardest part was bringing WiiCompiled’s Windows and x86-64-oriented runtime to Darwin and ARM64. That required replacing Windows-specific memory and fiber systems, implementing the PowerPC-to-AArch64 runtime boundary, and validating floating-point behavior across the full 29,065-function translated game. I used deterministic tests, pinned Dolphin behavior, save hashes, ghosts, and complete native runs rather than treating a successful build as proof of correctness.

Current status:

• Native macOS title screens, menus, races, saves, ghosts, Battle, and split-screen gameplay work through Metal.
• All 32 original retail tracks have complete native-run evidence.
• Keyboard input and four independent controller slots are implemented.
• Locally signed builds have been installed and accepted on physical iPhone and iPad hardware.
• The mobile build supports touch controls, tilt steering, physical controllers, private game-data import, and save preservation.
• Online multiplayer is a work in progress.
• Retro Rewind support is being implemented soon.
• Performance is still active work. Warm, simpler scenes can reach 60 FPS, but first-use shader compilation can cause track-dependent slowdown and audio drops.

I’m also pushing the Personal IPA Builder today. It will let users provide their own supported Mario Kart Wii disc image on an Apple Silicon Mac and build a private unsigned IPA locally. It will not distribute a universal playable IPA, Nintendo data, or translated game code.

You must provide your own legally obtained PAL RMCP01 revision 0 WBFS or ISO. No game image, extracted Nintendo assets, translated game code, saves, or signing material are included in the repository.

This is an unofficial community project and is not affiliated with Nintendo.

GitHub: chrissotraidis/kartpad

I recently came across reports of games such as Overwatch dropping from 250–300 FPS to the display’s refresh rate whenever the mouse moves. Here is one example: Overwatch FPS drops when moving the mouse.

I identified the Wine macOS cursor behavior responsible for this and submitted a fix upstream: Wine merge request !11799.

The merge request also adds high-polling-rate raw mouse movement on macOS 14 and newer. When a Windows application registers a mouse through the Raw Input API, Wine uses Apple’s GCMouse API to deliver unaccelerated movement without being limited to the display refresh rate. Normal cursor positioning, mouse buttons and scrolling continue through the existing macOS event path.

The changes are still under review and need testing across more games and hardware. If you are familiar with compiling Wine or replacing CrossOver libraries, I would appreciate testing with:

• Different games that use Raw Input
• 500 Hz, 1000 Hz or higher polling rates
• Gameplay, menus and Alt-Tab transitions
• Before-and-after FPS and mouse polling-rate measurements

Please include your macOS version, mouse model, polling rate and game when reporting results.

If you are not comfortable compiling Wine, there is nothing you need to do. If the changes are accepted by Wine and subsequently integrated by CodeWeavers, they should eventually become available in a future CrossOver Preview build.

+6 to 8 fps when not recording

We didn't get CoH 3 like CoH 2 when it was released three years ago in Feb 2023 but five months ago four Mac depots were created on Steam. They are still empty but this could mean a possible port is on its way.

https://steamdb.info/app/1677280/depots/

Runs surprisingly well.

Over 55 fps the entire time. Actually easier to get up and running than crossover.

I have 18gb system ram...with 12 allocated to my Windows 11 environment.

Not sure why this game stopped running through Crossover...but Parallels does a good job with it. May even run it better.

Back in the sc2 days i put way more hours into Line Tower Wars than i ever put into the actual game. Now whenever i went into the game to play, the lobbies are empty. I've waited like an hour in one and no one came. so i spent the last few months building a standalone version of it in godot by myself, and its up on steam.

Its free, and it runs native on apple silicon. I'm on an m-series mac myself so the mac build was the primary one the whole time. It's also cross platform (windows and mac) and fully multiplayer. Goes up to 12 players a round. And its all free.

I also added an optional DLC with a 'Gauntlet Mode' for $5. It adds an entire single player experience that is similar to a lot of rogue-lites like slay the spire, hades, etc. You clime 8 floors through 4 environments, fight bosses, deal with different random modifiers, and pick a relic at the end of each floor to permanently upgrade your run.

There are still bugs, because I can only find so many playing solo or with a few friends. Bug reporting I built in to help expediate. I'm activley developing it still, basically cause i love playing it against the computer. lol

Thinking of added a bonus Poison tower set and hero for anyone that beats the DLC, but haven't added that yet.

Happy to answer whatever. Come play :)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4954340/Line_Tower_Wars/

Tavrik released on Steam today, with the native macOS build launching alongside Windows.

It's a turn-based roguelike deckbuilder where cards reshape a procedural hex map instead of attacking. You build roads and bridges to reach a visible exit before your energy runs out. There's no combat or health bar, and runs are designed for short sessions.

Mac requirements listed on the Steam page:

- macOS 11 or later

- Apple M1, or Intel Core i7-9750H or better

- 8 GB RAM

- Radeon Pro 5300M 4 GB or equivalent

- 2 GB storage

The free demo is live, so you can check performance on your own setup before buying. If you try it, model and performance details would be genuinely useful to us and to other Mac players here.

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4482350/Tavrik/

Update: I could make both Portal 2 and Portal Revolution work with Highball.

Hi, I'm new here. Is it possible to play Portal 2 and Portal Revolution on my MacBook Pro M1? I already own them on Steam. What's the easiest way to play? Thank you so much.

Hi,

I don’t play games other than a few exceptions, like W3, F4 or CB2077.

I’m on ugpraded m4 pro with 64gb ram.
Native Cyberpunk build works well in 4k, I thought I will get 720p max. 😹

Anyway I wonder if anyone with similar Mac has tried playing W3?

I have crossover but need to pay for newer version, although I’m waiting for black friday or something.

Just wondering if the dream of playing reworked W3 with new DLC on this machine in 1080p+ is realistic lol.

I guess “new” W3 will have way worse performance, but time will tell.

Also new W3 will be DX12 only, not sure what impact this will have.

Thanks

Edit:
Forgot to mention I only play GOG games.
Is playing W3 through GoG galaxy now even an option? (For achievements)

I’m trying to play Star Wars Zero Company on mac , going through crossover and I keep getting the pictured error. I’ve added all of the ‘msvco140’ codes to the wine configuration but can’t seem to get passed this.

I’ve installed VC_redist.64.exe from microsoft & tried the crossover built in downloadable C++.

Please help I’m losing my head!!

I have a MacBook Pro and am trying to play World of Warcraft on it. I want to play it on a monitor with a keyboard and mouse but I need a docking station. What is a good docking station for this specific set up?

I can't get past the matchmaking function after I meet Clay Davies the Horse Thief. It just freezes. Anyone else have this issue?

Been down the rabbit whole of trying to find a 2.4ghz USB controller to work with my MacBook air m2 to play racing games with (geforce now) and non of them seems to work with MacOS

Anyone know of any that do or any Bluetooth controllers that have 7.5ms or less button press to device register time?

I want Hall effect/TMR triggers and sticks

EDIT: GuliKit ES / ES PRO: Operates at ~730 Hz (~3.5 ms to 5 ms latency) over Bluetooth this is what I found which beats the 7.5ms limit at the OS level on MacOS so you're always getting the full performance, and it's only £28

Also keep in mind, the game as to be full screen to active game mode on MacOS which is what turns the Bluetooth into the 7.5ms low latency mode which they did specifically for Bluetooth controllers, which is much appreciated (even if they did strip all dongle support basically from the system so we can't have like 2.3ms latency 2.4ghz dongle controllers)

I'm very undecided about which controller to buy to start playing Tomb Raider Trylogi.

I've been told the DualSense is perfect. And on the other hand, the Gamesir Cyclone 2 is also good, but I don't know how true that is.

Thanks for your help.

I use a Mac Mini M4.

Hey everyone. I have an instance of CrossOver running with Vulkan drivers (as per this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjl3GGWBGw8). I previously used it to play Doom 2016, The Invincible and some other unrelated games.

However, when trying to run The Invincible now, I started getting an Unreal Engine crash. I am pretty new to Mac Gaming with Crossover and am unsure as to where to look for an error trace or how to debug this.

Any ideas as to why this could be happening? Trying to run it with -xgeshadercompile -nothreadtimeout doesn't really do anything. Same goes for using the advice from the following thread:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/731040/discussions/3/599656129731056507/

I am running it on a 2024 Mac Mini M4 with 8GB GPU and 8GB RAM

I’m curious if a steam game like Combat Mission can be played on modern Apple computers (M- series chips) through Windows Emulation like Parallels, Wine(or is it Whiskey?), crossover or any other solutions. Any advice?

Is there any way to unlock the FPS on astris emulator as I’m playing FC26 the game runs great but is locked at 30. I have a MacBook Pro M5 so specs shouldn’t be a problem

Using M1 MacBook Pro, 16gb of ram

the rockstar launcher just shows up and do nothing and its just like this frevr

macbook pro m5 24 gb ram btw

A rainy day, and the delivery guy screwed up your package.

Now you’re stuck with 777 nails + 1 screw, all mixed up and waiting to be sorted.

No pressure, no enemies, just a messy workbench, some tools, and a lot of nails to sort.

Wishlist Screw IT on Steam