Every fact on this page applies to update 1.2, the one version tested. Other versions may behave differently.
No emulator needed: Bayonetta 2 runs natively on the Apple chip. How nxnative compares with emulators
Running through nxnative
How Bayonetta 2 runs
Bayonetta 2 plays on the iPhone, with a Packed app of about 12.5 GB. It runs on PlatinumGames' engine in the form it took on the Wii U, the same as the first Bayonetta.
How it runs
On the Mac, it plays through the logo movie, the title, a new game in Story mode, the opening narration, the prologue, Verse 1 on the jet and the fight that follows Rodin's cutscene, including an Umbran Climax and a torture attack, with sound. Gameplay runs at 60 fps. Cutscenes run at 30 fps, as the game requests. The title appears about 20 seconds after launch.
Controls
The Packed app starts in the 3D touch layout, with the camera on an undrawn right stick: touch the right third of the screen away from the buttons. The game offers its own touch controls in handheld mode, but nxnative's profile keeps the game docked.
Good to know
- The opening narration cannot be skipped the first time you play. That is how the game works, not an nxnative problem.
- At about 12.5 GB the Packed app may be too big for some sideloading setups. nxnative's packing script can keep the game files out of the app with
--romfs separate; see the install guide. - Tested with update 1.2.
Known issues
None reported
Packing command
Run this in your nxnative folder on the Build Mac. Replace the game folder and the keys path with your own. Add --platform mac-app to get a Mac app instead of an iPhone and iPad app.
python3 scripts/build_ipa_from_nsp.py ~/Games/bayonetta-2 -k ~/keys/prod.keysFAQ
Does Bayonetta 2 work with nxnative?
Yes. Bayonetta 2 is tested with nxnative on update 1.2.
Which iPhone, iPad or Mac do I need to play Bayonetta 2?
An iPhone 15 Pro or newer (A17 Pro chip or later) or an iPad with an M1 chip or later, on iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, or a Mac with Apple silicon. iPads with the A17 Pro chip (iPad mini) have the iPhone 15 Pro's chip but are untested by nxnative. Packing needs a Mac with macOS 26.6 or later and Xcode 27.1.
Is Bayonetta 2 included?
No. Neither this site nor nxnative includes any game. You Pack Bayonetta 2 from your own copy of the game, with keys dumped from your own Switch.
Does online play work in Bayonetta 2?
Online play in Bayonetta 2 is not confirmed to work, so do not count on it.
