Every fact on this page applies to update 1.1.0, the one version tested. Other versions may behave differently.
No emulator needed: Kirby and the Forgotten Land runs natively on the Apple chip. How nxnative compares with emulators
Running through nxnative
How Kirby and the Forgotten Land runs
Kirby and the Forgotten Land runs on the Mac at 30 fps, the same as on the Switch. Its iPhone app has been built (about 6.4 GB), but the project developers have not yet tested it on a device.
How it runs
On the Mac, it was tested through the online and difficulty prompts, the opening movie, the beach and the walk through Point of Arrival with its guide movies, the reveal of the city, inhaling a Blade Knight for the Sword ability and fighting with it, the title screen and continuing a file. The longest session lasted 30 minutes with no crash.
Controls
The Packed app starts in the 2D touch layout (left stick, face buttons, shoulders, minus and plus). The layout button at the top centre switches layouts in game, and the app remembers your choice.
Good to know
- On the Mac the game used about 4.1 GB of memory. On an iPhone that may be more than an app gets without Increased Memory Limit, so turn that option on in your sideloading tool if it offers it.
- No stage has been finished in testing yet, so Waddle Dee Town, bosses and Mouthful Mode are untested.
- Tested on update 1.1.0. Other versions may behave differently.
Known issues
- The iPhone app is built but has not yet been tested on a device; the game used about 4.1 GB of memory on the Mac, which may exceed what an iPhone allows without Increased Memory Limit.
- No stage has been finished in testing, so later parts of the game are untested.
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/kirby-and-the-forgotten-land -k ~/keys/prod.keysFAQ
Does Kirby and the Forgotten Land work with nxnative?
Yes. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is tested with nxnative on update 1.1.0.
Which iPhone, iPad or Mac do I need to play Kirby and the Forgotten Land?
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 Kirby and the Forgotten Land included?
No. Neither this site nor nxnative includes any game. You Pack Kirby and the Forgotten Land from your own copy of the game, with keys dumped from your own Switch.
Does online play work in Kirby and the Forgotten Land?
Online play in Kirby and the Forgotten Land is not confirmed to work, so do not count on it.
