Every fact on this page applies to update 1.0.1, the one version tested. Other versions may behave differently.
No emulator needed: Return of the Obra Dinn runs natively on the Apple chip. How nxnative compares with emulators
Running through nxnative
How Return of the Obra Dinn runs
Return of the Obra Dinn is a light Game: its iPhone app came to about 0.9 GB and its Mac app to about 2.1 GB in the last published sizes. On the Mac, the title screen, the save menu, the newspaper, the opening letter, the spoken introduction, the rowing boat and the ship's deck all draw correctly, and looking around, the interact button and walking forward were checked too.
How it runs
The game runs at 60 fps on the Mac, with frames arriving steadily and no dropped frames in the project developers' measurement. Its distinctive one-bit look depends on a few graphics passes that needed extra care in nxnative, and they now render correctly. Memory stayed at around 1.2 GB during the opening and did not grow.
nxnative runs this game with no game-specific changes to its code.
Bring update 1.0.1
Tested with update 1.0.1. The base version is not registered, so put the update in the same folder as the base game before you Pack.
Controls
The Packed app starts in the 3D touch layout, since moving and looking around in first person needs both sticks. Touch an empty spot in the right third of the screen to look around.
Good to know
- Only the opening was played. Later memories, the pocket watch and saving after a story checkpoint have not been checked.
Known issues
- It has not yet been played on iPhone.
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/return-of-the-obra-dinn -k ~/keys/prod.keysFAQ
Does Return of the Obra Dinn work with nxnative?
Yes. Return of the Obra Dinn is tested with nxnative on update 1.0.1.
Which iPhone, iPad or Mac do I need to play Return of the Obra Dinn?
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 Return of the Obra Dinn included?
No. Neither this site nor nxnative includes any game. You Pack Return of the Obra Dinn from your own copy of the game, with keys dumped from your own Switch.
Does online play work in Return of the Obra Dinn?
Online play in Return of the Obra Dinn is not confirmed to work, so do not count on it.
