SteamWorld Dig
Every fact on this page applies to update 1.12.0, the one version tested. Other versions may behave differently.
No emulator needed: SteamWorld Dig runs natively on the Apple chip. How nxnative compares with emulators
Running through nxnative
How SteamWorld Dig runs
SteamWorld Dig plays on the Mac at 60 fps with sound. A short check covered the title, a new game in slot A, the opening in the mine and its dialogue, then control of Rusty: walking, jumping onto ledges, climbing ladders, the pause menu and quitting to the main menu. A second start listed slot A and Play loaded it. An iPhone app has been built but not tried on a device.
How it runs
nxnative runs the game with no game-specific fixes. It is a light Game: its files come to about 0.09 GB and memory stayed under 1.2 GB. Short pauses appear at scene changes, and a few single frames in play took slightly longer than usual; the cause has not been found.
On a first start, the title waits briefly while graphics are prepared. The project developers have not yet recorded the list that would prepare them in advance on iPhone.
Bring update 1.12.0
Only update 1.12.0 has been tested. Put it in the same folder as the base game before you Pack.
Controls
The Packed app starts in the 2D touch layout: the left stick walks and climbs, B jumps, A confirms and attacks, and X uses a tool.
Good to know
- The game saves only at checkpoints. Quitting from the pause menu loses progress since the last one, and a new game reloaded before a checkpoint starts the opening again.
- Only the first minutes were played. Digging, the town of Tumbleton, the shops, a checkpoint save and its reload, and other languages have not been checked.
Known issues
- In play, a single frame occasionally takes longer than usual, which can show as a brief hitch; the cause is unknown.
- An iPhone app has been built but not yet 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/steamworld-dig -k ~/keys/prod.keysFAQ
Does SteamWorld Dig work with nxnative?
Yes. SteamWorld Dig is tested with nxnative on update 1.12.0.
Which iPhone, iPad or Mac do I need to play SteamWorld Dig?
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 SteamWorld Dig included?
No. Neither this site nor nxnative includes any game. You Pack SteamWorld Dig from your own copy of the game, with keys dumped from your own Switch.
Does online play work in SteamWorld Dig?
Online play in SteamWorld Dig is not confirmed to work, so do not count on it.
