S2Arm: Run Switch Games on iPhone Without a CPU Emulator

Switch game code is rewritten into ARM64 native code at build time to run directly on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It executes on the processor without passing through a CPU emulator, and graphics calls are routed directly to Metal. This structure results in different speed, heat generation, and battery consumption compared to existing methods.

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All games are integrated and managed within a single app. Adding a new game does not require a separate app installation or consume a signing slot. You can import keys and games and proceed with the build and installation process without a command line via a graphical launcher for Mac or Windows.

An automated interface is provided where an AI assistant imports games, builds them, and diagnoses and fixes errors. Through s2armctl, the AI performs each step and packages a diagnostic bundle if it cannot resolve an issue. A survey of 211 games recorded a 95% first-attempt build success rate.

Supports iOS 18 or later and Apple silicon-based macOS 15 or later environments. Only 64-bit (AArch64) games are supported; 32-bit ARM code cannot be executed. On a 16GB MacBook Air (M3), the build time for a 23.5GB game is approximately 6.4 minutes.