Developer uses AI to natively port The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to iOS

As fans await Nintendo's official release date for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo Switch 2, developer Chris "Kahris" Sotraidis has unveiled a project to tide over the impatient: HarkinianPad, a native port of the Nintendo 64 classic for iOS and iPadOS.

Modern Features, No Emulation Required

Leveraging OpenAI's Codex and GPT-5.6 Sol, Kahris bypassed the limitations of traditional emulation and the Nintendo 64's original hardware. The result includes:

• Widescreen and full-screen support
• Smooth 60 FPS gameplay
• Native Arm64 architecture with rendering via Apple's Metal API

Users will still need to supply their own ROM file.

A Gaming Classic

Released in 1998 on the Nintendo 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is widely regarded as one of the greatest games in history. Nintendo later released a remake for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011. The title eventually became available on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 through the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack—but only for console owners.

Built on Community Preservation

In 2021, the Zelda Research Team (ZELDARET) decompiled Ocarina of Time into C code. This enabled the Harbour Masters team to create Ship of Harkinian, an unofficial native port compatible with Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Wii U.

HarkinianPad is based on the Ship of Harkinian engine. Kahris used Codex 5.6 Sol to adapt the decompiled C code for iOS, rebuilding it as a native Arm64 application. This approach unlocks better performance, higher native resolutions, and features unavailable in the original.

"Ocarina of Time, running natively on iOS and iPadOS for the first time. Not an emulator. Ship of Harkinian has run on Windows, Linux, macOS, Switch, Wii U, and Android. Never iOS. Now it runs on iPad, with iPhone in the build too." — Chris "Kahris" Sotraidis, July 27, 2026

Performance Leap

HarkinianPad runs at full resolution with widescreen support at a smooth 60 FPS—a major upgrade from the original Nintendo 64's 240p resolution at 20 FPS.

Touch-Friendly Controls

Kahris introduces a new touch-friendly control scheme. Players can use the iPhone or iPad's touch controls, or connect a Bluetooth controller, mouse, or keyboard for a more traditional experience.

Compatibility and Availability

HarkinianPad is compatible with both iOS and iPadOS, supporting a wide range of Apple devices. As an open-source project, it is freely available. The latest version and source code are hosted on the project's GitHub page.

In keeping with Ship of Harkinian, HarkinianPad is not a traditional emulator. However, it still requires users to possess a legally obtained copy of the Ocarina of Time ROM, which serves as a library for assets such as graphics, music, and sound effects.

Looking Ahead

While Nintendo's official Ocarina of Time remake will be a boon for Switch 2 owners, HarkinianPad demonstrates how AI coding tools can enable a solo developer to bring a community preservation codebase to a new audience. As these tools grow more capable, it will be interesting to see which other retro titles gain new life through motivated developers and modern ports.

Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.