Dora64

Dora64

A native desktop and Android recompilation of Doraemon: Nobita to Mittsu no Seireiseki for Nintendo 64.

The project recompiles the original MIPS game code into native code and uses N64ModernRuntime and RT64 for the platform, audio, input, and rendering layers. It is a native recompilation project, not a conventional whole-system emulator.

Download and play

Download the latest Windows x64, Linux x86_64, or Android ARM64 archive from GitHub Releases. Extract the complete archive, keep the assets folder beside the executable, and place your original Japanese .z64 ROM in that same folder. Launch Dora64.exe on Windows or ./Dora64 on Linux. ROMs are not included. Use version 1.0.1 or newer for working English and Russian text localization.

Windows 11 is the primary playtesting platform. Linux release binaries target Ubuntu 24.04 or compatible newer systems; runtime dependencies and launch instructions are included in each archive's README.txt.

Features include Japanese, English and Russian game text, widescreen support, an optional modern camera, higher frame rates through interpolation, autosave, remappable controls, adjustable object draw distance and optional cheats. The Modern settings profile is enabled on first launch; the Original profile is available in Esc → Game. All three archives include short Russian and English collectible walkthroughs.

Android

Android ARM64 support is part of the same source tree. It includes ROM import, gamepad and configurable touch controls, modern/classic camera gestures, and background/screen-lock recovery. New Android installs and the Modern profile use 2x game rendering; saved choices are preserved.

See Android build and data instructions and touch controls and layout editor. Android APKs have been tested by the maintainer on Lenovo Legion Y700 (2025), Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, including a complete playthrough with all items and Russian localization. On vivo X300 FE (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, Qualcomm SM8845, as reported by the tester), two levels plus menus/settings were checked with no crashes or bugs observed. The same partial test passed on Lenovo Legion Y700 (2023), Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (Qualcomm SM8475P, as reported). See the device test record. Android 1.0.2 is distributed with desktop 1.0.5 in the same GitHub release. Extract the Android ZIP, install its APK, and choose your original Japanese .z64 ROM on first launch. Requires Android 7.0+ on a 64-bit ARM device with Vulkan support. Development APK 1.0.3-test11 includes additional fixes tested on Snapdragon 888 and Kirin 9010 devices; these fixes are not yet in the published 1.0.2 APK. See the device test record for coverage and limitations.

Android releases use a permanent signing key and can update in place.

Development and credits

Dora64 was developed by citrongames with extensive assistance from AI — OpenAI's ChatGPT and Codex — for reverse engineering, programming, debugging, localization and documentation. Project direction, decisions and gameplay testing were handled by the maintainer.

The port builds on the work of the authors and contributors of N64Recomp, N64ModernRuntime, RT64, and Zelda64Recomp. The AI disclosure describes development of this port, not the upstream projects.

The related Dora64 repositories are public: runtime, renderer, and recompiler. Existing upstream credits and licenses are preserved.

Repository layout

• recomp/ — ROM metadata, RSP configuration and reproducible PC function patches.
• build-tools/game/ — local generated game functions and RSP code; excluded from Git.
• src/ — PC entry point, game hooks, input/audio integration, RT64 bridge, and the system overlay.
• lib/rt64/ — Dora64 RT64 fork, included as a Git submodule.
• lib/N64ModernRuntime/ — Dora64 runtime fork, included as a Git submodule.
• BUGS_AND_TODO.md — known issues found during playtesting.
• PC_ENHANCEMENTS_ROADMAP.md — planned PC-specific improvements.
• MANUAL_REFERENCE.md — notes extracted from the original Japanese manual.

Walkthroughs

Compact routes for all 32 gadgets: entry requirements, items, repeat visits and essential boss hints for each stage.

• Русское прохождение
• English walkthrough

Names follow the project localizations. References: CurtMac (permits reuse with attribution), Teary Eyes, スブキエ, 官兵衛, and the game's dialogue/manual. A fresh 32/32 playthrough following the written route remains pending.

Required game data

The original ROM is copyrighted and is intentionally not included. Place your own legally obtained original Japanese .z64 ROM next to the executable. Any filename is accepted (.Z64 also works). The game checks the complete file against the supported ROM's XXH3 hash; another game, modified ROM or unsupported version will not be loaded. Matching files are used in place, without renaming or copying them. Other files are left untouched.

If no supported ROM is found, a dialog explains what is needed and stays open until dismissed. Only files directly next to the executable are searched; parent directories, subdirectories and the launcher's working directory are not searched. Settings and saves are kept in the executable's directory.

ROM images, saves, logs, local mods, and build outputs are excluded from Git.

Clone

Clone recursively so the runtime forks are checked out at their tested revisions:

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/citrongames/Dora64.git

Generate game code

Game function sources and RSP microcode are not included in Git. Both are generated locally from your original Japanese ROM, then all PC patches are applied and verified. No decompilation checkout or ELF is required. Requirements: Python 3.10+, Git, CMake 3.20+ and a C/C++20 compiler.

From the repository root on WSL/Linux:

python3 tools/bootstrap_n64recomp.py
python3 tools/generate_game.py --rom /path/to/your.z64 --output-dir build-tools/game

On native Windows, with Visual Studio 2022 and the C++ workload installed:

py -3 tools/bootstrap_n64recomp.py
py -3 tools/generate_game.py --rom "C:\path\to\your.z64" --output-dir build-tools/game

The tools are pinned in tools/n64recomp/. The ROM is checked by size and SHA-256 and is never copied into generated output. Each generation directory must be new. After changing patches or metadata, generate into another directory and pass its absolute path to CMake with -DDORAEMON_GENERATED_DIR=.... Stale generated output is rejected at configure time. Ordinary native changes in src/ only need a rebuild.

See recomp/patches/README.md for the workflow to add and record future game changes; recomp/README.md describes the ROM metadata. Generated files, ROMs and tool/build output stay local.

Windows build

After generation, run from a Visual Studio developer terminal with CMake on PATH:

cmake -S . -B build-windows -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A x64
cmake --build build-windows --config RelWithDebInfo --target Dora64 --parallel 8

Place your ROM beside build-windows/RelWithDebInfo/Dora64.exe before launching. Windows is the primary playtesting platform.

Linux build

Install a C++ compiler, CMake, Ninja, SDL2 development files, and Vulkan development tools. After generation, run:

cmake -S . -B build-release -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
cmake --build build-release --target Dora64 -j8

Place your ROM beside build-release/Dora64 before launching it. The WSL Vulkan path may behave differently from the native Windows build. Keep Windows and Linux build/tool output in separate directories.

Headless regression tests

The lighting snapshot test checks frame isolation, world/object/ambient lights, the normal path for ROM constants, and cold-reset cleanup. The decal depth test checks RDP depth-delta normalization and recorded camera angles that previously caused shadows to disappear. The menu background test checks mosaic recognition and gap-free tiling at native, wide, ultrawide and fractional output sizes, as well as the recorded menu transition bounds. The sky panorama test uses the original sector generator to compare central texture coordinates, verify wide coverage, preserve caller state, and check extended-memory display-list addressing. The modern camera test checks input consumption, camera ownership/locks, caller state and orbit collision response with a simulated sliding collision solver; it does not validate real level geometry. The cheats test checks player-only HP, life counters, disabled behavior and race-profile selection on synthetic guest memory. The test executables run without a ROM or a graphics window; configuring this project still requires the generated game sources above. Tests are optional and disabled by default. Enable them in an existing build directory:

cmake -S . -B build-release -DDORAEMON_BUILD_TESTS=ON
cmake --build build-release --target lighting_snapshots_test decal_depth_test menu_background_test sky_panorama_test modern_camera_test cheats_test draw_distance_test model_pool_test
ctest --test-dir build-release --output-on-failure

For Visual Studio builds, also pass --config RelWithDebInfo to the build command and -C RelWithDebInfo to CTest.

Settings profiles

Esc → Game has two large preset buttons that apply and save these settings immediately. Individual settings can still be adjusted afterwards. A first launch without doraemon_pc_settings.json applies and saves Modern. Existing settings files retain their saved values. On a fresh launch the FPS counter is off. If doraemon_input_settings.json is also absent, background gamepad input starts enabled and is saved. Profile buttons do not change these two preferences.

Setting	Modern	Original
Autosave	On	Off
Modern camera	On	Off
Frame rate	Display	Original
Game render resolution	Fit to window	Original (1x)
Game aspect ratio	Fit to window / fullscreen	Original (4:3)
Gameplay HUD layout	Fit to window / fullscreen	Original (4:3)
Object / NPC draw distance	5x	1x
Character LOD distance	5x	1x

The profiles only change the settings listed above. Language, controls, camera sensitivity/inversion/mouse capture, cheats, audio, output window size, anti-aliasing and texture filtering retain their current values.

Frame rate

Esc → Graphics → Frame rate offers Original, Display (match the monitor) and Manual (60–360 FPS, initially 144). Settings persist and apply without restarting. RT64 limits the target to the detected display refresh rate; the menu shows both values. Select 144 Hz in the operating system to use a 144 Hz display at its full rate.

The FPS overlay counts output frames, including interpolated frames. This measures renderer output, not the monitor's physical scanout or the number of distinct animation poses.

Higher rates use RT64 frame interpolation while game timing stays unchanged. Windows gameplay at 144 Hz and a manual 120 FPS target has been verified by the user. A sustained gameplay capture reached 143.1–143.9 FPS at 144 Hz. Some CPU-written screens temporarily prevent interpolation. Select Original to return to the original presentation.

Object and NPC draw distance

Esc → Graphics → Object / NPC draw distance adjusts actor distance from 1x (Original) to 5x. The Modern profile starts at 5x; the setting persists and applies without restarting. Both model residency and rendering use the multiplier. Distance-based destruction of temporary actors keeps its original range. This does not extend the level mesh, fog, projection far plane or scripted loading of level sections. Resident NPCs may update earlier. The model pool is expanded to 2048 elements (2016 during gameplay, retaining the original 32-element reserve). Its storage and pointer tables use the runtime heap; extra-distance models are no longer forcibly evicted to make room for spawns. Windows gameplay validation at 5x covered five stages, reaching 283 model entries with no allocation failures. Full playthrough validation remains open. Optional diagnostics are enabled with DORAEMON_DRAW_DISTANCE_DIAGNOSTICS=1 and write doraemon-draw-distance.log in the working directory.

Character model detail

Port menu → Graphics → Character LOD distance controls when characters switch to simpler geometry, independently of object visibility. The range is 1x–5x: 1x restores the original 300-unit threshold; 5x keeps detail up to 1500 units. Modern and the default use 5x; Original uses 1x. Changes apply immediately and are saved. Existing explicit values are preserved; older settings without this option default to 5x. The maintainer confirmed the adjustment in Android r38. See the implementation notes for the verified scope.

Menu and notification scaling

The settings menu, fonts, controls, confirmation dialogs and FPS/autosave/cheat indicators scale with the output window height, using 720p as the baseline. Resizing the window updates the scale immediately; internal game render resolution does not affect it. Scaling is local to the port overlay and does not change the RT64 inspector.

Modern camera

Enable Esc → Game → Modern camera for continuous orbit control with the right stick. Enable Capture mouse in the same menu to rotate with the mouse; mouse capture is off by default, including with older settings files. Original camera control is available through the Original profile. New installations start with Modern camera enabled. Existing camera key bindings (I/J/K/L by default) also rotate continuously. The same menu provides stick speed, mouse sensitivity and independent X/Y inversion; settings persist. Both inversion switches are off by default and affect mouse and stick rotation. Zoom with D-pad up (closer) / down (farther), the mouse wheel, Page Up / Page Down, or hold Camera mode (RB / E by default) while moving the right stick vertically. D-pad zoom follows the D-pad up/down bindings in Controls, including their keyboard bindings (Up/Down arrows by default). Dedicated zoom bindings also remain available. D-pad zoom is active only while the modern camera has manual control, preserving dialogue, boss and cutscene locks. The chosen distance survives dialogue close-ups and scene changes during the current run. Vertical orbit is limited to 0–80 degrees: the camera can reach a horizontal view of its focus, but cannot orbit below it. Esc opens the PC menu and releases the mouse. Losing focus, pausing the game, and entering a scripted camera also release mouse capture.

The modern camera replaces manual A/B control, preserves shake effects and camera-relative movement, and shortens its distance at level obstacles. Original locked/scripted cameras retain control in special areas and boss encounters. The first playtest confirmed manual control and original camera ownership in boss fights, cutscenes and races. Windows/Linux builds and automated tests pass; the second playtest confirmed NPC dialogue locks, item close-up recovery and zoom. The third playtest confirmed the optional mouse-capture switch.

Cheats

Open Esc → Cheats for three independent options, all off by default:

• Infinite HP keeps the active player's health at its maximum (250).
• Infinite lives (9) keeps nine lives, including after a failed attempt.
• First-race torpedo speed uses the first race's torpedo movement profile in all three races, preserving race progression and rewards. Set it before the race starts; its checkbox is locked while the race is running.

Settings persist across launches. Cheats On stays in the bottom-right corner whenever a cheat is enabled, independently of the FPS counter setting. The Windows cheats build has been confirmed working by the user.

Application icons

The supplied PNG exports and multi-size Windows ICO live in assets/icons/. The original layered GIMP source is resources/artwork/dora64_icon.xcf and is kept out of build output. CMake embeds the ICO in the Windows executable and embeds the 256 pixel PNG for the SDL window icon on both platforms. Replacing these exports and rebuilding updates the embedded resources and build assets.

Linux builds also contain a desktop entry and a per-user installer. Run it once to register the build in your applications menu (Python 3, no sudo):

python3 build-release/install-desktop.py

The installer uses all seven PNG sizes in the hicolor icon theme and writes dora64.desktop under $XDG_DATA_HOME/applications (by default ~/.local/share/applications). Its app ID matches the SDL2 X11/Wayland window identity. Run the installer again after moving the build or changing the icons. The game's ROM and save/config discovery are unchanged.

Release archive preparation and required assets: docs/releases.md.