The Harbour Master 64 community recently announced the development of a native PC port of the Star Fox 64 (Lylat Wars) game, called Starship. The game was released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64.

This isn't a first for Harbour Master 64, who were already behind Ship of Harkinian, a native PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Native port versus classic emulation

Before delving into the details of this project, it's essential to distinguish between a native port and classic emulation (such as that found on solutions like Recalbox).

• Classic emulation** simulates the operation of a console to reproduce a game as it was originally played.
• Native porting**, on the other hand, is based on the game's source code. This is decompiled and then reworked to provide an experience more suited to modern systems.

This painstaking process enables a number of improvements to be made, while still respecting the original game:

• Support for high resolution without distorting the interface;
• Compatibility with ultra-wide screens;
• Elimination of emulation problems;
• Increased fluidity with high frame rates (60 fps and above);
• Optimisation for modern configurations;
• The ability to integrate mods.

These improvements were illustrated by speedrunner Rakanai directly on Starship during a live broadcast on his Twitch channel, available for replay on YouTube in a video lasting over two hours.

Promising beta

Currently in beta, Starship is at an advanced stage of development, which has prompted the developers to unveil it to the community.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many people over several months, we've brought the game to a stage where we feel comfortable presenting it to you,’ reads a statement on the team's Discord.

The result is impressive: the graphics of the Nintendo 64 are perfectly adapted to the improvements made. High resolutions and refresh rates bring out the best in this classic, enhancing it without detracting from it.

Scheduled for release in December

Before the release, scheduled for December, the developers still need to fine-tune a few aspects, particularly relating to the graphics and multiplayer mode. But given the content presented, the community can be optimistic!

A classic in a stalled saga

The Star Fox series currently comprises six main titles (not including Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox 64 3D). The adventure began in 1993 with Star Wing for Super Nintendo, and its latest opus, Star Fox Zero, was released in 2016 for Wii U.

Unfortunately, as with F-Zero, the saga currently seems to be at a standstill, with Nintendo content to re-release old opuses on its Virtual Console.

Photos: Nintendo and Rakanai