The wave of unofficial ports created by the community has just reached one of Nintendo’s biggest exclusives, because the PC port of Smash Ultimate has arrived, called WindowSmash, which allows playing the Switch’s fighting classic without an emulator on Windows. It is the best-selling fighting game in history, with more than 35 million copies since its release in December 2018, and now it joins other Switch titles that the community has brought to computers, such as Zelda Skyward Sword HD and Zelda Link’s Awakening.
What’s most striking is that the project, created by SNO2207 and still in an experimental phase, includes online matches without needing Nintendo Switch Online, in addition to a tool to unlock all fighters and support for keyboard and Xbox controllers.
How the Smash Ultimate port without an emulator works
Unlike an emulator, which imitates the console’s hardware, WindowSmash pretranslates the Switch game’s code into a Windows program, which runs alongside its own system that replaces the console’s services, inputs, audio, and internet connection. The graphics are processed using Direct3D 11, with a backend system that compiles shaders in the background and stores them to reduce stuttering in future matches.
The Smash Ultimate port can run up to 4K and 60 FPS, although its creator notes that performance is not yet verified, since this is an experimental project and not a thoroughly tested release. For now, the port targets version 11.0.0 of the game, which includes fighters up to Pyra and Mythra, although those with update 13.0.5 can assemble that version, with Kazuya and Sora, using their own files.
Online matches, controls, and limitations
Online play works by leveraging the game’s local wireless mode, which the port sends over the internet. When you open the game, it connects to a public lobby where other players’ rooms appear, with no need to forward ports, and private rooms can also be created to play only with friends. That said, full matches between two computers have not been thoroughly tested yet, and both players must have the same version of the game and of the port.
Additionally, the Smash Ultimate port allows playing with a keyboard or an Xbox controller, though it has a major limitation for a game like this, because it only supports one local player per session, so for now you cannot play with several friends on the same computer, which is precisely one of Smash’s main couch-coop attractions.
Requirements and how to download it
Anyone interested can download the Smash Ultimate port for free from its GitHub page, which offers a ready-to-play version, no compiling needed. To run, it requires 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, a processor compatible with the AVX2, FMA and F16C instructions, and a graphics card compatible with Direct3D 11, in addition to an experimental Linux build. As with all such projects, it does not include the game’s files, so each player must use the files from their own Switch copy, along with the console’s firmware sources.
- Download the compressed file from the WindowSmash version page on GitHub.
- Unzip the file into a folder on your computer.
- Run the file Configure Game Data.bat and select the files from your copy of the game and the firmware sources.
- If you want to unlock all fighters, run Unlock All Fighters.bat with the game closed. The program backs up your save before modifying it.
- Open the Play SSBU.bat file to play and connect to the online lobby, or Play SSBU Offline.bat to play offline.
- To play online, enter the game’s local wireless mode and create a room or join one that appears.