Eden-NX2 Brings Experimental Switch 2 Emulation to Windows
Eden-NX2 boots Switch 2 games on Windows, but stutters, missing graphics and limited testing make it an early proof of concept.
Eden-NX2 has crossed an early technical threshold: Nintendo Switch 2 games can now boot in a publicly available PC emulator. But the October 29 pre-release build is a rough demonstration, not a practical way to play. Mario Kart World is playable with frequent stutters, slow performance and visual faults; Donkey Kong Bananza runs below 60 frames per second.
Developer Takoroka describes the release as “experimental Switch 2 integration for Eden” that “needs a lot of fixes”. That wording matches the current results. The build offers a glimpse of what emulator development might support in time, while its limited compatibility and incomplete graphics support put clear bounds on what it can do today.
A Windows build with narrow support
Eden-NX2 is a side branch of Eden, a community emulator built from the Yuzu codebase. The project’s release is available for Windows, and testing so far has focused on that platform. The article reports unreliable results in virtual environments, so those aren’t a useful basis for judging how the build will run on a typical PC.
The program doesn’t come with games or firmware. Users provide their own files, which the emulator loads from a game folder. That setup means the release itself doesn’t provide a ready-made library for testing: results depend on the software supplied and the PC running it.
The FAQ lists 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, a Vulkan-capable graphics card with at least 8GB of VRAM, and 16GB or more of system memory as requirements. Even a PC that meets those figures shouldn’t be expected to deliver smooth play. The reported problems point to unfinished support inside the emulator, rather than a simple need for faster hardware.
Graphics and speed are the main limits
Takoroka’s release notes identify unimplemented shaders as a source of missing meshes and other visual glitches. In practice, that can leave parts of a scene absent or make displayed graphics look incomplete. For players, the impact goes beyond cosmetic polish: missing objects can make it harder to follow what’s happening in a game.
Performance reports don’t agree. A post from Centro LEAKS showing Mario Kart World footage on X drew more than 11 million views. Some clips have been described as approaching 60 frames per second, with pauses when shaders are recompiled; other testers report sluggish play and large portions of the game world missing. The contrast makes it difficult to treat any one clip as a reliable picture of typical performance.
Mario Kart World does load and can be played, but frequent stutters and visual errors are part of the reported experience. Donkey Kong Bananza also runs, though it hasn’t reached 60 frames per second in the available testing. There’s no broader performance data in the source to establish how the games behave across different PCs, so those examples show possibility rather than consistent compatibility.
Another project is pursuing compatibility
Eglantine, a separate project on the same codebase, is reportedly targeting broader game compatibility and runs Mario Kart World more smoothly. Its compatibility list is also short. That comparison suggests there’s room for different development priorities, but neither project has established dependable support across a wide range of games.
For now, Eden-NX2 is best understood as a proof of concept. It shows that Switch 2 software can start in an emulator on Windows, while missing graphics, uneven speed and a small number of tested titles make it too early to judge as a regular way to play. The next useful signs will be whether updates address shader support, improve stability and add more tested games.
Why the project appeared so soon
The build surfaced about a week after the first public Switch 2 jailbreak, called ns2jb. Security researcher Sammy Hajhamid, who posts as pepsipu, demonstrated the exploit around October 22 on firmware 23.0.1. The source says it apparently used a flaw in SmileBASIC 4 and stops working when the console reboots. The jailbreak and Eden-NX2 are separate projects; the timing helps explain why emulator work is appearing this early, but it doesn’t establish a direct connection between them.
Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025, putting the console at about 16 months old when the exploit appeared. Eden’s roots in Yuzu also give the project some history: Nintendo took Yuzu’s developers to court in 2024, and the emulator shut down that year. Whether Nintendo will respond to Eden-NX2 in a similar way remains unknown. For buyers and emulator enthusiasts, the immediate takeaway is simpler: Switch 2 emulation has begun to boot commercial games, but it still needs substantial work before its performance and compatibility are predictable.
Sources: TweakTown, TechEBlog, git.eden-emu.dev, Techno Ninja on YouTube
Frequently asked questions
What is Eden-NX2?
A Windows-only pre-release build of the Eden emulator, published by Takoroka on October 29, with experimental support for Switch 2 software.
Can it play Switch 2 games smoothly?
Not reliably based on the reported tests. Mario Kart World has frequent stutters and visual problems, while Donkey Kong Bananza runs below 60 frames per second.
What PC does it require?
The FAQ lists 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, a Vulkan-capable GPU with at least 8GB of VRAM, and 16GB or more of RAM.
Does Eden-NX2 include games or firmware?
No. Users supply their own game and firmware files.
Is Eden-NX2 connected to the ns2jb jailbreak?
The projects are separate. Eden-NX2 appeared about a week after ns2jb was demonstrated on firmware 23.0.1.
