Star Fox (3DS)

[!WARNING] This is an experimental release.

HOME may freeze the console. I am aware and working on a fix.

<h1 align="center">Starwing 3DS</h1> <p align="center"> <strong>Set course for Lylat. Take the squadron with you.</strong><br> Star Fox / Starwing, adapted for Nintendo 3DS. </p> <p align="center"> <a href="#download-and-installation">Download</a> · <a href="#features">Features</a> · <a href="#documentation">Documentation</a> · <a href="docs/CHANGELOG.md">Changelog</a> · <a href="docs/CONTRIBUTING.md">Contribute</a> · <a href="#community-and-bug-reports">Community</a> </p> <p align="center"> <a href="https://github.com/EstebanPdN/starwing-3ds/releases/tag/v1.2-E2"><img src="docs/badges/version.svg?v=5" alt="Experimental release: v1.2-E2" height="22"></a> <a href="docs/COMPATIBILITY.md"><img src="docs/badges/platform.svg?v=2" alt="Nintendo 3DS" height="22"></a> <a href="docs/UPDATING.md"><img src="docs/badges/updater.svg" alt="Updates: built in" height="22"></a> <a href="docs/legal/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md"><img src="docs/badges/license.svg?v=2" alt="Component-specific licenses" height="22"></a> </p> <p align="center"> <img src="docs/images/showcase-rounded.webp" alt="Starwing 3DS project artwork showing the dual-screen presentation" width="1200"> </p> <p align="center"> <a href="https://estebanpdn.github.io/"><img src="docs/images/website.svg" alt="Visit Esteban’s Forge" width="142" height="46"></a> <a href="https://discord.gg/BjbzfRYpV"><img src="docs/images/discord-official.svg" alt="Join our Discord community" width="166" height="46"></a> <!-- <a href="https://ko-fi.com/estebanpdn"><img src="docs/images/kofi.svg" alt="Support EstebanPdN on Ko-fi" width="190" height="46"></a> --> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/EstebanPdN"><img src="docs/images/patreon.svg" alt="Support EstebanPdN on Patreon" width="216" height="46"></a> </p>

A Nintendo 3DS adaptation of the SNES Star Fox / Starwing, based on KandoWontU's Starfox Enhanced, UltraStarFox, and Team SFEX's work.

This project was developed with the help of OpenAI Codex and Claude Code. Learn more about the development process here.

This is an early release. The port is expected to be completable, but extensive playtesting is still pending. See Compatibility for the current scope.

Features

<table> <tr> <td width="50%" valign="top"><strong>Take flight</strong><br>Play the Original experience, with wide presentation and optional top HUD. Star Fox EX and stereoscopic depth are experimental.</td> <td width="50%" valign="top"><strong>Made for two screens</strong><br>Native 400×240 upper presentation, a separate 320×240 touch interface, Circle Pad and D-pad controls.</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" valign="top"><strong>Pick up and play</strong><br>Native SPC audio, volume settings, persistent options, per-ROM EX SRAM and optional checkpoints.</td> <td width="50%" valign="top"><strong>Keep it current</strong><br>Built-in Stable and Experimental updates, release notes, verified downloads and local diagnostics.</td> </tr> </table>

Original game speed, interpolation ON and a 60 FPS presentation limit are the defaults. Existing saved preferences are preserved. The limit is not a claim of sustained hardware FPS. Star Fox EX is not fully supported.

Download and installation

<p> <a href="https://github.com/EstebanPdN/starwing-3ds/releases/download/v1.2-E2/Starwing-3DS.cia"><img src="docs/images/download-cia.svg" alt="Download Starwing 3DS CIA" width="210" height="46"></a> <a href="https://github.com/EstebanPdN/starwing-3ds/releases/download/v1.2-E2/Starwing-3DS.3dsx"><img src="docs/images/download-3dsx.svg" alt="Download Starwing 3DS for Homebrew Launcher" width="210" height="46"></a> </p>

Supported systems: New Nintendo 3DS / New 2DS XL and Old Nintendo 3DS / 2DS. Old 3DS / 2DS support is new in 1.2 and experimental: busy scenes can show fewer frames than on New models. See Compatibility.

Release notes and FBI QR · Project website

1. Install Starwing-3DS.cia with FBI, or scan the release's QR in Remote Install → Scan QR Code.
2. Place your compatible, clean .sfc or .smc ROM in /3ds/Starwing/ on SD.
3. Launch Starwing. The game validates your ROM and builds its companion locally.
4. Use Options → Game Version for Original / EX and ROM Files to select another ROM. Keep your existing SD data when upgrading.

The 3DSX is also available for Homebrew Launcher. A compatible user-supplied ROM is required; no ROM download is provided. Supported revisions, upgrade behavior, settings, and files are covered in SD data.

The built-in Options → Update checks this repository for future releases. See Updating for installation and recovery.

Controls

Input	Action
Circle Pad / D-pad	SNES movement; D-pad takes priority.
A / B / X / Y, L / R	Corresponding SNES buttons; the chosen in-game control scheme assigns their actions.
START / SELECT	SNES controls, subject to enabled diagnostic shortcuts.
Touch screen	Options, game selection, and diagnostic cards.
3D slider	Experimental depth in eligible wide Mode 2 gameplay and training.

Documentation

• Repository map and maintenance conventions

Guide	Purpose
Compatibility and current status	Supported inputs, implemented paths, and validation limits.
Built-in updater	Check, verify, install, and recover future updates.
SD data and configuration	Files, defaults, checkpoints, recovery, and upgrades.
Diagnostics	Captures, memory errors, timing fields, and private reporting.
Building	Pinned toolchain, private inputs, 3DSX, and CIA packaging.
Architecture	Runtime flow, module boundaries, ownership, threads, and caches.
Testing	ROM-free checks, target checks, and the evidence ladder.
Verification status	What was checked for the current source and package.
Source provenance	Upstream revisions and publication boundaries.

Development

Requirements for the ROM-free checks: Python 3, Bash, a C++20 compiler, pkg-config, and Jansson development headers.

git clone https://github.com/EstebanPdN/starwing-3ds.git
cd starwing-3ds
python3 tools/check-publication.py
bash tools/test-host.sh

A full game build additionally needs devkitPro and the locally prepared inputs in the build guide. The clean source checkout alone does not generate a playable package. See Contributing before changing timing, rendering, data formats, or the platform boundary.

Community and bug reports

Join the project Discord for updates, testing, suggestions, and support. Use GitHub issues for reproducible reports. Capture shortcuts and sharing precautions are in Diagnostics.

Credits

• KandoWontU, UltraStarFox, and Team SFEX — engine, reconstruction, EX, research, tools, and upstream work; individual credits are in CREDITS.md.
• Nintendo and Argonaut Software — the original Star Fox / Starwing.
• devkitPro contributors — devkitARM, libctru, Citro3D, and Citro2D.
• Esteban PDN — Nintendo 3DS adaptation and repository maintenance, with help from Codex.
• Snipy44300 — ALttP Community Patches optimization reference.

License and legal notice

LICENSE-XBRZ.txt contains GNU GPL v3.0 for the xBRZ component. GitHub's automatic license label refers to this detected license; it is not a blanket license for every file or for the game content.

Third-party components retain their own licenses and notices. See THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md and the vendored Citro2D license. No blanket MIT or GPL license is assigned to the whole project. The native engine is republished with permission confirmed by the repository maintainer. Its inspected checkout has no general root license; this permission does not assign a new blanket license or extend to Nintendo game data.

Nintendo owns Star Fox / Starwing and its game content. This is an unofficial fan project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nintendo. The showcase image is illustrative project artwork; it does not license the depicted game or trademark assets for redistribution.

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<p align="center"> <a href="https://estebanpdn.github.io/">Esteban’s Forge</a> · <a href="https://discord.gg/BjbzfRYpV">Discord</a> · <a href="docs/legal/CREDITS.md">Credits</a> · <a href="docs/legal/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md">Third-party notices</a><br> _{Star Fox / Starwing belongs to Nintendo. This is an independent fan project.} </p>