Beetle Adventure Racing! Recompilation
The original game's compiled code translated into a native program for a new platform, usually a PC port.
About
A work-in-progress native PC port of Beetle Adventure Racing! (N64, USA) built by static recompilation with the N64Recomp toolchain, the approach also used by Zelda 64: Recompiled. It boots through the intros and menus into races at 60 fps with keyboard and gamepad input and audio working, and the current release is v0.4.1-alpha for Windows x64. A Linux build compiles but crashes during boot.
How it differs from the original
Adds widescreen with a HUD that expands with the aspect ratio, a selectable 1x, 2x or 4x draw distance, internal-resolution scaling, MSAA and high-FPS interpolation. It also includes the RecompFrontend launcher with settings, input binding and a pause menu.
Getting started
You must supply your own legally dumped USA ROM; no game data is included. Download the Windows build from the project's releases page. Building from source requires producing the decompilation's ELF in WSL and running the recompiler, as described in the build guide.
History
This repository continues an existing port by Bryan Kruman, which got the game booting, rendering, taking input and playing audio. The continued work, including widescreen, HUD placement and draw distance, was written with Claude Code.
Known issues & limitations
- The Linux build is in progress and crashes during boot.
- A menu transition can flash for one frame.
- The track-map preview can be choppy.
- High-FPS interpolation still has throughput and artifact work pending after phase 1.
- Remaining known issues include skippable legal and logo screens, a one-frame menu-transition flash, a choppy track-map preview and audio latency tuning.
What you need to run it
Features
- The game is playable through races, with audio and keyboard and gamepad input working.
- The port includes a launcher, settings, input binding, and a pause menu.
- Widescreen is supported, with the HUD expanding with the aspect ratio.
- Draw distance can be set to 1x, 2x, or 4x.
- Internal-resolution scaling defaults to display-native resolution.
- High-FPS interpolation is available in phase 1.
Summarised from the project's README.
Licensing & legal
- AGPL-3.0, inherited from the BeetleDecomp data the port derives from.
Additional notes
- Technical
- The recompiler does not compile the decompilation's C; it translates the original ROM's MIPS machine code and takes symbols, headers and module layout from the decompilation.
FAQ
- What is Beetle Adventure Racing! Recompilation?
- Beetle Adventure Racing! Recompilation is an open-source recompilation of Beetle Adventure Racing!. The original game's compiled code translated into a native program for a new platform, usually a PC port. The original game ran on N64.
- Do I need the original game files to run Beetle Adventure Racing! Recompilation?
- Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy.