Chameleon Twist: Recompiled

About

Chameleon Twist: Recompiled uses the N64: Recompiled static recompilation tool to turn the Nintendo 64 game Chameleon Twist into a native port, rendered through the RT64 engine. It reproduces the original's graphical effects while adding enhancements such as configurable high framerate, widescreen/ultrawide support, low input lag, instant load times, and Linux/Steam Deck support. It requires the original Chameleon Twist game data to build or run, since the repository and its releases contain no game assets.

How it differs from the original

Static recompilation avoids the need for decompiled source code, though the project borrows headers and function definitions from an existing Chameleon Twist decompilation project. It only accepts the original Japanese N64 ROM of Chameleon Twist (auto-converting other formats to .z64) and is explicitly not a general-purpose emulator. Framerate and widescreen/ultrawide presentation can be changed from the original without affecting gameplay.

Getting started

Prebuilt binaries are available in the project's Releases, so building isn't required to play. On Steam Deck, the extracted Linux build can be added to Steam from desktop mode via the executable's right-click "Add to Steam" option.

Known issues & limitations

• platform: Intel GPUs on Linux may not currently work.
• platform: The prebuilt Linux binary may not work correctly on some distributions of Linux.
• compatibility: Overlays such as MSI Afterburner and other software such as Wallpaper Engine can cause performance issues and prevent the game from rendering correctly.
• graphics: Some animation quirks can be seen at the edges of the screen in certain cutscenes when using very wide aspect ratios.
• Very wide aspect ratios can cause animation quirks at the screen edges in some cutscenes.
• The prebuilt Linux binary may not work correctly on some Linux distributions.
• Overlays such as MSI Afterburner and software such as Wallpaper Engine can cause performance issues that prevent correct rendering.
• Overlay software such as MSI Afterburner or Wallpaper Engine can cause rendering/performance problems and disabling them is recommended.

What you need to run it

Features

• N64 graphical effects are rendered as they originally appeared, with some changes for enhancements such as widescreen support.
• The in-game config menus can be used with a mouse, controller, or keyboard.
• You can choose a framerate, including the original game framerate; changing it does not affect gameplay.
• Any aspect ratio is supported, and the HUD can be positioned at 16:9 in ultrawide if preferred.
• You can adjust stick deadzone and invert the X and Y axes for aiming and the optional dual analog camera.
• A Linux binary is available for most up-to-date Linux distributions, including Steam Deck.

How to install

1. Download a prebuilt binary from the Releases section; building is not required to play.
2. On Steam Deck, extract the Linux build, then in desktop mode add the Zelda64Recompiled executable to Steam; return to Gaming mode and configure controls.

Controls

• Use the in-game menus with a mouse, controller, or keyboard.
• You can adjust stick deadzone and invert the X and Y axes for aiming and the optional dual analog camera.

FAQ

What is Chameleon Twist: Recompiled?

Chameleon Twist: Recompiled is an open-source recompilation of Chameleon Twist. 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 Chameleon Twist: Recompiled?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. The original game is required to build or run this project.

Where is the savefile stored?

Windows: `%LOCALAPPDATA%\ChameleonTwistRecompiled\saves`; Linux: `~/.config/ChameleonTwistRecompiled/saves`.

How do I choose a different ROM?

You cannot choose another ROM; the project only accepts the JP version of the N64 release. Other formats are automatically converted if it is the correct ROM, and arbitrary ROMs are not supported.

Can I play a modded ROM or another language?

Support for modding and other languages will be added to the project itself in the future; it will not rely on supplying a different ROM.