MegaManX4Recomp

About

Mega Man X4 is a 1997 platform game developed and published by Capcom, the fourth entry in the Mega Man X series and its first release on PlayStation and Sega Saturn; it lets players choose between X, who uses an arm cannon, and Zero, who wields an energy blade. MegaManX4Recomp is a static recompilation of Mega Man X4 (PS1, SLUS-00561) into a native PC executable, built with the author's PSXRecomp framework (also used for TombaRecomp, MegaManX5Recomp, and MegaManX6Recomp). It's an early playable preview (v0.0.5-alpha): the game boots, plays its intro cinematics, and starts stages with working controller input, but hasn't been verified deep into stages or through to the end. It runs on Windows and Linux (with an AppImage release) and requires the player's own PS1 BIOS and disc image.

How it differs from the original

This simulates the real PS1 hardware (a recompiled BIOS, GPU, SPU, GTE, and memory cards) rather than using high-level emulation shims, and it doesn't ship any original game assets, BIOS, or disc data — those must be supplied by the player. It also adds options the original PS1 release never had: a choice between OpenGL and software rendering, supersampling/anti-aliasing, an experimental true 16:9 widescreen mode, interpolated-frame blending, adjustable fast-loading speeds, and an integer damage multiplier for testing. Since X4 predates the DualShock and only supports a digital pad, that limitation is preserved rather than changed.

Getting started

Download the release package for your platform (an AppImage for Linux, a zip for Windows) and run it to open the graphical launcher. Select your own legally-obtained PS1 BIOS file (SCPH1001.BIN) and your Mega Man X4 (USA, SLUS-00561) disc image — using the .cue+.bin format rather than a converted .iso, since converting loses audio/video data the game needs — then adjust renderer and controller settings and press Launch. The game uses a digital pad; keyboard and SDL-compatible controllers are both supported.

History

The author describes this recompilation as a byproduct of developing the underlying PSXRecomp framework itself — the games serve as a proving ground, with the framework as the actual goal — shared across sibling projects TombaRecomp, MegaManX5Recomp, and MegaManX6Recomp.

Known issues & limitations

• gameplay: Stage gameplay starts but has not been verified broadly; uncovered code paths halt rather than misbehave silently.
• features: Memory-card save and load have not yet been verified end-to-end.
• This is an in-development preview with rough edges.
• Stage gameplay starts but has not been broadly verified, and uncovered paths halt.
• In-game save/load has not been verified end-to-end.
• The game rejects analog pads; presenting one makes the title screen ignore Start.
• Widescreen is experimental and off by default.

What you need to run it

Features

• The game has OpenGL and software renderers, selectable in the launcher.
• An optional 16:9 widescreen mod widens the game view; authentic 4:3 is the default.
• A Mods page includes an integer Damage Multiplier.
• The launcher lets you select a renderer, supersampling, and controller settings.

How to install

1. On Linux, download the AppImage, make it executable, and run it.
2. On Windows, download and extract the release ZIP, then run MegaManX4Recomp.exe.

Controls

• Hold Tab for Turbo; press Alt+Enter for fullscreen.
• SDL gamepads are supported; sticks map to the D-pad.
• Keyboard bindings can be changed in keybinds.ini or live-rebound in the launcher's Controls page.

Licensing & legal

• Released under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 license rather than a standard open-source license.

FAQ

What is MegaManX4Recomp?

MegaManX4Recomp is an open-source recompilation of Mega Man X4. The original game's compiled code translated into a native program for a new platform, usually a PC port. The original game ran on PlayStation.

Do I need the original game files to run MegaManX4Recomp?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. Requires a PlayStation BIOS (SCPH1001.BIN) and Mega Man X4 (USA, SLUS-00561) disc image.

How is MegaManX4Recomp licensed?

project: PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0. The repository itself is the authoritative source.