OpenClaw is an open-source engine reimplementation of Claw. A new engine written from scratch that loads the original game's data files.

Do I need the original game files to run OpenClaw?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. Requires the original CLAW.REZ game archive file from Captain Claw (1997).

OpenClaw

Engine reimplementationHaltedPlayableWebWindowsLinuxOSXAndroid

A new engine written from scratch that loads the original game's data files.

Based on Claw

Links, repository & details

About

Claw is a 1997 2D side-scrolling platformer by Monolith Productions for Windows, in which the pirate cat Captain Claw works through 14 levels. OpenClaw is a cross-platform C++ reimplementation of Captain Claw, written from scratch with SDL2 and Box2D, that loads the original game's asset archive. It builds for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and WebAssembly.

How it differs from the original

It runs on platforms the original did not, including Linux, Android and web browsers. The browser build has limits, though: MIDI music is disabled and the death and teleport fade effects are broken.

Getting started

Copy the original game's CLAW.REZ archive into the release folder, zip the bundled assets folder into an assets archive, and build with CMake. A Claw Launcher tool, which also runs on Linux through Mono, lets you change video, audio and asset settings.

Known issues & limitations

Some older browsers do not support WebAssembly.
Some browsers do not support WAV files.
MIDI audio is disabled because browsers do not support XMI files.
Some SDL_Mixer audio functions are unimplemented, although the game is playable.
Death and teleport fade-in effects are broken in the Emscripten version.
The project does not work with SDL 2.0.6.
Android deployment steps are not yet available.

What you need to run it

Original game files required. The project ships code only; you provide your own copy of the game. Requires the original CLAW.REZ game archive file from Captain Claw (1997).

You need the original game's CLAW.REZ archive in the Build_Release directory.

Features

The project reimplements the original Captain Claw platformer.

Controls

In Firefox, ALT presses open the window menu; workarounds include fullscreen or disabling default ALT actions.

Summarised from the project's README.

Additional notes

Linux audio: On Linux, background music needs timidity and freepats installed.

FAQ

What is OpenClaw?: OpenClaw is an open-source engine reimplementation of Claw. A new engine written from scratch that loads the original game's data files.
Do I need the original game files to run OpenClaw?: Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. Requires the original CLAW.REZ game archive file from Captain Claw (1997).