N64.wasm
The best Nintendo 64 emulator on the internet — purpose-built for the modern browser.
What Is This?
N64.wasm is a browser-native N64 emulator that exploits every modern web API that existing emulators ignore. It's not a port of an old codebase with a wrapper — it's a ground-up rearchitecture of the browser emulation experience.
Built as part of the TrickBook skateboarding platform to let riders play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater directly in the browser.
Why Build Another N64 Emulator?
Every browser N64 emulator today is leaving 2-3x performance on the table:
| What They're Doing Wrong | What We Do Instead |
|---|---|
WASM SIMD disabled (-DNOSSE) | Full 128-bit SIMD for RSP vector unit |
| Single-threaded emulation | Multi-threaded (CPU + RSP + Audio workers) |
| Emscripten 2.0.7 (circa 2021) | Latest Emscripten 3.x with LTO |
| ScriptProcessorNode (deprecated) | AudioWorklet on dedicated thread |
| Main-thread rendering | OffscreenCanvas in Web Worker |
| iframe-only integration | Native React component |
| No social features | Clips, leaderboards, challenges |
The Stack
Quick Stats
| Metric | Current Best (N64Wasm) | N64.wasm Target |
|---|---|---|
| RSP Performance | 1x (scalar) | 2-4x (WASM SIMD) |
| Thread Count | 1 | 3-4 |
| Audio Latency | High (main thread) | Near-zero (AudioWorklet) |
| Integration | iframe only | Native React component |
| Mobile Controls | Broken (missing buttons) | Customizable + haptics |
| Save Export | Not possible | Cloud sync + URL sharing |
| Clip Recording | None | 30-sec DVR |
| License | MIT | MIT (fork) |
Project Status
:::info PHASE 1 — IN PROGRESS Forking N64Wasm, enabling SIMD, upgrading Emscripten, adding threading. :::
Legal
- Emulator distribution is fully legal (Sony v. Connectix, Sony v. Bleem)
- N64 requires no BIOS file (unlike PlayStation)
- Users provide their own ROM files — we never host or distribute ROMs
- N64Wasm base is MIT licensed — maximum freedom