Banana Native: Switch 2 games on Android
Banana Native is an open-source Android port of nxnative by GitHub user moceure. It runs a few Switch 2 games natively on Snapdragon phones: the game’s own ARM64 code on the phone’s CPU, with the NVN graphics rebuilt on Vulkan. It is not an emulator. Latest release on November 7, 2026: v0.1.5.
Banana Native at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Repository | moceure/BananaNative, a GitHub fork of seedds/nxnative |
| What it does | Runs Switch 2 games’ ARM64 code natively on Android; NVN graphics on Vulkan; no system emulation |
| Latest release | v0.1.5, published 2026-11-05 (GitHub pre-release) |
| APK | banana-native-v0.1.5.apk, 31.0 MB (32,489,920 bytes) |
| License | The Android app is GPL-3.0-or-later as a whole (nxnative itself is MIT) |
| Status | Experimental, tested on one phone |
The project says its GitHub repository is the only official place for Banana Native: it has no website, Discord, subreddit, Telegram group or social media account. This page is a third-party summary of that repository.
Supported games and versions
Only these exact versions run; the app reports a different version as unsupported.
| Game | Title ID | Version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong Bananza | 040074A01BF12000 | Update 458752 | Works; 30 fps on both drivers, some texture glitches in cave fights |
| Pokémon Pokopia | 0400A3A01EE4C000 | Update 655360 (Ver. 2.0.1) | Works at about 60 fps on the system driver and Turnip (from v0.1.5); the sky is black |
| Mario Kart World | 0400C3F00006E000 | 1.8.0 (1.8.1 with the same code also accepted) | Work in progress: in game and driving, with graphics problems |
For the same games on a Mac, see Switch 2 games on Mac.
Phone requirements
- Android 13 or later.
- Snapdragon chip with an Adreno GPU. Tested on a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (Adreno 840).
- 12 GB of RAM or more. The test phone has 16 GB, and Mario Kart World is tight even there.
- A phone cooler is recommended, strongly for Mario Kart World. Hot phones throttle and the frame rate drops.
- GPU driver: tested only with the phone’s own Qualcomm (system) driver and the latest Turnip. Other drivers may not work; the app can download Turnip drivers and has a Readiness check in Settings.
Qualcomm vs Turnip: measured frame rates
From the project’s own tests on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 phone with 16 GB, frame generation off:
| Game | GPU driver | Resolution | Frame rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong Bananza (first level) | System (Qualcomm) | Phone 1080p | 30 fps, with stretches of 55–58 |
| Donkey Kong Bananza (first level) | Turnip | Phone 1080p | 30 fps, with stretches of 49–59 (about 20 before v0.1.3) |
| Pokémon Pokopia | System and Turnip | – | About 60 fps |
| Mario Kart World | – | – | Not measured yet |
Donkey Kong Bananza is held at 30 fps by the CPU work per frame on both drivers; 60 fps is planned. The first visit to an area stutters while shaders are built. Optional frame generation (Lossless Scaling, using your own copy of its DLL) can take 30 fps to a 60, 90 or 120 fps target with some added latency, and v0.1.5 adds optional FSR 1 upscaling.
Download and verify the APK
Get the APK only from the GitHub releases page. All releases so far are marked as pre-releases. From v0.1.4 the app can also check that page and offer new versions itself.
Latest: v0.1.5, file banana-native-v0.1.5.apk, 32,489,920 bytes. SHA-256 published in the release notes: bbd00c64b86c749edb3339bbae2b879c3baaf8de741a3e9dc69dee8fc3b72c81.
Direct link: banana-native-v0.1.5.apk on GitHub
| Release | Date | APK | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| v0.1.5 | 2026-11-05 | banana-native-v0.1.5.apk | 31.0 MB |
| v0.1.4 | 2026-11-05 | banana-native-v0.1.4.apk | 26.0 MB |
| v0.1.3 | 2026-11-05 | banana-native-v0.1.3.apk | 25.9 MB |
| v0.1.2 | 2026-11-05 | banana-native-v0.1.2.apk | 25.9 MB |
| v0.1.1 | 2026-11-04 | banana-native-v0.1.1.apk | 25.9 MB |
| v0.1.0 | 2026-11-03 | nxnative-android-v0.1.0.apk | 25.1 MB |
Each release can be installed over the previous one; saves, packs and settings are kept. Back up your saves before playing: the project warns that crashes happen.
Known issues
- Mario Kart World: black pixels, flickering trees, sometimes missing ground textures, a dark 3D scene after returning to character selection, and heavy heat.
- Donkey Kong Bananza: texture glitches during some cave fights; 30 fps cap from the CPU.
- Pokémon Pokopia: black sky.
- All games: stutter on the first visit to an area, throttling on hot phones, occasional crashes. A new app version may need shaders prepared again.
Problems go to the project’s GitHub issues with phone, chip, RAM, GPU driver, game version and the log from Settings › Share log; device reports go to Discussions.
Controllers on Android
The app has on-screen controls with a layout editor, and the README lists gamepad support, so a controller that Android sees as a gamepad replaces the touch layout. On a Snapdragon 8 Elite phone held like a handheld, two common kinds fit:
- USB-C, phone-mounted: the Backbone One (USB-C, 2nd Gen) plugs into the phone’s USB-C port and works with most USB-C Android phones.
- Bluetooth, stretch-to-fit: the GameSir G8 Plus (Bluetooth) clamps around the phone and connects over Bluetooth, so the USB-C port stays free for a charger or a phone cooler.
The project does not list tested controllers or say whether a controller’s gyro reaches the games, so treat motion controls as untested. Check the listing for your phone’s size and camera bump before buying.
As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Controller links on this page go to Amazon.
Banana Native questions
Is Banana Native an emulator?
No. According to the project, the game’s own ARM64 code runs directly on the phone’s CPU; a small host answers the system calls and the Switch 2 graphics (NVN, including task and mesh shaders) are rebuilt on Vulkan. It works game by game, only for the versions in its list.
Where is the Banana Native APK download?
Only on the project’s GitHub releases page: github.com/moceure/BananaNative/releases. The latest release on November 7, 2026 is v0.1.5 (banana-native-v0.1.5.apk, 31.0 MB). The project says copies from anywhere else may be modified or malicious.
Does Banana Native run Pokémon Pokopia?
Yes, from v0.1.5: Pokémon Pokopia update 655360 (Ver. 2.0.1) is playable at about 60 fps on both the Qualcomm system driver and Turnip. Its known issue is a black sky.
Does Mario Kart World work on Android?
It is a work in progress: version 1.8.0 reaches races and driving, with black pixels, flickering trees, missing ground textures and tight memory on a 16 GB phone. Its frame rate has not been measured yet, and a phone cooler is strongly recommended.
Which phones can run Banana Native?
An Android 13+ phone with a Snapdragon (Adreno) GPU and at least 12 GB of RAM. It was tested on one phone, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with 16 GB. Phones with MediaTek, Exynos or Tensor GPUs are not in the requirements.
Is Banana Native made by the nxnative developer?
No. It is a separate project by moceure, ported from seedds/nxnative, and says it is not affiliated with Nintendo, nxnative or Eden. It is also not related to nx2android. Bug reports belong on the Banana Native GitHub, not with nxnative.
Does the APK include any games?
No. Every release states that no games, keys or shaders are included. You need your own copy of a supported game; this page does not cover game files.
From the moceure/BananaNative README and releases, checked November 7, 2026. See also which platforms nxnative supports and is it legal and safe. Back to the nxnative guide.
