TL;DR
- Nintendo Switch emulator Kenji-NX got its first big update on Android.
- Update 2.0.4 has bug fixes and UI updates, plus Android-only features.
- The Ryujinx fork is a top performer on Snapdragon 8 Elite devices.
The Nintendo Switch 2 might have launched today, but emulation fans can still celebrate with a major update to an up-and-coming Switch 1 emulator. Kenji-NX is a relatively new Ryujinx fork, but its first major update shows some excellent progress.
Version 2.0.4 contains bug fixes, UI updates, and backend improvements across all platforms. The Android version has a few additional changes, including turning off NCE and PPTC by default. NCE, or native code execution, is a translation layer that has proven key to improving performance on other Switch emulators like Citron.
However, the initial update had a bug on Android that prevented games from showing up in the games list. Bugfix release 2.0.4.1 came out a few hours later to fix the problem. If you plan to download the app, make sure you download the latest version to avoid any issues.
Kenji-NX works best on Snapdragon 8 Elite devices.
Kenji-NX was first released on Android three weeks ago, and although it’s still rough around the edges, developer KeatonTheBot has committed to releasing frequent updates. It’s based on the original Android branch from the first Ryujinx developers, who were shut down by Nintendo late last year.
Kenji-NX attempts to emulate Switch games more accurately than more popular Yuzu-based emulators. This can lead to better performance in some cases and worse performance in others. Based on our testing, powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite devices get the most out of Kenji-NX, while other chipsets generally work better with Citron or Eden.
You can download the latest version of Kenji-NX from the official GitHub and test it for yourself on your own hardware. Switch emulation has made significant progress in the past few months, but it still requires tinkering for the best results.
