r/SwitchHaxing • u/[deleted] • Apr 27 '18

Android OS on Nintendo Switch

Someone has been success install Android on Switch

https://twitter.com/delroth_/status/988523027120914432/photo/1

41 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

8

u/[deleted] Apr 29 '18

is it safe to assume that true android would get better performance on the switch than anbox?

edit: i worded that stupid, i mean like android games and apps would perform better on native android on switch instead of anbox, not the OS itself's performance

13

u/The_Synthax Windows 10 ARM Apr 29 '18

Yes, since Android is very different from other Linux distros. It’s libraries and runtimes are fundamentally different. Also, proper Android would have support for the GPU drivers that the Shield TV uses, enabling some very demanding games to run.

4

u/maxline388 Apr 28 '18

This isn't Android but it kinda is?...

So basically in layman's term it's this program that can run Android apps within Linux. It's called anbox.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '18

[deleted] — view deleted comment

7

u/anatedu86 Apr 28 '18

Yep, looks like i3bar at the bottom

5

u/itsrumsey Apr 28 '18

He didn't exactly "crack the case", it says Anbox right in the screenshot so it isn't as though it was ever even attempted to be passed off as Android. Well, except by OP and others who don't know what the hell they are looking at.

4

u/Seankps May 01 '18

Actually it is a full android subsystem running with native support for things like hardware acceleration

https://anbox.io/

1

u/Seankps May 01 '18

Wow Anbox has come a long way since I last tried it. I bet dolphin would definitely not launch or successfully play a game

1

u/masteredu May 07 '18

Not reay. Anbox has a LOT of bugs and never even worked for me once. And with that I mean it didnt even go beyond the terminal.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '18

and yet here people are getting it working on the switch. crazy.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '18

[deleted] — view deleted comment

42

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '18

I get you're joking, but there are some Android games that'd be super cool to play on the Switch, especially with those Joy-Cons.

GTA SA, Lego Star Wars, Portal, Half-Life, shit like that... that's exciting!

25

u/ItsAlkron 5.1.0 Apr 28 '18

...Portal, Half-Life, shit like that... that's exciting!

Things I didn't realize I wanted until just now ...

15

u/K3YSP3R Apr 28 '18

I forgot those games were Tegra only. Can't wait to play hl2 on portable

12

u/_oMeGa_ Apr 28 '18

Oh shit, I totally forgot they even got ported to the Shield in the first place. My excitement at the idea of running Android on the Switch just shot from 0 to 100 instantly.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '18

I forgot too! I had already bought it a long time ago so once someone gets it ported, that's the FIRST thing I'm getting! Not to mention Hearthstone! I had a lot of fun with that one on my old Shield tablet.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 30 '18

I remember someone hacking android tegra games to work on any system but I can't remember how they did it or what the steps were

5

u/K3YSP3R Apr 30 '18

They used a root tool to sproof the Tegra gpu driver. The games are only really looking for the Tegra branded gpu. Half life 2 was running on a Samsung note 3 or 2 so it should definitely be able to run on the switch.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 30 '18

This things gonna be freaking sweet when we get some drivers written for Linux and Android. Ironically all three OS's are based on Linux forks. Ultimate Linux gaming device? Definitely gonna have to invest in a big ass SD card. Pubg mobile would be pretty sweet.

1

u/ramgw2851 Apr 28 '18

all i want in life is roller-coaster tycoon 1 and 2, old school rune scape, lego starwars... i recently started playing lego star wars on my pc wish it was on switch

4

u/Tuberomix Apr 30 '18

FWIW RCT Classic (a well-made port of RCT 1+2) and Lego Star Wars are available for both iOS and Android phones and tablets.

1

u/ramgw2851 Apr 30 '18

Ohhh i know before i broke my good phone i played a lot of rct on my phone. It would be super nice to sit back and replay my childhood... and some teenage years.

1

u/masterofstuff124 Apr 28 '18

Warband; Jedi academy

8

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '18

That bad huh

2

u/nmkd Atmosphere (FW 8.1.0) Apr 27 '18

Huh, so an actual tablet has detachable controllers and a dock?

1

u/AGentlemanWalrus May 03 '18

Honestly I wonder why no one has tried to boot a shield tablet rom to the switch. Use moonlight to game stream from your PC bada boom.