Lichii emulator requirements
- Windows x86_64
- Linux x86_64 / ARM64
- macOS 15+ ARM64
- Vulkan
Lichii does not publish a minimum or recommended spec. What it does publish is which systems each release file runs on, a few performance figures and some memory and driver warnings. Everything below comes from the README, the release notes and the build files in zortos293/Lichii.
Operating system
| System | Supported build | Requirement from the release notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | lichii-windows-x86_64(-pgo).zip | x86_64. MinGW PGO zip bundles its DLLs (no Visual C++ redistributable). MSVC zip is the only one with NVIDIA DLSS. |
| Linux x86_64 | AppImage / tar.gz | AppImage: glibc 2.39+ (Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora 40, Debian 13, Arch). tar.gz: Qt 6 and usual system libraries. |
| Linux ARM64 | AppImage / tar.gz | Same glibc and Qt rules; built on GitHub’s ubuntu-24.04-arm runner. |
| macOS | lichii-macos-arm64.zip / .dmg | Apple Silicon, macOS 15 or newer. Not notarized. |
| Android, iOS, Intel Mac, 32-bit | None | No release file exists. |
CPU
- x86_64 for Windows and Linux builds, ARM64 for Linux ARM and macOS.
- The PGO builds are “the same programs compiled with profile-guided optimization”; the notes say to prefer them “when your CPU supports it”. If a PGO build fails on your machine, use the standard one.
- CPU speed matters: an open report for the Ocarina of Time remake describes gameplay settling at about 29 fps, CPU-bound on two cores (#117).
GPU and drivers
- The renderer is Vulkan; on macOS it runs through MoltenVK. Keep your GPU driver current.
- NVIDIA: desktop DLSS only in the Windows MSVC build. Known issue: Star Fox on RTX 50-series (5070 Ti, 5090) can lose the GPU device after a scene change; the notes suggest NVIDIA driver 610.88.
- AMD: open reports include a black rectangle in Donkey Kong Bananza (#78), green AV1 cutscenes on RADV (#106) and a Mario Kart World slowdown in build 75 on Linux (#113).
- Apple Silicon: build 70 brought Mario Kart World races on an M4 Pro from about 9.5 to 30–38 fps.
Memory
No RAM figure is published. Build 70 and 75 notes both list “Failed to allocate 14336 MiB of backing memory” as a known message meaning Windows ran out of RAM plus page file. The fix they give: set the page file to system-managed and close memory-heavy apps.
Reference performance
| Hardware | Game | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5900X + RTX 3080 | Ocarina of Time remake | 12–22 fps (build 75 notes) |
| Apple M4 Pro | Mario Kart World | 30–38 fps in races (build 70 notes) |
Files you must supply
The README says games, keys and firmware are not included and to use only games and system files you have legally obtained. This site does not explain how to obtain or create any of them.
Requirements to build from source
| Tool | Version / note |
|---|---|
| CMake | 3.31 or newer (cmake_minimum_required) |
| C++ compiler | C++20: MSVC (Visual Studio 2022 in CI), clang/clang-cl, or GCC (tests build with GCC 13 -Werror) |
| Build tool | Ninja recommended |
| Qt | Qt 6 for the GUI |
| Vulkan | Vulkan SDK on Windows; headers bundled on Linux/macOS CI |
| Windows PGO | MSYS2 MinGW clang with eglantine.profdata |
FAQ
What are the minimum requirements for Lichii?
There is no official minimum spec. The release files need Windows x86_64, Linux x86_64 or ARM64 with glibc 2.39 or newer, or macOS 15 or newer on Apple Silicon, plus a GPU with a working Vulkan driver (MoltenVK on macOS). Switch 2 games are demanding: one title ran at 12–22 fps on a Ryzen 5900X with an RTX 3080.
Does Lichii work on Windows 10?
The release notes only say “Windows x86_64”; they do not list Windows versions. The builds are compiled on GitHub’s windows-2022 runners.
Which Linux distributions work?
The AppImage needs glibc 2.39 or newer; the notes name Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora 40, Debian 13 and Arch. The tar.gz uses your system libraries, so Qt 6 must be installed.
Does Lichii run on an Intel Mac?
No. The only macOS build is lichii-macos-arm64 for Apple Silicon, macOS 15 or newer.
How much RAM do I need?
The project does not state a number. The notes explain the error “Failed to allocate 14336 MiB of backing memory” as Windows running out of RAM plus page file, so leave the page file on system-managed and close other memory-heavy apps.
Do I need an NVIDIA GPU?
No, issues are reported on NVIDIA, AMD and Apple GPUs. Desktop NVIDIA DLSS is only available in the Windows MSVC build. RTX 50-series cards have a known device-loss issue in Star Fox.