Lichii vs Eglantine
- Lichii = fork
- Eglantine = upstream
- November 5, 2026
Lichii and Eglantine are both open-source Switch 2 emulators on GitHub, and they share most of their code. Eglantine is the original; Lichii is a fork that adds its own fixes and keeps merging Eglantine’s work. Here are the exact facts side by side.
Side by side
| Lichii | Eglantine | |
|---|---|---|
| Repository | zortos293/Lichii | Djihads80/Eglantine |
| Who | zortos293 | Started by Camille LaVey (README) |
| Created on GitHub | October 31, 2026 | October 29, 2026 |
| Derived from | Eglantine, Eden, yuzu, Sudachi | Eden, yuzu, Sudachi |
| GitHub description | VERY experimental Nintendo Switch 2 emulator | VERY experimental Nintendo Switch 2 emulator |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 (or later) |
| Main language | C++ (94.1%) | C++ (94.3%) |
| Default branch | nx2 | nx2 |
| Stars / forks | 1,466 / 195 | 4,096 / 463 |
| Releases (all pre-release) | 9 | 73 |
| Total release downloads | 102,999 | 387,481 |
| Latest release | build 75, November 5, 2026 | Eglantine Build 05/11/2026, November 5, 2026 (and v0.1.0-rc1, November 4) |
| Release cadence | numbered CI builds | numbered CI builds, daily builds and a first release candidate (v0.1.0-rc1) |
| App / file names | lichii.exe, lichii-* | eglantine.exe, eglantine-* |
| Platforms released | Windows x86_64, Linux x86_64/ARM64, macOS ARM64 | Windows x86_64, Linux x86_64/ARM64, macOS ARM64 |
| NVIDIA DLSS on Windows | MSVC zip (“the only Windows build with NVIDIA DLSS”) | not called out in the rc1 notes |
| In-app updater | checks Lichii releases (build 75) | not described in the README |
| Donations | voluntary crypto (README) | “We currently do not take in any donations” |
| Community | GitHub issues | GitHub issues and Discord |
Numbers from the GitHub API on November 5, 2026. Both projects publish several builds a day, so counts change quickly.
How the fork relates to upstream
- Lichii’s commit history shows repeated merges of upstream Eglantine’s
nx2branch; build 70 notes say it “merges upstream Eglantine three times” and on November 5 another upstream merge landed. - Specific upstream pull requests are ported by number, for example upstream #567 (64-bit wait-on-address), which build 75 used to boot the Ocarina of Time remake.
- Lichii’s own additions include the Star Fox DLSS de-jitter stand-in, Kirby Air Riders white-world fix, Apple Silicon fastmem on 16 KiB pages, a live debug server and an updater pointed at Lichii releases.
- The two share data folders: Lichii keeps the Eden/Eglantine data directories and config keys.
What both say about compatibility
Eglantine’s README: “capable of running Mario Kart World at decent/full speed depending on specs and configurations, and Splatoon Raiders at variable performances. A list of supported games will be available in future.” Lichii’s README: “Compatibility and performance vary by game, hardware and driver. Rendering errors, stutters and crashes remain possible.” See Lichii’s game-by-game status.
Which should you try?
- If a game you care about is named in Lichii’s recent notes (Star Fox, the Ocarina of Time remake, Kirby Air Riders), try Lichii’s latest build.
- If you want the original project, which has more stars and downloads and a first release candidate, look at upstream Eglantine.
- Either way, download only from the project’s own GitHub Releases page and back up saves first.
FAQ
What is the difference between Lichii and Eglantine?
Eglantine (Djihads80/Eglantine) is the upstream Switch 2 emulator, started by developer Camille LaVey and derived from Eden, yuzu and Sudachi. Lichii (zortos293/Lichii) is zortos293’s fork of it, with its own game fixes, its own release builds and its own name since early November 2026.
Which one is better, Lichii or Eglantine?
It depends on the game. Lichii regularly merges upstream Eglantine and adds fixes on top, such as the Star Fox DLSS stand-in and the Ocarina of Time remake work. Upstream has more stars, more releases and more downloads. Neither is finished.
Can I use my Eglantine saves in Lichii?
The Lichii README says the rebrand intentionally keeps the existing Eden/Eglantine data directories and configuration keys and does not move or delete saves, settings or shader caches. Back up saves before testing.
Are Lichii and Eglantine both free and open source?
Yes, both are GPL-3.0 projects on GitHub. Lichii’s README lists voluntary crypto donations; Eglantine’s README says it does not take donations for now.
Why were early Lichii releases named Eglantine?
Because zortos293’s repository started as a fork called Eglantine. Its releases up to build 65 used the Eglantine name and eglantine- file names; build 70 was the first titled “Lichii nx2 build”.