Def Jam: Fight for NY — Recompiled

Bring Def Jam: Fight for NY to Windows, macOS and Linux, including the Steam Deck. This unofficial native port recompiles the original Xbox game for your computer, with higher rendering resolution, modern controller support, extensive mod support, and other PC-specific enhancements.

This is the definitive port of the game. All game functionality is working and we are continuously optimizing, enhancing, and bugfixing based on player feedback. The project's roadmap now focuses on expanding game moddability, gameplay, and presentation.

You need your own supported USA Xbox dump. The app checks your copy and builds the game on your computer. PS2 and GameCube copies cannot be used.

Download Def Jam Recompiled for your platform · Website · Install guide · Documentation · Report a problem · Join the Discord

Gameplay

Blaze vs Fat Joe at The Foundation

Nyne vs Trejo at The Limit

Main Menu

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3122b1fa-02f6-4ed0-806b-ad396332bd61

Drag the before-and-after sliders on the website

One app for everything

Def Jam Recompiled sets up the game, then handles Play, settings, controls, mods, updates, repair and uninstall. It holds no game files: it checks your own copy and builds the game on your computer. See the app and overlay guide.

Features

• Native on three platforms. Windows x64 uses Direct3D 11; Apple Silicon Macs and x86-64 Linux use Vulkan. Steam Deck runs the Linux version natively.
• 60 fps, up to 4× resolution. The port targets 60 frames per second, with 1×–4× internal resolution in a resizable window or borderless full screen. We're optimizing for low-powered hardware: Steam Deck hits a steady 60 fps in all game modes at 2× render resolution with all HD texture mods enabled. Performance depends on your hardware, settings and the scene.
• Widescreen, up to 32:9. Windows, macOS and Linux/Steam Deck support 16:9 and 16:10 ratios, as well as ultrawide up to 32:9. Download the HD Widescreen Menus mod in the app to transform every menu and background to match. Original 4:3 is one setting away.
• Play in your language. Translation mod support is here. Spanish and French are the first additional languages: ZARF's Spanish mod in the catalogue, and the disc's own French as a setting.
• Mod support. Texture and language mods are here, with a curated catalogue in the app. Custom fighters, music, stages and game modes are coming up on the roadmap.
• Controllers and keyboard. Xbox, DualSense, Switch Pro and other supported gamepads, with remapping, hot-plug and rumble. Keyboard and mouse buttons can supply gameplay bindings; the app and settings support a pointer.
• One app for everything. Setup, Play, settings, controls, mods, updates, repair and uninstall all live in Def Jam Recompiled. Press F1 during play, or a configured controller shortcut, to change settings in the game.
• Cheat menu. Infinite health, max Blazin', giant and tiny fighters, fighter swaps, Story cash and development points.
• Add to Steam. On Windows, Linux and Steam Deck, one button beside Play puts the game in your Steam library, artwork included.
• Upscaled Original Textures. The app can generate 4× versions of the game's textures from your copy, on your computer, with no GPU, AI model or downloaded artwork. Further restored textures can be downloaded in Mods.
• Up to four local players. Play with gamepads and a keyboard player. Network multiplayer is not supported.
• EA's developer menu, restored. The game's own debug menu, cut off in the retail build, opens from the overlay (Diagnostics tab): set up any match with any fighters, venue and match type, play any Story scene, or look at a venue in the stage viewer. See The developer menu.

Get started

1. Have your own USA Xbox disc image or extracted dump matching the supported dump manifest.
2. Download Def Jam Recompiled for your platform from the latest release.
3. Open it, choose your copy and the Modern or Original experience, and optionally add Upscaled Original Textures. The app then verifies your copy, recompiles and builds the game.
4. Select Play.

Platform	Download	Guide
Windows x64	DefJamRecompiled-<version>-windows-x64.exe	Windows
macOS, Apple Silicon	DefJamRecompiled-<version>-macos-arm64.zip	macOS
Linux x86-64 / Steam Deck	DefJamRecompiled-<version>-linux-x86_64.AppImage	Linux and Steam Deck

Also available on RecompLauncher and Quiver.

The app builds from your copy rather than downloading a precompiled game. The install guide covers requirements, unsigned-app prompts, disk space, updates and repairs, with a screenshot of each setup step. Upscaled Original Textures need additional disk space and install time.

Already installed with the older setup? Choose Use an existing installation in the app, and your saves, settings and mods are kept. The older setup installers are still attached to each release. Prefer a manual source build? Use Build and play for Windows or Build on macOS and Linux.

Customize your game

Use the app or F1 overlay to change display settings, controls and mods. The same options are stored in settings.ini in your data folder.

• App and overlay
• Controllers, keyboard and mouse
• Settings reference
• Texture Modding — Getting Started
• HD texture packs: generate, install and enable
• Language packs

Texture and language mods

Available now: texture replacement packs, including the Upscaled Original Textures the app generates, language mods, and reviewed catalogue downloads such as HD Widescreen Menus. Enable mods and set their priority on the app's Mods page.

Want to make a pack? Start with Texture Modding — Getting Started: find an original texture, edit it, write a manifest, test the result and share it. The format reference and mod-manager reference cover the technical details. Language mods have their own delta format.

Coming up: custom fighters, songs, stages and game modes. See the roadmap below.

Where the project is heading

The project aims to preserve the original game's experience while making it easier to play and customize on modern computers.

Direction	Goal
Engine optimizations	Improve performance on low-spec machines, stay up to date with xboxrecomp, and contribute improvements upstream.
Port accuracy	Keep the visuals, tone and gameplay feel faithful to the original Xbox game.
Fully unlocked frame rates	Support frame rates above 60 fps while preserving game speed, timing and gameplay feel. Future work; not supported by the current release.
Widescreen refinement	Improve edge cases and broader aspect and venue coverage.
Extensible Custom Fighter Mod support	Add your own fighters to the game.
Custom and Restored Songs	New music, and tracks restored to the game.
Additional HD Upscaling mods	Story Fighter customization, plus Stages and Level textures.
Def Jam: The Takeover expansion	Bring the mechanics and story mode from Def Jam: The Takeover into this game.
Broader mod support	Custom stages and game modes, difficulty changes and restored cut content.
Build and release automation	Improve automation and the gameplay test harness so shipping builds have reliable, repeatable validation.
Deeper gameplay decompilation	Long-term stretch goal.

These are directions, not promised release dates. GitHub Issues, milestones and open PRs track concrete work.

Compatibility and known limits

The released build targets Windows x64, Apple Silicon macOS and x86-64 Linux. Steam Deck has automated regression coverage and maintainer playtesting; Proton is untested. Performance varies with hardware, settings and scenes. Release-specific test qualifications are recorded with the release; open reports and follow-up work are tracked in GitHub Issues.

Check both GitHub Issues and the latest release notes. Some release-specific fixes and validation limits appear in the notes first.

Community

This project is in very active development, and the Def Jam: Fight for NY Recomp Discord is where we collaborate and talk it through. Join to:

• follow and discuss development as it happens;
• share player feedback and ask for help getting set up;
• suggest enhancements and ideas for the port;
• talk about mods and texture packs.

Discord is for conversation. Please still file bugs as GitHub issues so they are tracked, and never share game files or dumps there either.

Help improve the port

Report a problem with your version, operating system, CPU/GPU, controller, reproduction steps and relevant log lines. Remove personal paths, and please don't attach F9 bug bundles, game files, saves or memory dumps. See Contributing for reporting guidance, development setup and the tests a change needs.

Bug fixes, platform testing and documentation improvements are welcome. The gameplay test harness explains automated game checks and their limits. GitHub CI also runs checks that need no game data; a passing CI badge does not establish full campaign compatibility.

How it works

The xboxrecomp toolchain translates the Xbox executable into C, which is compiled ahead of time. The game's code runs through an Xbox compatibility runtime, with graphics, audio and input supplied by your computer. This is a static recompilation port; deeper gameplay decompilation remains future work.

The repository distributes maintained port code, build tools and documentation. It does not distribute a disc image, playable game data, translated game source or a compiled game executable. The repository does include selected approved screenshots and branding artwork; those retain their original ownership.

Credits and licensing

Maintained by vyanhursky, with development assistance from Claude Code and Codex. Built on sp00nz's xboxrecomp and work from the Xbox emulation community, including xemu hardware references and attributed toolkit components. Burnout 3 and Mercenaries Recompiled are related projects that helped shape the documentation.

The project's code is MIT licensed. Toolkit components retain their own licenses; see the toolkit NOTICE and license texts. The license grants no rights to the game or its artwork.

This is an unofficial fan project, not affiliated with Electronic Arts, AKI or Def Jam. Def Jam: Fight for NY and its assets belong to their respective owners.