WarioWare: Twisted! Recomp

Experimental preview. This recompilation is a byproduct of developing gbarecomp: the games are the proving ground, while the reusable framework is the larger goal. This is not a finished commercial port, so expect rough edges and please report problems. For more context, read Recomp + AI: 5 Months Later ».

Static recompilation of WarioWare: Twisted! for Windows and Android, with native motion controls for the cartridge's built-in gyroscope.

The game ROM and Nintendo GBA BIOS are not included. You must provide your own legally obtained dumps.

Status

The game boots and runs on Windows and Android, including its menus, microgames, cartridge saves, and gyro-controlled stages. Android has been tested on a Galaxy S22 Ultra. These builds are experimental, so back up important saves and report repeatable crashes or motion-control problems.

Quick start

Android

1. Download the experimental APK from Android Releases and install it.
2. Open the app and select your WarioWare: Twisted! (USA) ROM and retail GBA BIOS.
3. Hold the phone in landscape, configure the launcher if desired, and select Play.
4. Twist the phone like the original cartridge to control gyro microgames.

The display stays fixed in landscape when you turn the phone upside down, including with Android auto-rotate enabled. Phone rotation still controls the game's gyroscope.

Version 0.0.4 uses the expanded native CPU corpus on Android by default.

The Android launcher uses the system file picker and remembers valid files. Enable Skip launcher on boot to start the game directly on later launches.

Windows

1. Download the Windows zip from Windows Releases and extract it.
2. Run WarioWareTwistedRecomp.exe.
3. Select your matching ROM and retail GBA BIOS, configure controls, and select Play.

On Windows, a compatible controller's motion sensor provides gyro input. Holding the left mouse button and dragging horizontally is the fallback.

Features

• Native Windows x64 and Android arm64 builds
• Phone gyro and supported controller-motion input
• Mouse-drag gyro fallback on Windows
• Touch-friendly Android launcher and in-game menu
• ROM and BIOS setup through the shared recomp-ui launcher
• Keyboard, controller, and touchscreen controls
• Windowed and fullscreen desktop play
• Cartridge saves and save states

Controls

GBA control	Keyboard
D-Pad	Arrow keys
A / B	X / Z
Start	Enter
Select	Right Shift
L / R	C / V

Controllers are detected automatically. Gyro sensitivity and button mappings can be changed from the launcher. On Android, use the on-screen controls and the phone's motion sensor.

Building from source

Windows development requires CMake, Ninja, MSYS2 MinGW64, and SDL2:

git clone --recurse-submodules `
  https://github.com/mstan/WarioWareTwistedRecomp.git
cd WarioWareTwistedRecomp

cmake -S gbarecomp -B gbarecomp/build-native -G Ninja
cmake --build gbarecomp/build-native --target gba_recompile
pwsh tools/regen.ps1
cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build --target WarioWareTwistedRecomp

Android build and device-validation instructions live in android/README.md.

Generation requires the supported ROM revision and a retail GBA BIOS. Their identities and local development paths are documented in variants/warioware_twisted/game.toml. ROM-derived generated code, copyrighted inputs, saves, caches, and build output remain local and are never included in public releases.

Contributors can run pwsh tools/verify-attract.ps1 for the automated desktop acceptance route and pwsh tools/make_release.ps1 -Version 0.0.1 to build a sanitized Windows package.

The native coverage guide describes isolated, muted microgame simulations, test-only Spindex unlock/jump cheats, and comparison against the interpreter.

License

For this project's code covered by the PolyForm Noncommercial License, PERMISSIONS.md grants standing permission for voluntary donations, sponsorships, and advertising revenue, including support for broader development initiatives. Payment must not buy access to the software, games built with it, or their updates, features, or game content, including early access.

Matthew Stanley has authority from the relevant copyright holders to grant these permissions for the project's PolyForm-covered code. Third-party components and code explicitly licensed under other terms retain those terms.

PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 — see LICENSE. Third-party components retain their own licenses.

Legal

This is an unofficial, non-commercial preservation and research project. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nintendo. WarioWare and related names, characters, artwork, and game data are trademarks or copyrights of their respective owners.

No copyrighted game ROM or Nintendo BIOS data is distributed by this project.

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Part of the R.A.I.D. — Retro AI Development static-recompilation community.