# UltraCombo: native ports of the Killer Instinct arcade games

> UltraCombo ports the arcade games Killer Instinct and Killer Instinct 2 to Windows and Linux using users' ROM and disk files. It boots each game on an interpreter, snapshots loaded code, translates the game and sound DSP programs to C, and compiles native modules while emulating the surrounding arcade hardware.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: Game
- Category: Independent reconstruction cases
- Relationship: Independent reconstruction project
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-06
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-09
- Original resource: <https://github.com/thefixinhixon/UltraCombo>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/thefixinhixon/UltraCombo/blob/b7ae26e7605efbe53cb60433ade26d5579900d8e/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/ultracombo-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/ultracombo-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/ultracombo-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- **Prerequisites:** User-supplied boot and sound ROMs plus the matching CHD or raw disk image for each game.
- **Scope:** On first launch, a working Zig, C compiler or TinyCC compiles a native module from the supplied game files; if none works, the game runs on its interpreter.
- **License:** MIT license.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/thefixinhixon/UltraCombo/blob/b7ae26e7605efbe53cb60433ade26d5579900d8e/README.md>
2. <https://github.com/thefixinhixon/UltraCombo/blob/b7ae26e7605efbe53cb60433ade26d5579900d8e/CLAUDE.md>

## More in Games

- [UltraTears: native recompilation of Tears of the Kingdom](https://awesomerea.org/resources/ultratears/index.md) · Case study
- [Uncharted Waters: New Horizons — a native Windows static recompilation](https://awesomerea.org/resources/uncharted-waters-new-horizons-static-recomp-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Unleashed Recompiled for Android: Sonic Unleashed port](https://awesomerea.org/resources/unleashed-recomp-android/index.md) · Case study
- [Unleashed Recompiled: translating Xbox 360 game code and shaders](https://awesomerea.org/resources/unleashed-recompiled-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Unreal Championship 2: an Xbox static recompilation for Windows](https://awesomerea.org/resources/unreal-championship-2-recomp-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Urban Reign PC Port: a PS2 static recompilation](https://awesomerea.org/resources/urban-reign-pc-port-case/index.md) · Case study

## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.