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Head-to-head · Nintendo 64 Emulators

RustyN64 vs Luna's Project64

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score RustyN64 #5 in Nintendo 64 Emulators 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit DoubleGate
Luna's Project64 #8 in Nintendo 64 Emulators 8.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features View GitHub Releases

RustyN64 leads on 0 checks, Luna's Project64 on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreRustyN64 · 8.6/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresLuna's Project64 · 4 of 5

RustyN64 scores higher on our rubric for nintendo 64 emulators: 8.6 against 8.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #8.

RustyN64 is the better fit for technical users prioritizing accuracy and modern graphics. Luna's Project64 is the better fit for windows or Linux users wanting extensive savestates.

  • RustyN64 fits best

    Technical users prioritizing accuracy and modern graphics

  • Luna's Project64 fits best

    Windows or Linux users wanting extensive savestates

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Side by side

Feature RustyN64 8.6/10 Visit ↗ Luna's Project64 8.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.0
Ranking #5 in Nintendo 64 Emulators #8 in Nintendo 64 Emulators
Best for Technical users prioritizing accuracy and modern graphics Windows or Linux users wanting extensive savestates
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, Linux
Support Docs, Community Community
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features RustyN64 3/5 · Luna's Project64 4/5
Online netplay — Not checked yet
Save states ✓ ✓
Cheat support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
High-resolution rendering ✓ ✓
Controller remapping ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported platforms Linux x64, macOS ARM64, Windows x64, WebAssembly browser demo Windows, Linux
Graphics renderer APIs Vulkan, Metal, DX12 Direct3D 8, Vulkan, OpenGL 3.3
Our review
Pros
  • Cycle-accurate scheduling and low-level RSP and RDP emulation
  • Supports save states, rewind, run-ahead, and configurable controllers
  • Runs on desktop platforms with Vulkan, Metal, DX12, and WebAssembly support
  • 100 savestate slots with faster savestate loading
  • Cheat support and flexible controller key mapping
  • High-resolution rendering with multiple graphics plugins
Cons
  • Commercial-game compatibility remains incomplete
  • No netplay support
  • Rendering and compatibility features are demonstrated to varying degrees
  • Focuses on selected games rather than maximum compatibility
  • Supports Windows and Linux, not a broader platform range
  • Designed for Nintendo 64 emulation only
Our verdict

RustyN64 is an open-source Nintendo 64 emulator written in pure Rust for technical users who prioritize hardware accuracy and modern graphics options. It supports Linux x64, macOS ARM64, Windows x64, and a WebAssembly browser demo. The…

Read the review →

Luna's Project64 is a free, open-source Nintendo 64 emulator forked from Project64 3.0.1. It is aimed at Windows and Linux users who want gameplay-focused features, extensive savestate support, controller customization, cheat support, and…

Read the review →
  1. RustyN64Nintendo 64 Emulators 8.6Free plan
  2. Luna's Project64Nintendo 64 Emulators 8.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • RustyN64 — where it wins

    • Cycle-accurate scheduling and low-level RSP and RDP emulation
    • Supports save states, rewind, run-ahead, and configurable controllers
    • Runs on desktop platforms with Vulkan, Metal, DX12, and WebAssembly support

    Where it doesn't

    • Commercial-game compatibility remains incomplete
    • No netplay support
    • Rendering and compatibility features are demonstrated to varying degrees

  • Luna's Project64 — where it wins

    • 100 savestate slots with faster savestate loading
    • Cheat support and flexible controller key mapping
    • High-resolution rendering with multiple graphics plugins

    Where it doesn't

    • Focuses on selected games rather than maximum compatibility
    • Supports Windows and Linux, not a broader platform range
    • Designed for Nintendo 64 emulation only

More comparisons

All nintendo 64 emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update