The basics
Is this an emulator?
No. New Blitz is a recompilation: the game's original code was translated, ahead of time, into native code for each device, using N64Recomp. Nothing pretends to be a Nintendo 64 while you play. Your ROM supplies the game's assets (graphics, sound and the rest of its data) when it runs, and the renderer, RT64, draws it at modern resolutions.
Where do I get the ROM?
Dump your own cartridge. A cartridge reader (a small USB device) copies your NFL Blitz 2000 cartridge to a file. We can't help you find a ROM, and nobody here will send you one.
Which ROM version does it need?
NFL Blitz 2000 (USA), version 1.1. As a .z64, .v64 or .n64 file, or a .zip holding one. The app checks the file is exactly that cartridge, and if it isn't, it tells you what's wrong (for example, that it's another version, or that the file is damaged).
Does it cost anything?
No. It's free: no purchases, no ads, no donations. It's open source under the GPL-3.0. If anyone's charging you for it, it isn't from us.
Is it official?
No. New Blitz 2027 is a fan project. It isn't affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by the NFL, the NFL Players Association, any club, Midway or its successors, Nintendo or anyone else. That's why you bring your own cartridge: no game assets are included.
Was it made with AI?
Partly, and we'd rather say so up front. The game itself is NFL Blitz 2000's own code, translated from your cartridge by N64Recomp, a deterministic tool: no AI writes or changes the game's logic. Everything around it (the menus, seasons, save states, the phone controllers, the ports to iPhone, Android and PS5) was written with AI coding agents (Claude), directed, reviewed and play-tested by a person, on real hardware: Mac, iPhone, Android handhelds and PS5. Every release is checked by a test suite, a scan that keeps game data and private details out of the downloads, and someone playing it. If something's broken, tell us in #bugs on the Discord.
Why does my computer warn me about it?
Because it isn't signed with a paid developer certificate. Your computer asks before opening apps like that the first time. On a Mac: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway. On Windows: More info → Run anyway. On Linux, make it executable. Step by step. Download it only from our release page, and check the checksum if you like.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The game itself never needs the internet. The only things that do are the optional 2026 Season download, roster updates if you turn them on, and player photos in Pick Your Crew. Phone controllers only need your local Wi-Fi. What connects to what.
Playing
What about my saves?
The game's own Controller Pak saves (season records and the like), your settings and your save states are kept on your device, in the app's folder. Save states load only in the same version of the app that made them, so after an update, make a new one. Quitting mid-game offers Save & Quit, and the next launch picks the game back up. On a phone, deleting the app deletes its saves.
Which controllers work?
Most gamepads, over USB or Bluetooth: PlayStation (DualSense, DualShock 4), Xbox, Switch Pro and many more. Up to four players, each controller becoming the next free player. Phones work as controllers too: scan the QR code in Settings → Players. Player 1 can also use the keyboard. Remap anything in Settings → Controls. All the controls.
Can I play online?
Not over the internet. Multiplayer is on one screen, up to four players, with gamepads and phones on the same Wi-Fi.
Do I need the 2026 Season?
No. It's an optional, free add-on (about 2 MB) inside the app. Without it, you play Original 1999: the cartridge as it shipped, with every other feature. More about the season.
Devices
Why does the iPhone app stop after 7 days?
Apple only lets you install it signed with your own Apple account. With a free account, Apple's signature lasts 7 days; after that the app won't open until you install it again (over the top: your saves stay, as long as you don't delete the app). A paid Apple Developer account ($99 a year) lasts a year. Paid accounts are tested; free accounts are still being tested. The iPhone guide.
What do I need for the PS5?
A jailbroken PS5 running etaHEN, on the same network as your computer. The Builder sends the game over etaHEN's FTP server and starts it. We can't help with jailbreaking, and which firmware works is up to etaHEN. The PS5 version is a preview. The PS5 guide.
Does it run on a real Nintendo 64?
Yes, through Export ROM: it writes a cartridge-ready .z64 for a flash cart. The Lite kinds run on any N64; Full needs the Expansion Pak. The kinds.
Which Macs work? What about Intel Macs?
Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 or later) on macOS 13 or later. There's no Intel Mac version.
Help
How do I report a bug?
Press Settings → General → Save Logs. It writes one zip with the app's log, any crash reports, your device details and your settings (in Downloads on a computer, in the app's folder on a phone). Post it in the Discord's #bugs channel or attach it to a GitHub issue, with what you were doing. Nothing is sent anywhere unless you send it.
Can I help?
Yes: report bugs, test on your devices, make paks, or send code. The source and the contributing guide are on GitHub, and the Discord is where it's all talked about.