Tutorial: play Pikmin 1 and 2 natively on PC with Open Nectar 1.1.1

Open Nectar is a native PC port of Pikmin and Pikmin 2 built from a decompilation of the games' code: it is neither an emulator nor a wrapper. This guide targets version 1.1.1 (published October 29, 2026); check the releases page for a newer version before you start.

Before you start

Requirements: an image of your own disc (a dump of your own discs), one of: Pikmin USA Rev 1 (GPIE01), Pikmin Europe (GPIP01), Pikmin 2 USA (GPVE01) or Pikmin 2 Europe (GPVP01). The project ships no game data. Plan for about 1 GB of free space. ISO/GCM images work directly; RVZ, WIA or GCZ need converting with DolphinTool (provided by Dolphin, not by Open Nectar), which needs about 1.4 GiB free in your temp folder.

Warning: only use discs you own. Open Nectar is an unofficial fan project; Windows SmartScreen may flag the executable as unsigned. Keep a copy of your saves, which are stored in the install folder.

Installing on Windows

1. Install a graphics driver with OpenGL 3.3 or newer from your GPU vendor (Intel, NVIDIA or AMD). The generic "Basic Display Adapter" driver from Windows Update does not work.
2. Download the Windows archive from the releases page and extract it to any folder; no installer is needed.
3. Run nectar-launcher.exe. If SmartScreen appears, click "More info" then "Run anyway".
4. Select your disc image, then choose an install folder.
5. Wait a minute or two while the image is verified and assets are extracted (about 650 MB).
6. Click the Pikmin cover to play. A console window opens with the game: that is intentional and helps with troubleshooting.

Installing on Linux

1. Download either Open_Nectar-x86_64.AppImage (make it executable with chmod +x) or nectar-linux.tar.gz (extract with tar -xzf, then run nectar-linux/nectar-launcher).
2. Make sure your system has glibc 2.29 or newer and an OpenGL driver; install zenity or kdialog for file pickers if needed.
3. Click Install under the game's cover, choose your disc image and an install folder, then reopen the launcher to play.

Controls and what's new in 1.1.1

On keyboard: move with WASD, A = Space, B = Left Shift, pause = Enter, settings menu = F1, control mode switch = F2. Everything is remappable from F1. The mouse works (left click = throw, right click = whistle). Version 1.1.1 adds a Switch controller layout, mouse support in most Pikmin 1 menus, a free camera option facing the cursor, touch buttons on Android and a default 480p 3D resolution with less GPU work. To update, install over the existing version (on Android, do not uninstall first: your data would be deleted).

Official project repository and full guide: Open Nectar on GitHub. No reliable video tutorial was selected today; we will add one if a good resource appears.

Source: GitHub Open Nectar