Hookshot: Zelda Ocarina of Time on PC

Looking for NotRexed/Hookshot on GitHub? The original GitHub URL returned 404 when checked on 15 November 2026. NotRexed’s own homepage links to the current Hookshot website and self-hosted repository:

• Hookshot download page
• Current Hookshot repository
• Latest release and files
• Original author’s homepage

The download page and release record both identify v2.3.1, published on 15 November 2026, as the stable release at this check. Open the latest-release page when installing; versions can change after this guide is published.

Platform	File to choose	What you download
Windows 10 / 11, 64-bit	HookshotBuilder.exe	Small setup program; it fetches the Builder and build tools
Linux, x86_64	Hookshot-v2.3.1-x86_64.AppImage	Builder with its tools; release listing shows about 234 MiB

The Windows release listing shows about 192 KiB for the setup executable. That is not the entire installation: the README describes a further download of about 500 MB, followed by a local build using your game files.

Hookshot is free software. It does not include Ocarina of Time, keys or a ready-made game download. Use your own copy at the supported version listed below.

The current original project is separate from Epona and HeyListen, whose maintainers explicitly describe them as Hookshot forks. Those names are useful when identifying a build in a video or support thread; they do not make every similarly named repository an official download. This guide’s main buttons go to NotRexed’s current site.

The current README gives these requirements:

Check	Published requirement
Game files	Your own .nup, or romfs and exefs folders
Supported game	Program 0400486024DEC000, update v131072, build e0f3ccfa
Windows	64-bit Windows 10 or 11
Linux	x86_64, glibc 2.35+, and a CPU with AVX2 for the AppImage
Graphics	Vulkan 1.3 and mesh shaders, with a current driver
GPU families	NVIDIA RTX 20 series or newer, AMD RX 6000 series or newer, or Intel Arc; compatibility varies
Video memory	8 GB+ recommended; lower-memory cards have lower Quality presets
System memory	16 GB+ RAM
Build space	About 60 GB free; an SSD is recommended

The current Windows Builder and source-build route can build for a CPU without AVX2, with a possible performance cost. The Linux AppImage still requires AVX2. Avoid applying the Linux requirement to every Windows PC.

GPU feature support and reliable gameplay are different checks. NVIDIA is the most tested. AMD has player reports and known device-loss problems; Intel has few reports, including black screens. RX 5000 and older cards without mesh shaders remain unsupported, even though the project has a partial compute fallback.

This is the Switch 2 recompilation project described by its maintainer. An N64 or 3DS game dump does not match the supported program and build. A filename alone cannot prove compatibility: let the Builder check your files before starting.

1. Open the latest original-project release and choose HookshotBuilder.exe.
2. Run the setup. It downloads and checks the remaining Builder files, then opens the window.
3. Under Found on this PC, choose your own .nup. If it is not listed, use Browse…, drag it into the window, or select romfs and exefs folders. Wait for the version check.
4. Under Install the game to, choose the destination. The documented default is Games\Hookshot inside your Windows user folder. Select Game language.
5. Press Build the game. Keep enough free space for the build as well as the finished game.
6. At Your game is ready, press Play. Choose whether to create the desktop shortcut and Start menu entry.

After the first build, launch from the shortcut or hookshot.exe in the chosen folder. It opens the launcher, which offers Play and Update. The first game start prepares shaders; a slow first start is different from a failed build.

The README estimates 10–45 minutes for a build, but that is not a deadline. GamerPro’s v2.2.0 RC1 video reports more than two hours on his setup. Release, CPU, disk and build conditions matter. Watch the Builder’s progress and logs before treating elapsed time alone as a failure.

If an old tutorial tells you to extract a large Builder ZIP and keep a tools folder beside it, it describes an earlier packaging format. For the current release, follow the setup executable above.

v2.3.1 fixes the Windows “Looking for your game files…” hang caused by an unresponsive drive. If you hit that screen in v2.3.0, use the current setup rather than rebuilding the same version.

1. Open the latest release and download its x86_64.AppImage.
2. In your file manager, allow the file to execute as a program. For the checked version, a terminal command is:

chmod +x Hookshot-v2.3.1-x86_64.AppImage

3. Open the AppImage. Under Game files, choose .nup file or romfs and exefs, then browse to your own supported copy.
4. Under Save the game to, keep ~/Games/Hookshot or choose another folder, then select the language.
5. Press Build and, when ready, Play.

The application menu entry and hookshot in the game folder open the launcher. Keep the AppImage in place: the launcher uses it when updating.

v2.3.1 fixes v2.3.0’s AppImage compiler lookup, including the 'stdio.h' file not found error. It also restores precompiled third-party objects for first builds. Use the fixed release before attempting manual compiler repairs.

The README includes SteamOS among reported Linux systems and the release labels the AppImage for Linux and Steam Deck. This does not establish a steady frame rate or a trouble-free run on every Deck. The current troubleshooting table still lists a Kokiri Forest / Great Deku Tree GPU-timeout case. Follow the current maintainer troubleshooting for that exact issue.

On AMD/RADV Linux systems, the README also discusses /dev/udmabuf access and slower fallback memory imports. Refer to its device-specific instructions if your log reports that warning; running the game as root is not the suggested fix.

Press F1 to open the in-game menu. The current default also accepts Insert or Esc; a controller can use Home or Select + Start. Menu-shortcut settings can change which keys open it, while F1 remains available.

Use Controls to choose the layout, button prompts and remapping. The README lists Switch, Xbox, PlayStation 4/5 and Steam Deck prompts. Choose prompts that match the controller in your hands rather than copying another player’s button positions.

For an initial performance check, leave Frame generation off, finish shader preparation, and revisit the same area. Compare the same resolution, upscaler, quality preset and game-frame-rate cap.

• DLSS / DLAA: available on supported RTX GPUs in builds containing the optional NVIDIA SDK.
• FSR 3.1: documented in every build, on GPUs where it runs.
• FSR 4: requires a build with that optional support and compatible hardware.
• Frame generation: the current menu lists Off, Auto and 2×–8×. The available generation method depends on GPU and build.
• Quality preset: the current first-start default is Auto (this PC). Lower presets and Texture detail can help when video memory is tight.

The video titles’ “144 FPS” and “400 FPS” include generated frames. Generated frames do not mean the game processes input at that same rate, and the maintainer notes possible input delay and motion artifacts. Establish a usable game-frame rate before using generation to improve display smoothness.

Save before accepting an option that restarts the game. Settings live in hookshot_options.ini in the game folder.

Symptom	Start with this check
“Hookshot supports build e0f3ccfa” / unsupported version	Check the program, update and build in Requirements; use your matching game files
Builder stuck looking for game files	Use v2.3.1 or newer; its release fixes an unresponsive-drive hang
Linux 'stdio.h' file not found on v2.3.0	Use the fixed v2.3.1 AppImage
Game opens then closes / “device lost”	Update the graphics driver and read hookshot_log.txt; AMD device-loss issues remain documented
Missing geometry / no mesh shader support	Check Vulkan and mesh-shader support; a newer driver cannot add missing hardware features
Stutter only on the first visit	Let shader preparation finish and walk through the same spot again
NVIDIA Windows stutter on every start	The maintainer suggests raising NVIDIA Control Panel’s Shader Cache Size to 10 GB or Unlimited
Wrong or missing floor textures	Look for hookshot_damaged_files.txt, which can identify incomplete game files; rebuild from a complete copy

For Linux launch failures before the game log appears, check hookshot_startup.log in the game folder after the game exits.

For low FPS, record the version, GPU, driver, area and settings. Turn frame generation off for comparisons. Check whether the problem clears on a second visit, begins only after an update, or worsens as VRAM use increases. Those observations distinguish shader work, a regression and memory pressure.

The current README offers an ASTC as RGBA8 workaround for specific AMD texture artifacts. It needs a restart and can use substantially more graphics memory; it is not a universal black-screen or lighting fix.

The in-game Gameplay → Bug report action gathers a report folder. If you cannot reach the menu, use the logs and current issue tracker. Include where the failure happens and a screenshot; do not attach game files or keys.

We have not reproduced these game errors ourselves. These are the maintainer’s documented checks, with the two v2.3.1 Builder fixes confirmed in the release notes.

Windows: saves are in the user folder inside your chosen Hookshot game folder.

Linux: the documented default is ~/.local/share/hookshot. An older adjacent user folder is migrated there once; a custom --user option can put saves elsewhere.

Close the game, copy the actual save folder to another location, and verify that the backup contains files before updating or trying a different build. Keep a dated copy so a later overwrite does not replace your only backup.

The current launcher offers Update when a newer release is available. It downloads changed components and rebuilds in the same game folder. The README says saves, settings and mods are kept; the game files change. The initial build’s game data is retained, so an update does not need the .nup again.

Build duration depends on retained intermediate files: the README describes deleting translated code and objects after a build, while v2.3.0’s release notes describe improvements for unchanged links and incremental updates. Do not assume every update is an instant patch.

The current release notes describe importing an emulator save from the build form. For the required folders and transfer steps, follow the maintainer’s save guide before copying a save between Hookshot and another project. We have not tested cross-project save compatibility.

Hookshot is a standalone project rather than a Steam purchase. Steam Cloud troubleshooting does not provide automatic cloud backup for it. Keep your own backup; our Steam Cloud guide explains the separate Steam feature.

Where is Hookshot on GitHub now?

The old NotRexed/Hookshot GitHub URL returned 404 at our 15 November check. The original author’s homepage links to hookshot.notrexed.dev and git.notrexed.dev/Hookshot/Hookshot. Use those current links above.

Is Hookshot Builder free?

Yes. The project is free software under GPL-3.0-or-later. The Builder downloads tools and creates a local program from your own game files; the game is not included.

Is Hookshot an emulator or an official PC release?

It is an unofficial native recompilation project by NotRexed and contributors. The maintainer describes translating game code ahead of time and rebuilding the graphics backend with Vulkan. It is not a Nintendo PC edition.

Can I use an N64 ROM or Ocarina of Time 3D?

Those do not match the documented Switch 2 program, update and build. Use the supported input files and let the Builder validate them.

Can I run it on macOS or in a web browser?

The current release provides Windows and Linux files. This guide has no confirmed macOS or browser-play version.

Is Steam Deck supported?

The AppImage is listed for Linux and Steam Deck, and SteamOS is among reported systems. Device-specific crashes remain documented; this page has no measured Deck benchmark.

Does “400 FPS” mean 400 native game frames?

No. GamerPro’s referenced demonstration uses frame generation, and his description explicitly distinguishes generated frames from native performance. Results depend on hardware, settings, area and project version.

Where do I get the Hookshot item in the game?

This page covers the PC project named Hookshot. Finding the grappling item is a separate gameplay question; a PC download or Builder update does not grant it in your save.