# Ben 10: Protector of Earth for iPhone A native iPhone port of the 2007 Wii game *Ben 10: Protector of Earth*. The game's PowerPC code is recompiled ahead of time into ARM64 and built into a normal iOS app, with a small runtime standing in for the Wii's graphics, sound and disc drive. This repository contains no game. The app and its content are built from your disc on your Mac, then installed on your iPhone.

## What's different from the Wii version - 2,221 textures are rebuilt at up to 4096×4096, upscaled from the game's own textures with open models (Real-ESRGAN, PBRify, ArtCNN and HDcube). Another 77 HUD, sign and font textures were redrawn as vector art traced from the originals. - All 76 cutscenes are upscaled from 640×480 to 2880×2160. - The camera shows the full width of the phone's screen. - It renders at close to the phone's own resolution. The game logic still runs at its original 30 updates a second; on an iPhone 18 Pro the picture is smoothed to 60 fps, dropping to a steady 30 in the heaviest scenes. - Touch controls are laid out for a phone, and MFi, Xbox and PlayStation controllers work too. Moves that needed a Wii Remote shake are buttons. - You can back up and restore your saves from the start screen. ## Screenshots

The same Canyon frame on the Wii (640×448) and on the iPhone:

The Four Arms transformation cutscene, original and restored:

## How it works The conversion on your Mac produces two things: the app, with the game's code compiled into it, and a content package holding the game's data and the restored art. - **Recompilation.** [DolRecomp](https://github.com/ExpansionPak/DolRecomp) translates the game's PowerPC executable into C, about 4.7 million lines in 120 files, which is compiled to ARM64 along with the rest of the app. 84 hooks at fixed addresses hand control to native code for things like controllers, frame pacing and visibility. - **Runtime.** A small C and Objective-C layer stands in for the parts of the Wii the game uses: GX graphics, AX audio, the disc, controllers, timers and save storage. - **Graphics.** The game's GX commands are translated to Metal, including its TEV colour combiners and framebuffer copies. It renders at a whole multiple of the Wii's resolution, close to the phone's own, with a widened camera and edge-only antialiasing. - **60 fps.** The game still updates 30 times a second. Between updates, the renderer draws an extra frame by moving each model partway between two real game frames. - **Restoration.** Upscaling models rebuild 2,221 textures and 76 cutscenes from your disc, and 194 models get smoother silhouettes that the game's own animation still drives. Each result is checked against the original data before it's packaged. - **App.** A native iOS shell with touch controls, controller support, content import and save backups. More in [docs/ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md). ## Status Developer preview. The fort, the canyon and the final boss have been played on an iPhone 18 Pro, and every other level spot-checked. The full conversion has only run on one Mac (M4 Pro, 48 GB, macOS 27, Xcode 27). If it fails on yours, open a build report with the receipt file the tool names. Before you start: - Conversion is slow: about 12 hours for the cutscenes on an M4 Pro, and many more for the textures. Rerunning a stopped step continues where it left off. - Results vary slightly between Macs. Textures are checked against the originals from your disc, so small rounding differences pass. - iPhone only. Tested on an iPhone 18 Pro; older models are untested. ## How I made it I built this over about twelve weeks by directing AI coding agents, mostly Claude and Codex. They wrote the runtime, the renderer and the tools; I set the goals, made the calls and tested every build on my phone. The recompiler underneath is [DolRecomp](https://github.com/ExpansionPak/DolRecomp), a human-written open-source project, and disc extraction uses [nod](https://github.com/encounter/nod). The kit contains no console keys. ## What you need - An Apple Silicon Mac with **at least 80 GB free**, full Xcode with the iOS SDK, [CMake](https://cmake.org), [Ninja](https://ninja-build.org), [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) with Python 3.14 (`uv python install 3.14`), and [FFmpeg](https://ffmpeg.org) with VideoToolbox HEVC support and `ffprobe` on your PATH. You also need [cairo](https://www.cairographics.org) 1.18.4 (Homebrew has it). - An iPhone with about **25 GB free** for the content and its import. - An Apple ID to sign the app for your phone. A free one works, but its signature lasts 7 days and needs renewing weekly. See [Put it on your iPhone](#put-it-on-your-iphone). - A disc image (`.rvz` or `.iso`) of the USA release, game ID `RBNEG9`, revision 0. - Five upscaling model files (about 244 MB), which you download yourself from their official sources. Step 4 has the links. - The artwork bundle `authored-inputs.zip` from this repository's [Releases](../../releases) page. ## Build it Set these once in your terminal. Keep every path **outside** this repository. ```sh export KIT="$PWD" # this repository export WORK="$HOME/Protector-work" # all generated files export GAME="$HOME/Games/Ben 10 - Protector of Earth (USA).rvz" export MODELS="$HOME/Protector-models" export UV_PYTHON=3.14 # the version conversion was qualified with mkdir -p "$WORK" "$MODELS" ``` **1. Get the artwork bundle.** Download `authored-inputs.zip` from Releases and unzip it next to this repository, so the folder is `../authored-inputs`. Then check it: ```sh uv run python tools/export_personal_authored_inputs.py verify ../authored-inputs ``` **2. Check your Mac and fetch the tools.** This downloads and checks the pinned disc extractor, texture encoder and recompiler source, builds the recompiler, and fetches Dolphin's free replacement DSP table. ```sh uv run python tools/personal_build.py doctor --cinematics uv run python tools/bootstrap_personal_tools.py --work-dir "$WORK/tools" ``` **3. Build the app from your disc.** Pick your own bundle ID and never change it. A different ID installs as a separate app, without your content or saves. ```sh uv run python tools/personal_build.py prepare --input "$GAME" --work-dir "$WORK/build" \ --nodtool "$WORK/tools/bin/nodtool" --dolrecomp "$WORK/tools/build/dolrecomp" uv run python tools/personal_build.py build --work-dir "$WORK/build" \ --coefficients "$WORK/tools/downloads/dsp_coef.bin" --sdk iphoneos --bundle-id com.yourname.protector \ --authored-inputs ../authored-inputs uv run python tools/personal_build.py ipa --app "$WORK/build/build-iphoneos/protector_ios_interactive.app" \ --output "$WORK/Protector-unsigned.ipa" ``` The builder only accepts `RBNEG9` revision 0, and draws the app icon from the artwork bundle. The IPA it makes contains code translated from your copy of the game, so keep it to yourself. **4. Download the models** into `$MODELS` and keep these exact filenames. Check each project's terms first. | File | Source | Bytes | | --- | --- | ---: | | `4x-PBRify_UpscalerV4.safetensors` | [PBRify V4](https://github.com/Kim2091/Kim2091-Models/releases/download/4x-PBRify_UpscalerV4/4x-PBRify_UpscalerV4.safetensors) | 139,793,020 | | `ArtCNN_R16F96.onnx` | [ArtCNN](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Artoriuz/ArtCNN/e138cc15c0d9fb6ec04b86fc453f7faa30e2b5d3/ONNX/ArtCNN_R16F96.onnx) | 16,313,082 | | `4xHDcube3_500k.pth` | [HDcube 3.0](https://github.com/Venomalia/HDcube/releases/download/3.0/4xHDcube3_500k.pth) | 67,020,101 | | `RealESRGAN_x4plus_anime_6B.pth` | [Real-ESRGAN v0.2.2.4](https://github.com/xinntao/Real-ESRGAN/releases/download/v0.2.2.4/RealESRGAN_x4plus_anime_6B.pth) | 17,938,799 | | `realesr-animevideov3.pth` | [Real-ESRGAN v0.2.5.0](https://github.com/xinntao/Real-ESRGAN/releases/download/v0.2.5.0/realesr-animevideov3.pth) | 2,504,012 | ```sh uv run python tools/check_personal_models.py --model-dir "$MODELS" ``` **5. Rebuild the models.** ```sh uv run --with-requirements requirements-personal.lock python tools/personal_geometry.py \ --game "$WORK/build/extracted" --work-dir "$WORK/geometry" mkdir -p "$WORK/EnhancedModels" && ln "$WORK/geometry/geometry.json" "$WORK/EnhancedModels/geometry.json" ``` **6. Restore the cutscenes**, then encode them for the phone. ```sh uv run --with-requirements requirements-personal.lock python tools/personal_cinematics.py \ --game "$WORK/build/extracted" --work-dir "$WORK/movies" --model-dir "$MODELS" --run uv run python tools/personal_cinematic_delivery.py --work-dir "$WORK/movies" --output "$WORK/movie-delivery" ``` **7. Rebuild the textures**, then compress and assemble them. ```sh uv run python tools/personal_convert_textures.py stages --game "$WORK/build/extracted" \ --work-dir "$WORK/textures" --model-dir "$MODELS" --authored-inputs ../authored-inputs uv run python tools/personal_convert_textures.py deliver --game "$WORK/build/extracted" \ --work-dir "$WORK/textures" --delivery-dir "$WORK/texture-delivery" --cooked-dir "$WORK/texture-cooked" \ --output "$WORK/RestoredArt" --astcenc "$WORK/tools/bin/astcenc" ``` Add `--dry-run` to either command to list every step it will run. If a stage stops, its failure receipt is in the work directory, and rerunning continues from there. **8. Package your content.** ```sh uv run python tools/package_personal_content.py create --game "$WORK/build/extracted" \ --restoredart "$WORK/RestoredArt" --enhancedmodels "$WORK/EnhancedModels" \ --restoredcinematics "$WORK/movie-delivery/RestoredCinematics" --output "$WORK/Protector.pnc" ``` The package is about 10 GB. Once it verifies, you can delete the working folders except `$WORK/build` and `$WORK/tools`, which updates reuse. ## Put it on your iPhone iOS installs only apps signed for your phone, so you sign this one with your Apple ID. Pick one way and stick with it. Every update and re-sign has to use the same bundle ID and the same Apple ID, or iOS either refuses the update or installs a second, empty copy of the app. On the iPhone, turn on **Developer Mode** (Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode, then restart and confirm). The switch only shows up after the phone has been connected to Xcode once, so do step 2 below first if you can't find it. ### With Xcode (recommended) This signs in with Apple directly, so it isn't affected by the sign-in failures the sideloading apps are having at the moment. A free Apple ID gives a 7-day signature; a paid developer account ($99 a year) gives a year. Tested with a paid account; free accounts get the same kind of profile but are untested. 1. In Xcode, open **Settings → Apple Accounts** and add your Apple ID. 2. Get Xcode to make a signing profile for your bundle ID. Create a throwaway project (**File → New → Project → iOS → App**), set its **Bundle Identifier** to exactly the ID you built with and its **Team** to your Apple ID. Connect your iPhone, pick it as the destination and press **⌘B** to build. Don't press Run: the throwaway app has the same bundle ID as the game, so installing it would put it in the game's place. 3. Sign the game and install it: ```sh xcrun devicectl list devices # copy your iPhone's identifier rm -rf "$WORK/Protector-signed.app" uv run python tools/personal_sign.py --app "$WORK/build/build-iphoneos/protector_ios_interactive.app" \ --output "$WORK/Protector-signed.app" --device YOUR_DEVICE_ID --install ``` The first time, iOS may say the developer isn't trusted. Open **Settings → General → VPN & Device Management**, tap your Apple ID and trust it. With a free Apple ID, do this every week: open the throwaway project, press **⌘B** with the phone connected to renew the profile, then rerun the commands in step 3. ### With AltStore, SideStore or Sideloadly These sign with a free Apple ID and can refresh the app for you. Install `Protector-unsigned.ipa` from step 3 of *Build it*: - [AltStore Classic](https://altstore.io): hold Option, click the AltServer icon in the menu bar and choose **Sideload .ipa**. - [SideStore](https://sidestore.io): import the IPA in the app, after the one-time setup with iloader. - [Sideloadly](https://sideloadly.io): drag the IPA in. On Apple Silicon it needs Rosetta. Since mid-October 2026, Apple sign-in has been failing in all three for a lot of people, with errors like -80045, -80046 or 503 (AltStore is tracking it [here](https://github.com/altstoreio/AltStore/issues/1828)). If you hit that, use Xcode instead. AltStore and SideStore add your team ID to the end of the bundle ID, and Sideloadly can change it too. An app installed by one of them is a different app from one installed by Xcode, with its own content and saves. A free Apple ID allows 3 sideloaded apps per phone and 10 new app IDs a week. ## Import the content and play 1. Connect the iPhone to your Mac, open Finder, select the iPhone, open **Files**, and drag `Protector.pnc` onto **Protector Native**. 2. Open the app, tap **Choose content package** and pick the file. Keep the screen on while it verifies and imports. Afterwards you can delete the copied `.pnc` from Files to free the space. 3. Tap **Play**. Touch controls appear on screen, and a connected controller takes over automatically. ## Updates, re-signing and saves Always install new builds and weekly re-signs **over** the existing app, with the same bundle ID and the same Apple ID. Deleting the app deletes the imported content and your saves. Before anything risky, open **Save backups → Back up saved progress** on the start screen and keep the `.pnsave` file somewhere outside the app, such as iCloud Drive. To update, pull this repository, rerun step 3 of *Build it* with the same `--bundle-id`, and sign and install the new build the same way as before. Your content stays imported. Every tool, its checks and its receipts are described in [docs/PERSONAL_BUILD_KIT.md](docs/PERSONAL_BUILD_KIT.md). ## FAQ **Can I just download the app?** No. The app contains code translated from the game, so it can't be distributed. Everyone builds their own from a disc they own. **Is this an emulator?** No. An emulator reads the Wii's PowerPC instructions while you play. Here they're translated once, ahead of time, into ARM64 code that's compiled into the app. **Why does it need a Mac?** Xcode, the recompiler and the upscaling models all run on macOS, and rebuilding the art and cutscenes takes hours of GPU time. **iPad, Android or PC?** Not in this preview. **Does it play differently?** No. The levels, enemies and difficulty are the original's. The graphics, controls and menus are new. ## Licence This project's own code is free software under the [GNU General Public License v3.0 or later](LICENSE). Parts derived from [Dolphin](https://dolphin-emu.org) keep their GPL-2.0-or-later notices, and the recompiler interface follows DolRecomp (GPL-3.0-or-later). Details are in [LICENSING.md](LICENSING.md) and [native/licenses](native/licenses/README.md). The licence covers this project's code only. It gives no rights in Ben 10, the game, or anything built from it. The artwork bundle on the Releases page holds redrawn and traced game artwork and recipes, so that people who own the game can rebuild the enhanced edition; it isn't covered by the GPL. Model weights aren't included, and each model has its own terms. This is an unofficial fan project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Warner Bros. Discovery, Cartoon Network, the game's publisher or its developer. Ben 10 and related names and characters are trademarks of their owners. If you hold rights in any of this and have a concern, open an issue or contact the maintainer through GitHub.