Pokémon Legends: Z-A has quickly become one of the most talked-about releases for Nintendo Switch players. However, many fans prefer to experience it on PC using the Ryujinx emulator to enjoy smoother gameplay, higher resolution, and overall better performance.
If you’re planning to play on Ryujinx, proper settings are crucial for achieving the best 4K 60FPS experience. This guide will walk you through the best Ryujinx settings for Pokémon Legends: Z-A to reduce crashes, fix graphical bugs, and maximize performance.
1. Setting Up Ryujinx
Before tweaking the settings, make sure you’ve completed these steps:
- Install the latest Ryujinx Canary build (not the stable one).
- Add your product keys and firmware under Actions → Install Keys and Actions → Install Firmware.
- Import your Pokémon Legends: Z-A game file (use your own legally dumped copy).
- Optional: Copy your save file from another emulator like Citraon if you’ve already started the game there.
Once that’s done, open Ryujinx and go to Options → Settings to begin configuration.
2. General Settings
- Language & Region: Set to your preferred region and system language.
- System Time: Make sure it matches your computer’s local time to avoid in-game clock issues.
- Multicore Scheduling: Keep it enabled for smoother performance on multi-core CPUs.
3. CPU Settings
- Accuracy: Auto (or Accurate if you experience crashes).
- Memory Mode: Host (faster loading times).
- Low Power PPTC: Enable if you’re using a laptop or low-core CPU to reduce stutter.
These settings help maintain stable gameplay during long sessions, especially when exploring open-world areas.
4. Graphics Settings
Here’s where most of the performance and visuals are optimized:
- Resolution: 4x (4K) for high-end systems, 2x (1080p) for mid-range PCs.
- Anti-Aliasing: SMAA (High) — balances performance and visual clarity.
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16x for sharper textures.
- VSync: Enabled to remove screen tearing.
- Backend Multithreading: Set to ON — this prevents random crashes and improves frame pacing.
- FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution): Enabled if you want extra FPS on lower GPUs.
- Scaling Filter: Bilinear or FSR depending on your preference.
For Advanced Graphics, use these recommended options:
- Accuracy: Normal (set to Extreme only if you have GPU issues).
- Shader Cache: Enabled to reduce loading stutter.
- Asynchronous Shader Building: Enabled for smoother gameplay.
- Force Maximum Clocks: Optional but useful for mobile GPUs to avoid slowdowns.
5. Audio & Input Settings
- Audio Backend: Auto (usually works best).
- Input: Select your controller (Xbox, DualSense, or Pro Controller). Ryujinx should detect it automatically.
- Vibration: Optional depending on your preference.
6. Optional Tweaks for Performance
- Disable background applications before launching the emulator.
- Use Windows “High Performance” power mode.
- If you’re using mods such as 60FPS or Ultrawide, make sure they match your game version.
- Avoid using the 1.0.1 game update for now, as it can cause crashes or missing visuals.
7. Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Black Screen at Start: Reinstall the firmware and keys.
- Crash After Intro: Lower graphics accuracy from Extreme to Normal.
- Stutter or Lag: Clear the shader cache and re-enable asynchronous building.
- Lighting Bugs: Harmless and common in early builds — will likely be fixed in future Ryujinx updates.
With the right settings, Pokémon Legends: Z-A runs beautifully on Ryujinx, offering a smooth 4K 60FPS experience far beyond what the Switch hardware can provide. These configurations strike the perfect balance between stability and visual quality. Make sure to keep your emulator updated and check for new performance patches as development continues — and enjoy exploring Lumiose City at its best.