OpenCE

What you need: An Xbox disc image (`.iso` or `.xiso`) of Halo: Combat Evolved, made from your own disc. Any version works.

OpenCE is a port of the Halo: Combat Evolved decompilation to Linux, Windows and Android. The decompilation is of an Xbox build of the game, and the port replaces the console’s libraries with SDL3 and OpenGL (OpenGL ES on Android). Maps from the European release are adjusted to play like the North American ones, so players of both versions can play together.

Its system link multiplayer has new netcode and takes up to 128 players. Linux, Windows and Android machines can share a game on a local network or over the internet with an invite link, without a server from the project. A new build is released for each change that builds on all three platforms, and the game can update itself.

Many of its commits credit the AI tool Claude as co-author. The download contains no game data. It needs an Xbox disc image of Halo: Combat Evolved, made from your own disc.

How to set it up

1. Download the zip for your system and extract it. On Android, also copy the disc image to the phone.
2. Start the game and select your Halo disc image when asked.
3. The game extracts the maps folder from the image, then starts. On Linux and Windows it sits next to the program.
4. At start-up the game looks for a newer build and offers to install it.