The Duke Nukem Amiga port is giving classic Commodore systems a serious dose of 90s action. Thanks to NovaCoder, both AGA and RTG versions of this 68k release have reached version 1.0.36, breathing new life into the legendary first-person shooter. Based on an older Atari conversion and enhanced with modern features from Chocolate Duke, this port shows just how capable Amiga hardware still is when pushed to its limits.
Running Duke Nukem 3D on an Amiga isn’t simple, but it’s absolutely possible. To enjoy the Duke Nukem Amiga port, users need a 68060 processor or faster (a PiStorm CM4 is ideal), at least 32 MB of RAM, and AHI installed for audio. Players must also provide the original PC Atomic Edition game data files, copying DUKE3D.GRP and DUKE.RTS into the game directory. The port automatically detects whether to play digital or MIDI music based on what files are available.
Two versions are available: one for AGA-based Amigas and another for RTG-equipped systems. The AGA build supports PAL displays, while the RTG release offers higher resolutions and richer color depth. Both versions allow players to close the Workbench for improved performance and recommend a stack size of at least 300,000 when launching from the Shell.
Performance tweaks make all the difference. Using the PFS3 file system instead of the slower Fast File System delivers smoother gameplay. AHI version 4.18 remains the sweet spot for audio performance, as later versions tend to slow things down. Since decoding OGG music can strain the CPU, WAV or MIDI playback is the best choice on real Amiga hardware.
For those running accelerators, Blizzard card users benefit from BlizKick, while Apollo card owners should use RemApollo for best results. The port doesn’t include joystick or network support yet, but the single-player experience is remarkably faithful to the original PC release.
NovaCoder’s Duke Nukem Amiga port work highlights how far Amiga hardware can go when paired with clever optimization and community effort. Whether it’s running on a souped-up A1200 or a PiStorm-powered setup, this port delivers explosive gameplay and a reminder that the Amiga still knows how to kick ass and chew bubblegum.
