I’ve been using the apple M1 Mac mini for the past few months, and while it’s the early days of Apple Silicon, it’s already amazing how much it can handle on the Mac line.
When it comes to games, there is already a huge library available, especially for games on the iPhone and iPad that can now be played on these devices. However, if someone wants to try to access their Steam library, they are out of luck.
Probably. Similar to the release of a new version of the Parallels Desktop 17 software, it opened up the possibility of using Windows 10 ARM on M1 Macs, and Valve’s Steam client.
I wanted to see if I could play Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes without using my gaming PC, and if so, how could an M1 chip from Apple run it with other games alike. This started my search.
Ever since I played Metal Gear Solid for the first time on its demo disc back in 1998, I have been a fan of the series ever since. When the fifth installment was finally confirmed in 2014, I waited impatiently for the demo again.
I found that playing Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes on PC was the best way to deal with the Big Boss sacrifices set in the early 80s, so I wanted to see if my test using Steam to download the game could work on the M1 iMac mini.
After installing the beta version of Windows 10 for ARM devices using Parallels Desktop, I installed this game via Steam, just like any other PC using an Intel or AMD CPU, and once I clicked ‘Play’, where the Serpent was.
Granted, the game runs at a resolution of 1440×900 and all graphics settings are low, but they are playable at 45 FPS, and not with cloud service, just virtualization.
It was a fun time, as this was now working on Mac, as if it was a traditional app in itself.
I saved Kaz and finally Hideo Kojima himself, with an M1 chip taking the game as if it were nothing he could not control.
After this play, I wanted to find out if other games would work as well as Ground Zeroes did.
Sonic Adventure on the M1
Sonic Adventure in M1 Mac mini via Steam
I followed one by one to my library and left it all night, wondering if I would fight Nemesis in Resident Evil 3, or pick my favorite team in Dragon Ball FighterZ.
I have chosen the following to see if they will run as well as Ground Zeroes:
- Sonic and self-sacrifice
- Sonic generations
- Roads of Anger
- Sekiro
- ORGANIZATION
- Major Theft IV
- Earthquake
- Half life: Source
- Life Half 2: Deathmatch
- Tomb Raider II (1997)
- Golf!
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Tekken 7
- Bad Resident 3 Remake
- Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy
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DOOM and Dragon Ball FighterZ have refused to run, stating that the two can only be played on an Intel or AMD chip.
However, every other game runs on Mac mini, with Resident Evil 3 remake running but with 5 fps, making it unplayable.
Others such as Sonic Adventure, GTA IV and Tekken 7 run smoothly, which make it easy for more combos and Kazuya character.
Playing this on an M1 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM was an amazing experience, especially since there was no acknowledgment from the likes, Apple or Valve that this could be done.
While Xbox and Epic Games apps refuse to work, you can log in to your current Steam account, within Windows 10 ARM, and see if your favorite games can be played without any problems.
It has long been known that Steam did not have a major impact on macOS, Apple focused on Apple Arcade and other games from third parties through the Mac App Store and iOS apps.
The M1 chip continues to amaze, and since Mac, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air devices also use the same Apple M1 chip, performance here will be the same across the board, so try your hand at installing other games on Parallels Desktop right now.
But using this approach opens up a whole range of possibilities, besides how the next line of Apple Silicon chips could run these games, if rumors are to be believed.
The Metal Gear M2 is solid
For years there have been attempts to run games on Mac using simulation or other attempts to get things done right, but using this method using similarities only shows what the next line of Mac with M1X or M2 chip can do.
While games like Tomb Raider II and Sonic Adventure are being run at full speed, others like Resident Evil 3 have a long way to go, though they may not be played right now.
Rumor has it that Apple Silicon’s next chip focuses on more cores of graphics, this could give modern games a gun in the arm that needs to run it with a better system.
While there is no reason to expect a full-blown sequel to the ray and VR track, being able to play games almost has no chance of appearing on the Mac App Store by making the visuals a fun time.
Only then do you find yourself playing Tekken 7 and Crash Bandicoot on the M1 Mac where this is just the beginning of what Apple Silicon can do, and we may not be too far behind to see further improvements if the M1X MacBook Pro’s rumored devices are announced.
