Kirin Help and FAQ
What is Kirin?
Kirin is an Android app that lets you run games made with RPG Maker XP, including fangames based on Pokémon Essentials. It is designed to provide mobile compatibility through an adapted RGSS runtime, without needing a computer.
Can Kirin run Pokémon Essentials games?
Yes. Kirin is especially focused on projects created with Pokémon Essentials for RPG Maker XP. Compatibility depends on the scripts, plugins, Ruby version used and custom resources of the game.
Why use Kirin?
Kirin is designed to offer a simple and straightforward experience. You do not need to install additional plugins, manually configure runtimes, or tweak advanced options for each game.
Just install Kirin, pick your game and start playing.
Kirin analyzes the project and automatically selects the appropriate runtime based on the game's needs, including the compatible Ruby version when necessary. This removes the need for complicated setups and lets users focus solely on playing.
Kirin's goal is to make running RPG Maker XP games on Android a simple experience: download, pick and play, without worrying about technical configurations.
Is Kirin an RPG Maker XP emulator?
Kirin works as an Android-adapted runtime capable of running games and fangames made with RPG Maker XP. In practice it may feel like an emulator to the user, but technically it focuses on reimplementing the environment required to run RGSS projects on Android.
The app says my device is not compatible. Why?
This usually means your device uses a different processor architecture, often a 32-bit one such as armeabi-v7a.
Kirin is designed and optimized for modern 64-bit architectures (arm64-v8a) to provide better game performance and smoothness. Older or entry-level 32-bit devices are not compatible with this version.
Why does the game close or crash on a specific map or scene?
This usually happens when a game uses a custom script or plugin that is not fully compatible with Kirin's runtime, or when an image or audio asset is corrupt or missing from the game folder. If the crash always happens at the same point, try reinstalling the game from a clean source before reporting it.
Why can't I find my save file after updating or reinstalling Kirin?
Save files are stored inside the game folder, not inside the app. If you fully uninstalled Kirin or deleted the game folder, the saves may be lost. We recommend backing up the Saves folder before reinstalling.
Why is the audio out of sync or cutting out?
This may happen with heavy audio files or formats that are not optimized for mobile devices. Kirin works best with OGG audio at moderate bitrates, such as 128-160kbps. Very heavy files may cause short audio cuts on mid-range devices.
Can touch controls be customized?
Yes. You can reposition the buttons from the in-app settings menu to fit your screen size and avoid overlapping the game interface.
Does Kirin work offline?
Yes. Once the game is installed, you do not need internet access to play. A connection is only needed to download or update Kirin and to download games from their source.
Why do some plugins or scripts not work like they do on PC?
Kirin reimplements the RGSS API, but some plugins use native Windows libraries, such as DLLs, which have no Android equivalent. We are actively working to expand compatibility, but some very specific plugins may not work yet.
Why do some games fail to load or show an error on startup?
RPG Maker XP projects and fangames can rely on different Ruby versions underneath: Ruby 1.8, the original version used by RGSS, or Ruby 3, used by some more modern projects. Code written for one version is not always compatible with the other.
Kirin automatically detects which version your game needs and selects the corresponding interpreter. However, games with unusual or heavily modified structures may confuse the automatic detection.
If you suspect the issue is the Ruby version, tap the three dots for the game inside Kirin, open Runtime Ruby, switch to the opposite version and restart the game.
What is the path cache?
The path cache is an internal system that speeds up file loading for game assets such as sprites, sounds and maps by remembering paths that have already been searched. This reduces CPU work, helps save battery and improves smoothness in games with many assets.
Why do I see black tiles or wrong tiles when entering a map?
This may happen if the game becomes locked to a tileset that does not match the current map. One possible cause is a modified save file, especially if it was originally saved on PC or another app before being imported into Kirin.
Another possible cause is a hardware limitation with large tilesets. Some devices with lower graphics memory may struggle to load heavy tilesets.
Try starting a new game directly in Kirin to rule out the save file. If the issue still happens in a new game, it is probably a hardware limitation with that specific tileset.