Project details
Get started
Start Duke Nukem II with RigelEngine
Install the engine, prepare your Duke Nukem II files, then select their folder on the first launch.
Project details
What you need
A Windows, Mac or Linux computer supported by the chosen build, plus an extracted Duke Nukem II game-data folder containing NUKEM2.CMP. Use your registered copy for the full game, or the limited shareware route linked by the project. NUKEM2.F1 through NUKEM2.F5 are optional intro movies.
Your first launch
Install a suitable desktop build
From the official 0.9.1 release, Windows users can extract the x64 ZIP and keep its EXE and DLL files together. Mac users can open the x64 DMG and copy the app to Applications. On Debian/Ubuntu-based Linux, install the x64 DEB with the system package installer. See the official platform guide for other Linux options. The release links a separate third-party universal Mac build for Apple silicon.
Prepare the original game folder
Use the files from your own Duke Nukem II installation, or extract the shareware archive linked in the project’s README. Locate NUKEM2.CMP in that folder; keep NUKEM2.F1–F5 alongside it if available. Selecting the installer or ZIP itself will not substitute for the extracted game data.
Launch and select the data folder
Open RigelEngine. At the first-run file browser, select the folder containing NUKEM2.CMP. The engine remembers this location for later launches. If installation or startup fails, use the linked platform-specific troubleshooting instructions.
Before you continue
Documentation checked on 19 October 2026; no installation or gameplay test. Shareware does not unlock the full four-episode game. Official release packages are x64, and the Mac DMG is not an Apple silicon native universal build. The project is in maintenance mode and marks its browser build as unavailable.
Official instructions
Documentation checked
- Official 0.9.1 packages and Mac alternatives
- Required game files and shareware setup
- Official installation and troubleshooting
Based on official sources. RemakeList has not run these projects or verified their performance on your device.