Is it possible to play Bayonetta on Mac
Bayonetta is an action-adventure game released in 2009; it is the first game in the series with the same name. It was developed by Platinum Games and published by SEGA. The game – and the series – are named after Bayonetta, a witch who cannot remember her past. As she discovers that a city in Europe contains a magical artifact similar to one in her possession, she departs immediately. This pursuit to recover her memories will result in many a confrontation, but Bayonetta is more than equipped to handle them. As a witch, she possesses several magical abilities – she can transform into a panther, slow down time, and summon various weapons. All of these abilities are actually present in the game and affect how it plays; they are not merely stated powers. In addition to the arcane arts, Bayonetta can perform certain non-magical – but still impressive – tasks, such as dual-wielding weapons, double jumps, and backflips. Mastering this arsenal of moves is essential to beating the game without lowering the difficulty. Bayonetta (the game) was originally released on PS3 and Xbox 360. Later, it was also ported to Wii U, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. There’s no official Mac port, but it’s still possible to play Bayonetta on Mac. Read our guide and learn how to accomplish this.
Play Bayonetta on Mac with Parallels
Bayonetta is not a demanding game, so Parallels Desktop can be a solution. This is an application that allows for Windows virtualization on Mac with the full support of DirectX and GPUs. In simpler terms, what this means is that it allows you to install Windows 10 on Mac with just a couple of clicks and switch between MacOS and Windows instantly. So you will be able to run Windows, install Steam (or Epic Games Store), and enjoy the Bayonetta game on Mac just like on a regular PC.
Please note that not all games are supported by Parallels. Several conditions must be met for the game to be playable. Your Mac must exceed minimum system requirements for the game; meeting them is not enough. Generally speaking, you will need an iMac Pro or a Mac Pro to run demanding games. Some MacBook Pro and iMac models are also suitable; they must have an Intel processor, a discrete graphics card and at least 16 GB of RAM. If your Mac has an Apple Silicon chip (such as M1, M2, M3), you may experience issues playing modern games. Games that require DirectX 12 are currently not supported by Parallels. AppsOnMac recommends using Parallels’ free trial feature to determine whether you can run the game or not if you’re uncertain.
Play Bayonetta on Mac with cloud gaming services
If you have an old Mac or it cannot satisfy the Bayonetta game system requirements, there is an easy solution. Cloud gaming services will be happy to provide you with sufficient computing power – though not for free, of course. All you need is a browser or a small client program and a good internet connection starting from 15 MBit/s. There are several great platforms that provide these services, among the best are Boosteroid, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and NVidia GeForce NOW. As Boosteroid has Bayonetta in its game library, it is an excellent choice for those seeking to try the game out.
Play Bayonetta on Mac with BootCamp
Note: Mac computers with new Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3 Pro, or M1, M2, M3 Max) currently do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run Bayonetta on Mac
This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all the system requirements above, you can play Bayonetta on Mac by installing Windows. You need to set up a dual boot of Windows and Mac via BootCamp. This is an application that allows users to choose the system to work in on startup, however, you won’t be able to switch between systems like in Parallels. You will need to reboot your machine every time you want to switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa. Remember that Mac is just a computer, in the end. And while newer Macs have their own special Apple Silicon chips that cannot run Windows, older Macs are very much similar to computers that run Windows, they have Intel processors, compatible RAM, disks, and other components. So you can install Windows on an older Mac by allocating no less than 64 GB of disk space (to be able to run Windows and a couple of games) and following these steps:
For OS X El Capitan 10.11 and older
For MacOS versions prior to OS X El Capitan 10.11 you will need to create a bootable Windows USB.
- Download this Windows ISO file.
- Open Boot Camp Assistant (Go to Applications > Utilities).
- Define the Windows partition size and choose the Windows ISO file you’ve downloaded.
- Format the Windows partition and go through all Windows installation steps.
- When Windows boots for the first time follow on-screen instructions to install Boot Camp and Windows support software (drivers)
Play Bayonetta on Mac by emulating a game console
As Bayonetta released on many game consoles – including some fairly old ones – emulation may also be an option. However, it is unlikely to be a good one, as it is much harder to emulate a console than it is to emulate a Windows PC. So, if your computer cannot handle Parallels Desktop, it will not be able to handle emulating PS3 either. That said, it is still an option worth mentioning. Refer to our article about best emulators for Mac if you want to pursue it.