Is it possible to play Trackmania on Mac?
Trackmania is a popular racing game series developed by Nadeo and published by Ubisoft, known for its fast-paced gameplay, innovative track designs, and a vibrant community. The game allows players to create their own tracks using an intuitive track editor, promoting endless creativity and replayability. These user-generated tracks can be shared within the community, resulting in a vast library of unique courses. The gameplay in Trackmania centers around time trials, where players race against the clock to achieve the best times. The game also features robust multiplayer modes, allowing players to compete in real-time against others. Trackmania’s visuals are notable for their clean and high-quality graphics, with diverse environments that offer unique challenges. Trackmania does not have a native macOS version, but there are several ways to run it on a Mac. One method is using Boot Camp, which allows you to install Windows on your Mac. This option provides a native Windows experience and optimal performance, although it requires partitioning your hard drive and restarting your computer to switch between macOS and Windows. Another option is using virtual machines, such as Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion, which let you run Windows within macOS. This method is more convenient than Boot Camp as it doesn’t require restarting your computer, but performance may not be as high due to the resource overhead of running two operating systems simultaneously. Cloud gaming services like Boosteroid, GeForce Now or AirGPU provide another solution, allowing you to stream Trackmania to your Mac. These services handle the game’s processing on remote servers and stream the gameplay to your computer. While this method depends on your internet connection, it can offer a seamless and high-performance experience. Lastly, tools like Wine or CrossOver can be used to run Windows applications on macOS by translating Windows API calls into macOS API calls.
Play Trackmania on Mac with CrossOver
CrossOver, developed by CodeWeavers, is a Windows compatibility layer for macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux. It enables many Windows-based applications to run on these operating systems without virtualization. Though compatibility layers can be tricky to work with, CrossOver in particular includes user-friendly configuration tools, automated installation scripts, and technical support. Unlike Parallels Desktop, CrossOver supports DirectX12 games. All things considered, this is a relatively easy way to run Windows software and games on non-Windows devices. As such, you may be able to play Trackmania on Mac using CrossOver.
Please note that not all games are supported by CrossOver. For example, online games that use anti-cheat software, are often incompatible. You may check your game’s compatibility by using the official compatibility database, or by using CrossOver’s free trial.
Play Trackmania on Mac with Parallels
One easy way to play Trackmania on Mac is by using a program called Parallels Desktop. This program is capable of creating and running virtual machines that run Windows and support hardware acceleration. In simpler terms, Parallels Desktop 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 any other launcher for that matter), and enjoy Trackmania game on Mac just like you would on a regular PC. Generally speaking, you will need an iMac Pro or a Mac Pro to run demanding games. However, if the game you’re trying to run is old, or simply doesn’t demand much from computer hardware, then you will likely be able to run it on any Mac computer, including MacBook Air. When it comes to games in-between, it is recommended to consider your Mac’s hardware specifications instead of thinking in terms of its model.
Please note that not all games are supported by Parallels Desktop. Several conditions must be met for the game to be playable. Your Mac must exceed minimum system requirements for the game. Playing a game on Windows running through Parallels places additional strain on your Mac, so meeting them is not enough. Games that require DirectX12 are currently not supported by Parallels. Online games that use anti-cheat software may be incompatible as well. AppsOnMac recommends using Parallels’ free trial feature to determine whether you can run the game or not if you’re uncertain.
Play Trackmania on Mac with cloud gaming services
If you have an old Mac or it cannot satisfy Trackmania 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 fast internet connection. There are several great platforms that provide these services; the best ones are Boosteroid, Xbox Cloud, AirGPU, and NVidia GeForce NOW. As Boosteroid has Trackmania in its library, it is an excellent choice for those who want to play it. AirGPU also features this game.
Play Trackmania on Mac with BootCamp
Note: Mac computers with Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2, M3 Pro, or M1, M2, M3 Max) do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run Trackmania on Mac
This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all the system requirements above, you can play Trackmania 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 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)