XLink Kai

XLink Kai

XLink Banner With Current Logo
Developer(s)	Team XLink
Stable release	7.4.29 / January 31, 2016
Operating system	Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi
Website	Official website

XLink Kai is a method developed by Team-XLink for online play of certain System Link compatible video games. It enables players on the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox and Xbox 360 to play games across the Internet using a network configuration that simulates a local area network (LAN). It notably also allows original Xbox games to be played online again following the Xbox Live shutdown on April 21, 2010 (similar to that of Save Nintendo Wi-Fi for the Wii) and certain GameSpy titles such as Saints Row 2 to be played online after the GameSpy network shutdown on May 31, 2014.

The purpose of the software is to allow consoles to network with each other over the internet via the consoles' "local network play" capabilities. XLink Kai acts as , installed to a compatible Microsoft Windows, macOS, or Linux computer on the same network as the console. Upon the console initiating a game's "network play" feature, the console's requests are routed to the computer. XLink, listening for these requests, allows other consoles to be found over the internet during this search, 'tricking' the player's console into thinking these other consoles are simply connected to the local network.

For modified ("modded") Xbox consoles, much of the functionality can be provided directly within the Xbox Media Center (XBMC for Xbox) GUI. The Kai client is still required to be running on a computer on the user's network, but players can control connections directly through the console. It is also possible to run the Kai client on other Linux-based devices, such as wireless routers or NAS devices running third party firmware replacements such as DD-WRT or SlugOS.