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Dolphin

Open-source emulator for Nintendo GameCube and Wii games on PC and Android.

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About Dolphin

Dolphin is the go-to emulator for Nintendo GameCube and Wii games. It runs the large majority of both libraries well on a modern PC or Android phone and often improves on the originals: you can play in HD or 4K, use widescreen hacks, texture packs and save states, connect real Wii Remotes or GameCube controllers through an adapter, and play with friends online through netplay. The project has been developed in the open since 2008 and is known for detailed progress reports that explain each fix. It's free and open source under the GPLv2 or later, with no paid edition. Dolphin runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, and on Android devices that meet its 64-bit and graphics requirements; there is no official iOS version. You need to dump your own discs, and demanding games still want a fairly fast CPU, especially on phones.

Best for: Anyone who wants to play GameCube and Wii games on a PC or Android device, often in HD.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Runs most GameCube and Wii games, often better than original hardware
  • HD rendering, texture packs and widescreen hacks
  • Works with real Wii Remotes and GameCube controller adapters
  • Free and open source with frequent development builds

Why people leave

  • Only covers GameCube and Wii
  • Demanding games need a strong CPU, especially on phones
  • No official iOS version

Top Dolphin alternatives

See all 5
  1. 1RetroArch logo
    RetroArch

    Its Dolphin core puts GameCube and Wii in the same menu and shader setup you use for other consoles.

    66.5
  2. 2OpenEmu logo
    OpenEmu

    Mac users who mostly play older consoles get a simpler all-in-one library instead of a separate app.

    62.6
  3. 3PPSSPP logo
    PPSSPP

    The same polished standalone approach, for Sony's PSP library rather than Nintendo's consoles.

    59.6
  4. 4xemu logo
    xemu

    Plays original Xbox games from the same console generation.

    40.0
  5. 5PCSX2 logo
    PCSX2

    Covers the PS2 library from the same generation with a mature emulator.

    40.0

Why people left Dolphin

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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Dolphin: common questions

Is Dolphin free?

Yes. Dolphin is free, open-source software.

Is Dolphin open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at dolphin-emu/dolphin.

What platforms does Dolphin run on?

Dolphin is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.

What are the best alternatives to Dolphin?

The highest-ranked Dolphin alternatives right now are RetroArch, OpenEmu and PPSSPP. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 Dolphin alternatives