If you want to relive the early and mid-2000s when the GameCube was still alive and well, you need a decent emulator. A lot of people tout Dolphin as one of the best GameCube emulators around. But how true is that? Download Dolphin Emulator for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS, Ubantu for free.
What is Dolphin?
Dolphin is an open-source GameCube Emulator that was released in 2003. It was developed by Henrik Rydgard. It was quite experimental at the time. The Swedish programmer wanted the emulator to run commercial games. While it succeeded, the program’s performance was poor.
Some games did not run at all. Others would crash the moment they started. You had to make do with 20 frames per second. Sometimes, that figure would fall to 2fps.
In the years that followed, the developers made significant progress, with gamers and programmers lauding the emulator for its high compatibility, numerous features, and impressive graphics.
At first, the Dolphin Emulator was only available on Windows. But later on, it adopted other platforms, including Mac, Linux, and Android.
Dolphin Features
- You can record tool-assisted speed runs.
- You can use cheat codes.
- The emulator supports GameCube and Wii Controllers
- It can play Wii games
- You can map Wii remotes to your computer’s controls.
- You can play with other Dolphin users via emulated local multiplayer
- You can save games on virtual memory cards
- It is compatible with numerous ISO extension files
How To Install Dolphin Emulator?
Dolphin is not a complicated emulator. Installing the program won’t take long:
Step 1. Start by downloading the emulator from a trusted source. Make sure you download the latest version. The Dolphin emulator receives frequent updates. You should take advantage of the changes that developers are always making by getting the latest download file.
Step 2. Once you have the emulator on your PC, you can go ahead and extract it. Keep the file in the same location as your games. This isn’t mandatory. But it keeps your computer organized.
Step 3. Run the .exe file.
Download for Windows (Stable Version)
| Version | Platform |
|---|---|
| Dolphin 5.0 | Windows 64x |
| Dolphin 4.0.2 | Windows 64x Windows 86x |
| Dolphin 4.0.1 | Windows 64x Windows 86x |
| Dolphin 4.0 | Windows 64x Windows 86x |
| Dolphin 3.5 | Windows 64x Windows 86x |
| Dolphin 3.0 | Windows 64x Windows 86x |
Download for macOS/Ubantu (Stable Version)
- Dolphin 5.0: MacOS
- Dolphin 4.0: MacOS, Ubantu 13.04
- Dolphin 3.5: MacOS
- Dolphin 3.0: MacOS
Other versions
- 5.0-15230: Windows 64x, macOS(Intel/ARM), Android
- 5.0-15230: Windows 64x, macOS(Intel/ARM), Android
- 5.0-15230: Windows 64x, macOS(Intel/ARM), Android
- 5.0-15230: Windows 64x, macOS(Intel/ARM), Android
- 5.0-15230: Windows 64x, macOS(Intel/ARM), Android
You can also download the Source Code click here.
How To Use The Dolphin Emulator?
Once you launch the emulator, you can start playing your games. Loading games in Dolphin is just as easy as the installation process:
Step 1. First of all, you need to download the games. It is illegal to download ISOs unless you already own the games. Though, at the end of the day, no one will stop you.
Step 2. If you have DVD backups, you can also use those. Go to ‘File’ and click the ‘Boot from DVD Backup’ option before selecting the drive with the disc.
Step 3. If you have gaming files on your hard drive, go to ‘File’ and click ‘Open’. Select the file with the game. You can also drag and drop the gaming file into the emulator.
This is all you need to do to play games on the emulator. It accepts various file extensions, including ISO, GCZ, WIA, and RVZ, to mention but a few.
Conclusion
The Dolphin emulator is popular for a reason. It works with a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, and Ubuntu. It can play both GameCube and Wii games. You can even use the original GameCube and Wii controllers. The graphics the emulator offers are superior to those of the original consoles.
