WHAT IS IT?
Dolphin is a GameCube and Wii emulator. I use it for GameCube games on my handhelds, whilst for Wii games I use my PC with a DolphinBar and a real Wii Remote. It does play Wii games really well on handhelds like the Thor and the Odin, but the controls can be a nightmare to set up!
I’m splitting this guide into two sections because the controller setup is quite different. GameCube is mostly a case of mapping buttons and sticks. For Wii, I’ll show you the DolphinBar setup I use and why I recommend a genuine Nintendo remote.
The goal for either section is to get one game running and check that you can control it and save your progress.
DOWNLOADING DOLPHIN AND ADDING YOUR GAMES
Start at the official Dolphin download page and choose the latest release for your platform. Downloads are available for Windows, macOS and Android, with official Flatpak packages for Linux. SteamOS uses the Linux version.
On Windows, extract the download into its own folder and open Dolphin. Install the Visual C++ redistributable linked on the download page if needed. On Mac, open the downloaded disk image and copy Dolphin into Applications. On Android, install the APK from the official site, allowing your browser or file manager to install it when prompted.
Linux users can follow the Flatpak instructions on the download page. On SteamOS, do the setup in Desktop Mode. You can add Dolphin to Steam as a non-Steam game for Gaming Mode afterward.
Use an extracted ISO or RVZ game file for your first game. RVZ is Dolphin’s lossless compressed disc format, so it can save space whilst keeping the original disc data. A ZIP or 7z archive needs extracting before you play.
On desktop, head into Config > Paths and add the folder containing your games. Enable Search Subfolders if you’ve organised them into separate directories. On Android, use the add-folder button on the main screen, choose your games folder and grant Dolphin access.
You don’t need a separate BIOS file to get a normal GameCube or Wii disc game running. Leave system-file imports and the Wii Menu setup for later.
Choose the section for the system you want to play:
GAMECUBE
What you’ll need
You’ll need a GameCube game and a controller, either connected to your device or built into your handheld. Dolphin will emulate the original GameCube controller using those inputs.
Mapping the GameCube controller
On desktop, click Controllers. Under GameCube Controllers, set Port 1 to Standard Controller and click Configure. Choose your controller from the Device list.
On Android, open Settings > GameCube Input. Choose GameCube Controller 1, set it to Emulated and open its mapping settings. The menus may look a little different between versions, but you’re configuring the first GameCube controller port.
I mimic the positions of the original GameCube face buttons. That means B goes on the west button and X goes on the east button, regardless of the letters printed on the handheld.
| GameCube button | Position on your controller |
|---|---|
| A | South, the bottom face button |
| B | West, the left face button |
| X | East, the right face button |
| Y | North, the top face button |
Map the Control Stick to your left stick, the C Stick to your right stick, and the D-pad to your D-pad. Bind Start to your Start button. Z can go on your right shoulder button, with L and R on your left and right triggers.
The GameCube’s triggers have two inputs: an analogue squeeze and a digital click at the end of their travel. Dolphin exposes these separately as L/R and L-Analog/R-Analog. If your device has analogue triggers, map their travel to the analogue inputs and their full press to the digital inputs. Test both so you aren’t missing the click a game expects.
With digital-only triggers, you can map a button to each input, but you’ll lose gradual trigger pressure. Some games use a half-press differently from a full press, so those may need a separate binding for the half-press. The official controller guide explains how to configure inputs and save controller profiles.
Booting your first GameCube game
Leave Dolphin’s graphics settings at their defaults for the first launch. Open your game from the list and check the face buttons, sticks and triggers.
Use the game’s own save system when you reach a save point. Dolphin provides emulated GameCube memory-card storage; you don’t need to source a physical card or download someone else’s saves.
On desktop, Config > GameCube is where you check the device in Slot A. A Memory Card or GCI Folder provides save storage. If a game reports no card, check that Slot A hasn’t been set to an unrelated device or left empty. On Android, look in Settings > Config > GameCube for the slot settings.
Once saving has finished, stop the game normally, reopen it and check that your progress loads. Leave save syncing and card management for later.
Upscaling GameCube games
I upscale games to suit the display I’m playing on. On desktop, open Graphics > Enhancements and increase Internal Resolution. On Android, it’s under Settings > Graphics Settings > Enhancements.
Start with 2x or 3x, then increase it if your device can maintain normal speed. Higher resolutions make rendered geometry look sharper, but they don’t add detail to the original textures or videos.
Leave Aspect Ratio on Auto to begin with. That lets Dolphin use the normal proportions for the game instead of stretching it across your screen. Games with their own widescreen option can be configured individually once the basic setup works.
If a game slows down or an effect looks wrong after upscaling, lower the resolution for that game. On desktop, right-click it and open Properties; on Android, long-press it and open its game settings. Check its entry on the Dolphin wiki for known issues before copying random settings from an old guide.
WII
What I use
For Wii games, I use my PC with a DolphinBar and a genuine Nintendo Wii Remote. The Mayflash DolphinBar combines a Bluetooth connection for the remote with the infrared lights it uses for pointing at the screen.
You’ll also need a Wii game. Check whether it requires a Nunchuk or Wii MotionPlus before starting. A Wii Remote Plus has MotionPlus built in; an original Wii Remote needs the separate accessory for games that require it.
Connecting the DolphinBar and Wii Remote
- Plug the DolphinBar into your PC and place it above or below your display, facing where you’ll be playing.
- Set its position switch to match where you’ve placed it. Use the Mode button to select Mode 4, the Wii Remote controller mode.
- Put batteries in your Wii Remote. Press SYNC on the DolphinBar and the red SYNC button on the remote. On an original remote, that button is inside the battery compartment.
- Wait for pairing to finish. Follow the DolphinBar manual if your model’s buttons or indicators differ.
For this setup, pair the remote with the DolphinBar. You don’t need to pair it through Windows’ Bluetooth settings or add another Bluetooth dongle.
Choosing a real Wii Remote in Dolphin
Click Controllers in Dolphin. In the Wii Remotes section, choose Emulate the Wii’s Bluetooth Adapter and set Wii Remote 1 to Real Wii Remote. Enable Continuous Scanning so Dolphin can find the remote without you pressing Refresh each time.
The DolphinBar setup uses this emulated-adapter option. Bluetooth Passthrough is a different setup for compatible Bluetooth adapters.
Open Config > Wii and set Sensor Bar Position to match the bar’s position above or below your screen. Attach the Nunchuk or other accessory to the remote if your game needs it.
You don’t need to map your PC controller to Wii buttons here. The real remote supplies the buttons, movement and pointing. Dolphin’s controller instructions cover connecting a real remote and the available controller options.
Booting your first Wii game
Open the game from Dolphin’s list. Check that it responds to the remote and that pointing works if the game uses a pointer. The sensor bar needs to be visible to the remote’s front-facing camera; putting it behind the display won’t help.
If the remote won’t connect, check that the DolphinBar is in Mode 4 and Wii Remote 1 is set to Real Wii Remote. Keep the controller-settings window open whilst checking the connection, and try syncing the remote again. Check its batteries too.
If buttons work but pointing doesn’t, check the bar’s placement and position settings. Some games use motion controls without an on-screen pointer, so test pointing in a menu or game that actually uses it.
Wii games save to Dolphin’s emulated Wii system storage rather than a GameCube memory card. Save using the game’s own menu, wait until it’s finished, then stop and reopen the game to check that your progress loads.
Upscaling Wii games
Once the game and remote work, head into Graphics > Enhancements and increase Internal Resolution to suit your display. As with GameCube, start modestly and work upwards whilst checking that the game stays at normal speed.
Keep the graphics Aspect Ratio on Auto. Under Config > Wii, choose the Wii’s 4:3 or 16:9 display setting to suit how you want to play. Games that respect that setting can render for the selected format, rather than having Dolphin stretch a 4:3 image afterward.
If a particular game needs different graphics settings, make the change in its Properties. Keep your controller setup working whilst you test one graphics change at a time.