Dolphin Emulator: A Complete Guide for PC and Android
Do you want to play your favorite GameCube and Wii games on your PC or Android device? If yes, then you need an emulator that can run these games smoothly and with enhanced features. Dolphin emulator is one of the best options for this purpose, as it is a free and open-source software that can emulate both consoles with high compatibility and performance.
In this guide, we will show you how to install and use Dolphin emulator on your PC or Android device, as well as how to play games with it. We will also provide some troubleshooting tips for common issues that you may encounter while using Dolphin emulator.
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What is Dolphin Emulator?
Dolphin emulator is a software that can emulate the Nintendo GameCube and Wii consoles on various platforms, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S. It was first released in 2003 as a closed-source project, but later became open-source in 2008. Since then, it has been developed by a team of volunteers who constantly improve its features and compatibility.
Dolphin emulator can run most of the GameCube and Wii games at full speed, with HD graphics, enhanced audio, networked multiplayer, save states, cheats, and many other options. It also supports various controllers, such as keyboard, mouse, gamepad, Wii Remote, GameCube controller, etc. You can use Dolphin emulator to play your own games that you have ripped from your discs, or download ISO or WBFS files from the internet (although this may be illegal in some regions).
Features and Benefits of Dolphin Emulator
Some of the main features and benefits of using Dolphin emulator are:
It is free and open-source, meaning that anyone can use it without paying anything or worrying about malware or spyware.
It has high compatibility with most of the GameCube and Wii games, meaning that you can play almost any game that you want with it.
It has high performance and speed, meaning that you can play games at full speed without lagging or stuttering.
It has HD graphics and audio, meaning that you can enjoy games with better visuals and sound quality than the original consoles.
It has networked multiplayer, meaning that you can play games online with other players using Netplay or Wiimmfi.
It has save states, meaning that you can save and load your game progress at any point without relying on in-game saving mechanisms.
It has cheats, meaning that you can modify your game experience with various codes and hacks.
It has many other options and settings, meaning that you can customize your emulation experience according to your preferences.
System Requirements for Dolphin Emulator
The system requirements for running Dolphin emulator vary depending on the platform and the game that you want to play. However, here are some general guidelines for the minimum and recommended requirements for PC and Android devices : PC Requirements
Minimum
Recommended
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 or higher, Linux, or macOS (10.12 or higher)
Operating System: Windows 10, Linux, or macOS (10.14 or higher)
CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 or AMD FX-6300
CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 4000 or NVIDIA GeForce GT 710
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
RAM: 4 GB
RAM: 8 GB or more
Storage: At least 1 GB of free space for the emulator and the games
Storage: At least 10 GB of free space for the emulator and the games
Controller: Keyboard, mouse, gamepad, Wii Remote, or GameCube controller
Controller: Keyboard, mouse, gamepad, Wii Remote, or GameCube controller
Android Requirements
Minimum
Recommended
Operating System: Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher
Operating System: Android 9.0 (Pie) or higher
CPU: Quad-core ARMv8 processor at 1.2 GHz or higher
CPU: Octa-core ARMv8 processor at 2.0 GHz or higher
GPU: Mali-T760 MP4 or Adreno 420 or higher with OpenGL ES 3.0 support
GPU: Mali-G72 MP12 or Adreno 630 or higher with Vulkan support
RAM: 2 GB or more
RAM: 4 GB or more
Storage: At least 1 GB of free space for the emulator and the games
Storage: At least 10 GB of free space for the emulator and the games
Controller: Touchscreen, gamepad, Wii Remote, or GameCube controller
Controller: Touchscreen, gamepad, Wii Remote, or GameCube controller
How to Install Dolphin Emulator on PC
If you want to install Dolphin emulator on your PC, you need to follow these steps:
Downloading the Latest Version of Dolphin Emulator
The first step is to download the latest version of Dolphin emulator from its official website. You can choose between the stable version, which is more tested and reliable, or the development version, which is more updated and experimental. You can also choose between the 64-bit or 32-bit version, depending on your system architecture. However, we recommend using the 64-bit version, as it has better performance and compatibility.
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To download Dolphin emulator, go to and select the version that you want. You will get a ZIP file that contains the emulator files.
Extracting and Running Dolphin Emulator
The next step is to extract the ZIP file that you downloaded to a folder of your choice. You can use any file extraction software, such as WinRAR or 7-Zip, to do this. Once you have extracted the files, you will see a folder named Dolphin-x64 or Dolphin-x86, depending on the version that you downloaded.
To run Dolphin emulator, simply double-click on the Dolphin.exe file inside the folder. You will see a window that shows the Dolphin main menu, where you can access various options and settings.
Configuring Dolphin Emulator Settings
The final step is to configure Dolphin emulator settings according to your preferences and system specifications. You can access the settings by clicking on the Config button on the main menu. You will see a window that shows several tabs, such as General, Interface, Audio, Graphics, etc.
You can customize various aspects of Dolphin emulator, such as language, theme, sound output, video backend, resolution, enhancements, hacks, controller mappings, etc. However, you should be careful not to change any settings that may cause compatibility or performance issues with your games. You can always revert to the default settings by clicking on the Reset button on each tab.
Here are some general tips for configuring Dolphin emulator settings:
Use DirectX 11 or Vulkan as your video backend for better performance and compatibility.
Use XAudio2 or Cubeb as your audio backend for better sound quality and latency.
Enable Dual Core and Idle Skipping for faster emulation speed.
Enable V-Sync and Fullscreen for smoother gameplay.
Adjust the Internal Resolution and Anti-Aliasing according to your GPU power and monitor size.
Enable Anisotropic Filtering and Texture Filtering for sharper textures.
Enable Scaled EFB Copy and Ignore Format Changes for improved graphics.
Disable Store EFB Copies to Texture Only and Store XFB Copies to Texture Only for better compatibility.
Enable Skip EFB Access from CPU and Fast Depth Calculation for faster emulation speed.
Disable Bounding Box Calculation and Force Texture Filtering for better compatibility.
Enable Async Shader Compilation and Compile Shaders Before Starting for smoother gameplay.
Use a GameCube controller or a Wii Remote with a sensor bar for better control accuracy.
How to Install Dolphin Emulator on Android
If you want to install Dolphin emulator on your Android device, you need to follow these steps:
Downloading the Latest Version of Dolphin Emulator from Google Play Store
The first step is to download the latest version of Dolphin emulator from Google Play Store. You can search for "Dolphin Emulator" on the store or use this link: . You will see a page that shows the app details and reviews. Tap on the Install button to download and install the app on your device.
Granting Permissions and Storage Access to Dolphin Emulator
The next step is to grant permissions and storage access to Dolphin emulator so that it can run properly and access your games. When you launch the app for the first time, you will see a pop-up that asks you to grant permissions to Dolphin emulator. Tap on the Allow button to grant the permissions. You will also see a pop-up that asks you to grant storage access to Dolphin emulator. Tap on the Allow button to grant the storage access. You may need to do this twice for both internal and external storage.
Configuring Dolphin Emulator Settings
The final step is to configure Dolphin emulator settings according to your preferences and device specifications. You can access the settings by tapping on the Menu button on the top right corner of the app and then tapping on Settings. You will see a screen that shows several categories, such as General, Graphics, Audio, Controls, etc.
You can customize various aspects of Dolphin emulator, such as language, theme, sound output, video backend, resolution, enhancements, hacks, controller mappings, etc. However, you should be careful not to change any settings that may cause compatibility or performance issues with your games. You can always revert to the default settings by tapping on the Reset button on each category.
Here are some general tips for configuring Dolphin emulator settings:
Use OpenGL or Vulkan as your video backend for better performance and compatibility.
Use OpenSL ES or Cubeb as your audio backend for better sound quality and latency.
Enable Dual Core and Override Emulated CPU Clock Speed for faster emulation speed.
Enable Fullscreen Immersive Mode and Hide Status Bar for smoother gameplay.
Adjust the Internal Resolution and Anti-Aliasing according to your GPU power and screen size.
Enable Anisotropic Filtering and Texture Filtering for sharper textures.
Enable Scaled EFB Copy and Ignore Format Changes for improved graphics.
Disable Store EFB Copies to Texture Only and Store XFB Copies to Texture Only for better compatibility.
Enable Skip EFB Access from CPU and Fast Depth Calculation for faster emulation speed.
Disable Bounding Box Calculation and Force Texture Filtering for better compatibility.
Enable Async Shader Compilation and Compile Shaders Before Starting for smoother gameplay.
Use a gamepad, Wii Remote, or GameCube controller for better control accuracy.
How to Play Games with Dolphin Emulator
If you want to play games with Dolphin emulator, you need to follow these steps:
Ripping Games from GameCube or Wii Discs
The first step is to rip your own games from your GameCube or Wii discs. This is the legal and recommended way of playing games with Dolphin emulator, as it ensures that you own the games that you want to play. You will need a Wii console with a modded firmware that can run homebrew software, such as LetterBomb or Bannerbomb. You will also need an SD card with enough space for your games and a USB loader app, such as CleanRip or USB Loader GX.
To rip your games from your discs, follow these steps:
Insert your SD card into your Wii console and launch the USB loader app from the Homebrew Channel.
Insert your GameCube or Wii disc into your Wii console and select it from the USB loader app menu.
Select the option to rip the disc to your SD card and choose the format that you want (ISO or WBFS).
Wait for the ripping process to complete and eject your disc when prompted.
Remove your SD card from your Wii console and insert it into your PC or Android device.
Loading Games from ISO or WBFS Files
The next step is to load your games from ISO or WBFS files that you have ripped from your discs or downloaded from the internet (although this may be illegal in some regions). You will need a folder on your PC or Android device where you store your games. You can use any folder name and location that you want, but we recommend using a folder named "Dolphin Games" in your Documents or Downloads directory.
To load your games from ISO or WBFS files, follow these steps:
Copy or move your ISO or WBFS files to your "Dolphin Games" folder on your PC or Android device.
Launch Dolphin emulator on your PC or Android device and click or tap on the Browse button on the main menu.
Navigate to your "Dolphin Games" folder and select it as your game directory. You will see a list of games that are available in your folder.
Select the game that you want to play and click or tap on the Play button. You will see a window or screen that shows the game running with Dolphin emulator.
<h3 Using Controllers or Keyboard with Dolphin Emulator
The final step is to use controllers or keyboard with Dolphin emulator to control your games. You can use various controllers, such as gamepad, Wii Remote, GameCube controller, etc. You can also use your keyboard and mouse as a virtual controller. You will need to configure your controller or keyboard settings in Dolphin emulator before you can use them.
To configure your controller or keyboard settings, follow these steps:
Launch Dolphin emulator on your PC or Android device and click or tap on the Controllers button on the main menu.
Select the controller type that you want to use for each port (GameCube Controller, Wii Remote, Emulated Wii Remote, etc.). You can also enable or disable rumble and speaker features for each controller.
Click or tap on the Configure button for each controller that you want to configure. You will see a window or screen that shows the controller mapping options.
Map each button, axis, trigger, or motion input to your controller or keyboard according to your preferences. You can also calibrate your analog sticks and triggers, adjust the dead zones and sensitivity, and test your inputs.
Click or tap on the OK button to save your controller or keyboard settings. You can also save and load different profiles for each controller.
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Dolphin Emulator
Sometimes, you may encounter some issues while using Dolphin emulator, such as missing DLL errors, crashes or freezes, graphical or audio glitches, etc. These issues can be caused by various factors, such as incompatible settings, outdated drivers, corrupted files, etc. Here are some troubleshooting tips for common issues with Dolphin emulator:
How to Fix Missing DLL Errors
If you see a message that says "The program can't start because MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer" or "The code execution cannot proceed because VCRUNTIME140_1.dll was not found" when you try to run Dolphin emulator on your PC, it means that you are missing some Visual C++ Redistributable files that are required by Dolphin emulator. To fix this issue, you need to install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable packages from Microsoft.
To install the Visual C++ Redistributable packages, follow these steps:
Go to and download the x64 and x86 versions of the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Run the downloaded files and follow the instructions to install the packages on your PC.
Restart your PC and try to run Dolphin emulator again.
How to Fix Crashes or Freezes
If Dolphin emulator crashes or freezes while running a game on your PC or Android device, it may be due to several reasons, such as incompatible settings, outdated drivers, corrupted files, insufficient resources, etc. To fix this issue, you need to try some of these solutions:
Update your graphics card drivers to the latest version from the manufacturer's website.
Update your Dolphin emulator to the latest version from its official website or Google Play Store.
Check your game file integrity and make sure it is not corrupted or damaged.
Reduce your graphics settings and resolution in Dolphin emulator and see if it improves the performance and stability.
Disable any background programs or apps that may be consuming your CPU, RAM, or GPU resources.
Increase your virtual memory size on your PC or clear your cache on your Android device.
Reinstall Dolphin emulator and delete any leftover files and folders.
How to Fix Graphical or Audio Glitches
If Dolphin emulator shows graphical or audio glitches while running a game on your PC or Android device, it may be due to some of these reasons: incompatible settings, outdated drivers, corrupted files, insufficient resources, etc. To fix this issue, you need to try some of these solutions:
Update your graphics card drivers to the latest version from the manufacturer's website.
Update your Dolphin emulator to the latest version from its official website or Google Play Store.
Check your game file integrity and make sure it is not corrupted or damaged.
Adjust your graphics and audio settings in Dolphin emulator and see if it fixes the glitches. You may need to experiment with different video backends, resolutions, enhancements, hacks , etc. You can also check the Dolphin wiki for game-specific settings and recommendations.
Disable any background programs or apps that may be interfering with your graphics or audio output.
Increase your virtual memory size on your PC or clear your cache on your Android device.
Reinstall Dolphin emulator and delete any leftover files and folders.
Conclusion and FAQs
Dolphin emulator is a great software that can emulate the Nintendo GameCube and Wii consoles on various platforms, such as PC and Android. It can run most of the games at full speed, with HD graphics, enhanced audio, networked multiplayer, save states, cheats, and many other features. It is also free and open-source, meaning that anyone can use it without paying anything or worrying about malware or spyware.
However, Dolphin emulator may also have some issues, such as missing DLL errors, crashes or freezes, graphical or audio glitches, etc. These issues can be caused by various factors, such as incompatible settings, outdated drivers, corrupted files, insufficient resources, etc. To fix these issues, you need to try some of the troubleshooting tips that we have provided in this guide.
We hope that this guide has helped you to install and use Dolphin emulator on your PC or Android device, as well as to play games with it. If you have any questions or problems with Dolphin emulator, you can visit its official website or forum for more information and support. You can also check out some of the FAQs below for quick answers.
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Dolphin emulator:
Is Dolphin emulator legal?
Dolphin emulator itself is legal, as it is a software that emulates the hardware of the GameCube and Wii consoles. However, downloading or distributing games that you do not own may be illegal in some regions. Therefore, we recommend that you only use Dolphin emulator to play games that you have legally obtained from your own discs.
Where can I get games for Dolphin emulator?
The best way to get games for Dolphin emulator is to rip them from your own GameCube or Wii discs using a Wii console with a modded firmware and a USB loader app. This way, you can ensure that you own the games that you want to play and avoid any legal issues. You can also download ISO or WBFS files from the internet (although this may be illegal in some regions), but you should be careful not to download any malware or spyware along with them.
How can I update Dolphin emulator?
You can update Dolphin emulator by downloading the latest version from its official website or Google Play Store and installing it over your existing version. You can also enable the auto-update feature in Dolphin emulator settings to get notified when a new version is available. However, you should backup your settings and save files before updating Dolphin emulator, as some updates may cause compatibility or performance issues with your games.
How can I improve Dolphin emulator performance?
You can improve Dolphin emulator performance by adjusting your settings according to your system specifications and game requirements. You can also update your drivers, increase your virtual memory size, disable background programs or apps, etc. However, you should not expect to run every game at full speed or with HD graphics on every device, as some games are more demanding than others and some devices are more powerful than others.
How can I contact Dolphin emulator developers or community?
You can contact Dolphin emulator developers or community by visiting its official website or forum at .
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