Ask API. GET https://whichemulator.wtf/ask answers questions from the same data as this page, and it is the only place the setup steps are published. It takes the question as q and, optionally, this page's path as page, and returns JSON with answer, sources and follow_ups, or Markdown with Accept: text/markdown. No key needed.
curl -G 'https://whichemulator.wtf/ask' --data-urlencode 'q=Which Dreamcast emulator should I use on a Mac?' --data-urlencode 'page=/dreamcast/'Questions it answers:
Guide: /skill.md. This page as Markdown: /dreamcast.md
Sega Dreamcast, Sega, 1998.
whichemulator.wtf calls its recommendation for each system the Gold Cartridge pick. For the Dreamcast, the Gold Cartridge pick is Flycast.
Open source, runs on nearly everything, and handles almost the whole library well, with upscaling, widescreen hacks and online play for the games that supported it. It also covers Naomi and Atomiswave arcade boards. There's no reason to start anywhere else.
Runs on Windows · Mac · Linux · Android. Open source. Download: https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast
BIOS optional: Flycast and redream both include a replacement BIOS, but a real one dumped from your own console fixes the odd problem game.
Put any BIOS files in a 'dc' folder inside RetroArch's system directory.
Dreamcast emulation is in good shape. The hardware is relatively straightforward compared with the Saturn before it, and Flycast now runs the vast majority of games at full speed on ordinary laptops and mid-range phones.
Where you’ll still see issues is in a handful of games that rely on odd timing or the Windows CE runtime some titles shipped with.
Flycast is the default: open source, free, and with more features. redream is the friendlier app and some people prefer its interface, but you’ll pay for HD output and you can’t see or fork the code. Note that Flycast has dropped iOS.
Reference: WEM-DREAMCAST-WUKZ