# Best Wii emulator: Dolphin, the Gold Cartridge pick

Page: https://whichemulator.wtf/wii/ · Reference: WEM-WII-J7CC

The Ask API at `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 `q` (the question, 3 to 500 characters) and an optional `page` (a local path such as `/wii/`). It returns JSON `{answer, consoles, sources, follow_ups}`, or Markdown when the request sends `Accept: text/markdown`. No key; 30 requests a minute per IP. Guide: https://whichemulator.wtf/skill.md

Nintendo Wii, Nintendo, 2006.

## Recommended: Dolphin

whichemulator.wtf calls its recommendation for each system the Gold Cartridge pick. For the Wii, the Gold Cartridge pick is Dolphin.

The same Dolphin that handles GameCube, because the Wii is essentially a faster GameCube with more memory. It runs almost the entire library, can push games well past their original 480p, and supports real Wii Remotes over Bluetooth.

Runs on Windows · Mac · Linux · Android. Open source. Download: https://dolphin-emu.org

**Same app as GameCube:** If you've already set Dolphin up for GameCube, you're done. It detects which console a disc belongs to and switches automatically.

**Motion controls:** Many Wii games assume a pointer and motion. A real Wii Remote with a sensor bar (a cheap USB one is fine) is far less hassle than mapping it all to a gamepad.

## Alternatives

No other Wii emulator is worth recommending right now. If Dolphin can't run something, nothing else will either.

## RetroArch cores

- Dolphin: Works, but trails the standalone app

Motion controls are much easier to set up in standalone Dolphin.

## Hardware

- CPU: IBM Broadway (PowerPC) @ 729 MHz
- GPU: ATI Hollywood @ 243 MHz
- Memory: 24MB 1T-SRAM + 64MB GDDR3
- Output: Up to 480p
- Library: ~1,600 games

## Notes

### Why Dolphin again

Nintendo built the Wii on GameCube hardware, so emulating one gets you most of the way to the other. Dolphin added Wii support years ago and nobody has seriously tried to compete since.

### Controls are the real job

Getting games to run is easy. Getting them to feel right is where the time goes. Dolphin can pair genuine Wii Remotes directly, or emulate one using a mouse or a controller with gyro, such as a DualShock 4, DualSense or Switch Pro Controller.

Games that work with the Classic Controller, such as Xenoblade Chronicles and many Virtual Console titles, map neatly to a normal gamepad.

## Support the developers

- [Star on GitHub](https://github.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin)

## Questions the Ask API answers

- [Which Wii emulator should I use on an iPhone?](https://whichemulator.wtf/ask?q=Which+Wii+emulator+should+I+use+on+an+iPhone%3F&page=%2Fwii%2F&via=page)
- [Which RetroArch core should I use for the Wii?](https://whichemulator.wtf/ask?q=Which+RetroArch+core+should+I+use+for+the+Wii%3F&page=%2Fwii%2F&via=page)