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 Wii U emulator should I use on a Mac?' --data-urlencode 'page=/wiiu/'Questions it answers:
Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo, 2012.
whichemulator.wtf calls its recommendation for each system the Gold Cartridge pick. For the Wii U, the Gold Cartridge pick is Cemu.
Cemu is the only Wii U emulator that plays games properly, and it plays most of the library very well, often at higher resolutions and frame rates than the console managed. It went open source in 2022 and now has a proper Linux build too.
Runs on Windows · Mac · Linux. Open source. Download: https://cemu.info
macOS is experimental: The Cemu team calls its Mac build experimental and not ready for trouble-free play. It runs through MoltenVK, and performance on Apple Silicon can suffer.
Keys required: Encrypted games need your console's keys. Dump your games and keys from your own Wii U.
There's no Wii U core. Use standalone Cemu.
Wii U emulation is basically a one-horse race, which would be worrying if the horse weren’t so capable. Breath of the Wild, Xenoblade Chronicles X and most of the first-party catalogue run well on a reasonably modern PC.
Most of Nintendo’s best Wii U games were later ported to Switch, so it’s worth checking whether that version suits you better.
The Wii U’s controller has its own screen. Cemu lets you show the GamePad view in a separate window or swap to it with a button, which covers most games. A few that rely on both screens and touch at once are clumsy with a mouse.
Community graphics packs, downloadable from inside Cemu, add resolution and frame-rate options per game. Turn them on.
Reference: WEM-WIIU-V7BV