emulator: Dolphin type: standalone + libretro core_classification: community_fork source: "https://github.com/libretro/dolphin" upstream: "https://github.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin" logo: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin/master/Data/dolphin-emu.svg" profiled_date: "2026-03-23" core_version: "Git" display_name: "Nintendo - GameCube / Wii (Dolphin)" cores: - dolphin systems: [nintendo-gamecube, nintendo-wii] # File paths are relative to Dolphin User directory: # Standalone: User/GC/ and User/Wii/ # Libretro (RetroArch): system/dolphin-emu/GC/ and system/dolphin-emu/Wii/ # Sys/ is checked as fallback when not found in User/. pack_structure: libretro: "dolphin-emu" standalone: "" data_directories: - ref: dolphin-sys destination: "Sys" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:128-141" files: # -- GameCube IPL (Boot ROM) -- # Region-specific, placed in GC//IPL.bin # Checked in User/GC// then Sys/GC// # Regions: USA, EUR, JAP (legacy), JPN, DEV - name: "IPL.bin" path: "GC/USA/IPL.bin" size: 2097152 required: false hle_fallback: true note: "GameCube NTSC-U boot ROM. HLE available but real IPL needed for GC menu boot and accurate fonts" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:139, Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:108" - name: "IPL.bin" path: "GC/EUR/IPL.bin" size: 2097152 required: false hle_fallback: true note: "GameCube PAL boot ROM" source_ref: "Source/Core/Core/Config/MainSettings.cpp:744-750" - name: "IPL.bin" path: "GC/JAP/IPL.bin" size: 2097152 required: false hle_fallback: true note: "GameCube NTSC-J boot ROM. JAP is the legacy directory name" source_ref: "Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:185" # -- DSP ROMs -- # Used by DSP LLE for accurate audio. # Dolphin ships free replacement ROMs, but real dumps improve accuracy. # Searched in: User/GC/ then Sys/GC/ - name: "dsp_rom.bin" path: "GC/dsp_rom.bin" size: 8192 required: false hle_fallback: true validation: [size] known_hash_adler32: "0x66f334fe" adler32_byteswap: true note: "DSP instruction ROM for LLE audio. Free replacement (v0.4) included" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:136, Source/Core/Core/HW/DSPLLE/DSPLLE.cpp:84-117" - name: "dsp_coef.bin" path: "GC/dsp_coef.bin" size: 4096 required: false hle_fallback: true validation: [size] known_hash_adler32: "0xf3b93527" adler32_byteswap: true note: "DSP coefficient ROM for LLE audio and HLE polyphase resampling. Free replacement included" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:137, Source/Core/Core/DSP/DSPCore.cpp:32-33, Source/Core/Core/HW/DSPHLE/UCodes/AX.cpp:55-62" # -- GameCube Fonts -- # Bundled free alternatives exist but have padding differences causing misplaced text. # If IPL dump is present, fonts are extracted from it instead (preferred). # Searched in: Sys/GC/ - name: "font_western.bin" path: "GC/font_western.bin" size: 9589 required: false hle_fallback: true note: "Windows-1252 font for GC/Wii text rendering. Free alternative bundled, real one from IPL dump preferred" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:133, Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:130,202-239" - name: "font_japanese.bin" path: "GC/font_japanese.bin" size: 303693 required: false hle_fallback: true note: "Shift-JIS font for Japanese text. Free alternative bundled, real one from IPL dump preferred" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:134, Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:129,234" # -- GBA BIOS (for GC-GBA link) -- # Used by integrated mGBA core for GameCube-GBA connectivity. # Loaded from User/GBA/gba_bios.bin (no Sys fallback). - name: "gba_bios.bin" path: "GBA/gba_bios.bin" required: false hle_fallback: true note: "GBA BIOS for GC-GBA link feature (uses integrated mGBA). Path configurable in settings" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:145, Source/Core/Core/HW/GBACore.cpp:346-363" # -- Wii System Files -- # Generated/managed by Dolphin's Wii NAND emulation. # Not typically user-supplied, but needed for full Wii functionality. - name: "SYSCONF" path: "Wii/shared2/sys/SYSCONF" required: false hle_fallback: true note: "Wii system configuration. Auto-generated by Dolphin, can be imported from NAND backup" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:118, Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp:900" - name: "setting.txt" path: "Wii/title/00000001/00000002/data/setting.txt" size: 256 required: false hle_fallback: true note: "Wii region/language settings. Auto-generated by Dolphin during Wii boot emulation" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:153, Source/Core/Core/Boot/Boot_BS2Emu.cpp:384-460" # -- Wii NAND Backup (BootMii) -- - name: "nand.bin" path: null required: false hle_fallback: true note: "BootMii NAND backup. Can be imported to populate Wii NAND with channels, saves, system menu" source_ref: "Source/Core/DiscIO/NANDImporter.cpp:26-39,42-89" - name: "keys.bin" path: null size: 1024 required: false hle_fallback: true note: "OTP/SEEPROM dump (Wii encryption keys). Needed if not appended to nand.bin for NAND import" source_ref: "Source/Core/DiscIO/NANDImporter.cpp:19,76-88, Source/Core/DiscIO/NANDImporter.h:28" # -- Wii SD Card Image -- - name: "WiiSD.raw" path: "Load/WiiSD.raw" required: false hle_fallback: true note: "Virtual SD card image for Wii homebrew. Auto-created by Dolphin, supports SD/SDHC up to 4GB" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:150" # -- Gecko Code Handler -- - name: "codehandler.bin" path: null required: false hle_fallback: true note: "Gecko/Ocarina cheat code handler. Shipped with Dolphin in Sys/, not user-supplied" source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:155, Source/Core/Core/GeckoCode.cpp:120" # -- Wii System Menu (WAD) -- - name: "Wii System Menu" path: null required: false hle_fallback: true mode: standalone note: "Wii System Menu WAD. Installed to NAND via Tools > Install WAD, needed for Wii Menu boot" source_ref: "Source/Core/DolphinQt/MainWindow.cpp:1581-1583, Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.cpp:1174-1188" # -- NAND Certificates (auto-extracted) -- - name: "clientca.pem" path: "Wii/clientca.pem" required: false hle_fallback: true note: "SSL client certificate. Auto-extracted from IOS13 content during NAND import" source_ref: "Source/Core/DiscIO/NANDImporter.cpp:201-285" - name: "clientcakey.pem" path: "Wii/clientcakey.pem" required: false hle_fallback: true note: "SSL client private key. Auto-extracted from IOS13 content during NAND import" source_ref: "Source/Core/DiscIO/NANDImporter.cpp:237" - name: "rootca.pem" path: "Wii/rootca.pem" required: false hle_fallback: true note: "SSL root CA certificate. Auto-extracted from IOS13 content during NAND import" source_ref: "Source/Core/DiscIO/NANDImporter.cpp:238" # -- Realtek Bluetooth firmware (Wiimote passthrough) -- # Required for real Wiimote connectivity via USB Bluetooth adapters with Realtek chipsets. # Dolphin can auto-download these from gitlab.com/kernel-firmware/linux-firmware. # Placed in Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/ (standalone) or User/Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/ (libretro save dir). # Each device needs _fw.bin (required) and _config.bin (optional, some devices). # ref: Source/Core/Core/IOS/USB/Bluetooth/RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:382-425,427-481 - name: "rtl8723a_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8723a_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8723A BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:387" - name: "rtl8723b_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8723b_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8723B BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:389" - name: "rtl8723d_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8723d_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8723D BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:391" - name: "rtl8761a_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8761a_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8761A BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:393" - name: "rtl8761bu_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8761bu_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8761BU BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough (most common USB dongle)" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:395" - name: "rtl8821a_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8821a_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8821A BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:397" - name: "rtl8821c_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8821c_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8821C BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:399" - name: "rtl8822b_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8822b_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8822B BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:403" - name: "rtl8822cu_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8822cu_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8822CU BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:401" - name: "rtl8851bu_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8851bu_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8851BU BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:405" - name: "rtl8852au_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8852au_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8852AU BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:407" - name: "rtl8852bu_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8852bu_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8852BU BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:409" - name: "rtl8852cu_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8852cu_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8852CU BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:411" - name: "rtl8852btu_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8852btu_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8852BT/8852BE-VT BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:413" - name: "rtl8922au_fw.bin" path: "Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/rtl8922au_fw.bin" required: false mode: standalone note: "Realtek 8922AU BT firmware for Wiimote passthrough" source_ref: "RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:415" notes: hle_available: true hle_note: > Dolphin provides HLE for GameCube IPL (boot ROM), DSP, and Wii system functions. No BIOS files are strictly required for most games. DSP ROMs (dsp_rom.bin + dsp_coef.bin) are the most impactful optional files - Dolphin ships free replacements but real dumps from hardware provide better audio accuracy in some titles. ipl_regions: ["USA", "EUR", "JAP", "JPN", "DEV"] ipl_region_note: > IPL.bin is region-specific, placed in GC//IPL.bin. JAP is the legacy directory name, JPN is the modern default. DEV is for development/debug units. dsp_rom_note: > DSP ROMs are verified at load time via Adler32 hash. Official Nintendo hashes: irom=0x66f334fe, drom=0xf3b93527. Multiple free replacement versions exist (v0.1 through v0.4). font_note: > Fonts can come from three sources: real IPL dump (preferred), standalone font files in Sys/GC/, or bundled free alternatives. The free fonts have different padding that causes text positioning issues in some games. nand_note: > Wii NAND content (channels, saves, system menu) is managed by Dolphin internally. Users can import a BootMii NAND backup (nand.bin + optional keys.bin) to populate it. Most Wii games do not require a real NAND dump. bt_passthrough_note: > Bluetooth passthrough allows connecting real Wiimotes via USB Bluetooth adapters. Realtek chipsets (very common) require firmware files in Load/Firmware/rtl_bt/. Dolphin can auto-download these from kernel-firmware/linux-firmware on GitLab. 15 device families supported. Each needs _fw.bin (required) + _config.bin (optional). ref: RealtekFirmwareLoader.cpp:75-179 (device IDs), 382-420 (firmware names)