emulator: Ishiiruka
type: libretro
source: "https://github.com/libretro/ishiiruka"
profiled_date: "2026-03-18"
core_version: "Git"
display_name: "Nintendo - GameCube / Wii (Ishiiruka)"
fork_of: Dolphin
systems: [nintendo-gamecube, nintendo-wii]

# Ishiiruka is a performance-focused Dolphin fork with custom GPU backends.
# As a Dolphin fork, it shares the exact same BIOS file requirements and paths.
# DSP HLE is enabled by default (ishiiruka_dsp_hle option), so DSP ROMs are
# only needed when switching to LLE audio for accuracy.

# Libretro paths (from Boot.cpp):
#   Sys directory: system/dolphin-emu/Sys/
#   User directory: saves/User/ (fallback: system/dolphin-emu/User/)
# Same as dolphin_libretro - uses "dolphin-emu" subdirectory, not "ishiiruka".

# Core options use "ishiiruka_" prefix (ishiiruka_dsp_hle, ishiiruka_efb_scale, etc.)

files:
  # -- GameCube IPL (Boot ROM) --
  # Region-specific, placed in GC/<region>/IPL.bin
  # Searched in User/GC/ then Sys/GC/
  - name: "IPL.bin"
    path: "GC/USA/IPL.bin"
    size: 2097152
    required: false
    note: "GC NTSC-U boot ROM, same as Dolphin. HLE available"
    source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:115"

  - name: "IPL.bin"
    path: "GC/EUR/IPL.bin"
    size: 2097152
    required: false
    note: "GC PAL boot ROM"

  - name: "IPL.bin"
    path: "GC/JAP/IPL.bin"
    size: 2097152
    required: false
    note: "GC NTSC-J boot ROM"

  # -- DSP ROMs --
  # Only needed if DSP LLE is selected (ishiiruka_dsp_hle = disabled)
  # Searched in User/GC/ then Sys/GC/
  - name: "dsp_rom.bin"
    path: "GC/dsp_rom.bin"
    size: 8192
    required: false
    note: "DSP instruction ROM for LLE audio. Free replacement included, real dump more accurate"
    source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:112, Source/Core/Core/HW/DSPLLE/DSPLLE.cpp:142-150"

  - name: "dsp_coef.bin"
    path: "GC/dsp_coef.bin"
    size: 4096
    required: false
    note: "DSP coefficient ROM for LLE audio. Free replacement included"
    source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:113, Source/Core/Core/HW/DSPLLE/DSPLLE.cpp:143-152"

  # -- GameCube Fonts --
  # Loaded from Sys/GC/, free alternatives bundled
  - name: "font_western.bin"
    path: "GC/font_western.bin"
    required: false
    note: "Windows-1252 font for GC/Wii text. Free alternative bundled"
    source_ref: "Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:123"

  - name: "font_japanese.bin"
    path: "GC/font_japanese.bin"
    required: false
    note: "Shift-JIS font for Japanese text. Free alternative bundled"
    source_ref: "Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:122"

notes:
  dolphin_fork: true
  fork_differences: >
    Ishiiruka is a Dolphin fork focused on GPU performance (custom texture cache,
    asynchronous shader compilation, post-processing). The BIOS/firmware handling
    is identical to upstream Dolphin - same files, same paths, same HLE fallbacks.
  hle_available: true
  hle_note: >
    DSP HLE is the default (ishiiruka_dsp_hle = enabled). No BIOS files are
    required for most games. All files are optional with HLE/free replacements.
  libretro_path: "system/dolphin-emu/"
  libretro_note: >
    Despite being named Ishiiruka, the libretro core uses "dolphin-emu" as its
    system subdirectory (Boot.cpp:46,49). Users with existing Dolphin BIOS files
    already have everything Ishiiruka needs.
  data_dir_standalone: "ishiiruka"
  data_dir_note: >
    Standalone builds use "ishiiruka" as DOLPHIN_DATA_DIR (CommonPaths.h:24,27),
    but the libretro core overrides this to use "dolphin-emu" paths.
  library_name: "Ishiiruka"
  valid_extensions: "elf|dol|gcm|iso|tgc|wbfs|ciso|gcz|wad"