Difference between revisions of "GameCube emulators"

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When the intro ends, it will go into the Gamecube's menu instead of the game. You can then switch to whatever game you really wanted to  
 
When the intro ends, it will go into the Gamecube's menu instead of the game. You can then switch to whatever game you really wanted to  
 
play with Change Disc, or explore the BIOS.
 
play with Change Disc, or explore the BIOS.
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==Connectivity==
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* The [[Game_Boy_Advance_emulators GC/GBA Link]] feature is partially emulated. You'll need to enable DSP-LLE, along with the files ripped from a real GC for that, as well as VBA-M. That said, e-Reader support isn't implemented, neither is the DS/Wii Wi-Fi connection.
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==Triforce Arcade Board==
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You'll need the [http://dolphin-emu.org/download/branches/#Triforce Triforce branch] of Dolphin. However, compatibility is abysimal and there are lots of unemulated features preventing the games from even booting without patches like in the case of both Mario Kart GP games (obviously thus requiring "Enable Cheats"). Check the Dolphin Wiki for more info. Various features including the NamCam camera, the save transfer functionality, and the multiple Triforce board networking, are simply not emulated.
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For the games that do emulate with Dolphin Triforce (that is, the Mario Kart GP games and little else):
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* Under "Config/GameCube" (or more recently "Controllers"), "SP1" and "Port 1" need to be assigned to "AM-Baseboard".
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* "Enable Cheats" must be activated. Mario Kart GP1 and GP2 have patch codes that need to be added to their gameini file to fix the showstopping emulation bugs and to change the coins value to something else than 0, to play it at all.
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* The keys used are the same as the GameCube controls in Dolphin. The Z button supposedly emulates "Insert Coin", but it doesn't seem to work.
  
 
==Resources==
 
==Resources==

Revision as of 17:30, 26 January 2015

The Nintendo Gamecube (GCN)

The GameCube (GCN) is a 2001 console produced by Nintendo. Due to how similar the architecture is between the GameCube, Triforce and Wii, many GameCube emulators offer support for them.

The Triforce is an arcade system board developed jointly by Namco, Sega, and Nintendo, with the first games appearing in 2002. The system hardware is based on the Nintendo GameCube with several differences, like provisions for add-ons such as Sega's GD-ROM system and upgradeable RAM modules.

Due to having very similar (albeit more powerful) hardware, the Wii is able to natively play GameCube games rather than emulating them.

Emulators

PC
Name Operating System(s) Latest Version GCN Wii Triforce Recommended
Dolphin Multi-platform GIT
Dolphin (Nintendo) Windows e2.8
Gekko Windows, Linux SVN
Mobile
Name Operating System(s) Latest Version GCN Wii Triforce Recommended
Dolphin Android GIT

Comparisons

  • Dolphin is the only real emulator you should use; Gekko is still in very early development after being on hiatus for many years, and is nowhere near achieving Wii emulation either. In addition, for Triforce emulation, MAME is not optimised for 3D systems yet, nor is the emulation of the system in question very good either. Dolphin is updated on a near daily basis and has very good emulation of almost everything. System requirements are high, moreso for Wii games than GameCube.
  • Dolphin (Nintendo) is an official emulator by Nintendo of the same name as the recommended Dolphin emulator. The two are unrelated; the official Nintendo emulator does not run commercial games.

Running BIOS

If you want to open games through the Gamecube's original BIOS in Dolphin, first make sure the external framebuffer is enabled, the sound to be set to LLE, and uncheck "skip bios" in the Gamecube options. When the game window opens and the GCN startup animation begins, click File then Change Disc. You can pick literally any file, including the game you initially chose. When the intro ends, it will go into the Gamecube's menu instead of the game. You can then switch to whatever game you really wanted to play with Change Disc, or explore the BIOS.


Connectivity

  • The Game_Boy_Advance_emulators GC/GBA Link feature is partially emulated. You'll need to enable DSP-LLE, along with the files ripped from a real GC for that, as well as VBA-M. That said, e-Reader support isn't implemented, neither is the DS/Wii Wi-Fi connection.

Triforce Arcade Board

You'll need the Triforce branch of Dolphin. However, compatibility is abysimal and there are lots of unemulated features preventing the games from even booting without patches like in the case of both Mario Kart GP games (obviously thus requiring "Enable Cheats"). Check the Dolphin Wiki for more info. Various features including the NamCam camera, the save transfer functionality, and the multiple Triforce board networking, are simply not emulated.

For the games that do emulate with Dolphin Triforce (that is, the Mario Kart GP games and little else):

  • Under "Config/GameCube" (or more recently "Controllers"), "SP1" and "Port 1" need to be assigned to "AM-Baseboard".
  • "Enable Cheats" must be activated. Mario Kart GP1 and GP2 have patch codes that need to be added to their gameini file to fix the showstopping emulation bugs and to change the coins value to something else than 0, to play it at all.
  • The keys used are the same as the GameCube controls in Dolphin. The Z button supposedly emulates "Insert Coin", but it doesn't seem to work.

Resources

  • Dolphin Wiki - For checking if you games work and any fixes/tweaks/settings you should know before hand.