How to Download and Use the Dolphin Emulator on Ubuntu
Dolphin is a free and open-source emulator for GameCube and Wii games that runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S. It was the first emulator to successfully run commercial games, and it can also play games with graphical improvements over the original consoles. Dolphin has many features, such as compatibility with all PC controllers, turbo speed, networked multiplayer, save states, cheat codes, and more.
If you want to enjoy your favorite GameCube and Wii games on your Ubuntu PC, you will need to install and configure Dolphin. In this article, I will show you how to do that in a few easy steps. I will also provide some troubleshooting tips in case you encounter any problems along the way.
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How to install Dolphin on Ubuntu from PPA
The easiest way to install Dolphin on Ubuntu is to use a PPA (Personal Package Archive), which is a repository of software packages that are not included in the official Ubuntu repositories. Dolphin has a PPA that contains both stable and development versions of the emulator. To add the PPA and install Dolphin, follow these steps:
Open a terminal window by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T or searching for "terminal" in the Dash.
Type or paste the following command to add the PPA for the stable version of Dolphin:
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:dolphin-emu/ppa
Type or paste the following command to update your package list:
sudo apt update
Type or paste the following command to install Dolphin:
sudo apt install dolphin-emu
Alternatively, if you want to install the development version of Dolphin, which has the latest features and improvements but may be less stable, use these commands instead:
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:dolphin-emu/master
sudo apt update
sudo apt install dolphin-emu-master
Once the installation is complete, you can launch Dolphin from the Dash or the terminal by typing dolphin-emu or dolphin-emu-master, depending on which version you installed.
How to configure Dolphin settings and controllers
Before you start playing games on Dolphin, you may want to adjust some settings and configure your controllers. To access the settings menu, click on the "Config" button on the main toolbar of Dolphin. Here you can change various options related to general settings, graphics, audio, interface, gamecube, wii, paths, advanced, and network.
Some of the most important settings are:
The "General" tab under "Graphics" allows you to choose your backend (OpenGL, Vulkan, or Direct3D), fullscreen resolution, aspect ratio, vsync, and other options.
The "Enhancements" tab under "Graphics" allows you to enable anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, post-processing effects, scaled EFB copy, per-pixel lighting, widescreen hack, and other options that can improve the graphics quality of your games.
The "Hacks" tab under "Graphics" allows you to enable or disable various hacks that can improve the performance or compatibility of your games. Some of these hacks are EFB copies, texture cache accuracy, fast depth calculation, bounding box emulation, skip EFB access from CPU, ignore format changes, store EFB copies to texture only, defer EFB copies to RAM, texture cache accuracy slider.
The "Audio" tab allows you to choose your backend (Cubeb or ALSA), volume level, DSP emulation engine (HLE or L LLE), audio stretching, and latency.
The "GameCube" tab allows you to choose your system language, slot A and B devices, SP1 device, and SIDevice.
The "Wii" tab allows you to choose your system language, aspect ratio, sensor bar position, speaker volume, rumble, and enable or disable Wii remote continuous scanning and syncing on escape.
The "Paths" tab allows you to add or remove the folders where Dolphin will look for your games. You can also set the default ISO and DVD root.
The "Advanced" tab allows you to enable or disable CPU clock override, custom RTC, MMU emulation, fastmem, sync GPU thread, sync on skip idle, enable cheats, and change the log verbosity.
The "Network" tab allows you to enable or disable netplay and configure your network settings.
To configure your controllers, click on the "Controllers" button on the main toolbar of Dolphin. Here you can choose the type of controller for each port (None, Standard Controller, GameCube Adapter for Wii U, Emulated Wii Remote, or Real Wii Remote). For emulated controllers, you can click on the "Configure" button to map your buttons and axes to your keyboard, mouse, or gamepad. You can also adjust the rumble and deadzone settings. For real controllers, you can click on the "Pair Up" button to connect your Wii remote or GameCube controller adapter to your PC via Bluetooth.
How to load and play games on Dolphin
Once you have installed and configured Dolphin, you are ready to load and play your games. To do that, follow these steps:
Make sure you have your games in ISO or WBFS format. You can rip your own games from your discs using a Wii console and a homebrew app like CleanRip, or you can download them from various websites (which may be illegal depending on your country's laws).
Copy your games to a folder on your PC and add that folder to the paths list in Dolphin's settings.
Launch Dolphin and you should see your games listed in the main window. You can right-click on any game to see more information, edit its properties, set its default settings, open its save folder, or compress it.
To start a game, simply double-click on it or select it and click on the "Play" button. You can also drag and drop a game file onto Dolphin's window to launch it.
To pause or stop a game, press Esc or click on the "Pause" or "Stop" buttons on the toolbar. You can also save or load a state by pressing Shift+F1-F8 or F1-F8 respectively. You can also take screenshots by pressing F9 or F12.
To access the in-game menu, press Alt+F5 or click on the "Menu" button on the toolbar. Here you can change the graphics settings, audio settings, controller settings, save states, cheats, netplay options, and more.
How to fix common issues with Dolphin
Dolphin is a complex emulator that may not work perfectly with every game or system. If you encounter any issues with Dolphin, such as crashes, glitches, performance drops, or compatibility problems, here are some tips that may help you fix them:
Check the official Dolphin wiki for information about your game. The wiki contains useful information about each game's compatibility rating, known issues, recommended settings, enhancements, and more.
Update your graphics drivers and DirectX runtime. Dolphin requires up-to-date drivers and DirectX libraries to run properly. You can download the latest drivers from your graphics card manufacturer's website and the latest DirectX runtime from Microsoft's website.
Disable any antivirus or firewall software that may interfere with Dolphin. Some antivirus or firewall programs may block Dolphin from accessing certain files or ports. You can try disabling them temporarily or adding Dolphin to their exception list.
Try different settings and options in Dolphin. Sometimes changing a setting or option can fix an issue or improve performance. For example, you can try switching between different backends (OpenGL, Vulkan , or Direct3D), enabling or disabling various hacks, adjusting the CPU clock override, changing the DSP emulation engine, and more. You can also check the wiki for game-specific settings that may help.
Use the latest development version of Dolphin. The development version of Dolphin is updated frequently with bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features. You can download it from the official Dolphin website or use the PPA for Ubuntu. However, keep in mind that the development version may also introduce new bugs or regressions, so use it at your own risk.
Report any issues or feedback to the Dolphin team. If you find a bug or have a suggestion for Dolphin, you can report it to the Dolphin team via their issue tracker on GitHub, their forums, or their Discord server. The Dolphin team is always working hard to improve the emulator and they appreciate any feedback from the users.
Conclusion
Dolphin is a powerful and versatile emulator that allows you to play GameCube and Wii games on your Ubuntu PC with many enhancements and features. In this article, I have shown you how to install and use Dolphin on Ubuntu, as well as some troubleshooting tips in case you encounter any issues. I hope you have enjoyed this article and learned something new. Now you can enjoy your favorite games on Dolphin and have fun!
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FAQs
What are the system requirements for Dolphin?
Dolphin does not have a fixed set of system requirements, as different games and settings may require different levels of hardware power. However, as a general guideline, you will need at least a dual-core CPU that supports SSE2 instruction set, a GPU that supports OpenGL 3.0 or higher (or Vulkan or Direct3D 11), and 2 GB of RAM. For more details, see this page on the Dolphin website.
How can I update Dolphin?
If you installed Dolphin from the PPA, you can update it by running the following commands in a terminal:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
If you downloaded Dolphin from the website, you can update it by downloading and extracting the latest version over your existing installation.
How can I transfer my save files from my Wii console to Dolphin?
You can transfer your save files from your Wii console to Dolphin by using a homebrew app called SaveGame Manager GX. You will need to install this app on your Wii console and use it to backup your save files to an SD card or a USB drive. Then, you can copy the save files to your PC and import them to Dolphin using the "Import Wii Save" option in the "Tools" menu.
How can I play online multiplayer games on Dolphin?
You can play online multiplayer games on Dolphin by using either Wiimmfi or Netplay. Wiimmfi is a custom server that replaces the official Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service that was shut down in 2014. You can use Wiimmfi to play online with other players who are using either a Wii console or Dolphin. Netplay is a feature of Dolphin that allows you to play local multiplayer games over the internet with other Dolphin users. You can use Netplay to host or join a session with your friends or strangers.
Where can I find more information and help about Dolphin?
You can find more information and help about Dolphin on the following sources:
The official Dolphin website:
The official Dolphin wiki:
The official Dolphin forums:
The official Dolphin Discord server:
The official Dolphin YouTube channel:
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