GameCube & Wii
Two generations, one excellent emulator.
Overview
The GameCube (2001) and Wii (2006) are both emulated by Dolphin, one of the most mature and polished emulators available. The Wii is essentially a faster GameCube with motion controls.
| System | Year | Media | Steam Deck |
|---|---|---|---|
| GameCube | 2001 | Mini DVD | Excellent |
| Wii | 2006 | DVD | Excellent |
Emulator
Dolphin is the only choice and it's excellent. Development has been ongoing since 2003 with regular improvements.
GameCube Setup
ROM Folder
File Formats
.rvz (recommended), .iso, .gcz, .ciso
RVZ provides excellent compression while being lossless. You can convert ISO to RVZ using Dolphin's built-in converter (right-click game, Convert File). Avoid NKit as it removes data.
BIOS
Optional - Only needed for boot animation
Wii Setup
ROM Folder
File Formats
.rvz (recommended), .iso, .wbfs
BIOS
Not Required
Motion Controls
Steam Deck's gyroscope can emulate Wii motion controls:
- Gyro mapped to Wii Remote pointer
- Trackpad can simulate IR pointer
- Shake motions mapped to buttons
EmuDeck pre-configures this. Games like Skyward Sword are playable with practice.
WiiWare & Virtual Console
Digital titles are in WAD format. Dolphin can install and run these. Find them on sites like Mariocube.
Performance
Most games run at full speed. For demanding titles:
- Lower internal resolution to 720p
- Disable enhancements for troublesome games
- Check Dolphin wiki for game-specific settings
Where to Find Games
Redump sets are on Myrient and Internet Archive. Convert to RVZ for storage efficiency. See the Download Guide.