Dolphin Emulator iOS: How to Run GameCube and Wii Classics on Your iPhone or iPad Without Jailbreaki

rachoskieefef
Aug 3, 2023
18 min read

Introduction

If you are a fan of Nintendo GameCube and Wii games, you might have heard of Dolphin, a free and open-source emulator that allows you to play these games on various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. Dolphin is not only a great way to enjoy your favorite games in high definition and with improved performance, but also a way to access features that are not available on the original consoles, such as cheats, netplay, save states, screenshots, etc.

dolphin emulator ios download no jailbreak

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However, if you want to run Dolphin on your iPhone or iPad, you might encounter some challenges. Unlike Android devices, iOS devices do not allow you to install apps from outside the App Store without jailbreaking. Jailbreaking is a process that removes the restrictions imposed by Apple on your device, allowing you to customize it and install unofficial apps. However, jailbreaking also has some risks and drawbacks, such as voiding your warranty, exposing your device to security threats, causing instability or compatibility issues, etc.

Fortunately, there are ways to install Dolphin on your iOS device without jailbreaking. In this article, I will show you two methods that you can use to download and install Dolphin on your iPhone or iPad: using AltStore or using Cydia Impactor. I will also guide you through the steps of setting up Dolphin on your device, troubleshooting some common issues that you might encounter while using it, and providing some tips and features that will enhance your gaming experience with Dolphin.

Requirements

Before we begin, let's make sure that your device meets the minimum requirements for running Dolphin on iOS. According to the official website of Dolphin , you will need the following:

A 64-bit device running iOS 12 or later (iPhone 5s or newer; iPad Air or newer; iPad mini 2 or newer; iPod touch 6th generation or newer).

A processor with support for 64-bit applications (either ARMv8 or x86-64).

A graphics processor that supports OpenGL ES 3.0 or higher.

At least 2 GB of RAM.

Enough storage space for the emulator and the games.

Note that these are the minimum requirements for running Dolphin on iOS. Depending on the game and the settings that you use, you might need a more powerful device for optimal performance.

Downloading Dolphin

There are two methods that you can use to download and install Dolphin on your iOS device without jailbreaking: using AltStore or using Cydia Impactor. Both methods require a computer (Windows or Mac) and a USB cable to connect your device to the computer.

AltStore method

AltStore is an alternative app store for iOS devices that allows you to sideload apps that are not available on the official App Store. AltStore works by tricking your device into thinking that you are installing apps from your own Apple ID. AltStore is easy to use and does not require any special permissions or modifications on your device. However, you will need to refresh the apps that you install from AltStore every seven days to prevent them from expiring. To use AltStore to download and install Dolphin on your iOS device, follow these steps:

Download and install AltServer on your computer. AltServer is a companion app that runs on your computer and allows you to install and manage AltStore on your device.

Connect your iOS device to your computer with a USB cable and make sure that it is trusted by both devices.

Launch AltServer on your computer and click on the AltServer icon in the menu bar (Mac) or the system tray (Windows). Select "Install AltStore" and choose your device from the list.

Enter your Apple ID and password when prompted. This is used to sign the apps that you install from AltStore. You can use your regular Apple ID or create a new one for this purpose. Note that AltServer does not store or share your credentials with anyone.

Wait for AltStore to be installed on your device. You should see the AltStore icon on your home screen.

On your device, go to Settings > General > Device Management and tap on your Apple ID. Trust AltStore and any apps that you install from it.

Launch AltStore on your device and sign in with the same Apple ID that you used on AltServer.

Tap on the "Browse" tab and search for "Dolphin". Tap on the Dolphin icon and then tap on "Free" to download it.

Wait for Dolphin to be installed on your device. You should see the Dolphin icon on your home screen.

Congratulations, you have successfully downloaded and installed Dolphin on your iOS device using AltStore. To prevent Dolphin from expiring, make sure to connect your device to your computer and launch AltServer at least once every seven days. AltServer will automatically refresh Dolphin and any other apps that you installed from AltStore.

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Cydia Impactor method

Cydia Impactor is a tool that allows you to install IPA files (iOS applications) on your iOS device without jailbreaking. Cydia Impactor works by signing the apps with your own Apple ID and installing them via USB. However, you will need to reinstall the apps every seven days to keep them working, as they will expire after that period. To use Cydia Impactor to download and install Dolphin on your iOS device, follow these steps:

Download and install Cydia Impactor on your computer.

Download the latest version of Dolphin IPA file on your computer.

Connect your iOS device to your computer with a USB cable and make sure that it is trusted by both devices.

Launch Cydia Impactor on your computer and drag and drop the Dolphin IPA file onto it.

Enter your Apple ID and password when prompted. This is used to sign the app that you are installing. You can use your regular Apple ID or create a new one for this purpose. Note that Cydia Impactor does not store or share your credentials with anyone.

Wait for Cydia Impactor to install Dolphin on your device. You should see the Dolphin icon on your home screen.

On your device, go to Settings > General > Device Management and tap on your Apple ID. Trust Dolphin and any other apps that you install with Cydia Impactor.

Congratulations, you have successfully downloaded and installed Dolphin on your iOS device using Cydia Impactor. To prevent Dolphin from expiring, make sure to reinstall it every seven days using the same method.

Setting up Dolphin

Now that you have downloaded and installed Dolphin on your iOS device, you can start setting it up for playing GameCube and Wii games. In this section, I will show you how to configure the settings of Dolphin, add games to its library, and launch them.

Configuring settings

To access the settings of Dolphin, tap on the gear icon in the top right corner of the app. You will see several tabs that allow you to adjust different aspects of the emulator, such as graphics, audio, controller, etc. Here are some of the most important settings that you should pay attention to:

General

CPU Core: This option allows you to choose between two CPU cores: JIT ARM64 Recompiler or Cached Interpreter. The JIT ARM64 Recompiler is the default and recommended option, as it provides the best performance and compatibility. The Cached Interpreter is a fallback option that might fix some games that do not work with the JIT ARM64 Recompiler, but it is much slower and less stable.

Dual Core: This option allows you to enable or disable the dual core mode, which splits the emulation workload between two CPU cores. Enabling this option can improve the performance of some games, but it can also cause instability or crashes. You can try toggling this option if you encounter any issues with your games.

Override Emulated CPU Clock Speed: This option allows you to manually adjust the clock speed of the emulated CPU, which affects the speed and performance of the games. By default, this option is disabled, which means that Dolphin will use the native clock speed of the original consoles (486 MHz for GameCube and 729 MHz for Wii). You can enable this option and use the slider to increase or decrease the clock speed, but be aware that this can cause unpredictable results, such as glitches, slowdowns, or crashes. You should only use this option if you know what you are doing or if you want to experiment with different settings.

Enable Cheats: This option allows you to enable or disable the cheat engine of Dolphin, which lets you use cheat codes to modify various aspects of the games, such as infinite health, ammo, money, etc. To use cheats, you will need to download or create cheat files for your games and place them in the /Documents/Dolphin Emulator/GameSettings folder on your device. You can find cheat files for many games online or use a text editor to create your own. The cheat files must have the same name as the game ID (for example, GMSE01.ini for Super Mario Sunshine). Once you have the cheat files, you can enable this option and then tap on "Edit User Config" to select which cheats you want to activate for each game.

Graphics

Video Backend: This option allows you to choose between two video backends: OpenGL or Vulkan. A video backend is a software component that handles the rendering of the graphics on your device. OpenGL is the default and most compatible option, but it might not work well on some devices or games. Vulkan is a newer and more advanced option that can provide better performance and stability, but it might not be supported by your device or cause some graphical issues. You can try switching between these options if you encounter any problems with your graphics.

Aspect Ratio: This option allows you to choose between three aspect ratios: Auto, Force 16:9, or Force 4:3. An aspect ratio is the ratio of the width and height of the screen. Auto is the default and recommended option, as it will automatically adjust the aspect ratio according to the game. Force 16:9 will stretch the game to fit a widescreen display, which might look better on some devices but also distort some graphics. Force 4:3 will preserve the original aspect ratio of the game, which might look more authentic but also leave black bars on the sides of the screen.

Internal Resolution: This option allows you to choose between several internal resolutions, ranging from 1x Native (640x528) to 6x Native (3840x3168). An internal resolution is the resolution at which Dolphin renders the game before scaling it to fit your screen. A higher internal resolution will result in sharper and clearer graphics, but it will also require more processing power and battery life. A lower internal resolution will result in blurrier and pixelated graphics, but it will also save some resources and improve performance. You should choose an internal resolution that matches your device's capabilities and your personal preference.

Anti-Aliasing: This option allows you to choose between several anti-aliasing modes, ranging from None to 8x MSAA. Anti-aliasing is a technique that smooths out the jagged edges of the graphics, making them look more realistic and less pixelated. A higher anti-aliasing mode will result in smoother graphics, but it will also require more processing power and battery life. A lower anti-aliasing mode will result in more jagged graphics, but it will also save some resources and improve performance. You should choose an anti-aliasing mode that matches your device's capabilities and your personal preference.

Anisotropic Filtering: This option allows you to choose between several anisotropic filtering levels, ranging from 1x to 16x. Anisotropic filtering is a technique that improves the quality of the textures, making them look more detailed and less blurry when viewed from different angles. A higher anisotropic filtering level will result in sharper textures, but it will also require more processing power and battery life. A lower anisotropic filtering level will result in blurrier textures, but it will also save some resources and improve performance. You should choose an anisotropic filtering level that matches your device's capabilities and your personal preference.

Audio

Enable DSP HLE Emulation: This option allows you to enable or disable the high-level emulation of the audio processor (DSP) of the original consoles. Enabling this option will result in faster and more accurate audio emulation, but it might also cause some audio glitches or missing sounds in some games. Disabling this option will result in slower and less accurate audio emulation, but it might also fix some audio issues in some games. You can try toggling this option if you encounter any problems with your audio.

Volume: This option allows you to adjust the volume of the emulator, ranging from 0% to 100%. You can use this option to increase or decrease the sound level of your games according to your preference.

Stretch Audio: This option allows you to enable or disable the stretching of the audio to match the emulation speed. Enabling this option will prevent audio crackling or skipping when the emulation speed is not stable, but it might also cause some audio distortion or lag. Disabling this option will preserve the original audio quality and timing, but it might also cause some audio issues when the emulation speed is not stable. You can try toggling this option if you encounter any problems with your audio.

Controller

Emulated Controller: This option allows you to choose between two types of emulated controllers: GameCube Controller or Wii Remote. Depending on the game that you are playing, you will need to select the appropriate controller type for optimal compatibility and functionality. You can also tap on "Configure" to customize the button mapping and sensitivity of each controller type.

Touchscreen Controller: This option allows you to enable or disable the touchscreen controller, which is a virtual controller that appears on your device's screen and allows you to control the game with touch inputs. Enabling this option will show the touchscreen controller on your screen, which you can drag and resize according to your preference. Disabling this option will hide the touchscreen controller from your screen, which might be useful if you are using an external controller or if you want to enjoy a full-screen view of the game.

Motion Controls: This option allows you to enable or disable the motion controls, which are physical movements that you can perform with your device to control the game. Enabling this option will allow you to use your device's accelerometer and gyroscope to simulate the motion controls of the Wii Remote, such as tilting, shaking, pointing, etc. Disabling this option will disable the motion controls and require you to use other inputs instead.

Adding games

To play GameCube and Wii games on Dolphin, you will need to import them into the emulator's library. There are two ways that you can do this: using iTunes File Sharing or using a web server.

iTunes File Sharing method

iTunes File Sharing is a feature that allows you to transfer files between your computer and your iOS device using iTunes. To use iTunes File Sharing to add games to Dolphin, follow these steps:

Download or rip your GameCube and Wii games into ISO or WBFS files on your computer. You can find ISO files for many games online or use a disc drive and a software tool to rip your own games from physical discs.

Connect your iOS device to your computer with a USB cable and launch iTunes on your computer.

Select your device from the iTunes sidebar and click on "File Sharing".

Select "Dolphin" from the list of apps and click on "Add File".

Browse and select the ISO or WBFS files that you want to transfer to Dolphin and click on "Open".

Wait for iTunes to finish copying the files to your device.

Congratulations, you have successfully added games to Dolphin using iTunes File Sharing. To access them, launch Dolphin on your device and tap on "Refresh" in the top right corner of the app. You should see your games appear in the library.

Web server method

Web server is a feature that allows you to transfer files between your computer and your iOS device using a web browser. To use web server to add games to Dolphin, follow these steps:

Download or rip your GameCube and Wii games into ISO or WBFS files on your computer. You can find ISO files for many games online or use a disc drive and a software tool to rip your own games from physical discs.

Launch Dolphin on your device and tap on the gear icon in the top right corner of the app. Tap on "Web Server" and note the IP address and port number that are displayed.

On your computer, open a web browser and enter the IP address and port number that you noted in the previous step. For example, if the IP address is 192.168.1.100 and the port number is 8080, you would enter in your browser.

You should see a web page that allows you to upload files to Dolphin. Click on "Choose File" and select the ISO or WBFS files that you want to transfer to Dolphin. Click on "Upload" to start the transfer.

Wait for the transfer to finish. You should see a confirmation message on the web page and on Dolphin.

Congratulations, you have successfully added games to Dolphin using web server. To access them, tap on "Refresh" in the top right corner of the app. You should see your games appear in the library.

Launching games

To play your games on Dolphin, you will need to launch them from the emulator's library. To do this, follow these steps:

Tap on the game that you want to play from the library. You will see some information about the game, such as its title, ID, size, region, etc.

Tap on "Play" to start the game. You will see the game screen and the touchscreen controller (if enabled).

To access the in-game menu, tap on the menu icon in the top left corner of the app. From here, you can pause or resume the game, save or load states, take screenshots, adjust settings, etc.

To exit the game, tap on "Exit" from the in-game menu. You will return to the library.

Congratulations, you have successfully launched and played your games on Dolphin. Enjoy!

Troubleshooting Dolphin

While Dolphin is a powerful and versatile emulator, it is not perfect and it might encounter some issues while running on iOS devices. In this section, I will provide some common problems and solutions for troubleshooting Dolphin on iOS.

Common issues and solutions

IssueSolution

Dolphin crashes or freezes while launching or playing a game.This could be caused by various factors, such as incompatible settings, corrupted files, insufficient resources, etc. Try these steps:Restart Dolphin and try again.
Reinstall Dolphin using AltStore or Cydia Impactor and try again.
Check if your device meets the minimum requirements for running Dolphin.
Adjust the settings of Dolphin to lower the emulation quality or performance.
Delete and re-add the game file to Dolphin.
Try a different game file or source.

Dolphin shows an error message while launching or playing a game.This could be caused by various factors, such as incompatible settings, missing files, incorrect permissions, etc. Try these steps:Read the error message carefully and follow any instructions or suggestions that it provides.
Check if your device meets the minimum requirements for running Dolphin.
Adjust the settings of Dolphin to match the game's requirements or compatibility.
Delete and re-add the game file to Dolphin.
Try a different game file or source.

Dolphin runs slowly or lags while playing a game.This could be caused by various factors, such as high emulation quality or performance, low device resources, background apps, etc. Try these steps:Close any other apps that are running on your device.
Check if your device meets the minimum requirements for running Dolphin.
Adjust the settings of Dolphin to lower the emulation quality or performance.
Enable or disable the dual core mode.
Enable or disable the stretch audio option.

Dolphin has graphical glitches or artifacts while playing a game.This could be caused by various factors, such as incompatible settings, unsupported features, faulty files, etc. Try these steps:Check if your device supports the video backend that you are using (OpenGL or Vulkan).
Adjust the settings of Dolphin to match the game's requirements or compatibility.
Enable or disable the anti-aliasing or anisotropic filtering options.
Delete and re-add the game file to Dolphin.
Try a different game file or source.

Dolphin has audio issues or glitches while playing a game.This could be caused by various factors, such as incompatible settings, unsupported features, faulty files, etc. Try these steps:Adjust the volume of Dolphin or your device.
Enable or disable the DSP HLE emulation option.
Enable or disable the stretch audio option.
Delete and re-add the game file to Dolphin.
Try a different game file or source.

If none of these solutions work for you, you can try searching for more specific solutions online or contacting the Dolphin support team for help.

Tips and features

Dolphin is not only a great emulator for playing GameCube and Wii games on your iOS device, but also a powerful tool that offers many features and options that can enhance your gaming experience. In this section, I will provide some tips and features that you can use with Dolphin on iOS.

Enhancements and cheats

One of the advantages of using Dolphin is that you can enhance the graphics and gameplay of your games beyond their original capabilities. For example, you can increase the internal resolution, enable anti-aliasing or anisotropic filtering, apply texture packs or shaders, etc. You can also use cheats to modify various aspects of the games, such as infinite health, ammo, money, etc. To use enhancements and cheats with Dolphin, follow these steps:

Download or create enhancement or cheat files for your games and place them in the /Documents/Dolphin Emulator/Load folder on your device. You can find enhancement and cheat files for many games online or use a text editor to create your own. The enhancement files must have the .ini extension and the cheat files must have the .txt extension. The files must also have the same name as the game ID (for example, GMSE01.ini and GMSE01.txt for Super Mario Sunshine).

Launch Dolphin on your device and tap on the gear icon in the top right corner of the app. Tap on "Graphics" and then tap on "Enhancements". Here you can enable or disable various enhancement options, such as internal resolution, anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, etc. You can also tap on "Load Custom Textures" to enable texture packs or "Load Custom Shaders" to enable shaders. Note that some enhancements might not work well on some devices or games and might cause performance or compatibility issues.

Tap on "General" and then tap on "Enable Cheats". This will enable the cheat engine of Dolphin, which lets you use cheat codes to modify various aspects of the games. You can also tap on "Edit User Config" to select which cheats you want to activate for each game. Note that some cheats might not work well on some devices or games and might cause glitches or crashes.

Start your game and enjoy the enhancements and cheats that you applied.

Netplay

Another advantage of using Dolphin is that you can play multiplayer games online with other players using netplay. Netplay is a feature that allows you to connect with other players over the internet and play games together as if you were using a local network. To use netplay with Dolphin, follow these steps:

Download or rip your GameCube or Wii game into ISO or WBFS file on your computer. You will need to use the same game file and version as the other players that you want to play with.

Download and install Dolphin on your computer. You will need to use the same version of Dolphin as the other players that you want to play with.

Launch Dolphin on your computer and configure your settings and controller as you prefer. Make sure that you enable dual core mode and disable cheats for optimal netplay performance and compatibility.

Add your game file to Dolphin's library and launch it. You will see the game screen and the menu bar.

Click on "Tools" and then click on "Start Netplay". You will see the netplay window.

If you want to host a netplay session, click on "Host" and select your game from the list. You will see a room code that you can share with other players that you want to invite. You can also adjust some settings, such as the number of players, the latency, the chat, etc.

If you want to join a netplay session, click on "Connect" and enter the room code that the host provided. You will join the host's room and see their settings and chat.

Once everyone is ready, the host can click on "Start" to begin the netplay session. You will see the game screen and the controller overlay (if enabled).

To access the netplay menu, press the home button on your controller or keyboard. From here, you can pause or resume the netplay session, chat with other players, adjust settings, etc.

To exit the netplay session, press the home button and then click on "Exit". You will return to the netplay window.

Congratulations, you have successfully used netplay with Dolphin. Enjoy playing online with your friends!

Conclusion

In this article, I have shown you how to download and install Dolphin on your iOS device without jailbreaking, how to set up Dolphin on your device, how to troubleshoot some common issues that you might encounter while using it, and how to use some tips and features that will enhance your gaming experience with Dolphin. Dolphin is a powerful and versatile emulator that allows you to play GameCube and Wii games on your iOS device with high quality and performance. I hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact me directly. Thank you for reading and happy gaming!

FAQs

Is Dolphin legal?Dolphin is legal as long as you use it with your own games that you legally own or have permission to use. Downloading or distributing games that you do not own or have permission to use is illegal and may result in legal consequences.

Is Dolphin safe?Dolphin is safe as long as you download it from its official website or from AltStore. Do not download Dolphin from any other sources, as they might contain malware or viruses that could harm your device or data.

Is Dolphin free?Dolphin is free and open-source, which means that anyone can download, use, modify, or distribute it without paying any fees or royalties. However, if you want to support the development of Dolphin, you can make a donation or contribute to its code or community .

How do I update Dolphin?To update Dolphin on your iOS device, you will need to delete the old version and install the new version using AltStore or Cydia Impactor. Alternatively, you can use AltStore's update feature to automatically update Dolphin when a new version is available.

How do I delete Dolphin?To delete Dolphin from your iOS device, you can simply tap and hold on its icon on your home screen and then tap on "Delete App". This will remove Dolphin and all its data from your device.

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