Dolphin vs Flycast

Dolphin is free, open-source software that emulates Nintendo GameCube and Wii consoles so users can play games for those systems on a PC. It also runs on Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, and requires a 64-bit operating system. Listed enhancements include full HD (1080p), PC controller compatibility, turbo speed, and networked multiplayer. The FAQ describes compatibility as high across most GameCube and Wii titles, while warning that some games can have defects, errors, or crashes. Dolphin uses the GPLv2+ license; distributing it requires releasing source code and providing attribution. Downloads include Windows x64 and ARM64, macOS for ARM and Intel, Android, and Linux Flatpak packages. Stable releases are made every few months, while development versions appear several times a day and are less tested. The FAQ recommends at least 2 GB of RAM and notes the importance of GPU support for DirectX 11.1 and OpenGL 4.4. Community resources include Discord, forums, a wiki, and GitHub; bug reports go to the issue tracker. Dolphin states that it is not affiliated with Nintendo.

Flycast is a free emulator for Sega Dreamcast, Naomi, Naomi 2, and Atomiswave, derived from reicast. It runs on Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with releases available as stable tagged versions, master builds, and experimental nightly builds. Android users are directed to Google Play; Linux instructions cover Flatpak and Flathub, while macOS instructions use Homebrew. Windows documentation provides a bootstrap script for building from source. Xbox One and Series users can install a build through Xbox Device Portal. Flycast supports online play, with release notes describing modem-emulation improvements and fixes for online features in several games. Its DCNet service is a free dedicated VPN for Dreamcast games; 30 game servers were available when it was released. Physical Dreamcast controllers work with DreamConn+ and DreamPicoPort adapters. On Android, Google Auto Backup can back up VMU saves and non-volatile memory. The project lists GPL-2.0 as its license and says iOS support has been dropped.