Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR Dolphin Emulator has struggled for years with its approach to Nintendo TriForce arcade hardware.
After broken, limited support caused TriForce development to be pushed to a dedicated branch, it’s now reintegrated with some major breakthroughs.
Dolphin even supports cabinet networking, recreating the multi-player arcade experience.
When you think “Nintendo gaming,” where do your thoughts immediately go? Consoles like the NES? Handsets like the Switch? Both solid answers, and both probably a lot more popular ones than “arcade games.” While the arcades may not be Nintendo’s main business, the company’s had a presence there on and off since its early days. And now one of the most popular Nintendo emulators around is getting a big upgrade that lets you relive some of Nintendo’s best arcade moments.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more.
to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search by clicking the button below.
The early 2000s were a weird, transitional time for gaming. Sega’s struggles with the Dreamcast led the company to get out of the hardware business, and it quickly found itself turning to some unexpected partners to maintain a presence in the arcade. Those included Microsoft, with the Xbox-based Chihiro arcade system powering titles like Crazy Taxi 3, and also Sega’s long-time rival Nintendo. In fact, it was Sega, Nintendo, and even Namco who all teamed up together for the TriForce arcade platform — basically, an arcade version of the GameCube.
While there weren’t a ton of TriForce games ultimately released, that short roster does feature a few stand-out entries from beloved series, including F-Zero AX and Mario Kart Arcade GP. So far, if you’ve wanted to play those games, that meant tracking down those arcade cabinets in real life.
Emulator fans probably already know about Dolphin, one of the best and most full-featured around. Dolphin targets GameCube and Wii hardware, and offers enhancements like high-res graphics output. In a blog entry today, the Dolphin team describes some of the challenges they’ve faced over the years in extending TriForce support, finding mixed success and never really optimizing their approach to it.
... continue reading