> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick start guide

> Get your first GameCube or Wii game running in Dolphin within minutes

This guide will help you go from a fresh Dolphin installation to playing your first game in just a few steps.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

* Dolphin installed on your system (see [Installation](/installation))
* A legally obtained GameCube or Wii game dump in a supported format
* A system that meets the [minimum requirements](/system-requirements)

<Warning>
  Dolphin does not condone piracy. You must legally own the games you play. Dumping your own games from original discs is the legal way to obtain game files.
</Warning>

## Supported game formats

Dolphin supports the following disc image formats:

* **ISO** - Standard disc image format
* **GCM** - GameCube disc image
* **GCZ** - Dolphin-compressed GameCube image
* **WIA** - Wii image archive format
* **RVZ** - Recommended format with excellent compression (zstd)
* **WBFS** - Wii Backup File System format
* **CISO** - Compact ISO format

<Note>
  RVZ is the recommended format for storage efficiency. Use DolphinTool to convert between formats.
</Note>

## Running your first game

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch Dolphin">
    Open the Dolphin application on your system. You'll be greeted with the main window showing an empty game list.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add game directory">
    Configure Dolphin to scan for your games:

    1. Click **Config** in the toolbar
    2. Go to the **Paths** tab
    3. Click **Add** and select the folder containing your game files
    4. Click **OK**

    Dolphin will automatically scan the directory and display all compatible games in the game list.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure graphics settings (recommended)">
    For the best experience, configure your graphics settings:

    1. Click **Graphics** in the toolbar
    2. In the **General** tab:
       * Select **Backend**: Choose Vulkan for best performance, or OpenGL for compatibility
       * Set **Aspect Ratio**: Auto or Force 16:9 for widescreen
       * Enable **VSync** to prevent screen tearing
    3. In the **Enhancements** tab:
       * Set **Internal Resolution**: 2x or 3x Native for HD graphics (higher values require more GPU power)
       * Enable **Anisotropic Filtering**: 16x for sharper textures
       * Enable **Anti-Aliasing**: 4x MSAA for smoother edges (if your GPU can handle it)

    <Note>
      Start with conservative settings and increase them if your system handles the game well. You can always adjust settings later.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure controllers">
    Set up your input device:

    1. Click **Controllers** in the toolbar
    2. For GameCube games:
       * Select **Port 1** dropdown
       * Choose **Standard Controller**
       * Click **Configure** and map your buttons
    3. For Wii games:
       * Select **Wii Remote 1** dropdown
       * Choose **Emulated Wii Remote**
       * Click **Configure** and map your buttons

    <Tip>
      If you have a real GameCube controller adapter, select "GameCube Adapter for Wii U" instead of Standard Controller for native support.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start the game">
    You're ready to play!

    * **Double-click** the game in the game list, or
    * **Right-click** the game and select **Play**, or
    * Select the game and click **Play** in the toolbar

    The game will launch in a new window.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Command line usage

Dolphin can also be launched from the command line with various options:

```bash theme={null}
Dolphin.exe [options]... [FILE]...
```

### Common command line options

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Windows theme={null}
  # Launch a specific game
  Dolphin.exe -e "C:\Games\SuperSmashBros.iso"

  # Launch with a specific video backend
  Dolphin.exe -e game.iso -v Vulkan

  # Run without GUI (batch mode)
  Dolphin.exe -b -e game.iso

  # Load a save state on launch
  Dolphin.exe -e game.iso -s savestate.sav
  ```

  ```bash Linux/macOS theme={null}
  # Launch a specific game
  dolphin-emu -e "/home/user/games/SuperSmashBros.iso"

  # Launch with a specific video backend
  dolphin-emu -e game.iso -v Vulkan

  # Run without GUI (batch mode)  
  dolphin-emu -b -e game.iso

  # Load a save state on launch
  dolphin-emu -e game.iso -s savestate.sav
  ```
</CodeGroup>

### Available options

| Option                                  | Description                                                 |
| --------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-e <file>`, `--exec=<file>`            | Load and run the specified game file                        |
| `-v BACKEND`, `--video_backend=BACKEND` | Specify video backend (Vulkan, OGL, D3D, D3D12)             |
| `-a MODE`, `--audio_emulation=MODE`     | Choose audio emulation (HLE or LLE)                         |
| `-b`, `--batch`                         | Run without user interface (requires -e or --nand-title)    |
| `-s <file>`, `--save_state=<file>`      | Load initial save state                                     |
| `-m MOVIE`, `--movie=MOVIE`             | Play a movie file                                           |
| `-d`, `--debugger`                      | Show debugger pane and additional View menu options         |
| `-u USER`, `--user=USER`                | Specify custom user folder path                             |
| `-C <config>`, `--config=<config>`      | Set configuration option (format: System.Section.Key=Value) |
| `--version`                             | Show version number and exit                                |
| `-h`, `--help`                          | Show help message and exit                                  |

<Note>
  Available video backends: **Vulkan**, **OGL** (OpenGL), **D3D** (Direct3D 11), **D3D12** (Direct3D 12), **Software Renderer**, **Null**
</Note>

## Using DolphinTool

DolphinTool is a command-line utility for managing game files without launching the full emulator.

### Convert game formats

Convert between different disc image formats:

```bash theme={null}
dolphin-tool convert -i game.iso -o game.rvz -f rvz -c zstd -l 5
```

**Common options:**

* `-i FILE` - Input file path
* `-o FILE` - Output file path
* `-f FORMAT` - Container format (iso, gcz, wia, rvz)
* `-c COMPRESSION` - Compression method (none, zstd, bzip, lzma, lzma2)
* `-l LEVEL` - Compression level (suggested: 5 for zstd)
* `-b BLOCK_SIZE` - Block size (suggested: 131072 for RVZ)
* `-s` - Scrub junk data during conversion

<Tip>
  For optimal storage, use: `dolphin-tool convert -i game.iso -o game.rvz -f rvz -c zstd -l 5 -b 131072`
</Tip>

### Verify game integrity

Verify disc images and compute checksums:

```bash theme={null}
# Verify disc image
dolphin-tool verify -i game.iso

# Compute MD5 hash
dolphin-tool verify -i game.iso -a md5

# Compute SHA1 hash  
dolphin-tool verify -i game.iso -a sha1
```

**Available algorithms:** crc32, md5, sha1, rchash

### Extract game files

Extract files from disc images:

```bash theme={null}
# Extract entire disc
dolphin-tool extract -i game.iso -o ./extracted/

# List all files
dolphin-tool extract -i game.iso -l

# Extract specific partition
dolphin-tool extract -i game.wbfs -o ./data/ -p 0

# Extract only game data partition
dolphin-tool extract -i game.iso -o ./game_data/ -g
```

### Get disc header information

View disc image metadata:

```bash theme={null}
# Show all header info
dolphin-tool header -i game.rvz

# Show block size
dolphin-tool header -i game.rvz -b

# Show compression method
dolphin-tool header -i game.rvz -c

# Show compression level
dolphin-tool header -i game.rvz -l
```

## Performance tips

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Start with conservative settings" icon="sliders">
    Begin with 2x internal resolution and no anti-aliasing. Increase settings gradually based on performance.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use Vulkan backend" icon="bolt">
    Vulkan generally offers the best performance on modern systems. Try it first before other backends.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enable dual-core mode" icon="microchip">
    In Config > General, enable "Enable Dual Core" for better performance on multi-core CPUs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use HLE audio" icon="volume">
    HLE audio emulation is faster than LLE and works well for most games. Switch to LLE only if you encounter audio issues.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting common issues

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Game runs too slowly">
    * Lower the internal resolution to 1x Native
    * Disable anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering
    * Enable "Skip EFB Access from CPU" in Graphics > Hacks
    * Make sure "Enable Dual Core" is enabled in Config > General
    * Try different video backends (Vulkan, Direct3D 12, or OpenGL)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Graphics glitches or artifacts">
    * Try a different video backend
    * Disable "Skip EFB Access from CPU" in Graphics > Hacks
    * Enable "Store EFB Copies to Texture Only" in Graphics > Hacks
    * Check the [Dolphin Wiki](https://wiki.dolphin-emu.org/) for game-specific settings
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Controller not working">
    * Check that your controller is properly connected
    * Reconfigure controllers in Controllers menu
    * Try selecting a different controller profile
    * For Wii games, make sure you've configured Wii Remotes, not GameCube controllers
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Audio stuttering or crackling">
    * Increase audio latency in Config > Audio
    * Switch from LLE to HLE audio emulation
    * Enable "Enable Dual Core" if disabled
    * Close background applications to free up CPU resources
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Game won't launch">
    * Verify the game file isn't corrupted: `dolphin-tool verify -i game.iso`
    * Check that the file format is supported
    * Look for error messages in View > Show Log
    * Check the [compatibility list](https://dolphin-emu.org/compat/) to see if the game is supported
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

Now that you have Dolphin running, explore more features:

* **Save states** - Press Shift+F1 through Shift+F8 to save states, F1-F8 to load
* **Screenshots** - Press F9 to capture screenshots
* **Graphics mods** - Install custom textures and shaders from the Dolphin forums
* **Netplay** - Play multiplayer games online with friends via Tools > Start NetPlay
* **Achievements** - Enable RetroAchievements in Config > Achievements

For game-specific settings and compatibility information, visit the [Dolphin Wiki](https://wiki.dolphin-emu.org/).