Dolphin update makes GameCube and Wii games far less likely to crash
Dolphin’s latest build, 2509, puts stability front and center. By revisiting a decade-old performance trick and overhauling Wii Remote connectivity under the hood, the emulator now crashes far less often while maintaining smooth play on modern hardware.
Dual Core dialed back on desktop for stability
For years, Dolphin leaned on Dual Core mode to wring extra performance from multi-core CPUs. That approach was essential in the early days, when a single core couldn’t keep pace with the demands of accurately emulating GameCube and Wii systems. The tradeoff, however, was timing unpredictability: different PCs scheduled threads differently, which could desynchronize emulated components and trigger hard-to-reproduce crashes.
Build 2509 makes a decisive shift. On desktop, Dual Core is now disabled by default. With today’s CPUs, most games still hit or exceed full speed without splitting the emulator across cores, and the result is a noticeably steadier experience—especially in titles that were prone to random hangs or freezes. If you’re on a contemporary gaming rig, you’ll likely see no performance regression, just fewer headaches.
On Android, the story remains different. Because mobile devices typically juggle tighter thermal limits and additional OS overhead, Dual Core stays enabled by default there to preserve playable framerates.
Disney’s Wii lineup finally plays nice
Three stubborn holdouts—Toy Story 3, Cars 2, and Disney Infinity—have received long-overdue attention. These Avalanche Software titles contained code that deliberately leveraged cache behavior in ways that consistently tripped up emulators. Even after bypassing the crash trigger, performance had been abysmal.
The new build tackles both fronts. First, it neutralizes the self-sabotaging cache quirk. Then, through careful handling of how those games access memory, performance climbs to where it should have been all along. The result: full-speed gameplay on modern PCs. These titles are still more demanding than average, but they’re finally practical to play without resorting to extreme settings.
Bluetooth Passthrough rebuilt for modern adapters
Wii Remote fidelity hinges on Bluetooth Passthrough, which hands control directly to Dolphin so it can talk to controllers at Nintendo’s high polling rate and with their unusual descriptors intact. Recently, some newer adapters—especially those using Realtek’s RTL8761 chipset—stopped working correctly with the existing implementation.
Build 2509 includes a deep refresh of Bluetooth Passthrough. The team improved performance and added a targeted fix that restores compatibility with RTL8761-based devices. The upshot is broader adapter support and more reliable Wii Remote pairing, bringing that authentic feel back without the guesswork.
Why this matters
- Far fewer random crashes in sensitive titles thanks to a safer default on desktop.
- Improved playability for Toy Story 3, Cars 2, and Disney Infinity—now running at full speed on capable PCs.
- Wider Bluetooth adapter compatibility, including fixes for devices using Realtek’s RTL8761, making Wii Remote connections smoother.
- Android users retain Dual Core by default to keep framerates high on leaner hardware.
The bottom line
Dolphin 2509 trades a bit of legacy risk-taking for modern reliability. With desktop hardware powerful enough to sustain full-speed emulation without aggressive threading, turning off Dual Core by default is a smart move that benefits most players immediately. Pair that with the long-awaited Disney game fixes and a robust revamp of Bluetooth Passthrough, and this update is one of the most impactful quality-of-life releases Dolphin has seen in years.
The build is rolling out now across platforms, with mobile storefront updates typically trailing by a short window. If you’ve been wrestling with instability or struggling to pair Wii Remotes on newer adapters, this is the one to install.
