How to Use Dolphin on a Mac

Download the Visual C++ and DirectX Runtime libraries from Dolphin's website if you don't have them on your Mac. Dolphin also offers links to sites where you can download updated ATI or NVIDIA drivers if your drivers are too old to run Dolphin. The sites help you select the drivers that go with your video card and operating system.

Download Dolphin and install it on your Mac. Older versions of the emulator require downloading several added pieces of software and working with them to use Dolphin on a Mac, but you can download the most recent version directly.

Configure Dolphin on your Mac. Configuration -- setting preferences for screen resolution, game speed, window size and running multiple processes at once -- enables you to get the maximum satisfaction from your emulator. If your Mac supports it, Dolphin plays games at high-definition resolution, which Wii and GameCube consoles, as of 2011, cannot do. If you're not sure what configuration you want, Dolphin lists the key configuration settings online.

Connect your Wii remotes -- Wiimotes -- to your computer. Open Bluetooth and Bluetooth preferences on your Mac and the computer will check for any Bluetooth compatible equipment nearby. Once your Mac identifies the Wiimotes, you can use them through Dolphin.

Load the game you want to play, either by booting it from a disk or downloading it. Install the game on your hard drive and then open it. If you've configured Dolphin correctly, games play as smoothly as on the real GameCube or Wii console.

Check Dolphin's online list of compatible games for the emulator before trying to use them. Some games, such as Curious George for the Gamecube, were not compatible as of late 2011, so playing them may not be an option.