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Open-source software for anyone interested in improving their gaming experience with hundreds of user updates

Open-source software for anyone interested in improving their gaming experience with hundreds of user updates

Vote: (16 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: GitHub

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(16 votes)

Free

Developer

GitHub

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Freeware and open-source
  • Extensive GameCube game compatibility
  • Supports Wii and Wii U

Cons

  • Not for casual users

Nintendont is a homebrew solution that lets you play GameCube games on the Nintendo Wii and Wii U.

Nintendont is an open-source homebrew solution for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Wii U video game systems that allows GameCube ROMs to be loaded via USB. Open source means that you can download the source code and edit as needed. There are also compiled versions that the average user will download and install in order to get Nintendont running on their Nintendo systems.

Nintendont is not an emulator. After all, Nintendo built support directly into the Wii and Wii U for GameCube games. Unfortunately, Nintendo chose not to let you play the games you own. Instead, you have to pay for them again—albeit at a reduced price in all likelihood—via the eShop. Nintendont allows GameCube ROMs to be sideloaded via USB, and the game is run natively by the hardware and software that already exists in your system. This is pretty basic mod as far as console mods go.

As far as homebrew solutions for video game consoles go, Nintendont is among the simplest to acquire, install, configure and use. If you’re comfortable with technology in general, you shouldn’t have much problem getting this to work. Nevertheless, this isn’t a solution designed for casual users, and the distributed nature of the tutorials and other resources may prove a bit frustrating.

Nintendont supports SD cards as well as USB memory sticks and external drives. It also offers a number of optional features, such as memory card emulation, forced widescreen, forced progressive and auto boot. There’s even a native control option that lets you use real GameCube accessories directly through your Wii or Wii U. A popular use for this feature is the Game Boy Advance link cable.

The GameCube game compatibility list for Nintendo is extensive. It continues to be expanded, but it is by no means exhaustive. If there’s a particular game you want to play, then you may want to check the compatibility lists that are available online. It’s also worth noting that Nintendont is not a perfect solution and may never be. There are GameCube games that you can download from the eShop that work fine on the Wii and Wii U but simply do not and may never work via Nintendont.

It’s worth nothing that Nintendont is a champion in the sense that it allows circumvention of Nintendo’s attempts to make people re-pay for GameCube games that they already owned. The downside here is that ROMs are often freely available, and that means that people can use Nintendont to play GameCube games that they haven’t purchased.

Pros

  • Freeware and open-source
  • Extensive GameCube game compatibility
  • Supports Wii and Wii U

Cons

  • Not for casual users