Dolphin Netplay: Taking GameCube Multiplayer Online

As my online friends and I have gotten older and busier, it's gotten harder to assemble a bunch of people at once for group games. Unfortunately, a lot of online multiplayer games need at least four people to get the most out of them. If you're in the same spot, you're in luck! The Dolphin emulator's netplay feature, which lets you emulate local co-op GameCube and Wii games with people online, has got you covered.

Trying to play local co-op games online is usually a headache to set up, so I was surprised by how well Dolphin just... works. Just host on the "Traversal Server," give your friend the invite code, and boom! Done. Lag was rare, and input delay was never an issue - it's easy to forget you're even playing online.

Interested, but not sure which games to try? Lemme give you a rundown of what we've played so far!

My Personal Favorites

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles

First things first: this is a spinoff! It's an action RPG, so you'll be fighting, casting spells, and exploring dungeons in real time. The gameplay is simple, but the breezy pacing keeps things fresh. Crystal Chronicles really captures the sense of being on a grand adventure, and there's a ton of small flourishes and events that make the world feel alive. You can also add and bench members of your team as needed, so it's great for a flexible number of people. (This game integrates the GBA, so check the Dolphin Wiki for steps to run it!)

Super Monkey Ball 1 and 2

If you're looking for a "pick up and play" kind of game, Super Monkey Ball has a bunch of minigames outside the main arcade mode. And they are all hilarious. You can play fucked up and evil bowling! You can make the monkeys launch each other into the stratosphere! The main arcade mode also allows co-op, if that's more your speed. (Also, if you're having trouble running this one, try turning off Dual Core!)

F-Zero GX

This one might take getting used to if you're used to Mario Kart, but it's worth it. F-Zero GX is exhilirating, not to mention stylish, and you won't find much like it out there! The main draw to me is the boost mechanic. In this game, your boost meter isn't just to up your speed: it's also your health bar. That might not sound like much, but it creates a tense balancing act to push your speed as far as possible with juuust enough of your meter left to stay alive. Like a lot of arcade-like games, it encourages you to push your skills to their limit in a really satisfying way. (Again, try turning off Dual Core if you run into issues!)

Kirby Air Ride

City Trial is a very chill time, since you'll mostly be searching the city for items and vehicles. This is peak "something to do while chatting" to me. It's a lot of fun, though, and competing to hunt down the legendary vehicles can get frantic and leads to some funny moments! The final competition also changes each time, adding some variety. The Air Ride and Top Ride modes are also worth checking out, but c'mon. We all know why we're here. (Also, funnily enough, we started playing this game not long before the sequel was announced. I'm halfway convinced we summoned this game back from the dead.)

The Lightning Round

We only played these ones for a little bit, but here's my first impressions.

Custom Robo: It's a cool robot fighting game with a lot of customization potential and great character designs! My friend plays this game competitively, so it was fun to finally see it for myself. :)

Metal Arms: Glitch in the System: There's no co-op for the main game! It's a shame. Fighting each other in the battle mode was pretty funny, though.

Sonic Adventure 2 Battle: This is one of my favorite games of all time. The multiplayer mode is super boring. I know, I'm sad too.

Super Smash Bros Melee: I am not used to Melee's physics. The Akaneia build of this game adds Sonic to the roster and a volleyball minigame, though, so that's pretty sick.

Mario Kart Double Dash: Maybe it's because I haven't played Mario Kart in years, but this game's controls felt really weird.

What's Next?

I want to look into Wii games at some point, but as you can guess, having to emulate motion controls eliminates a lot of options. If you're looking to do this yourself, I'd like to remind you that the Wii's Virtual Console library can also be emulated! Can't speak on how well it works, though, so you'll just have to try it for yourself.

We've also looked into things like Parsec and Steam Remote Play, but lag and input delay have been a recurring issue in those. Parsec seems to be passable for less demanding games, at least? RetroArch apparently has netplay as well, but I have no idea if it works.

Needless to say, so far, Dolphin's netplay feature stands far above the rest when it comes to playing local co-op online. If any of the games here caught your eye, why not bring a friend along for the ride?