Can Raspberry Pi 4 Run Gamecube

Raspberry Pi devices are truly amazing devices. Who’d have thought that such a small component could prove to be so incredibly powerful? And they’re incredibly affordable to boot! 

Raspberry Pi computers make for great short-term solutions, if you need a small computer for occasional use, or if you want to add them to an existing PC to improve performance.

They are also great for getting an introduction to building computers, to find out what components are needed, and how you can customize them yourself!

Another great reason that people decide to pick up Raspberry pi devices is for the possibilities they open up for game emulation.

Video game emulation is proving to be more and more necessary, as hardware becomes defunct, and older video games become harder and harder to access, but the barrier to entry can be quite significant. 

Can Raspberry Pi 4 Run Gamecube

Trying to find the perfect device to emulate on can be incredibly difficult, as certain games require certain specs. As well as this, investing in specs so that your computer can emulate can be very costly, thus why many are turning to Raspberry Pi devices. 

But can a Raspberry Pi 4 device run Gamecube games (see also ‘How To Power Raspberry Pi 4‘)? What emulators should you use? Let’s find some answers so you can get back to playing retro games!

Can Raspberry Pi 4 Run Gamecube?

Technically, yes, the Raspberry Pi 4 can run Gamecube games, but it will do so incredibly poorly, so it is not worth it. Tests of many of the most popular Gamecube games, like Super Smash Bros. Melee, Soul Calibur II, and Mario Kart Double Dash revealed very troubling issues. 

For one, sound proves to be a very prevalent issue when emulating Gamecube games on the Raspberry Pi 4.

Games like Soul Calibur II ran well enough, on a graphical level, but the sounds, including both music and sound effects, were incredibly choppy, with noticeable clipping, which makes much of the game inaudible. 

Visuals are also hampered by the power of the Raspberry Pi 4. In games like Spiderman 2, noticeable tearing and texture clipping can be spotted on buildings.

This also occasionally happens with character models during gameplay, which can cause some games to almost look incomprehensible, or to flash in an uncomfortable manner that will strain your eyes. 

This is even the case for simple 2D character models, such as those in Capcom Vs. SNK 2, in which elements of the character models become invisible, or tear away entirely during the heat of the action. 

And, of course, another area where the Raspberry Pi 4 lets Gamecube games down is in performance. Most games run at a paltry 15 to 20 frames per second, with certain games like Spiderman 2 running as low as 5 to 10 frames per second, which is practically unplayable. 

These frame rate issues are terrible for fighting games, especially Super Smash Bros. Melee, which is known for fast-paced action, as such its sub-30 frame rate leaves a lot to be desired.

In our tests, we encountered no Gamecube games that ran faster than 30 frames per second on the Raspberry Pi 4.

Will The Raspberry Pi 4 Ever Be Able To Play Gamecube Games?

There is always the chance that those who develop emulation programs find a way to optimize Gamecube performance on the Raspberry Pi. Emulation is an ever-evolving pass time, and different emulators are getting better day by day.

However, this is a very long process, as indicated by the continued difficulty to emulate the Playstation 3, despite that console launching in 2005!

However, the likelihood that developers will target Raspberry Pi 4 performance is low. Developers will likely aim to get Gamecube games running reliably on high-end PCs first, as that is what most of their users are playing on.

Can The Raspberry Pi 4 Run Gamecube on RetroPie?

Definitely not. While Retropie definitely makes it easier to access all of your emulated games in one simple platform, it does not currently operate in a way that is accommodating to the needs of Gamecube emulation. 

As well as this, Gamecube emulation, especially through Dolphin, often runs on a 64-bit operating system, which is totally incompatible with Retropie. This means that emulating games through Retropie, while also emulating Gamecube games must be done on totally different platforms.

Gamecube

Can Any Other Raspberry Pi Models Run Gamecube Games?

Unfortunately, no other Raspberry Pi models can run Gamecube games to a satisfactory level. This even includes the slightly more powerful Raspberry Pi 4000 model.

Even on the most powerful of Raspberry Pi models, frame rate, visual, and sound issues are fully apparent, which makes Raspberry Pi largely unfeasible for Gamecube emulation.

Lower power models such as Raspberry Pi Zero certainly cannot run Gamecube games, and attempting to would lead to intense stuttering, frame rate issues, and all manner of frustrating slow-down and crashes.

Do You Need To Overclock Raspberry Pi 4 To Run Gamecube Games?

Yes. In order for any Gamecube games to run on the Raspberry Pi 4, you need to overclock the Raspberry Pi. This is because, in its normal state, it would not be able to run the Gamecube games at all.

However, it is worth noting that overclocking your Raspberry Pi 4 will still not be quite enough to run your Gamecube games to a truly satisfactory level.

No matter how much power you force the Raspberry Pi 4 to utilize, it won’t be enough for Gamecube emulation, and you will still experience sound and visual issues that may render certain games unplayable.

Can The Raspberry Pi 4 Run N64 Games?

Yes. The Raspberry Pi 4 can run Nintendo 64 games, though it runs into very similar problems as with Gamecube games. You may notice that character models, textures, and other visual elements appear glitchy, or may not even load in at all. Sound issues also prevail.

N64 games also often encounter multiple crashes on Raspberry Pi 4. 

To Conclude

Using Raspberry Pi devices for emulation is a great solution, especially when running 2D retro games from consoles such as the Sega Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, or the Amiga.

However, devices such as the Raspberry Pi 4 have trouble with running any 3D games, especially 32 and 64-bit games from the Playstation or Nintendo 64.

This is to say nothing of Gamecube games, which the Raspberry Pi 4 has intense trouble emulating.

If you were to run Gamecube games on a Raspberry Pi 4, while it may be possible, they will run incredibly slowly, with many visual and audio glitches that can ruin the experience of many retro games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Netflix Work On Raspberry Pi?

Yes. Netflix isn’t particularly taxing on a Raspberry Pi device, even some of the cheaper and less powerful models. You should be able to stream very comfortably from a Raspberry Pi device (see also ‘Raspberry Pi Models Comparison: Which Pi is Right for My Application?’).

However, you may notice issues with the user interface of Netflix on your Raspberry Pi, as there are many moving elements.

How Much RAM Does A PS2 Have?

An ordinary release Playstation 2 has around 32 gigabytes of system RAM, which allows it to run the various games you can play on it.

Can You Watch Disney Plus On A Raspberry Pi?

Yes. The Raspberry Pi can very comfortably stream content from most of the major streaming platforms, including Disney Plus, Netflix, Youtube, and Amazon Prime Video. This makes it an effective streaming device.

Erik D