Dolphin Emulator for Android Adds RetroAchievements Support in Latest Beta
Dolphin for Android now supports RetroAchievements in its latest development builds. The update enables achievement tracking for GameCube titles, with Wii support planned for March 2026. Users can download version 2509-503 or later to test the feature.
The long-awaited integration allows users to unlock achievements for GameCube titles directly on their mobile devices, with Wii support scheduled for 2026.
The development team behind Dolphin, the premier GameCube and Wii emulator, has deployed a significant update to its Android build, introducing native support for RetroAchievements. The feature, previously available on desktop versions, enables players to log into their RetroAchievements account and earn badges for completing specific in-game challenges.
Rollout Details and Compatibility
According to the official announcement on Reddit, the integration is currently available in the development builds, starting with version 5.0-2509-503. At present, the functionality is limited to the Nintendo GameCube library. The development team has indicated that support for Wii and WiiWare titles is in the pipeline, with a projected release window of March 2026.
This update represents a major milestone for the Android emulation community, bringing parity closer to the desktop experience. Users can access these builds by downloading the latest development version directly from the Dolphin Emulator website or by opting into the beta programme on the Google Play Store.
Current Limitations
As this is a beta implementation, there are functional caveats. The most notable omission is the lack of an in-app user interface for tracking achievements. While the system tracks progress and displays pop-up notifications upon unlocking an achievement, players cannot yet view a full list of unlocked or remaining badges within the emulator itself. A dedicated UI for this purpose is currently under active development.
Furthermore, the feature requires an active internet connection to log progress to the RetroAchievements servers, a standard requirement for the service.
Installation and Testing
The team has encouraged users to stress-test the implementation, noting that while internal testing has been conducted, the variety of Android hardware may expose unforeseen issues. Feedback and bug reports are being collated via the project's Discord server and community forums to refine the feature before it is merged into the stable release channel, which is expected later this month.
