In 2023, Valve removed Dolphin from Steam due to copyright concerns regarding the Wii Common Key (used to decrypt WADs and ISOs). While Dolphin remains legal, the distribution of WADs is not.

The emulated NAND has limited space (roughly 512MB). Installing too many WADs can fill it up. [4†L30-L33] Solutions include:

WADs are a fantastic way to enjoy the Wii’s vast library of smaller, retro, and quirky titles in Dolphin. Keep your collection legal, back up your own games, and you’ll be jumping into Super Mario Bros. 3 or Mega Man 9 in no time.

Force widescreen hacks, apply anti-aliasing, and use custom texture packs.

Browse to your .wad file and select it. Dolphin will process and install it.

Operating system files that the Wii requires to run specific games or system updates. (Rarely needed for standard Dolphin gaming, but crucial for full system menu emulation). Why Use WADs in Dolphin?