In 2026, your old Nintendo Switch can transform into a retro machine capable of running games Nintendo Wii And Nintendo GameCube by the thousands without going back to the checkout. A tip from the homebrew scene revives interest in the console while everyone is only talking about the Nintendo Switch 2.
At the heart of this discovery, the project Tico now includes the famous Dolphin Emulator directly into Horizon OSthe Switch system. Result: classics like Luigi’s Mansion Or Super Smash Bros. Melee are already running on the hybrid console. It remains to be seen what this really means for players.
Nintendo Switch: how does this trick unlock thousands of Wii and GameCube games?
Tico is an emulation frontend designed for Nintendo Switch which, in its 0.7.0 alpha version, includes a core Dolphin capable of emulating the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo GameCube. Unlike old DIYs under Android or Linux, everything runs here natively under Horizon OSwithout restarting the console.
The developers warn, however, that “This is the most demanding core to run on Switch (Horizon) to date, so instability is expected.” and add: “A compatibility list is being compiled to track how well games are running.” According to GamingBiblegames like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Rayman Origins Or Rhythm Heaven Fever are already playable, with varying results.
Free Wii and GameCube games on Nintendo Switch: what does that change for you?
In theory, almost the entire Nintendo Wii and Nintendo GameCube catalog becomes accessible, i.e. thousands of titles, where Nintendo Switch Online and the range Nintendo Classics only offer a handful of GameCube games. Concretely, this means launching your copies of FIFA Street 2 Or Twilight Princess without waiting for an official port.
The term “free” is misleading. No additional expenditure on the eShop or subscription is required, but French law generally requires you to have the original and make the backup copy yourself. Downloading ROMs from the Internet or circumventing technical protections exposes you to obvious legal problems.
Nintendo Switch, Tico, Dolphin: what risks, what availability in 2026?
To benefit from it, you need a Nintendo Switch equipped with a custom firmware. Early V1 models can be modified by software alone, while V2s and OLEDs often require delicate hardware interventions. In any case, the warranty expires and the risk of transforming the console into a brick remains very real in the event of improper handling.
Tico also pushes the console’s Tegra SoC: the CPU climbs to around 1,785 MHz and the GPU to around 768 MHz, which improves emulation but increases heating, fan noise and potential wear. Intensive use may reduce battery life and, if detected by Nintendolead to a ban on online services.
This tip is therefore mainly aimed at tinkerers who already have a second Nintendo Switch and a well-stocked Wii or GameCube games library. For most players, between technical risks, legal vagueness and still present instability, it is better to stay on the official Nintendo Switch Online offer, the Switch remasters and the future GameCube emulation framed on Nintendo Switch 2.