How to use Cemu, the Wii U emulator, step by step

If you want to get the most out of Wii U games on your PC, Cemu is today the benchmark emulatorIt allows you to enjoy titles such as Mario Kart 8, Bayonetta 2, or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can be played with better performance and graphics than on the console itself, provided you have a capable computer. However, it's not a plug-and-play program: it requires proper system setup and careful attention to a few steps.

Throughout this guide you will learn How to use Cemu step by stepFrom system requirements and installation to controller configuration, legal backup downloads, Vulkan optimization, and the use of graphics packs, shaders, and game profiles, everything is explained in clear, accessible, and straightforward language so you can have your Wii U games running in no time.

What is Cemu and why is it worth using?

Cemu was created in 2015 by a developer known as Exzap, who published the first versions on the GBATemp forumsAt that time, it was presented as an experimental Wii U emulator capable of running some commercial games with good high-definition visual quality, although with quite a few performance limitations.

Since then, the project has progressed at a breakneck pace: The developers promised frequent updates and they kept their word.By ironing out bugs, improving compatibility, and increasing FPS in a good number of titles, it's now considered one of the best console emulators for PC, especially considering it's a relatively recent machine.

In earlier versions of the emulator, such as 1.6.4B, it was mentioned that Around 3% of the Wii U catalog could be played without noticeable audio or video glitches (around 11 games), while approximately 16% were fully playable with minor glitches that didn't ruin the experience, totaling around 64 commercial titles. These included heavyweights like New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, Super Mario Maker, Bayonetta 1 and 2, Mario Kart 8, Star Fox Zero, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Super Mario 3D World, Pikmin 3, Yoshi's Woolly World, Splatoon, and NES Remix. Mass Effect 3, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, The Wind Waker HD and Captain Toad, among others.

Although with There Compatibility has improved a lot, It is important to remember that Cemu is still considered experimental software.This means that problems such as audio dropouts, videos that won't play, FPS drops, unexpected crashes, or graphical and texture glitches may occur. Despite this, with suitable hardware it's possible to achieve over 30 FPS in a good number of games and enjoy a fairly solid gaming experience.

Reasons to use Cemu versus a physical Wii U

You might wonder why you're bothering with an emulator when you can play on the original console. The truth is that The Wii U has been discontinued for years and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a new one.Therefore, many people only have the option of the second-hand market, with all that this implies in terms of condition, warranty and price.

Furthermore, one of Cemu's great attractions is that It can greatly improve the graphic quality of gamesWhile on the Wii U The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild runs at 720p and 30 FPS, on PC with Cemu you can reach 4K and 60 FPS if you have a powerful machine, even adding texture mods and graphics packs that further improve the visuals.

Another obvious advantage is that You don't need to make room for another physical console in your living room or bedroom.If you already have a decent PC, simply install the emulator and manage everything from there, without additional cables or devices to maintain.

Lastly, Emulators offer a lot of freedom when choosing the control system.On Wii U you're limited to the official controllers and a few compatible ones, while with Cemu you can play with a keyboard, mouse, and controllers. Xbox, PlayStationGeneric pads... whatever you have on hand, as long as you can map the buttons correctly in the emulator settings.

Legality: what is legal and what is not when using Cemu

The legal aspect raises many questions, but it's worth clarifying: The use of emulators like Cemu is legalThese are independent software programs that do not include proprietary Nintendo code and, therefore, can be distributed without problems from their official websites.

The conflict arises with ROMs or backups of the games: Downloading or using games that you haven't purchased is what can infringe copyright.The general philosophy is that you should dump your original games yourself using your console and then load those copies into the emulator.

To legitimately extract the contents of your Wii U discs, there is software such as ddd Title Dumper, which runs as homebrew on a modified consoleThis way you create your own backups in WUD format (disk images) or in RPX/RPL format with folder and file structure, both formats recognized by Cemu.

Although it's tempting to search on the internet, If you choose to download games from unofficial sources, you do so at your own risk.For legal and ethical reasons, it is recommended to use the emulator only with backups of games that you already physically own.

Minimum and recommended requirements for using Cemu

Before you start installing anything, it's a good idea to check that your PC is up to the task. Cemu's official requirements can be found on their website.But we can summarize them clearly so you can get an idea of ​​what you need.

Regarding the operating system, It is essential to have Windows 7 64-bit or higherCemu does not work natively on 32-bit systems or other platforms. If you continue on a Windows outdated, it's time to update.

Graphically, Cemu requires compatibility with OpenGL 4.1 minimumUsing up to version 4.6 if available. The emulator does not use DirectX, so OpenGL compatibility is key for games to render correctly.

Regarding memory, At least 4 GB of RAM are requiredHowever, it's much more sensible to have 8 GB or more if you want to move around smoothly, especially when combining emulator, browser, background applications and other programs.

In terms of graphics cards, Cemu gets along well with AMD GPUs and NVIDIA with the indispensable and necessary drivers updatedThe integrated ones Intel HD graphics cards are not officially supported and often cause visual or performance issues. The most stable tests have been performed with cards like the GTX 970, GTX 1080, and equivalents, but it's also possible to run some games with 2GB VRAM graphics cards, accepting certain limitations.

The CPU doesn't have a specific mandatory model, but Multi-core processors with good multitasking performance usually give better resultsIn real-world tests, chips like the FX-8350 or the Intel i7-6700K have been used with very good results, although nowadays virtually any modern CPU from the mid-range upwards can handle several titles smoothly.

Don't forget the complementary software components: You need to have the Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 x64 package installed (vc_redist.x64.exe) to ensure that the emulator starts without missing library errors.

As for controls, Cemu emulates the Wii U GamePad (DRC), Pro Controller, Classic Controller and WiimotesIn addition to supporting keyboard and mouse input, the tablet controller's touchpad is operated with the left mouse click, and the gyroscope is simulated with the right button, although this function still has limitations.

Download Cemu and choose the correct installation folder

To begin, the first thing is Download the latest version of Cemu from its official websiteYou will get a compressed file in ZIP format containing the executable and all the necessary files.

Once you have it, extract the contents of the ZIP file, but Avoid extracting it to folders that require administrator permissions, such as "Program Files".The easiest and safest way is to create a folder in your user directory, for example in Documents or on the Desktop, called something like "Cemu" or "WiiU_Emu", and put all the files there.

Many users also recommend Centralize everything related to Cemu in the same area of ​​the disk: emulator, games, DLC and updatesFor example, you can have a folder called “Cemu” in Documents and inside it other folders like “mlc01”, “wiiu_games” or “cemuGames” to keep everything organized.

Configure Cemu compatibility on Windows

Before opening the emulator for the first time, it's a good idea to adjust some settings. Windows compatibility options to avoid full screen and scaling problems. These settings help prevent errors across different versions of Windows and different resolutions..

Right-click on the cemu.exe file and enter Properties; then go to the Compatibility tabThere you can enable the "Disable fullscreen optimizations" option, which often reduces problems with fullscreen windows and resolution changes.

Next, click on “Change settings for DPI "Stop." In that window Select “Use this setting to correct scaling problems for this program instead of the one in the settings”Just below, also enable “Override high DPI scaling behavior” and make sure the scaling dropdown says “Application”. Apply the changes and accept all the windows.

Although not all devices require these adjustments, Leaving these options enabled greatly reduces the chances of encountering rare window size errors, blurriness, or problems entering and exiting full screen.If they give you trouble in your specific case, you can always unmark them later.

Initial Cemu setup: folders and graphics packages

With the program prepared, open it for the first time by running cemu.exe from the folder where you extracted itThe first time you start it, it will ask you to configure some internal routes.

The first thing to do is create a folder called “mlc01” in a secure locationThis is where Cemu will store internal data, save files, updates, and other virtual console files. You can create it within the Cemu folder itself, or, if you prefer a more organized system, in Documents within a subfolder of the emulator.

If the assistant asks you about the “game path”, you can Leave that field empty at the beginning to have more control Regarding where you add the titles later, you can always configure scan paths later from the emulator's options.

In this first run you will also see the option to “Download community graphics packages”It's essential that you use this feature, as these packages include resolution improvements, visual bug fixes, performance tweaks, and even some mods. Click the corresponding button, let them download, and then click Next when the process is complete.

Configure controls and controller types

With the base now assembled, it's time to fine-tune the controls. Within Cemu, enter the menu Options and select Input settingsFrom there you can configure different profiles and controls.

At the top you will see the section “Emulated Controller”. At least one of your profiles must be set up as a Wii U GamePadBecause many games require it to access menus or interface elements. If you're only going to use one controller, choose "Wii U GamePad" as the emulated controller type.

In the “Controller” section, press the button with the + symbol and Select “SDLController” as the API (This is usually the most compatible option.) Then, select the physical controller connected to your PC from the list. Once selected, map each button and stick according to your preference.

Once you have it set up, You can save the profile with any name you want.For example, "Xbox GamePad Controller" or "DualShock Pro", so you don't have to repeat the mapping every time.

If you plan to use multiple controllers (for example, for cooperative play), Make sure everyone is connected during setupCreate a profile for each controller and decide in "Emulated Controller" whether that second controller will also be a GamePad or a Pro Controller. Many users have found that, in games like Mario Kart 8, it's best to configure all additional controllers as Wii U Pro Controllers to avoid problems in local co-op.

USB Helper, downloads and game structure

One of the best-known tools associated with Cemu has been USB Helper, a program that allowed you to manage and download games, updates, and DLC. to then use them in the emulator. Although their status and availability may change over time, it's worth explaining how it worked because many guides still mention it.

After downloading the installer (USBHelperInstaller.exe) from its original source, run it and follow the classic installation wizard: Click Next, accept the license agreement, leave the default options, and click Install.Once the process is complete, click Finish.

In the first BootUSB Helper displayed a country selection screen and EULA: The agreement was accepted and the United States was chosen as the region.even if you lived in Europe or other areas, as it was the region that worked best with the tool.

Then the choice was made the folder where the downloaded games would be savedMany people create, for example, a folder in Documents called “wiiu_games” to keep it separate from the rest. This location stores both the downloaded files and the data ready to be unpacked.

In order for the program to access the store's content, a key source was added by entering the address in the corresponding field. “titlekeys.ovh” as a title key repositoryOnce the initial setup was complete, USB Helper downloaded the necessary data and left the system ready to search for games.

The usual procedure was to search for a title in the top bar, click on its icon, and press the button. AddWhen the game was in the queue, the download button at the bottom of the window was activated, usually highlighted in green. If the title had DLC or updates, the program asked if you also wanted to download them: it was recommended to Accept it to get the most complete and up-to-date version.

Once the downloads Once completed, in the list on the left, within the "Downloaded" section, you could right-click on each game and choose the option "Unpack"Then a destination folder was selected, for example a subfolder within “wiiu_games” called “cemuGames”, where the unpacked games remained with their folder and file structure.

Install games, updates, and DLC on Cemu

With the backups now unpacked into an organized folder, the next step is to tell the emulator where everything is located. From the Cemu main window, Click on “Install game title, update or DLC” and navigate to the location you used for the unboxed games.

It is usual to have a structure in which the following can be distinguished “base games”, “updates” and “DLC”First, go to the base games folder, open the subfolder of the game you want to install, and go to "meta". Inside, you'll find a meta.xml file, which is the one you need to select to complete the game's installation on the emulator.

When you finish the base game, Repeat the same procedure for updates and DLC.Select “Install title” in Cemu, go to the corresponding update folder, enter “meta”, and choose the meta.xml file. Do the same with the DLC folder, if there is one. This way, Cemu will know that the specific game has additional content and will manage it as if it were on a real Wii U.

Once installed, the games will appear in the emulator's main list, from where You can right-click to access advanced options such as modifying the game profile, changing the CPU settings, or adjusting specific graphics packages for that title.

Performance best practices: Vulkan, shaders, and CPU

If you want to get the most out of Cemu and achieve the best possible frame rate, there are three key settings to consider: the graphics API, shader handling, and the use of multiple CPU cores. A good configuration here makes the difference between an unplayable game and a smooth experience..

First, open the Options menu and enter General settings; from there, go to the Graphics tabIn the API section, choose "Vulkan" as the primary option, provided your graphics card supports it. On many systems, Vulkan offers significantly better performance than OpenGL, especially in terms of FPS stability and shader loading times.

On that same tab you will find the option “Asynchronous shader compiler”Check this box to enable asynchronous shader compilation, which helps reduce stuttering that occurs when the game generates a new shader during gameplay. With this enabled, the "stuttering" when loading a new area or visual effect for the first time is usually much less annoying.

The third key point is CPU management. From the emulator's main screen, Right-click on the game you want to optimize and select “Edit game profile”In the CPU tab, you'll see a section called "Mode". By default, it's usually set to "single-core recompiler", which is more compatible but doesn't take full advantage of modern processors.

Change the mode to “multicore recompiler” so that Cemu can distribute the workload across multiple threadsKeep the "Quantum" value at its default setting unless you're very familiar with it. Enabling the multi-core recompiler usually offers noticeable performance boosts in demanding games, although it can cause instability in some specific titles; if you observe unusual behavior, you can always revert to single-core mode.

In addition to these adjustments, it is highly recommended to use community-created full shader cachesThese files, with the .bin extension, are copied to the Cemu shaderCache/transferable/ folder and allow most of the game's shaders to be pre-compiled, greatly reducing real-time stuttering. They are usually available in community repositories dedicated to Cemu.

Graphics packages and mods to improve image and compatibility

Another distinctive aspect of Cemu is its support for Graphics packs that allow you to modify the resolution, filtering, HUD, framerate, and even apply complete mods to some games. Many of these packages are very well done and allow you to enjoy older titles as if they were remastered versions.

From within the emulator itself you can Download and update these community graphics packsOnce downloaded, they can be individually activated or deactivated from the corresponding menu, by selecting specific options depending on the game. For example, you can choose an internal resolution of 1080p, 1440p, or 4K, apply corrections for specific hardware, or activate texture and shadow mods.

If you manually download packages from repositories like Github, all you need to do is Unzip them and copy their folders to the graphicsPacks path within the Cemu structureSince they take up relatively little space, it is common to copy them all and then simply activate the ones you are interested in for each game in the settings menu.

Using these packages and a suitable Vulkan and CPU configuration, It's possible to achieve spectacular results: games that run at 720p and 30 FPS on Wii U can be viewed on PC at 4K and 60 FPSwith sharper textures, better shadows, and a much cleaner image.

Current limitations and practical advice

Despite all the progress, it's important to keep in mind that Cemu still has limitations and is not perfectSome games may freeze at specific points, certain videos or cinematics may not play correctly, and not all graphical effects are glitch-free.

Another important detail is that The official Wii U online mode is not available on CemuThe developers have made it clear that, as long as the console remains active, especially for titles like Splatoon, the emulator will not connect to Nintendo's official servers. Private servers or alternative solutions might appear in the future, but these depend entirely on the community and the Cemu team, as the emulator's code is closed source.

Regarding the tablet controller, although Cemu emulates many of its functions, There are still features that don't work 100%.For example, microphone support isn't fully implemented, and certain mechanics that depend entirely on the original hardware can be difficult to transfer to a PC. Touch input, however, is emulated with the mouse without much trouble.

If you have doubts about which games run well on your computer, there is An official Cemu compatibility page is available at compat.cemu.infoThis database categorizes each title according to its emulation status, known bugs, and approximate system requirements. Consulting this database before downloading or installing a game will save you a lot of trouble.

Cemu has established itself as One of the most impressive console emulators, both for its progress and the quality it offersWith a suitable PC, a good Vulkan configuration, a multi-core recompiler, graphics packages, shader caches, and well-organized backups, you can enjoy a huge collection of Wii U games with visual quality and convenience that the original console cannot match.