Win95

Win95 Emulator for Wii

Overview

The Win95 Emulator for Wii is a homebrew project aimed at bringing the full Windows 95 desktop experience to the Nintendo Wii console. Unlike simulation-based attempts, this is a **true emulator** designed to run authentic Win95 binaries directly on the Wii hardware. The goal is to recreate a fully functional environment for legacy applications, games, and exploration — all within the unique constraints of the Wii's architecture.

Features

This emulator goes beyond a simple UI mockup by offering:

• Real emulation of x86 instructions
• File system support for loading legacy Win95 software
• Mouse and keyboard input via USB
• Full graphical shell with VGA-style rendering
• Direct hardware utilization of the Wii’s Hollywood GPU

The aim is not only nostalgia, but also to push what's possible on aging console hardware.

Technical Details

The emulator relies heavily on the **Hollywood chip** inside the Wii, using custom-coded low-level routines to map Win95 system calls to the Wii’s hardware capabilities. Performance-critical functions are optimized using hand-written assembly where necessary, and graphical output is rendered via GX calls for efficient framebuffer handling.

The underlying emulation core is custom-built with a lightweight memory manager, x86 instruction interpreter, and Windows-compatible interrupt handling. It avoids bloated layers in favor of tight integration with the Wii’s bare metal.

Development Progress

Development is active and ongoing. The current alpha version supports booting into the Windows 95 splash screen and basic GUI interaction. File mounting, full keyboard/mouse support, and BIOS-level emulation are in progress.

You can follow development updates or test releases on the project's GitHub page.

Usage

• Install via the Homebrew Channel
• Requires USB keyboard and mouse
• Insert an SD card with the Windows 95 boot image (instructions and image builder will be released soon)
• Launch from Homebrew and follow on-screen setup

Compatibility and performance vary depending on the software being run. Expect frequent updates as development progresses.

Credits & Contributions

This project is developed by Sillipianoman. Inspired by early x86 emulation efforts on consoles and the vibrant homebrew scene. Contributions, testing, and bug reports are welcome! Feel free to reach out or submit issues on GitHub.

Long live homebrew. Let's make old tech do new tricks.