Dolphin Ctrl vs NES
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dolphin Ctrl
This app transforms your phone into a GameCube controller for the Dolphin emulator. Connect wirelessly to your computer to play games with friends. Performance depends on network and emulator speed.
- Simulates GameCube controller
- Play games on Dolphin emulator
- Use phones as controllers
- Supports multiplayer
- Wireless connectivity
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Dolphin Ctrl simulates a GameCube controller and allows you and your friends to play games on the Dolphin emulator using your phones. Requires running the Dolphin Ctrl Server app on your computer running Dolphin. Download the server and read the instructions at https://github.com/apexskier/dolphin-controller. Note: Dolphin Controller can be slow depending the speed of your WiFi/bluetooth/remote network connect and the speed of the Dolphin emulator itself.
NES
Experience classic 8-bit gaming with this high-performance emulator. It supports most classic game ROMs and offers a clean, intuitive interface for seamless retro gameplay on your device.
- High-performance NES emulation
- Supports classic game ROMs (.nes)
- Clean and intuitive interface
- Faithfully recreates 8-bit experience
- Smooth performance
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NES Emulator Overview This is a high-performance NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) emulator designed especially for retro game lovers. It supports most classic game ROMs and faithfully recreates the 8-bit gaming experience. With a clean and intuitive interface and smooth performance, you can enjoy your favorite childhood games anytime, anywhere! Key Features: • High Compatibility: Supports popular ROM formats such as .nes • Simple & Elegant Interface: Easy to navigate and pleasant to use Relive the golden memories of your childhood!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: NES at 4.3 against Dolphin Ctrl's 3.0. NES also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (19 vs 6). Dolphin Ctrl's advantage is review sentiment (14% vs 0%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
NES holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 19 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 14% of Dolphin Ctrl's written reviews are positive against 0% of NES's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Dolphin Ctrl ships an update every 14 months, NES every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dolphin Ctrl | NES |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (6 ratings) | 4.3 (19 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 14.3% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 19 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 13 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cameron Little | 建菊 林 |
Customer experience
Dolphin Ctrl
NES
In-app purchases
Dolphin Ctrl
No in-app purchases
NES
No in-app purchases
