New Super Mario Bros. Wii runs inside Google Chrome in early Dolphin WebGPU demo

A developer has shown New Super Mario Bros. Wii running inside Google Chrome, giving an early look at how far browser based game emulation has come. The demo uses Dolphin through WebAssembly, with rendering handled by a WebGPU backend.

Dolphin is already one of the best known GameCube and Wii emulators for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android. What makes this demo different is that the game is not running through a normal desktop app. It is running inside a browser tab.

The demo was shared by developer Chad Hyatt, who described it as WebGPU backend progress for Dolphin WASM. That means this is still technical work in progress, not a public browser version of Dolphin that anyone can use today.

WebGPU is important because it gives web apps better access to modern GPU features. Google enabled WebGPU in Chrome 113 on Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS, presenting it as a newer option for graphics and compute work beyond WebGL.

That makes browser emulation more realistic than it used to be. Older browser based emulation often had limits because web graphics APIs were not built for heavier workloads. WebGPU gives developers a stronger path for complex 3D rendering inside the browser.

Still, there are many unknowns. The developer has not shared performance numbers, device specs, controller setup, or details about how stable the emulator is in Chrome. For now, it is better to treat this as a proof of concept rather than something ready for normal players.

The legal side could also become complicated. Dolphin itself does not include games, and players are expected to use their own legally dumped copies. A browser version would make access easier because people would not need to install a separate app, but that same convenience could bring more attention from Nintendo.

Nintendo has taken a strict approach toward emulator projects and unauthorized game distribution, especially when its games are involved. A browser based Dolphin build would likely need to be very careful about how it is distributed and how it handles game files.

Even with those limits, the demo is interesting. Running a Wii game inside Chrome shows how modern browsers are becoming more capable as gaming platforms. It also hints at a future where emulation, cloud tools, and local browser based gaming become harder to separate.