iCube vs. Provenance
Both come from the same team and share Dolphin-lineage GameCube emulation. The difference is scope: a dedicated GameCube/Wii app vs. one core inside a much larger multi-system emulator.
| Feature | iCube | Provenance (GameCube core) |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | GameCube and Wii only | Multi-system library (38+ systems, including a GameCube core) |
| Platforms | iOS, iPadOS, tvOS | iOS, iPadOS, tvOS |
| Distribution | Sideload (SideStore / Sideloadly) | App Store, or sideload |
| Price | Free, open source | Free (App Store or sideload); Plus is an optional paid tier |
| iCloud sync | Not documented | Yes, via Provenance Plus (save states and library sync) |
| Emulation core | Dolphin fork, tuned specifically for GameCube/Wii on iOS/tvOS | Dolphin core for GameCube (Provenance also bundles cores for many other systems) |
| GameCube formats | ISO/GCM, GCZ, RVZ, WIA, WBFS, CISO, NKit | .iso, .gcm, .gcz, .rvz, .wbfs, .ciso |
| Controllers | MFi, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch Pro (Game Controller framework); touch controls; touchscreen Wii IR; DSU motion | MFi, Xbox, and PlayStation wireless controllers |
| Save states | Yes | Yes |
| Memory card emulation | Yes | Yes |
| Team | Joseph Mattiello / Provenance team | Joseph Mattiello / Provenance team |
Where Provenance stands out
Provenance is a single app for a whole library of consoles — NES, SNES, N64, PS1, Genesis, and dozens more, alongside GameCube and Wii. If you want one app to cover multiple systems, or you want App Store distribution and iCloud sync of your library via Provenance Plus, Provenance is the better fit.
Where iCube stands out
iCube is built around GameCube and Wii specifically, so features can go deeper on just those two systems — broader disc-format support (including RVZ, WIA, and NKit), a touchscreen Wii IR pointer tuned for that one input style, and DSU motion-controller support. If GameCube and Wii are all you care about, iCube's narrower focus means fewer settings to dig through to get there.