The team working on the Wii U emulator, Cemu, have released version 1.5.4 to those backing them on Patreon, and you can download it right now if you’re one of those paying patrons. The newly released version contains various updates and optimization features, along with a brand new V-sync option.
The Reddit thread on r/Emulation became a pantheon of videos featuring high-end rigs running various Wii U games on Cemu version 1.5.4. This followed suit from a deluge of YouTube videos from users on the GBA Temp forum who have been showing off their PCs running games like Twilight Princess, Super Mario 3D World and Super Smash Bros. to name but a few. You can check out a video below featuring Super Smash Bros from YouTube user Bahax PC Gaming running at 60 frames per second with the new V-sync option enabled.
Speaking of V-sync, the option was added in the newest version of the Wii U emulator to help reduce screen-tearing and stabilize the refresh rates when playing the ROMs on a monitor.
V-sync wasn’t the only thing added to the newest version of the game, the official 1.5.4 changelog also revealed improved shader instructions for better rendering of games using complex lighting, reflection and shadow effects, as well as additional instructions to the recompiler to help boost CPU compatibility for emulation.
The rest of the changes are all under-the-hood tweaks that help lay the groundwork for future updates and fixes, such as new API frameworks and bug fixes for operation handles.
Despite the updates and upgrades, some of the games like Super Smash Bros still has some major lighting and shading issues, with the screen being way too dark compared to what it’s supposed to be.
Other games, however, are completely unplayable even though they can boot, such as Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, where Kirby and other key elements are completely invisible, as demonstrated in a video provided by BadIrishGamer.
You can get your hands on Cemu 1.5.4 right now and start downloading it if you donate to the official Patreon page of the developers. It’ll cost you about $5 to get the early builds of the Wii U emulator.
Alternatively, you can wait exactly one week and get your hands on Cemu 1.5.4 by downloading the public build from over on the official Cemu website.
