Earlier this month, something rather intriguing happened in the tech world: a new adaptation of the once-obsolete Windows NT designed for PowerPC made an appearance. Remarkably, this version has been fine-tuned to work on the Nintendo GameCube and Wii series of consoles, primarily because these consoles employ the PowerPC architecture that was originally included in Windows NT’s PowerPC editions. Dubbed Entii for WorkCubes on GitHub, the build theoretically supports the Wii U as well, albeit not by tapping into its additional PowerPC cores, larger RAM capacity, or its superior AMD GPU; it operates only through the virtualized Wii feature. Early development boards, on the other hand, are either not compatible at all or are claimed to be in theory but haven’t actually been tested in practice.
For those homebrew aficionados eager to witness this Windows NT version in action on a Nintendo GameCube, there’s some exciting footage to check out. YouTuber @emukid_id documented the installation process, showcased some basic functions, and even offered a glimpse of The Ultimate Doom running at a charmingly pixelated 320 x 200 resolution. It’s worth noting that these clips unfortunately come without sound.
Despite the audio absence, Windows NT appears to function as one might anticipate with classic features like setting up vintage 3D wallpapers, using Notepad, and loading the basic home page of Internet Explorer. Additionally, the system effectively supports a variety of PC-like peripherals tailored for Nintendo consoles. This includes accessories such as a GameCube controller with a built-in keyboard, transforming the original controls into extended grips. Users playing on actual hardware will find input options at their disposal thanks to regular USB ports on the Wii and Wii U, fostering compatibility with additional USB peripherals.
However, there are trade-offs here. Even a user firing up a typical Windows NT PC today, in 2025, would struggle to find any modern web pages that are still accessible. While there’s a chance that compatibility with the GameCube or Wii’s Ethernet adapters remains intact, online functionality is severely limited.
Even so, this setup offers a nostalgic look back to an era dominated by Windows NT and PowerPC, reminiscent of the pre-Windows NT 3.5 period. Running Doom on a GameCube is a nostalgic thrill, considering the Wii is essentially just a GameCube with an overclocked CPU and a revamped GPU.
Theoretically, if Windows NT 3.5 or a subsequent version had proper Wii U support, it could escalate matters dramatically by harnessing the console’s considerable 1GB of DDR3 RAM and its trio of PowerPC CPU cores, which are a significant upgrade from the single-core architecture of the Wii and GameCube. It’s noteworthy to remember that the GameCube managed with just 24MB of system RAM, although it also had separate, modest RAM allocations dedicated to tasks like video processing and I/O operations.
