Earlier this month, a fresh build of the long-abandoned Windows NT for PowerPC emerged, and it’s been optimized for the Nintendo GameCube and Wii consoles. This might sound surprising until you remember these consoles share the same PowerPC architecture used in the original Windows NT PowerPC releases. This new build, dubbed Entii for WorkCubes, is now available on GitHub. While it nominally supports the Wii U, it doesn’t actually harness the extra PowerPC cores, the expanded RAM, or the more robust AMD GPU of the Wii U. Instead, it runs through the console’s virtualized Wii function. Support for early development boards is either nonexistent or remains in the “theoretical but untested” stage.
For those passionate about homebrew and eager to see this Windows NT software in action on their Nintendo GameCube, YouTuber @emukid_id has shared video clips showcasing the Windows NT installation. The footage includes the basic operations of the software and even some impressively retro gameplay of The Ultimate Doom, albeit in a low resolution of 320 x 200. Sadly, the videos lack audio.
Despite the absence of sound, Windows 95 seems to be functioning as anticipated, allowing for classic activities such as setting up iconic Windows NT 3D screensavers like the 3D Maze, using Notepad, and even loading basic Internet Explorer pages. Moreover, there’s thoughtful support for a variety of compatible peripherals. For example, a GameCube controller that incorporates a full-sized keyboard in the center transforms it into a quirky yet practical input device. The standard USB ports on the Wii and Wii U open up further possibilities for adding USB peripherals.
Nevertheless, there are some drawbacks—especially when it comes to internet usage—even the most resourceful Windows NT PC user in 2025 will find it challenging to navigate modern web pages. Even with a GameCube or Wii’s Ethernet adapter working, online functionality would be pretty limited.
However, this setup still offers a nostalgic snapshot of Windows NT’s PowerPC days before version 3.5 stopped supporting PowerPC. It’s fascinating to witness Doom running on a GameCube, especially since the Wii merely builds on the GameCube by offering a faster CPU and a new GPU.
Adding robust support for NT 3.5 or newer Windows versions on the Wii U could truly elevate things, given its significant 1GB DDR3 RAM and three PowerPC CPU cores compared to the single-core architecture found in the Wii and GameCube. The GameCube itself managed with just 24MB of RAM, notwithstanding its small, dedicated RAM allocations for video and I/O tasks.
