A dialog box will appear:
: Most ROM hacking tools and randomizers only accept standard ISO files as their base.
Before starting the conversion, ensure you have the following ready: convert rvz to iso
It drastically reduces file sizes, making it easier to store large game libraries.
: In the main game list, find the RVZ file you want to convert. A dialog box will appear: : Most ROM
: If you have limited storage space, keep your RVZ files for everyday emulation and only convert to ISO when needed.
Configure the game path. Go to Config > Paths > Add , then select the folder containing your RVZ game files. Dolphin will automatically scan and display the games in its main game list. : If you have limited storage space, keep
Ensure you have a modern desktop version of Dolphin installed (Beta or Development versions are highly recommended over the ancient Stable 5.0 version).
The conversion time depends on the game's size and your computer's speed. Be patient, especially with larger Wii games.
To understand the necessity of conversion, one must first understand the nature of the RVZ format. Developed specifically for Dolphin, RVZ is a lossless disc image format. Its primary advantage over a standard ISO is its ability to compress game data significantly—often shrinking massive Wii disc images to a fraction of their original size—while simultaneously preserving critical metadata. Crucially, RVZ is "scrubbing-friendly" yet preserves the integrity of the game data better than its predecessor, the GCZ format. It is tailored for the specific architecture of GameCube and Wii discs, handling the unique block sizes and "junk data" (padding) inherent to these media types efficiently.
| Feature | RVZ | ISO | |---------|-----|-----| | | High (lossless) | None | | File Size | Drastically reduced | Full disc size (1.4GB-8.5GB) | | Dolphin Compatibility | Native, optimized | Full | | Real Hardware Support | No | Yes (via USB loaders) | | Other Emulators | Limited | Widely supported | | Loading Speed | Fast (Zstd decompression) | Original speed | | Data Integrity | Lossless | Original |