Okaayyy yeah the CPU isn't that impressive, 6 GB RAM is nice though. I got an Intel i5 650 @3.20 GHz, it's pretty slick for running current gen games as well to an extent. The Gamecube/Wii emulators were pretty demanding and mostly use the processor more than anything else, which is probably why the speed of your emulator was fluctuating. I managed to Finish a lot of GC/Wii games on it, thankfully, even used the Wiimote for it.
I really don't remember, I last played the game back in April/May :/ But hey I'll keep a lookout next time, lol. There's actually something very similar in Assassin's Creed in the modern world, you actually get to see a lot of the modern world in that game. I won't spoil much, but there's at least a whole football stadium, a construction site(you get to paraglide across buildings too), the abstergo studio(you get to use guns), and the temple where you are. It's pretty neat, loved the game.