Topic: Play Import GameCube Games on Wii Without Mods

[MegaByte]

The discovery requires some quick finger work.

MaxConsole forum member, dolqube, discovered a method for booting GameCube games from other regions on Wii without resorting to boot discs or modchips.  The trick allows booting of any NTSC game on any NTSC system (Japanese games on US systems and vice-versa) as well as booting NTSC games on PAL systems.  PAL games on NTSC systems will not work.  As of now, the trick appears to work on all firmware versions.    

The procedure requires some hand acrobatics, though Wii owners should be used to that kind of thing.  It may take a few tries to get the timing down correctly.  The method is performed as follows:    

1. Insert a GameCube disc from the same region as the Wii into the system and open the Disc Channel.    

2. Push the Eject button on the Wii console.    

3. Click the Start button on the screen just before it would be deactivated due to taking the disc out.  It may help to position the cursor on screen before pressing Eject.    

4. Quickly and smoothly remove the ejected disc and insert the import GameCube disc.  This must be done before the blue light comes on.  If the Wii does not automatically feed the disc, the timing wasn't correct and another attempt will have to be made.  Do not try to force the disc in.  The system will automatically reboot in this case.  Otherwise, the import will boot up!    

The procedure works just as well as the Freeloader/Action Replay method of booting discs.  This means that Japanese text may not be displayed properly and a select few games will not have save capability.  For the most part, however, import games work very well.  This method is of course not approved by Nintendo.

[decoyman]

Awesome... but how the heck do you discover something with so many seemingly random steps???

[TMW]

Quote
Originally posted by: decoyman
Awesome... but how the heck do you discover something with so many seemingly random steps???

Sheer, unadulterated boredom.  

[18 Days]

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!
This had to happen two weeks after I re buy Skies of Arcadia as a PAL disc.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

...hm... WHy do I get the feeling my legit Japanese saves would be corrupted....

[KDR_11k]

I have a feeling this will be patched quickly and the Wii will end up like the PSP in a constant cat and mouse between the manufacturer and the users.

[WuTangTurtle]

if only we could do that with import Wii games.

[oohhboy]

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
I have a feeling this will be patched quickly and the Wii will end up like the PSP in a constant cat and mouse between the manufacturer and the users.

I don't see that happening. Having observed the situation PSP is in, there is not much point for Nintendo to devote so much resources into countering it like Sony has. Nintendo knows that fighting it activity will only move programmers away from games. They don't care if you can play movies on it with third party mods. As long as they don't offically sanction it, no harm done. Look back at that silly little mod for the Gamecube that let you play NTSC games between US/JPN. As far as I am aware they never fix it. To fix it would have been pointless.

IMO, they should just de-region the disc based games. More games will be sold at the end of the day.

[Bloodworth]

Considering that the hardware is perfectly capable, I'd pay $10 to add a region if Nintendo ever offered.  I've gotten this trick to work once, but it's a pain and I haven't gotten it going again since then.  Plus, I am nervous about trying to use my Japanese memory cards with this.

[Tansunn]

PROTIP:  Using a Classic Controller may make the process easier as you can use the analog stick to position the pointer properly, then just push A to hit the Start button without having to align the pointer with the Wiimote.  Just keep the Wiimote pointed away from the screen.

[Atma]

Unfortunately for those in PAL regions, it seems this trick is only half effective. I tried it with 3 of the jpn games I own, Sonic Mega Collection, Naruto GNT 3, Naruto GNT 4.

In the case of Sonic, it worked, however, given that the hardware defaults to 50Hz, it doesn't actually revert back to 60Hz, thus for me, only about 3/4 of the screen actually had an image on it due to it displaying 60Hz resolution on 50Hz (480 on 576), and the audio and visuals both lagged and were jumpy.

Neither Naruto game loaded at all, which was quite a dissapointment for me. Oh well.

edit: however, both naruto games will load (although will DRE shortly after the opening video) if you use an actionreplay or freeloader.  damn.

[MegaByte]

Yeah, I wouldn't recommend using true Japanese memory cards with this method.  This allows Japanese saves on a US formatted card, so using a Japanese formatted card would probably involve a formatting of the entire card.

As for PAL, did you try holding down B to make it load in 60Hz mode?  The original discovery was made on a PAL cube, so I'm surprised this wasn't brought up earlier.

I'm not sure Nintendo will try to, or even can fix this since it involves the GC firmware.  So far they haven't made any changes to the GC (and GBA on DS) firmware, so I'm not sure they will start now.

[AnyoneEB]

Actually, this does not sound all that random to me at all. I remember hearing that similar tricks would work on PSX.