Wii update has unannounced features

Wii News | Nintendo's a sneaky monkey ...

Many thought the Wii firmware update to be relatively minor. Apparently a clock doesn't rock everyone's jocks, to turn a phrase. As it turns out however, the update did more than just what was announced - it now looks like the FreeLoader, a typically legally distributed disc that allows individuals to circumvent the region protection of Gamecube discs may be disabled.

Highly interestingly though, in the immortal words of a certain TV marketer, "But wait! That's not all!" Nintendo seems to have snuck in another, far more interesting, update. The Wii apparently now has limited support for USB keyboards, giving users the ability to type in the Shop Channel, Settings Menu, and Message Board. The Internet Channel does not yet apparently support it, but as it is supported by Opera, possibly expect an update soon. While unconfirmed, some comments online suggest that Bluetooth keyboards may also be supported now.

Why the update? Your guess is as good as ours. Might messaging be on the cards? An online typing tutor? Or is someone at Nintendo just having fun? Let us know what you think in the forums - this one could potentially be very interesting.

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25 Comments

ret the roman

4 years ago

This can only mean one thing, we are getting typing of the dead for wii

Nev

4 years ago

retroman wrote

This can only mean one thing, we are getting typing of the dead for wii

Which would be better than Typing of the Dead on... anything else with a keyboard?

ret the roman

4 years ago

Nev wrote

retroman wrote

This can only mean one thing, we are getting typing of the dead for wii

Which would be better than Typing of the Dead on... anything else with a keyboard?

I was just thinking that typing of the dead will be a no brainer to port to the wii, it can handle it but this can also mean they are bringing another PSO onto a nintendo system or possibly mario teaches typing?

döppelgangbang

4 years ago

Keyboard Support: lush.

Action Replay disabled: take that you recalcitrants.

Freeloader disabled: Nooooooooooooo.

I guess the gamecube will have to come out again.. Damn the clutter Nintendo!

4 years ago

Disable Freeloader ? - I have exactly 323 Gamecube games around 30 - 35% are NTSC. So does this force me into modding then?

Since I have to pay money to fix the Wii and in doing so feel like I'm wipe the R-ses of some decrepit Nintendo dribblebottoms - What should I take in reparation?

What Dukheads!

renegadesx

4 years ago

Cookie wrote

Wow, and I thought I had a **** of cube games (82)

My Action Replay is at my folks house with my cube so I cant test it. When I can be bothered I will test some keyboards but the Wii is currently in use by some mates (when isn't it at my house?)

Itachi

4 years ago

I would be so pissed if i were some people seriously. What happens when you want to get some of thoses game cube games not available in Australia you import. I don't know why Nintendo wants to stop this imo

Qbert

4 years ago

Cool update for the news chanel on the Wii menu. Angry about this freeloader thing!

borgster101

4 years ago

It was a fairly decent update, probably the biggest one so far. Shop Channel is now much easier to navigate.

theory

4 years ago

Can anyone confirm if the swap trick for playing NTSC GC games is still working?

borgster101

4 years ago

^ I noticed as soon as you click start on the disc channel, the cursor disapears, and the loading between the channel and game is faster, which suggests that the trick wont work anymore.

Having said that, I never actually tried the trick when it was first 'announced', so I dont know.

legend166

4 years ago

I don't really care about the GCN Freeloader not working. I do care, however, because this might stop progress on a Wii Freeloader.

Nev

4 years ago

borgster101 wrote

^ I noticed as soon as you click start on the disc channel, the cursor disapears, and the loading between the channel and game is faster, which suggests that the trick wont work anymore.

I remember hearing that the loading for the channels had been decreased. I'd hate to think that was the reason why.

InvivnI

4 years ago

Cookie wrote

Buy a Gamecube, it's probably cheaper than modding your Wii, and you get to use the original hardware.

IRT Topic:
Interesting, lucky I never bought any NTSC GC games.

Infested Jibbs

4 years ago

Yeah seriously guys stop fretting, an ntsc cube is cheap as, or a pal one with a freeloader.

4 years ago

InvivnI wrote

Cookie wrote

Buy a Gamecube, it's probably cheaper than modding your Wii, and you get to use the original hardware.

IRT Topic:
Interesting, lucky I never bought any NTSC GC games.

Naturally I have a GC system or two, but...

I like backward compatibility so I don't have to keep stock piling hardware. Its a pain if I have to have a half dozen systems & mess of cables out just to play these games. Wii is perfect as I can have GC & Wii in one. Similarly this is why I demand perfect 100% backward compatibility out of Sony PS3 - else I get justifiably cranky! Grrrrr!

There are also some features in the Wii that make it ideal to play GC games on. All the last platinum GC's dont support Digital output as the port was no longer included in systems made after May 2004. Even if you buy an old system with Digital AV the component cable is $100+. The Wii is better from a display point of view and also runs the GC games smoothly.

As for NTSC games – If you played Baten Kaitos which was released in PAL you should reasonably expect that the next iteration (a prequel) Baten Kaitos Origins would also be available in PAL – But it is not. You must import. What about NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup, NASCAR Dirt to Daytona, or Thunder 2003 – Nope NTSC is all you will find. If you like SHMUPS your missing out on Star Soldier and Shikigami no Shiro 2, and will find it hard to get Chaos Field, and Ikaruga. You wont have Custom Robo, Cubix, Tube Slider, Dr Muto or Donkey Konga 2 or 3 if you don't import etc...What about Shigeru Miyamoto's very own creation of Pacman VS ? Nintendo Australia suck badly.

No it doesn't look like there are any options so I surrender Mr Nintendo!

I think this time round I look into the modding of a Wii. It's getting too hard, too expensive, and too stupid playing it the other way. I dont feel like getting dicked about and a chip answers everything.

poweroffarts

4 years ago

Cookie wrote

Disable Freeloader ? - I have exactly 323 Gamecube games around 30 - 35% are NTSC. So does this force me into modding then?

Well I read firmware is bricking modded Wiis.

legend166

4 years ago

Well, a GCN plus a Wii in your entertainment centre is still smaller than a PS3

borgster101

4 years ago

Nev wrote

borgster101 wrote

^ I noticed as soon as you click start on the disc channel, the cursor disapears, and the loading between the channel and game is faster, which suggests that the trick wont work anymore.

I remember hearing that the loading for the channels had been decreased. I'd hate to think that was the reason why.

Hmm.. whatever I'll just stick with the PAL releases, in this age of consoles connected to the internet even if modchips/freeloaders did work for a time, even with this latest update, there's going to be more in the future so you're probably going to get screwed down the line. PAL releases have been great in some cases (i.e. Strikers) not so much in others (i.e. SPM), but them's the breaks I guess, if you dont like it, and intend to import software might as well just import the hardware itself as well, it would be the best solution.

Gtpod

4 years ago

Oh balls... now I'll have to buy a PAL version of Wind Waker.

Damn you Nintendo!

Puddingfork

4 years ago

poweroffarts wrote

Cookie wrote

Disable Freeloader ? - I have exactly 323 Gamecube games around 30 - 35% are NTSC. So does this force me into modding then?

Well I read firmware is bricking modded Wiis.

WRONG
www.gbatemp.net would have said so if this were true

poweroffarts

4 years ago

puddingfork wrote

poweroffarts wrote

Cookie wrote

Disable Freeloader ? - I have exactly 323 Gamecube games around 30 - 35% are NTSC. So does this force me into modding then?

Well I read firmware is bricking modded Wiis.

WRONG
www.gbatemp.net would have said so if this were true

OK, calm down I'm not trying to say it was true. I said I read that it happens.

Anyway you might wanna check that link, there's something odd with modchips from the firmware. And it says there's warning from Nintendo mentioning it may brick. I would take it with caution, and it is advising not to upgrade to latest firmware. Either way I rather have region locked wii than a bricked one.

4 years ago

Thanks Nintendo - If those guys had not been such silly sausages - I would have kept buying any games not released in Australia and using Freeloader to make those NTSC titles work. The lack of support for freeloader by Nintendo has forced me to look into modding (something that has always scared me). The idea of tinkering with my console is really last resort for me -

but with no choice at all Ive been out doing some research.

I found out that the Wii is cheap to mod (parts are a whole $35) and are providing perfect compatibility.

So I'll mod one to keep off line and maybe look into using backups instead of my originals. No more wearing white gloves each time I play a game! Now why didnt I think of that before!

Thanks Ninty you guys sure are dumbasses - but sort of helpful ones! - today you taught me that its OK to be a Wiinja!