Hacking Is there an app that let's you downgrade Wii U game versions?

[Okanos0]

I am searching for an app that let's you downgrade Wii U game versions so I can install and play older versions of games, like playing BOTW 1.0

 

[ChibiMofo]

No one would spend time writing something like that without a good reason. Uninstalling the updated version and then getting out your original disc will allow you to accomplish your goal.

 

[Vensen]

I believe you can simply uninstall the update data and boot the game from disc or a digital version/dump. There are very few games that do require an update to boot but I'm sure you can get past that if it already isn't patched by your environment by using an app such as nusspli to boot the game itself

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I am searching for an app that let's you downgrade Wii U game versions so I can install and play older versions of games, like playing BOTW 1.0

I don't think there is any mechanism on the Wii U to prevent downgrading.
For BotW in particular though there is an on-disc "update" containing about half the game data as loading it all from disc at runtime was too slow. For the digital version the game data is still split up like this. The update (v16) is considered 1.0.0. So simply uninstalling the update will not allow the game to launch since it's missing half the game data, you need to install the v16 update. You can extract it from the wud if you can't find it. Though it should be downloadable from NUS.

 

[Vensen]

I don't think there is any mechanism on the Wii U to prevent downgrading.
For BotW in particular though there is an on-disc "update" containing about half the game data as loading it all from disc at runtime was too slow. For the digital version the game data is still split up like this. The update is considered v1.0.0. So simply uninstalling the update will not allow the game to launch since it's missing half the game data, you need to install the v1.0.0 "update". You can extract it from the wud if you can't find it.

The only reason why I mentioned the lock out is because as a child I ended up buying a game which later on required an update and would not boot without updating that game being sonic boom rise of lyric. I am relatively new to this scene. And yes I am aware of the v1.0.0 update since I own botw on disc thanks for clarifying my stuff lol

 

[Okanos0]

I don't think there is any mechanism on the Wii U to prevent downgrading.
For BotW in particular though there is an on-disc "update" containing about half the game data as loading it all from disc at runtime was too slow. For the digital version the game data is still split up like this. The update (v16) is considered 1.0.0. So simply uninstalling the update will not allow the game to launch since it's missing half the game data, you need to install the v16 update. You can extract it from the wud if you can't find it. Though it should be downloadable from NUS.

In my experience, whenever i try to boot Mario Kart 8 for example without updating it, a error message appears telling to update, without the option to play it without updating.

 

[Vensen]

In my experience, whenever i try to boot Mario Kart 8 for example without updating it, a error message appears telling to update, without the option to play it without updating.

Exactly what i had with sonic boom. this is what i mentioned, i think if you have nusspli installed though you can go to its title manager option and boot your game from there

 

[Okanos0]

Exactly what i had with sonic boom. this is what i mentioned, i think if you have nusspli installed though you can go to its title manager option and boot your game from there

Unfortunately, being a great idea, that does not work, as the Wii U just won't start the game, it stays in an loading screen with the Wii U logo on the bottom right corner

 

[Vensen]

Unfortunately, being a great idea, that does not work, as the Wii U just won't start the game, it stays in an loading screen with the Wii U logo on the bottom right corner

Awww I thought it would work though since i've been able to get many system titles to load through it but maybe there's another way to do it

 

[pedro702]

that is due to your save file, if you have a save file on that was saved on a newer version then you need that version or higher to boot the game you ave to delete everything save and all.

 

[Deleted member 702243]

the wii u keeps track of both available game versions, and previously installed game versions

available game version will give you a popup telling you there is an update available, with the option to skip it and start the game anyway. previously installed game version will not let you run the game until you re-update

you can get around this by modifying the version list like this

https://gbatemp.net/threads/starting-games-without-updates.452614/

I dont know if an app was ever made to do this for you

 

[Okanos0]

the wii u keeps track of both available game versions, and previously installed game versions

available game version will give you a popup telling you there is an update available, with the option to skip it and start the game anyway. previously installed game version will not let you run the game until you re-update

you can get around this by modifying the version list like this

https://gbatemp.net/threads/starting-games-without-updates.452614/

I dont know if an app was ever made to do this for you

What i don't understand is how to replace the file, because at least in Aroma the ftpiiu plugin doesn't let me to replace nand files, do you happen to know if SDCaffine can replace that file?

 

[Deleted member 702243]

What i don't understand is how to replace the file, because at least in Aroma the ftpiiu plugin doesn't let me to replace nand files, do you happen to know if SDCaffine can replace that file?

you use ftpiiu everywhere which enables nand read/write

it should be fine as long as you dont edit it wrong, you also have to be careful not to screw up the file permissions. iirc you need to keep the original file, and drag and drop the edited file on it to overwrite it, because if you delete the file and then upload the edited file, there is a risk that the new file wont have the same file permissions

and if the file permissions are wrong, it may not be able to read the file, which is going to be a brick because it wants to read that file before any title is run (including system titles)

you might want to wait for confirmation that drag and drop overwrite is the safe way to replace nand files though, because I dont 100% remember, and if I'm wrong and you do what I said, then you could brick and that would be no good

if you install isfshax then you can probably fix it if it did brick though. it's not exactly straightforward to restore wii u nand backups but it's always possible to wipe mlc and start over from scratch to get back to a working state at least. so make backups of save files and anything else you dont want to lose, if you think there's a risk you could mess it up

 

[V10lator]

because at least in Aroma the ftpiiu plugin doesn't let me to replace nand files

Yes it does:

 

[Okanos0]

you use ftpiiu everywhere which enables nand read/write

it should be fine as long as you dont edit it wrong, you also have to be careful not to screw up the file permissions. iirc you need to keep the original file, and drag and drop the edited file on it to overwrite it, because if you delete the file and then upload the edited file, there is a risk that the new file wont have the same file permissions

and if the file permissions are wrong, it may not be able to read the file, which is going to be a brick because it wants to read that file before any title is run (including system titles)

you might want to wait for confirmation that drag and drop overwrite is the safe way to replace nand files though, because I dont 100% remember, and if I'm wrong and you do what I said, then you could brick and that would be no good

if you install isfshax then you can probably fix it if it did brick though. it's not exactly straightforward to restore wii u nand backups but it's always possible to wipe mlc and start over from scratch to get back to a working state at least. so make backups of save files and anything else you dont want to lose, if you think there's a risk you could mess it up

Oh, i see, thank you for the information, i have a question, though. How feasible would it be to create an aplication or a plugin that modify versions.bin to specific games? Would that be possible?

 

[Deleted member 702243]

Oh, i see, thank you for the information, i have a question, though. How feasible would it be to create an aplication or a plugin that modify versions.bin to specific games? Would that be possible?

it's probably possible because we can already write delete and modify nand files, and we know that this particular file can be overwritten when the console is running because it works if you do it through ftp, so there isnt even a lock on it from the file being in use either

 

[Floppynoob]

No one would spend time writing something like that without a good reason. Uninstalling the updated version and then getting out your original disc will allow you to accomplish your goal.

Doesn’t work