Gaming Nintendo Wii Mini inquiries

[JoostinOnline]

Is it that bad? I assumed that without any extra channels, ~500MB of memory would be enough for a ton of games.

It really depends on the games. For the most part, you are right. There is just the rare game here and there that makes a giant save file. The chances of filling it up on JUST save files is slim (unless the console passes to multiple people as used), but if you did, then that would mean no more games ever.

 

[Rydian]

I guess if you get into Brawl custom stages and junk like that, yeah.

 

[Foxi4]

The only reason why I'd get the Wii Mini would be to make the system a portable since having less gunk in it (WiFi chip, SD slot and controller, Gamecube ports and memory card controller etc.)... which doesn't make much sense considering the fact that Wii primarily uses motion controls and sometimes WiiMote aiming, rendering the idea completely silly for most games.

 

[Slyghtful]

I'm actually quite disappointed that it was so throttled. The Wii mini could have been a really cool idea :/. At this point, it's just basically another gamecube with the added ability of *Motion Control* gaming. The pictures actually didn't make it seem much smaller either. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to live with the urge to play my gamecube games on my Wii.

 

[Foxi4]

I'm actually quite disappointed that it was so throttled. The Wii mini could have been a really cool idea :/. At this point, it's just basically another gamecube with the added ability of *Motion Control* gaming. The pictures actually didn't make it seem much smaller either. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to live with the urge to play my gamecube games on my Wii.

The Wii was one of those consoles that really didn't need a revision. Instead of improving the console, all Nintendo did was castrating it by removing Gamecube BC (Not that BC is a big deal or anything, but I doubt that those two ports really cut the price all that much) and then made it slightly slimmer by cutting out essential features like WiFi and the SD slot - well done. It's another PSP Street aka E1000.

 

[Chary]

So, since it has a USB port, could it be hacked through that?

 

[trumpet-205]

So, since it has a USB port, could it be hacked through that?

Nope. That will require major rework on existing hacks and nobody will do it for Wii Mini.

 

[Chary]

Nope. That will require major rework on existing hacks and nobody will do it for Wii Mini.

Ah. Okay then.

 

[tbgtbg]

does the wii mini have a usb slot ? scratch that , seems it does : http://gbatemp.net/threads/the-wii-mini-has-one-usb-port.338580/

So would it be possible in theory ( however unpractical ) that you could flash the nand with an infectus with a prebuilt nand that includes a usb loader scenario ?

There are so many of the previous two Wii models (plus Wii mode on Wii U) out there that are trivial to hack, no one's going to bother going to such lengths in trying to hack the gimped model.

 

[pwsincd]

i know this , im talking in theory here not practice

 

[Arm73]

i know this , im talking in theory here not practice

How about a good old internal modchip, and start playing burned backups on that thing ?
I got my Wii back on launch day in 2006 and shortly after I installed myself a Wiikey in it, and it was like $12.
Then I've been burning my games for years.
This, was way before the Twilight hack and USB loaders.
I waited and waited until the USB loaders got so advanced that it was actually a great improvement to play the games off USB than the optical disc.
But my Wiikey is still in place and still works ! In fact, I had to burn and play some games because they were tricky to lauch from USB at first ( like Metroid Prime Collection, and also the dual layer Other M wasn't working until somebody found a hack ).
Also Rock Band 3 seemed to play better off the Disc, because of some USB instruments recognition.

All in all, I'm very satisfied with it and I'd never trade my Wii for anything else, considering that with my setup, I can flawlessly play any Game Cube game as well !

So to the original question.
I'm not too sure if anybody bothered to look inside a Wii Mini, but if anything fails, one could still go for the hard modchip route and play games off the disc drive as it was meant to be ! A throwback to the past in every way

Not that I need one, just saying.

 

[tvoretz]

How about a good old internal modchip, and start playing burned backups on that thing?

Unfortunately, newer Wiis' disc drives can't read DVDs at all. No softmods will help; no modchips will, either. It's a hardware issue.

 

[loco365]

Think of it this way: Nintendo has finally found the solution to a hackproof Wii: Remove everything that made it useful.

 

[AaronZ]

With the debut of Wii Mini, can I still see/shop for previous designs of the system (e.g. black/white Wiis)?

Yeah, thankfully the Wii Mini is to coexist with the regular one rather than replace it like the horizontal model released in 2011 which lacks GCN ports.

On a slightly unrelated note, wikipedia doesn't have a Japanese release for the 2011 non-GCN compatible Wii, so does Japan still just have the 2006 model?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii

 

[Lumstar]

Yeah, thankfully the Wii Mini is to coexist with the regular one rather than replace it like the horizontal model released in 2011 which lacks GCN ports.

On a slightly unrelated note, wikipedia doesn't have a Japanese release for the 2011 non-GCN compatible Wii, so does Japan still just have the 2006 model?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii

Yes, as of August 2012. Dragon Quest X bundle was GCN compatible. Japan even still includes the vertical stand.

 

[duffmmann]

That's true, I meant "comptact" in the context of it's Capabilities though. I'd rather have a minimalist Wii than one with a horrendous online system.

I guess it depends on what you're after. I myself would love it if it could be hacked because I'm OCD'ish. I like keeping my gaming life organized and having a wii that can play gamecube games kind of messes that up. I feel tempted to play them on my Wii even though I'd like it to remain on my Gamecube.

I don't understand this point. You don't have to keep your wii connected to the internet if you don't want. And its actually quite a compact system (the older Wiis that is) when you take into account it plays both Wii and Gamecube games. And thats not even taking into account all the emulators you can install if you do hack it. Its more compact when you use an external hard drive to play all your Wii and GC games after hacking it, as you no longer have to keep all your old discs and game cases around cluttering up space.

 

[AaronZ]

Yes, as of August 2012. Dragon Quest X bundle was GCN compatible. Japan even still includes the vertical stand.

That's awesome if my Wii ever breaks from overheating or something I'll just import one then.

 

[Randamin]

Would it be possible to physically swap the nand from a regular wii into a wii mini?

 

[loco365]

Would it be possible to physically swap the nand from a regular wii into a wii mini?

I think, don't quote me on this, but I think the NAND chips are different on the two systems, so one cannot simply swap them. If it were to work, I wouldn't mind trying. If I had the money, I'd send one to JoostinOnline here and see what he can do with it, since I have an employee discount towards getting one if I wanted to.