Homebrew Gameboy Advance (Original-SP-Micro) as Gamecube Controller for Wii

[zerofalcon]

Hi! years ago I was clearly interested with playing handheld emulators for the Wii (GB, GBA, etc) with a GBA SP connected through a Gba to GC cable, just for the sake of an original experience; of course, the only way to achieve this was only with a Gamecube and a Gameboy Player using it's original software. Since Game Boy Interface was developed by Extrems (gc-forever forum) I reassumed the interest again into having this feature for the Wii, at first, the app itself lacked the option, but in latest releases, they simply exceed it by far (FIX94 and Extrems code) by coding a payload for the GBA, acting almost totally as a Gamecube controller (heck, even by connecting a gba rumble compatible cartridge it acts as rumble support). Only input available are the d-pad, start, select (Z button) B, A, L and R triggers. It works perfect, no input lag at all.
Things needed:
-Nintendo Wii backwards compatible (Gamecube controller ports) hacked.
-Gameboy advance (original, SP, micro)
-Gba to Gamecube link cable (For me only works by using the official one, my third party cable -pelikan- fails to receive the payload transfer, it may vary depending on different manufacturers)
-cMIOS (for launching GC homebrew on the Wii)
-WiiExplorer (I use this only to load the GBI.dol file in GC mode, it's needed just a single time)
-Game Boy Interface app (GBI) downloaded from here: http://files.extremscorner.org/gamecube/apps/gbi/latest

Having all of this, it's just a matter of loading the GBI.dol file by SD, USB, SD gecko, etc.. plug the gba to gc cable into port number one previously connected to the gba and waiting in multiboot mode, next step: wait till the payload it is transfered to the gba and bang, the console itself now it's been recognized as a gamecube controller, it will stay in a solid white screen but completely functional, it even works with nintendont (not useful but kind of funny). Now you can reset the Wii and load the emulator of preference (I use gambattte and mgba with retroarch), it works with every app supporting gamecube controllers.

I tried to capture the screen (attached file) loaded after launching GBI, just to note how it is detected by loading it on the Wii.

I hope this mini tutorial is well explained, if not, feel free to ask.

 

[darkstrider2]

Hi! years ago I was clearly interested with playing handheld emulators for the Wii (GB, GBA, etc) with a GBA SP connected through a Gba to GC cable, just for the sake of an original experience; of course, the only way to achieve this was only with a Gamecube and a Gameboy Player using it's original software. Since Game Boy Interface was developed by Extrems (gc-forever forum) I reassumed the interest again into having this feature for the Wii, at first, the app itself lacked the option, but in latest releases, they simply exceed it by far (FIX94 and Extrems code) by coding a payload for the GBA, acting almost totally as a Gamecube controller (heck, even by connecting a gba rumble compatible cartridge it acts as rumble support). Only input available are the d-pad, start, select (Z button) B, A, L and R triggers. It works perfect, no input lag at all.
Things needed:
-Nintendo Wii backwards compatible (Gamecube controller ports) hacked.
-Gameboy advance (original, SP, micro)
-Gba to Gamecube link cable (For me only works by using the official one, my third party cable -pelikan- fails to receive the payload transfer, it may vary depending on different manufacturers)
-cMIOS (for launching GC homebrew on the Wii)
-WiiExplorer (I use this only to load the GBI.dol file in GC mode, it's needed just a single time)
-Game Boy Interface app (GBI) downloaded from here: http://files.extremscorner.org/gamecube/apps/gbi/latest

Having all of this, it's just a matter of loading the GBI.dol file by SD, USB, SD gecko, etc.. plug the gba to gc cable into port number one previously connected to the gba and waiting in multiboot mode, next step: wait till the payload it is transfered to the gba and bang, the console itself now it's been recognized as a gamecube controller, it will stay in a solid white screen but completely functional, it even works with nintendont (not useful but kind of funny). Now you can reset the Wii and load the emulator of preference (I use gambattte and mgba with retroarch), it works with every app supporting gamecube controllers.

I tried to capture the screen (attached file) loaded after launching GBI, just to note how it is detected by loading it on the Wii.

I hope this mini tutorial is well explained, if not, feel free to ask.

Whoa! I've been looking all over the internet for a way to use my GBA with my softmodded wii. I have all the equipment, I need your help, I'm kinda stuck cMIOS/WiiExplorer/GBI part.

When I select 'GC Homebrew' for GBI.dol in the WiiExplorer menu, it just reloads the Wii Homebrew menu. So I'm guessing it didn't work.

My hunch is that, I don't think I have GC Homebrew installed (all I remember doing with my wii is installing wii homebrew and use nintendont, so from your tutorial it sounds like I need to be able to make my wii use a 'GC Homebrew'?

If I just install this [1] , would I now be able to use WiiXplorer to load the .dol ? I hope this is all it has to take.

[1] http://www.wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_Gamecube_Homebrew_Launcher

 

[niuus]

Whoa! I've been looking all over the internet for a way to use my GBA with my softmodded wii. I have all the equipment, I need your help, I'm kinda stuck cMIOS/WiiExplorer/GBI part.

When I select 'GC Homebrew' for GBI.dol in the WiiExplorer menu, it just reloads the Wii Homebrew menu. So I'm guessing it didn't work.

My hunch is that, I don't think I have GC Homebrew installed (all I remember doing with my wii is installing wii homebrew and use nintendont, so from your tutorial it sounds like I need to be able to make my wii use a 'GC Homebrew'?

If I just install this [1] , would I now be able to use WiiXplorer to load the .dol ? I hope this is all it has to take.

[1] http://www.wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_Gamecube_Homebrew_Launcher

"GC Homebrew" is not something that you need to install. It's just homebrew that loads with the native Gamecube mode available on the Wii (remember, the Wii is a Gamecube 2). What he is suggesting though, is that you install a Custom MIOS (WiiGator's cMIOS would suffice, that's what i already use).

 

[TWiiT]

Very interesting! After making Nintendont work on my Wii with retail discs, I loved the Bluetooth controller functionality. Haha, now we can even use the GameBoy!

I got a question though. As GBI is a DOL file, do I NEED the custom MIOS to make it activate the GBA payload transfer, or is it just recommended for using GC homebrew with the GBA as controller 1?

 

[zerofalcon]

Very interesting! After making Nintendont work on my Wii with retail discs, I loved the Bluetooth controller functionality. Haha, now we can even use the GameBoy!

I got a question though. As GBI is a DOL file, do I NEED the custom MIOS to make it activate the GBA payload transfer, or is it just recommended for using GC homebrew with the GBA as controller 1?

Hi, yes, you need a custom MIOS in order to load gamecube homebrew apps on the Wii. Extrems yesterday released the source code for the payload, so, if you happen to have a gba flashcart all you need is to load the gba-to-gc controller gba rom and thats all. If not, keep loading it through the GBI.dol

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Whoa! I've been looking all over the internet for a way to use my GBA with my softmodded wii. I have all the equipment, I need your help, I'm kinda stuck cMIOS/WiiExplorer/GBI part.

When I select 'GC Homebrew' for GBI.dol in the WiiExplorer menu, it just reloads the Wii Homebrew menu. So I'm guessing it didn't work.

My hunch is that, I don't think I have GC Homebrew installed (all I remember doing with my wii is installing wii homebrew and use nintendont, so from your tutorial it sounds like I need to be able to make my wii use a 'GC Homebrew'?

If I just install this [1] , would I now be able to use WiiXplorer to load the .dol ? I hope this is all it has to take.

[1] http://www.wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_Gamecube_Homebrew_Launcher

Hi! you need to install a custom MIOS (Wiigator) with a wad manager, after this, load the gbi.dol app from wiiexplorer.

 

[GeminiTH]

I followed all possible steps/methods of doing this and all of them lead to my Wii resetting itself upon loading any of the .dol files as GC homebrew with WiiXPlorer.
I would like a more detailed guide, please.

 

[niuus]

I followed all possible steps/methods of doing this and all of them lead to my Wii resetting itself upon loading any of the .dol files as GC homebrew with WiiXPlorer.
I would like a more detailed guide, please.

The steps in the OP are all you need, seriously. That's what i did and had no issues. Later posts even complement the info.

 

[saifmalhas]

If you're still facing the same problem, please list the steps that you followed here so I can help you better.

I followed all possible steps/methods of doing this and all of them lead to my Wii resetting itself upon loading any of the .dol files as GC homebrew with WiiXPlorer.
I would like a more detailed guide, please.

 

[Stephano]

Wow, i can't believed this worked. Now if only i could get it as a functional controller for smash brothers.

 

[GerbilSoft]

Would be a bit easier if the payload transfer program was rewritten as a standalone Wii application. Check FIX94's GBA Link Cable Dumper as an example.

 

[Extrems]

It's in emGBA now, so you can use that instead.

 

[Stephano]

It's in emGBA now, so you can use that instead.

mgba supports gameboy advances?

 

[Extrems]

I don't feel so good about it anymore, but emGBA stands for Enhanced mGBA.

 

[xLothwenx]

After loading the multiboot rom on the GBA SP, would it work to disconnect the SP from the console and then plug the cable into the Wii U Gamecube to USB adapter for use with anything that supports the Gamecube to USB adapter? Maybe even Windows?

GBA SP has the best d-pad ever created, so I want to use it as a controller for everything.

The answer is yes, this works, but "Massive's gamecube adapter driver" for Windows (including Vista) is extremely buggy, to the point of being unusable.

No "cMIOS" necessary to load the rom on the GBA. Connect the GBA to the Wii gamecube port 1, turn the GBA on, and launch Enhanced mGBA. The GBA will make a noise once the rom has been loaded. Simply disconnect the GBA and plug it into the Gamecube to USB adapter. Works like a charm on Wii U using Nintendont for some HDMI Gamecubing and GBA-controlling action.

Wish the Windows driver wasn't such a mess, though...

 

[xLothwenx]

Official Nintendo Gamcube to USB adapter only has unofficial, crappy Windows drivers (that don't work).

Unofficial Mayflash adapter has a "PC" toggle switch which reports four HID game controllers. This works just fine with a real Gamecube controller. However, using a GBA loaded up with our magical little rom, no inputs register. What's different about how the rom sends communicates over the wire? Would it be relatively easy to be compatible with the Mayflash adapter?

 

[Extrems]

I'm guessing the Mayflash adapter is using a clock slower than 1 MHz, so my decoder can't recognize the signal.

 

[xLothwenx]

Would you be willing to add support for the Mayflash adapter? Is the source code available for the multiboot ROM?

 

[Extrems]

I'd be willing if I had said adapter. The source code is at https://github.com/ExtremsCorner/gba-as-controller

 

[xLothwenx]

I'd be willing if I had said adapter. The source code is at https://github.com/ExtremsCorner/gba-as-controller

I've built the GBA Multiboot ROM, but how do I make Enhanced mGBA use my ROM instead of the one built into Enhanced mGBA?

Also, using your unchanged ROM, why does my GBA SP screen turn on after the multiboot ROM is loaded and I plug the Gamecube connector into an adapter?

And... I wonder if overclocking the USB polling rate to 1000 Hz for the Mayflash adapter would magically make it work...

 

[xLothwenx]

By the way, the Mayflash adapter is not the same (hardware) as the official Nintendo adapter, even though it has been characterized as such elsewhere. The GBA controller ROM by Extrems works with the official Nintendo adapter, but the ROM does not work with the Mayflash adapter in either of its two modes:

1. Wii U mode connected to Wii U
2. "PC" mode connected to Windows