Hacking USA Wii Games playable on Europe Wii?

[Fingi]

Hello ,
So i am living in Europe ( Germany ) and would like to play some Wii games. Unfortunately i am only able to find Wii games which are on USA region. Am i still able to play theses games? I already hacked my Wii U and vWii. I am loading my vWii games with USB Loader GX. Will my Wii U or my vWii brick if i use games that are not from my region? Or can i modify my vWii so that i can play other region games. Or can i just play it right away? And what is the difference between Pal and ntsc?
Sorry if made some mistakes, this is my first post.
Thanks for your answers

 

[JustMeDaFaq]

Hey,
short answer: it will work!

 

[MaxiBash]

Download Priiloader and enable Priiloader hacks. From the Priiloader hacks menu, enable Region-Free disc based games. For USB Loader GX, games on a HDD from different regions work straight out of the box.

 

[nightweb]

Hello ,
So i am living in Europe ( Germany ) and would like to play some Wii games. Unfortunately i am only able to find Wii games which are on USA region. Am i still able to play theses games? I already hacked my Wii U and vWii. I am loading my vWii games with USB Loader GX. Will my Wii U or my vWii brick if i use games that are not from my region? Or can i modify my vWii so that i can play other region games. Or can i just play it right away? And what is the difference between Pal and ntsc?
Sorry if made some mistakes, this is my first post.
Thanks for your answers

I have a Wii (not Wii U version) and I have used my Pal discs on my console with no issue by using "Wii Backup Manager". I have an external formatted to WBFS and it just sits behind the console, when I want to add a game I'll either pop the disc in and make a copy or if I can't find one in shops I'll download it. I have always tried to get Pal if I downloaded but sometimes when using another person's game save for reasons (Skylanders and Challenges) or I couldn't source a PAL version (Just Dance 2019) I've had to use a NTSC version of the game. Install it the same way, connect Wii HDD into Computer and Wii Backup Manager scans the drive, Click add and point to Image (NTSC/PAL) and it'll do it stuff. the only difference I've ever noticed is that when playing these games my system outputs an NTSC Signal to the TV so make sure your TV supports it (most do except really old ones) or it'll look funny.

Then I just load them up USB Loader GX, point at the game and away it goes. No modification needed in regards the region that I've ever come across. Hope that helps

TL: DR

Hey,
short answer: it will work!

Yup ^^,

 

[Fingi]

So if i am using a Disc from another region i need Priiloader, and if i am using USB Loader Gx i dont have to do anything? Not even change any setting on the loader?
And does this also work with WiiWare?

 

[nightweb]

So if i am using a Disc from another region i need Priiloader, and if i am using USB Loader Gx i dont have to do anything? Not even change any setting on the loader?
And does this also work with WiiWare?

Well With a Disc I'm not sure as I try to never play from the drive to extend the life of console (using optical disc's far too long ;-) ),any disc Pal or NTSC I just pop in and install no settings changed. In saying that however I think I've only ever done that once maybe twice? Normally if I'm using a NTSC disc its Downloaded (either till I source a local copy or because not released here) so I copy it over to the HDD Using "Wii Backup Manager". I do it the same way I do with all Games Pal or NTSC (Just be careful not to accidentally click format if it pops up). I run it in Windows 7 - 64 Bit and never had an issue.

The after plugging my Wii HDD back into the Wii just load up USB Loader GX same as always and use as you normally would. it'll output a NTSC signal but that to be expected. the only ever issue I had with setting and USB Loader was with certain game that used USB or the Just Dance games, those issue however were present with both Pal and NTSC copies and the fixes for one version worked for the other.

As for WiiWare I;m not sure what you mean, if I remember that's the Wii shopping channel but that's closed down now if I recall correctly. if your talking about DLC then the DLC I downloaded always worked fine if I had a matching disc (IE US Zelda DLC work on US Zelda game but not Pal, and vice versa). is that what you meant?

 

[Ryccardo]

So if i am using a Disc from another region i need Priiloader, and if i am using USB Loader Gx i dont have to do anything? Not even change any setting on the loader?
And does this also work with WiiWare?

Depending on the game (and/or monitor) you may need to experiment with video patches, even then there may be problems requiring you to run the game on a different region nand (the same issue, ie developer hardcoding a path depending on the current region/language, seen on 3DS and WiiU, just that for those consoles there's solid region spoofing as an alternative)

But these points are besides "region free" = not being blocked from starting the software, which on the Wii is implemented in Wii Menu and nothing else

 

[Deleted User]

Hello ,
So i am living in Europe ( Germany ) and would like to play some Wii games. Unfortunately i am only able to find Wii games which are on USA region. Am i still able to play theses games? I already hacked my Wii U and vWii. I am loading my vWii games with USB Loader GX. Will my Wii U or my vWii brick if i use games that are not from my region? Or can i modify my vWii so that i can play other region games. Or can i just play it right away? And what is the difference between Pal and ntsc?
Sorry if made some mistakes, this is my first post.
Thanks for your answers

yes you can play those games but you will need usbloader gx, they wont work just like that because homebrew doesnt automatically region-unlock your wii. dump your games using usbloader gx and you are ready to play them!

 

[tswntk]

So if i am using a Disc from another region i need Priiloader, and if i am using USB Loader Gx i dont have to do anything? Not even change any setting on the loader?
And does this also work with WiiWare?

No, you can't install Priiloader on a vWii.
Why would you buy off region disks? If you are talking about burnt DVD copies, you can forget about it on a WiiU

 

[Zense]

Download Priiloader and enable Priiloader hacks. From the Priiloader hacks menu, enable Region-Free disc based games. For USB Loader GX, games on a HDD from different regions work straight out of the box.

From what I know this is wrong and might possibly brick your vWii, unless something new has happened.

USA games work. Just boot them like you normally would. I've done this on my vWii on my European Wii U with both USB Loader and injected channels on Wii U menu.

The difference between USA (NTSC) And European (PAL) is that sometimes the USA version runs smoother (it runs at 60hz, some pal games do too), but you will not have the extra European languages most of the time.

 

[Fingi]

First of all thank you all for your answers

yes you can play those games but you will need usbloader gx, they wont work just like that because homebrew doesnt automatically region-unlock your wii. dump your games using usbloader gx and you are ready to play them!

What do you mean dump games? Games on a disc? What if i use an iso data?

From what I know this is wrong and might possibly brick your vWii, unless something new has happened.

USA games work. Just boot them like you normally would. I've done this on my vWii on my European Wii U with both USB Loader and injected channels on Wii U menu.

The difference between USA (NTSC) And European (PAL) is that sometimes the USA version runs smoother (it runs at 60hz, some pal games do too), but you will not have the extra European languages most of the time.

Inject on my Wii U Menu? With WUP Installer or?
I just want to play Wii Games on USB Loader GX with my USB Stick, if i load games from another region will they work right away or can my vWii or Wii U brick? It is not that important if the games are on the vWii or Wii U menu ( how does this work with WUP Installer)? Do i need Priiloader at all if i dont use disc just isos?
Sorry i am a little confused and scared at the same time

 

[Deleted User]

First of all thank you all for your answers


What do you mean dump games? Games on a disc? What if i use an iso data?



Inject on my Wii U Menu? With WUP Installer or?
I just want to play Wii Games on USB Loader GX with my USB Stick, if i load games from another region will they work right away or can my vWii or Wii U brick? It is not that important if the games are on the vWii or Wii U menu ( how does this work with WUP Installer)? Do i need Priiloader at all if i dont use disc just isos?
Sorry i am a little confused and scared at the same time

You can load your games from usbloader gx even if they are not from your region without the risk of bricking your console no need to dump them (this counters my previous answer). But you can’t just select them from the Wii menu. You first need to open usbloader gx, and then when you are on the menu, on the top right corner there is a disc icon. Click it and then select start.
PROFIT!

Resuming:

1. Insert the game you want to play
2. Open usbloader gx from wherever you want (forwarder, hbc, etc.)
3. On the top right corner select the disc icon and then click start and you will be able to play your game with no problems.
Optional: if you have space on your hdd, you can eject you game and reinsert it. Wait for the loader to detect it and then a square reading “disc inserted” will appear. Click install game. Click it again and wait for it to be dumped!

 

[Fingi]

You can load your games from usbloader gx even if they are not from your region without the risk of bricking your console no need to dump them (this counters my previous answer). But you can’t just select them from the Wii menu. You first need to open usbloader gx, and then when you are on the menu, on the top right corner there is a disc icon. Click it and then select start.
PROFIT!

Resuming:

1. Insert the game you want to play
2. Open usbloader gx from wherever you want (forwarder, hbc, etc.)
3. On the top right corner select the disc icon and then click start and you will be able to play your game with no problems.
Optional: if you have space on your hdd, you can eject you game and reinsert it. Wait for the loader to detect it and then a square reading “disc inserted” will appear. Click install game. Click it again and wait for it to be dumped!

So do you mean dump disc games on my usb loader gx menu or do you mean that i can also dump games which are on my USB on my vWii or Wii U menu using ur method?

 

[Deleted User]

So do you mean dump disc games on my usb loader gx menu or do you mean that i can also dump games which are on my USB on my vWii or Wii U menu using ur method?

Again dumping is only optional. Read the “resuming” part of my comment again. There are the steps for you to play your out of region games

Resuming:

1. Insert the game you want to play
2. Open usbloader gx from wherever you want (forwarder, hbc, etc.)
3. On the top right corner select the disc icon and then click start and you will be able to play your game with no problems.
Optional: if you have space on your hdd, you can eject you game and reinsert it. Wait for the loader to detect it and then a square reading “disc inserted” will appear. Click install game. Click it again and wait for it to be dumped!

 

[kuwanger]

the only difference I've ever noticed is that when playing these games my system outputs an NTSC Signal to the TV so make sure your TV supports it

I'd throw in I've done the reverse (PAL on NTSC Wii) and had success with forcing video mode to NTSC. I presume it'll be on a game-by-game basis on how well that works.

 

[Zense]

I'd throw in I've done the reverse (PAL on NTSC Wii) and had success with forcing video mode to NTSC. I presume it'll be on a game-by-game basis on how well that works.

True but it would be hard to find a TV nowadays in Europe that does not support NTSC. Sure if you use a boxed CRT tv then it probably doesn't support NTSC, but all lcds/plasmas etc support NTSC.

Also I believe @Fingi is using .iso files/dumps so he would only need to put them on USB. It wouldn't make sense for him to be in Germany and only being able to find NTSC discs unless he lives in an American colony or something.

Also forget about priiloader, it's one of the things that potentially can brick your vWii and you have no reason to install it. You should consider it as being something only for Wiis and NOT Wii Us/vWii.

I can't remember if usbloader gx takes .iso files or only .wbfs. Actually I'm pretty sure it takes .iso files so you only need to put your games in a folder called "wbfs" that lies in the root/the very start of your usb stick. Your games should then show up in usbloader gx when you run it from your vwii

 

[kuwanger]

It wouldn't make sense for him to be in Germany and only able to find NTSC discs unless he lives in an american colony or something.

Or he visited the US and bought some games. Or imported some games (there are a handful of North American exclusive Wii games or they're just cheaper in the US). There might also be some ROM hacks of Wii games that don't work on the European version. *shrug* Point is, the question is a technical one. Not sure why you bring this up.

 

[Zense]

Or he visited the US and bought some games. Or imported some games (there are a handful of North American exclusive Wii games or they're just cheaper in the US). There might also be some ROM hacks of Wii games that don't work on the European version. *shrug* Point is, the question is a technical one. Not sure why you bring this up.

Sure, I should have quoted @nightweb and not you. But anyways in the first post he clearly says he can only find games from USA region. It definetely could be possible that he is only able to find used NTSC games locally or online, but I interpret it as he can only find dumps of NTSC games online, which is very likely since finding PAL dumps can be a chore.

 

[nightweb]

Sure, I should have quoted @nightweb and not you. But anyways in the first post he clearly says he can only find games from USA region. It definetely could be possible that he is only able to find used NTSC games locally or online, but I interpret it as he can only find dumps of NTSC games online, which is very likely since finding PAL dumps can be a chore.

I get what you mean and your right finding any "flat" TV type without NTSC/Pal support would be all but impossible I just thought worth mentioning in case rare chance he does, the TV doesn't support and he wonders why it doesn't work. And yup in first post op mentioned "USB Loader GX" so I gave instructions that I use for that.

I can't remember if usbloader gx takes .iso files or only .wbfs. Actually I'm pretty sure it takes .iso files so you only need to put your games in a folder called "wbfs" that lies in the root/the very start of your usb stick. Your games should then show up in usbloader gx when you run it from your vwii

While I believe it does support using ISO's in folder since all ISO's have a Fixed size i found using a 64GB flash drive with WBFS allowed Wii Backup Manager to trim the files down and USB Loader GX loader loaded them perfectly file saving loads of space fitting more on so thought it would be worth a mention.

 

[Zense]

I get what you mean and your right finding any "flat" TV type without NTSC/Pal support would be all but impossible I just thought worth mentioning in case rare chance he does, the TV doesn't support and he wonders why it doesn't work. And yup in first post op mentioned "USB Loader GX" so I gave instructions that I use for that.




While I believe it does support using ISO's in folder since all ISO's have a Fixed size i found using a 64GB flash drive with WBFS allowed Wii Backup Manager to trim the files down and USB Loader GX loader loaded them perfectly file saving loads of space fitting more on so thought it would be worth a mention.

Yeah, .wbfs file format is great. I used it until I got a 1TB usb drive and when I had my first problems with bad or shrunk dumps burning PS1 CDs. Don't think I ever had any problems with Wii discs. Maybe House of the Dead Overkill once actually. Now I only use redump unless I'm looking for an obscure Pal wii game for the extra languages.