DiemetriX Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Section 1: FAQ Section 2: Compatability List Section 3: Problems, Issues and Fixes Reveal hidden contents What is the Freeloader? From the official website: Quote With Wii FreeLoader, you can play ANY region of game on your UK Wii! Wii FreeLoader is really easy to use. Simply insert your FreeLoader disc and load it in the usual way. When the drive stops, eject the Wii FreeLoader disc and insert the game, which then loads and plays just like it would on its own region of Wii. It’s as simple as that! Wii FreeLoader is 100% unofficial, and requires no modifications to your console. As well as letting you play Wii games from all regions, Wii FreeLoader also works with imported GameCube games when played on your Wii. It won’t work in a GameCube console, though – for that, you need Freeloader for GameCube, also available from Codejunkies… Where can I get it from? Codejunkies (official supplier). DVD.co.uk Play-Asia GameSeek Divineo How much does it cost? £9.99 Which site would you suggest? "First things first, where to buy? The Wiiloader should cost £9.99, and can be bought from CodeJunkies direct(not recommended, as they seemed to do a crap job of getting them out compared to other companies, and their shipping isn’t the best price). GameSeek, VG+, 365games(Can get in a package with brawl for £40, free 3-5 day shipping to variety of regions AND claimed same day dispatch too). 365games offer other postage, such as 1st class for £2, Recorded for £4, and Next Day for £6. Free delivery to Aus, USA, Canada, or NZ, £3 to EU/NI, £4 rest of world. When buying a Wiiloader, ensure that it is one designed for PAL consoles, as there is a different version for each console region. I keep pimping 365games, but I’ve not used them, it’s just that they seem to offer the best deal I’ve seen. -Rummy How do I use it? There are two ways to use it, which are outlined in the manual: I don't understand... "Brawl (and numerous other Wii discs) come with firmware updates on the Disc, and the Wiiloader totally bypasses the automatic update of the console from the disc, one can assume this was in order to prevent discs forcing anti-wiiloader firmware upon you. However, it has been confirmed that the update on a US brawl disc will not do a 3.2E Firmware Wii any harm(in the majority of cases that is, see disclaimer at end of guide before following anything here). If you wish to check your wii’s current firmware version, go into the settings. As said, this is confirmed to work from 3.2E, but I do not know if updating from an older version will work. It may be worth updating your wii to 3.2E before letting the wii take things over, if you haven’t already. Note that this bit’ll become redundant after the next official firmware release. Anyhoo, I digress, To re-allow import discs to update your wii(such as Brawl, in order to play), proceed as follows." Turn on Wii, insert Wiiloader. ‘Bars’ roll across. Eject Wiiloader. RE-INSERT Wiiloader disc, ‘bars’ roll twice once more. Eject Wiiloader once more. Insert Brawl disc. Allow it to update Wii, once done, turnoff/reset Wii. Insert Wiiloader, Bars roll. Insert Brawl and have an experience you will never forget. "When playing Brawl in future, you only have to use the first method of inserting the Wiiloader once. If you’re having problems with Brawl, check your display settings and make sure it’s set to 480i or 480p, and that your TV doesn’t suck." -Rummy Can I see it in action? Certainly. Forum member Domstercool has kindly captured a video of him using the Freeloader to play the US version of No More Heroes on his Wii. Youtube Can I still play foreign games online? Yes you can. Do I need to update my Wii? The Wii needs to be on the newest firmware, which is 3.2E. The download is available through the Wii's system menu. Will a foreign game update my console with foreign firmware? "No, the wii freeloader plays the basic game file and that's it, basically. It ignores all update data that is on the foreign game disk that you are trying to play. It'll basically run the Wii Firmware that is currently on your Wii console." (From an email Datel sent to member yesteryeargames) What display settings do I need? "NTSC games aren't going to work if you're in PAL60 mode. You have to be in 60hz or 480p mode for US games to work anyway." - Jordan. Settings can be changed through the Wii's settings. Any more info about the settings needed? "Before you consider the Wiiloader, make important note of this overlooked fact – your games will be designed to play in 60Hz. As a result, you MUST go into the Wii settings and change the display to 480i or 480p, if your TV can’t display 60Hz, forget get a Wiiloader, or get a new TV. Most TVs since the late 90s are 60Hz capable. It should be easy to test regardless, set the setting in your wii and if a game plays fine, it should be fine. Alternatively, load up SSBM and hold down B while it’s loading up, and you’ll get a prompt to run in 60Hz. If you select yes and the picture goes funny, your TV can’t handle 60Hz. If you don't have SSBM or another 60Hz compatible GC game, I can't offer much other advise on how to test your TV, go ask at a tech forum or read the manual." "The next issue with display is your wii’s AV cable, there’s reports it does not work correctly with an RGB cable(displaying with red tint), but is fine with composite. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AS AN ISSUE. Nobody seems to know why it happens, but there’s a few supposed solutions;" "Composite is reported to work fine, so just get out your original cable that came with the Wii(the one with Yellow Red and White RCAs and a scart block) and use that. Apparently if you stick the RGB scart into a non-RGB scart capable socket, it acts as composite and will work fine. If your TV has more than one socket, apparently only one is usually RGB/can be set to RGB. I’ll be honest though, this is way out of my territory, and I don’t guarantee any of the other sockets definitely working/not working. If you’ve got a nice shiny newish TV and want that slightly crisper picture and all that, get yourself a component cable(it’s got like 5 RCAs on it, RGB and L/R audio, I believe). I’ve heard this works fine too." -Rummy What about GameCube games? "This is where the Wiiloader falls short. It currently seems a bit unpredictable around gamecube games, in that it plays some, half plays others, and doesn’t play any at all." -Rummy A list of currently confirmed games can be found below. If you test any not on the list please let us know the results. Reveal hidden contents This section is reliant upon other sources, so if you've tested a game let us know. Wii Game - Regional - Compatible? - Method Super Smash Bros Brawl - Japan - Yes Super Smash Bros Brawl - USA - Yes - Addition Method No More Heroes - Japan - Yes No More Heroes - USA - Yes GameCube Game - Regional - Compatible? - Method Baten Kaitos Origins - USA - Yes Naruto Clash of Ninja 2 - USA - No Sonic Adventure DX - USA - No Metroid Prime - USA - Yes Eternal Darkness - USA - Yes Starfox Adventures - USA - Yes Super Smash Bros: Melee - USA - Yes Metal Gear Solid : Twin Snakes - USA - Yes Resident Evil 4 (Players Choice) - USA - Yes F-Zero GX - USA - Yes Sonic Mega Collection (Players Choice) - USA - Yes Wind Waker - USA - No Killer 7 - USA - No Paper Mario : Thousand Year Door (Players Choice) - USA - No Metroid Prime 2 - USA - No Pikmin 2 (Players Choice) - USA - No Viewtiful Joe - USA - No Animal Crossing - USA - No Reveal hidden contents My game won't load! Have you loaded the disk as outlined earlier, using first the normal method and the alternative method if the first didn't work? Have you also checked to make sure you have the regions correct (ie you are using a PAL Freeloader with a non-PAL game)? Reveal hidden contents A Freeloader that allows the playing of non-PAL Wii games on a PAL Wii is finally coming out! Codejunkies UK just updated their site, announcing that very soon a Freeloader for Wii will be released, which allows PAL Wii owners to play other region games (such as NTSC) without resorting to mod-chips or any other warranty-busting prodcuts. Just put the Freeloader in the disc drive and swap it for the game disc. The Freeloader also allows non-PAL Wii consoles to support PAL games and it works with Gamecube discs too! Great news all arround, especially with no date in sight for Super Smash Bros. Brawl! source: http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=11565
Tellyn Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Good news indeed though! I can't wait to take advantage of the weak dollar.
Tales Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Great news. If this really works I won't be buying many PAL games anymore. But I think I will wait an update or two before I import every game I want, one day the freeloader might not work anymore. Edit: Anyone else ordering Brawl? XD
Cube Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 The news is so good that the Codejunkies site has died! Gameseek say that it's out on the 14th March for £9.99
Goron_3 Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Wicked! I'll order my copy of brawl tomorrow then!
Shino Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Thank god for the €! I might very well import smash hopefully I can still play online.
killthenet Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Import Smash you say? Yes, yes I will. It'll be like the same price with the freeloader as it would when it comes out here anyway.
Zelda_Rulez Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Importing Brawl is getting very tempting now, I'll wait for some impressions of this to decide what I'll do.
Gaijin von Snikbah Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 I have my doubts about playing Brawl online.
Goron_3 Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 remember, if you import you can only play American Smashers.
EchoDesiato Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 This is the best news ever. Up yours NoE!
Shino Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Better to play with them and my RL friends now than with you guys in Christmas, and you can sell it later.
Eenuh Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 This is actually quite tempting (cause of Brawl). But wouldn't Nintendo be able to make it stop working with simply another update to the Wii?
ShadowV7 Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 FINALLY THANK GOD FINALLY. I LOVE YOU DATEL, GIVE ME FREELOADER NOW. I'm freakin overjoyed by the way.
Falcon_BlizZACK Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!! Though I'll be $hitting myself to update the Wii again.
Shino Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Eenuh said: This is actually quite tempting (cause of Brawl). But wouldn't Nintendo be able to make it stop working with simply another update to the Wii? I'm not updating ANYTHING before Brawl PAL is released.
ShadowV7 Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Seriously I think I just came. This is better than a Brawl date to me. ToS 2 early, Baroque early, DQ early, RPGs early Oh god i'm loving this.
Hero-of-Time Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Lets all hope that the March date from Gameseek is true!!! This is what NoE gets for messing us around.
BlueStar Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Wonder if they can stop games bricking your Wii by auto-updating with the wrong region's firmware and installing duplicate channels.
Gizmo Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Why is everything good coming out after my birthday. When's the US Brawl date, then? Think I'll buy myself a copy so long as the freeloader won't become useless after every firmware update.
welsh_gamer Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Awesome news. If Brawl get's an European release date of August or later, I will import. Anyone know that if I purchased the PAL version when it was released, and then sold my USA copy, would it still be able to access my gamesaves?
Zelda_Rulez Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 welsh_gamer said: Anyone know that if I purchased the PAL version when it was released, and then sold my USA copy, would it still be able to access my gamesaves? Probably not, you'd have to make a new one.
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