Wii Games Import Question

Lindsay Lohan

So - I'm assuming that all Wii games are region locked. So with that assumption if someone were to use software/hardware modifications or even buy a UK Wii in order to import and play a game from Europe in the US - what (if anything) would be the video issues involved? I seem to remember back in the day that PAL systems on NTSC screens caused all sorts of issues, but has that changed in today's world of high def (or in the Wii's case 480p) displays?

Is that issue a thing of the past or would the work in getting setup to import still end up disappointing by a black and white or flickering picture?

Gilder

Well first off you only need the Homebrew Channel to play import games and it's super easy to set up. I think LewieP's thread on it has disappeared though so you'd have to search for it. You're going to want GeckoOS. You can use it to load cheats for games, but I think most people use it to play imports and skip the "New update available!" prompt on newer Wii games. It also doesn't let you play pirated games so I think it's okay to talk about.

Second, display issues depend on your TV. What kind of TV do you have? Is it a newer LCD or Plasma? If it is you're most likely set. I'm not sure on Plasma, but mostly every LCD these days can play 50 Hz games without issue. Also GeckoOS itself has a feature to try and force 60 Hz on PAL games. So even if your TV doesn't do it there's still a chance it'll work. I think there's only a few games it won't work with. If you're playing on an old CRT then that's what you'll probably have to use, and honestly it might be too risky to try it. Unfortunately the Wii doesn't use HDMI which completely bypasses the issue of 50 Hz/ 60 Hz, so the Wii's "high def" doesn't really make a difference. You've got to go through component cables and those are still affected by the display difference.

What game are you planning on getting? I have the two One Piece games and Disaster: Day of Crisis so if it's one of those I can tell you that they worked on my old LCD TV from like 3 years ago. If you have a newer TV it's practically a guarantee that your game will work.

Lindsay Lohan

I actually have the homebrew channel available so I know there will be a way to get my Wii to read the import disc. My Wii is hooked up to an LCD TV via component cables? I'm assuming that will be good enough to ensure no video incompatibility?

Gilder

I doubt you'll have any troubles. It's the old TVs that have issues with PAL games these days. Newer TVs are pretty much past that whole debacle. You can look in your TVs manual though to see what it says it can display, but you might not find it. I would just assume that it can do it, and even if it can't there's always the Force 60 Hz option. I seriously doubt your TV is any less capable of doing anything than my previous TV.

Vegan

No video issues when I've done it. It'll be fine.

Lindsay Lohan

Awesome - thanks for the help. I guess I should be good to go then - I think I was living in the past in terms of video stuff. Thanks!