Twilight Princess exploit leads to explosion of Wii hacks

by Kyle Orland { Feb 25th 2008 at 3:45PM }

Hacking your Wii to play Pong is one thing, but the recently-revealed Twilight Princess exploit allows all sorts of unsigned code to run natively on the Wii. Homebrew developers are already starting to take advantage, releasing a bunch of interesting and/or useful unauthorized programs for Nintendo's little white box. Among them:

Linux for Wii - Coming next: Linux on your toaster
MP3 player - Just in case you don't like the crappy one included in the Photo Channel.
SNES emulator - Who needs the Virtual Console when you can just steal ROMs of your fave SNES games?
Wii Tetris - So much cooler than Pong. No, you shut up!

Still no public announcement from Nintendo in reaction to the exploit, though given their recent aggressive pursuit of game pirates, you can expect a PSP-style battle of the firmwares to start any day now.
[Thanks to reader Craig for many of these links]

Tags: exploit, firmware, Nintendo, TP exploit, TpExploit, twilight princess, TwilightPrincess, Wii, wii hacks, WiiHacks

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 25th 2008 3:49PM

I don't think you can firmware patch out a savegame hack. They'd have to patch the TP executable, and we all know that Wii games can't get patched without replacing the disc.

So everybody go out and buy TP NOW before they have a chance to fix the glitch.

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 25th 2008 3:51PM

Too good that I have the launch edition =)

I want to try the SNES Emulator... I want Mario RPG in my TV =p

NoHitHair @ Feb 25th 2008 3:53PM

The SNES emulator was also the first thing to catch my eye. My Xbox is modded to play any SNES games, but I'd be very happy to enjoy those same treasures on my Wii.

Mr Khan @ Feb 25th 2008 3:53PM

That'll be their only recourse, to close it up from TP's side, since the Wii registers the homebrew file as a run-of-the-mill TP file (except that it has a different graphic, so they could possibly build a patch to block out files with unknown graphics, but that would be very restrictive)

SabreCat @ Feb 25th 2008 8:59PM

Interestingly enough, a Wii system update today said something about scanning the disc in your drive and notifying you if any updates for that game were available... Seemed too voluntary to beat the hack, but it might be something in favor of Wii games being patchable?

Sam @ Feb 25th 2008 3:54PM

*yawn*

Call me back when it allows you to play backup's/iso's

fwacce @ Feb 25th 2008 5:18PM

Hey Sam, you see all those empty heart containers by your post? That means you're an idiot.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 25th 2008 5:41PM

You only said that because you were late to the vote-down party, didn't you.

please @ Feb 25th 2008 3:57PM

THis is why discs wont be in the next consoles

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 25th 2008 4:01PM

Well... hopefully next gen will not use disc... but I'm not interested in digital distribution... I want to have the physical object.

Maybe they can release games in high capacity memory cards (like 20GB memory cards) allowing a more smaller console without a disc drive, and eliminating loading times.

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Feb 25th 2008 4:06PM

I still support a three disc CD changer....no high cost for blu ray and you won't have to change discs. space? no problem.

NoHitHair @ Feb 25th 2008 4:21PM

Maybe we can finally go back to the better medium - cartridges.

Anyone remember? The one with built-in save features? No loading time? Expandable memory?

Oh, that's right. CDs were just SO much better because they granted such an amazing amount of space. Thank god for higher resolution graphics, CG, FMVs and all the things that have very little to do with content or gameplay. And who needs skilled programmers when, since they had such an enormous amount of space, they could just toss out whatever the hell code they felt like?

I had hoped and prayed that the disc medium would enable developers to put even more content in their games. Instead, CD/DVDs were the ultimate excuse for developers to ignore content in favor of pretty pictures. Depth and content have hardly changed from 10-20 years ago (in fact, I'd argue they've declined). But at least everything's aesthetically pleasant.

Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 25th 2008 4:26PM

@NoHitHair

Whine, whine, whine... games did need more space and they still need more space than what is affordable for games. I've never bought the sloppy code excuse. The bulk of the space is going toward textures and audio. And, yes, I appreciate having nice graphics. OH NO!

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Feb 25th 2008 4:27PM

There are so many things wrong with that statement, Hair, I don't know where to begin.

quickshade @ Feb 25th 2008 4:35PM

Well start with the fact that many games have been released on CD and have been not only good looking but had great gameplay.....at least thats where I would start. We could go into production costs too if you wanted.....dumbass.

ComicShaman @ Feb 25th 2008 4:43PM

@NoHitHair

You forgot to add: "Get off my lawn!"

Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 25th 2008 4:53PM

In his defense I do think solid state storage is the future, I just don't think the move to optical media is the travesty he makes it out to be. It was a necessary move.

NoHitHair @ Feb 25th 2008 5:24PM

Funny how no one can tell me the reason why we need more space.

Also, the "graphics" all of you seem so obsessed with are easily condensed and far less system intensive were they programmed in the correct coding (i.e., some C++ but mainly Assembly), thus requiring minimal space. These gigabytes of games could easily be reduced far more than they are. In the mid-nineties everyone was obsessed with a new medium, i.e., CDs. Several companies tried (remember 3D0? CD-i?) but it was the low cost and availability of the PS that brought it into the mainstream. That doesn't make it right or necessary, all it does is illustrate our obsession with newer and better, regardless of the content or the need.

We have extremely lazy and highly unskilled programmers making our games. They've learned the intracices of "copy and paste" rather than the artform of actual programming.

All of your ignorance is startling. It's very sad and it's indicative of the industry as a whole. Research really isn't that difficult. Try it some time.

Toad @ Feb 25th 2008 9:27PM

@NoHitHair

If you think that copying and pasting 10,100, hell, 10,000 lines of code is what takes up the space, you've obviously never programmed anything of substance.

N64 cartridge was 32MB, you want a decent sounding soundtrack? good luck. Unless you enjoying seeing the same (and shitty too) textures over and over and over again, the jump to CD 20x the space was needed.

Slayer @ Feb 25th 2008 5:56PM

@NoHitHair

All you've done is bitch and complain.

NoHitHair @ Feb 25th 2008 6:02PM

It is what takes up space. When a program has to run through more lines of code, it takes more time to pour through it. If, in these lines of code, a process is being run to compensate for another process when the first could've been simply altered or told to address another aspect of the code, then that's simply a waste of time, space and processing.

I do think it unfair of me to label an entire industry as having lackluster programmers, however, I do believe the industry has substantially ignored the programming side (and this is especially evident in several titles ['Temple of Elemental Evil' immediately springs to mind]).

The point is: games can be dramatically reduced in size, enough to the point that the same game could easily fit on a cartridge. As far as music, our current compression technologies easily remove the need for enormous space.

The other night I was playing the original Final Fantasy on the NES and a friend demanded I stop because "the graphics suck too much and so the game is worthless." The attitudes of the responders on Joystiq seem to share this opinion. I must admit I'm surprised pop-up books aren't hot sellers.

upz @ Feb 25th 2008 6:04PM

I think the main problem with solid state (aside from the practicality of cost) is the relatively limited number of read/write cycles. Imagine buying a used copy of a game, only to find that the previous owners saved games are permanently stuck on the cart, with no more slots to create your own games. Hell, it sometimes happened with Blockbuster copies of cartridges in the 90s and with modern features like autosave, it's bound to happen much more frequently.

Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 25th 2008 6:10PM

"It is what takes up space. When a program has to run through more lines of code, it takes more time to pour through it. If, in these lines of code, a process is being run to compensate for another process when the first could've been simply altered or told to address another aspect of the code, then that's simply a waste of time, space and processing."

See, you have no clue. Straight code takes up some space, but it's tiny compared to assets like textures and audio. The example you give would chew up processing time, but have very little impact on storage space.

Tombstone @ Feb 25th 2008 6:12PM

@NoHitHair

Okay, lets see Oblivion fit on a cartridge.

Also, I seriously doubt that happen. A lot.

But anyway your forgetting about everything. Models, music, sound files, textures, etc. I really doubt all the high quality of them could all fit on a cartridge.

Oh also lets see Brawl fit on a Cartridge. As it's using a Dual-Layered DVD, I doubt it.

Also Halo 3, Half-Life 2, etc. The list goes on.

NoHitHair @ Feb 25th 2008 6:56PM

I don't want to keep arguing because a) most of the responses have been people willing to tell me I'm wrong but unable to tell me why and b) I hardly believe this debate will actually lead anywhere or convince anyone of anything. That said, lemme respond to this belief that "audio" and "textures" are what takes up space and not programming.

What do you think gets the audio and textures to work in the game? How do you think the program recognizes whether or not to reuse, overlap or generate new textures? A talented programmer is one who is able to use existing code to the benefit of new concepts thus reducing the need for extensive coding. All you have to do is look at the code for most games nowadays - every time anything new needs to be done, they just add code. That muddling forces the processing to take longer because instead of reusing existing code, it's forced to take a burden of additional code.

Absolutely everything in a game is tied together with the programming, including graphics AND audio. Compression technology isn't magic, mp3s didn't simply appear out of thin air. They were programmed.

thethirdmoose @ Feb 25th 2008 9:08PM

/facepalm

did you SERIOUSLY just say that graphics need to be programmed in C++?

you really have no idea, do you?

Toad @ Feb 25th 2008 9:33PM

well guys, we tried. Let him be.

bm @ Feb 26th 2008 6:34AM

"N64 cartridge was 32MB, you want a decent sounding soundtrack? good luck."

Hey, plenty of N64 games had great soundtracks. All the fanboy cries about this make it pretty fucking funny too that most of the soundtracks that were lauded on the PS1 (like FF) were actually the very same synth music found on N64 games, with most of the space on the disk actually going towards FMV and nothing else.

KirbyMeister @ Feb 25th 2008 4:02PM

Bleh. I still need a Gamecube SD adapter for the hack and a second SD card. Right now we're still abusing the fact that the Wii is two Gamecubes duck-taped together, and only using the GC stuff. (in Wii mode, however, which is still awesome)

Mr Khan @ Feb 25th 2008 4:08PM

At least they were able to crack the Wii using a simpler exploit. For GC they had to emulate a Sonic Team server on their PC and then force-feed homebrew into the GC with a crossover cable

KirbyMeister @ Feb 25th 2008 5:12PM

Actually it was PSO on the Gamecube. Good point, though. Fortunately we don't have to spend years waiting as people reverse-engineer the console's SDK, we just need to figure out how to access the Bluetooth, SD card slot, Wifi, and internal flash.

In short, in a week this comment will be null and void.

piestuff @ Feb 25th 2008 4:03PM

"SNES emulator - Who needs the Virtual Console when you can just steal ROMs of your fave SNES games?"

Hahaha, oh wow. What's next coming from Joystiq, "Go grab a gun and rob banks!"?

[.sm0ke.] @ Feb 25th 2008 4:30PM

Earthbound.

Need I say more?

Donald @ Feb 25th 2008 5:19PM

Any comment promoting ROM use on Joystiq carries an implicit sarcasm tag, doesn't it?

[.sm0ke.]: "Chrono Trigger. Need I say more."
Fixed that for you. There is an infinitely small chance of Earthbound on VC, it's just damn unlikely. Square games are never coming.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 25th 2008 5:49PM

I think that was smoke's point, Donald. Earthbound is never coming to VC. Therefore: SNES emulator.

Kyle Orland @ Feb 25th 2008 8:18PM

Yes, I thought the sarcasm here was obvious.

phooky @ Feb 25th 2008 4:13PM

Nice!

Let me know when I am able to watch a DVD on my Wii through this exploit. Then I will be happy.

Mr Khan @ Feb 25th 2008 4:47PM

Now that's something i could sink my teeth into. You could probably only load put in a DVD once after pulling Twilight Princess out, but that would be more than enough to get me on board with that idea

ThornedVenom (Ludwig Defense Force) @ Feb 25th 2008 5:00PM

Homebrew is to videogame consoles what NGOs are to the government.

They compensate whatever the latter is lacking at.

Alex @ Feb 25th 2008 4:59PM

none of the links are working for me :(

Do you need anything special for this? Or just a Wii, an SD card and a copy of TP?

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 25th 2008 5:14PM

You still need a special GC to SD memory card, because they haven't figured out how to access the Wii SD card reader yet.

I'll check back in on the HBrew scene in 6 months to a year. It might be worth the common joe's (read: me) time by then.

We needs a custom firmware.

timnc @ Feb 25th 2008 5:03PM

hrm... MAME Operation Wolf for the Wiimote?

NoHitHair @ Feb 25th 2008 5:45PM

MAME on the Wii. Oh the possibilities.

Maybe one day.

Keiichi @ Feb 25th 2008 5:41PM

To hell with backups and ISOs. Will it let me play IMPORTS?! I've got a copy of Eyeshield 21 here that's screaming "PLAY ME!"

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 25th 2008 5:52PM

Modchips can do this, and is probably alot less headache than trying to get homebrew running on your wii at this juncture.

Keiichi @ Mar 18th 2008 7:42AM

Makes no odds Crono, I've picked up a Freeloader... Ya--Ha--!

mian @ Feb 25th 2008 6:03PM

I'm having trouble loading the second page of the actual thread, but it looks like the snes emulator was done in 2007, an old post resurrected and someone misleading people to think it has something to do with the Twilight exploit. Read:
eke-eke wrote: "ok, have a look at the first post date, this is completely outdated
look like somebody has revived an old thread and some others thought it was new and using zelda's hack while it didn't even exist"

Drack wrote: "unholyfire has not posted anything since May 2007. The misleading title plus the (first) reply to this post yesterday fooled Brakken who posted this on the frontpage, where I assume most of us got wind of this. I'm not insulting Brakken here, I know I was fooled too, as were most of us in this thread.

However, I burned the .dol as an elf onto the SD card and got some interesting results.

-The wiimote did NOT power off as it does when I boot a GC game/homebrew disc.

-The dol actually booted the emulator menu, with the animated mario kart and everything, but no button input worked. My standard gc controller didn't work in the menu."