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Where is the Wii Freeloader? Oh, it's finally here!

by David Hinkle on Feb 28th 2008 2:15PM

For those of you looking to import games for your Wii, Datel's Freeloader will likely be the solution for you. But, where exactly is it? We haven't hear anything about the device since 2006 (although there were some rumors floating around last year about it releasing).

But now, finally, it looks like the Wii Freeloader has released. In checking out Datel's official website, we came across the product. It's for sale, right now, so we can only assume that most retailers will be getting their shipments in soon, if they already haven't. So now you can get back to enjoying your import GameCube games again, not to mention the Wii titles that will be fun to get ahold of.

What's your first import going to be?

[Via DCemu; thanks, Craig!]

Source

Tags: datel, freeloader, wii-freeloader

Reader Comments (38)

If we would've had this a month or two ago, does that mean we could've played Japanese Brawl on an American Wii?

Yes, that is exactly what it means.

The original Japanese version of One Piece Grand Adventure for me.

so you can play japanese, us and pal-versions of a game?
brawl, i'm coming!!!

Uk is not great, in terms of release dates and prices, but brawl will come much earlier, but the first has to be the blood-filled us version of no more heroes.

BRAWL BRAWL BRAWL.

no waiting till 'fall' for this European!

...Boy, this would have been useful several weeks ago before I shelled out $300 on a JP Wii to get Brawl early -_-

My first import with a Freeloader will probably be the new Naruto fighter, though I probably won't bother to grab it til closer to Zenkaikon, since I run the game room there and can chalk it up as a con expense, heh.

I want this so badly, but I'm afraid Nintendo will shut it down with a Firmware upgrade the way they shut the old one down in 3.0. Not sure how many times I want to give Datel $20 to make it work again.

MarioKart Wii! Let this be true!

Yes, but the real question is will firmware updates kill it like they killed the Gamecube action replay disc? Don't want to shell out the cash for it only for it to be nerfed a few weeks later.

this just awoke my sorry uk wii. trauma center new blood and brawl. however, i guess we can nolonger update our systems.

Oooh, Wii AND GCN games? I hope Nintendo will allow this FreeLoader to continue to work (it's a nice system mod-free alternative) so that I can purchase some Wii and GCN games... I've got a real hankering to try Doshin the Giant for 'cube....

And really, for Nintendo, it's a way to make more money. This basically means bigger audience...

This made me smile.

I should really think before acting.

Does this work?

I just ordered this and No More Heroes, but I think I might cancel until I see some evidence.

gasp! the full blood version of no more heroes! thank you datel!

I guess I am going to have to import RE:0 for the Wii since Capcom said that they won't be releasing the Wii version outside of Japan.

Smash bros Brawl!!!!
Sorry guys but people out there in the old continent won't wait Fall to play while american people are having fun!

Just ordered one from their European shop, so I can finally start importing stuff again. And it means I can play Megaman Anniversary Collection on my Wii.

That Youtouden game, the one made by the Odin Sphere devs, whatever its really called

Its shot of making it stateside is slim

Well this is useless to me now. I just wanted Brawl early. If this had come out when Brawl came out in Japan I would be all over this. It is the only game I wouldn't mind having in Japanese if I could have it early. But something like Mario Kart, I will just be patient and wait. I am sure a lot of people are excited for this, but for me, not really.

I would've got it... but brawl is coming out in only two weeks!

How do these things work? is it a disc that you put in your Wii? And if it is how do you put your game in at the same time?
Is it some sort of chip or memory card?

You load the FreeLoader disc and then it just asks you to hit eject and then place the Wii game disc. That's essentially how the other versions have worked and I can't imagine why this one would be any different.

Fairly simple: It's a bootdisk. You insert it into your Wii, start it up just like a normal game. Then you remove the Freeloader and insert the game you wanna play when it tells you to.

Super Robot Wars GC!!! J9!!!

J9 team = Win, they really need to show up more often in SRT.

Also, Braiger's theme is awesome.
"J9, J9, nasake muyou..."

How the crap does that work? I thought Nintendo made a firmware update that made it impossible to do that on the wii...Unless that was only for the Gamecube one. Ah, crap.

I already ordered it.

finally I'll play some games I really wanted to...
no more heroes uncut
shikigami non shiro III
MLB power pros

I won't get one because most games come to the US, but if there is a game that is never coming to the US for the Wii that I want then I probably will.

"The original Japanese version of One Piece Grand Adventure for me."

i believe there was never a japanese version of this game. GA was american exclusive.

anyways, my first import would be naruto shippuuden gekitou ninja taisen ex 2. i've already ordered the wii loader.

Neat, but two problems: I finally sold the copy of Naruto Shippuden: GNTEX that's been kicking around for a year waiting for this just earlier THIS MONTH to buy No More Heroes. Secondly, there's a pretty good chance another firmware update will kill it anyway :/

Does this thing allow playing pirated games? Or just imports? I ask because I'll only get one if it works with imports only...otherwise Nintendo will just make it stop working via firmware update and I'll have wasted $20 that I really can't afford to spend in the first place ^_^

Just imports, all it does is fool the Wii into believing the game's region code is different from what it really is.

So many great games can be played now....

But I will say my old GC freeloader still works fine on my Wii....Super robot wars and battle stadium D.O.N play fine....after i use freeloader and I'm fully updated to 3.2.....Ahwell go me :P

same here, man. I was wondering what everyone was talking about. I updated my wii yesterday, and used my (gamecube) freeloader on it today.

I've already e-mailed Datel about the possibility of this being useless in a further update. I'll let you guys know when they reply.

I haven't had any plans for any imports on GCN or Wii fronts yet. The only thing I've imported yet is Ouendan 2.

Freeloader is not compatible with Naruto EX. I received an email from Date/Codejunkies informing me that "UNFORTUNATELY NARUTO EX IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE FREELOADER, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE"
(I just lost my money)

Breaking News

Where is the Wii Freeloader? Oh, it's finally here!

Reader Comments (38)

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