Joystiq

Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Homebrew proposal culminates in 'Bejeweled' weddinghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/homebrew-proposal-culminates-in-bejeweled-wedding/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/homebrew-proposal-culminates-in-bejeweled-wedding/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/homebrew-proposal-culminates-in-bejeweled-wedding/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Hacks, Casual

You've probably all but forgotten about a story we ran way back in March in which one Bernie Peng used a homebrew version of Bejeweled to propose to his girlfriend of three years. Well, Bejeweled publisher PopCap didn't forget about the proposal, helping to make the couple's wedding this Saturday an unforgettable affair.

According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger, PopCap chipped in $1,000 for decorations ($500 of which went to a Nintendo DS-shaped cake) and $5,000 for free copies of Bejeweled that were given to all 250 guests. "There are good ways and bad ways to hack software and to us, this is a good way," said PopCap spokesman Garth Chouteau. After a honeymoon in Bali, the happy, nerdy couple will also get a guided tour of Popcap's Seattle headquarters.

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]]>bejeweledcakeDShomebrewproposalweddingKyle Orland2008-09-01T17:00:00+00:00Watch and learn: DVD on Wii how-to videohttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/watch-and-learn-dvd-on-wii-how-to-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/watch-and-learn-dvd-on-wii-how-to-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/watch-and-learn-dvd-on-wii-how-to-video/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii

Earlier today, we reported on the better-late-than-never news that DVD playback has come to Wii, thanks to the console's burgeoning homebrew development community. We decided to give the hack a go ourselves and recorded a brief video tutorial of how you too can unlock the immense potential of the Wii's disc drive. Okay ... so you can just watch DVDs, but this is big stuff for Nintendo, folks.

The actual process is so simple - and the results, even for a first release, so impressive - that we're boggled by the fact that Nintendo hasn't simply added this functionality to the Disc Channel as part of a system update. It's a matter of downloading a small file, a hombrew video player, copying them to an SD card, and using the Homebrew Channel (a guide to installing which we've posted about previously) to apply a two-second patch. Keep reading after the break for our full impressions.

Gallery: Guide to watching DVDs on Wii

So you want to play DVDs on your Wii?

First thing's first: essentials

A word to the wise

What to download first

Copy over the Twilight Princess save

Once it's up-and-running, you can pop into the Mplayer app from the Homebrew Channel, put any video DVD in the drive, and voila - you're watching a DVD on a game console. Crazy, huh? The video quality is good, although we've found that Mplayer drops frames during more action-packed scenes in order to keep the film's audio in sync. You can disable frame dropping, but your audio and video will exist in separate time zones. There's definitely a lot of tidying up of the UI that can be done, but again, this is a first effort and Mplayer is in continual development.

We have a full rundown on the playback controls in our video; our compatriots at Wii Fanboy have put together a step-by-step gallery detailing the process of installing the Homebrew Channel and getting the necessary DVD hack files onto an SD card, which you can make with the clicky on above.

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]]>dvdhackhomebrewhow-tojoystiqfeaturesmplayernintendoRandy Nelson2008-08-13T19:40:00+00:00Dust off your Wii, it's time to watch a DVDhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/dust-off-your-wii-its-time-to-watch-a-dvd/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/dust-off-your-wii-its-time-to-watch-a-dvd/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/dust-off-your-wii-its-time-to-watch-a-dvd/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii

boom

Nintendo isn't exactly swinging for the fences with the remainder of its 2008 Wii lineup, but then, when you hit your grand slam so early in the year, it's easy to fade in the second half of the season. Thankfully, homebrewer Erant has stepped up to the plate and delivered a clutch hit: DVD video playback.

... Um, let's try that again: DVD VIDEO PLAYBACK!!1!!!!!

The no mess utility is easy to install (well, maybe not for grandpa) and includes a media player that also makes nice with the video files stored on your SD card. All we need now is a VHS-to-DVD converter so we can transfer mom's old step aerobics tapes onto disc. That's right, homebrewed balance board games! Who knew all this old stuff could feel so new again?

[Via Wii Fanboy]

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]]>dvddvdx-installerhomebrewwiiJames Ransom-Wiley2008-08-13T13:40:00+00:00Wii system menu hack released, region coding on the runhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/wii-system-menu-hack-released-region-coding-on-the-run/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/wii-system-menu-hack-released-region-coding-on-the-run/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/wii-system-menu-hack-released-region-coding-on-the-run/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii

Remember that Wii system menu hack we told you about yesterday? Among other things, HackInstaller removes the health warning at startup, the background music and -- most importantly -- all region encoding for GameCube and Wii games and Wii channels (you can view a walkthrough of the patch, above). Homebrew coder "Crediar" has released HackInstaller into the wild.

Installation requires the homebrew channel. If you haven't taken the leap to homebrew, check out the Wii Pack Generator for a no-fuss entry into the scene. We suspect Nintendo isn't going to take this loss of region coding concern lightly.

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]]>crediarhackinstallerhackshomebrewRoss Miller2008-08-06T21:30:00+00:00Windows Vista + PS3 = Proof of Patience, and not much elsehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/windows-vista-ps3-proof-of-patience-and-not-much-else/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/windows-vista-ps3-proof-of-patience-and-not-much-else/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/windows-vista-ps3-proof-of-patience-and-not-much-else/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Sony PlayStation 3

We're not even willing to label this a "proof of concept," as this mash-up of Windows Vista (via emulation) and the PlayStation 3 is only for those with near-infinite patience or those with a penchant for pain. Some numbers to keep in mind: a day to install, 25 minutes to boot up, 5 minutes to access the start menu and 12 minutes to open notepad. (That's a lot of sandwiches.)

Video embedded after the break, or click here to view instructions on how to do it yourself. Only the truly masochistic need apply.

[Via Engadget]

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]]>hackhomebrewsonyvistawindowswindows-vistaRoss Miller2008-08-06T05:00:00+00:00Wii hack zaps annoying health warning, region codinghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/wii-hack-zaps-annoying-health-warning-region-coding/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/wii-hack-zaps-annoying-health-warning-region-coding/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/wii-hack-zaps-annoying-health-warning-region-coding/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii

There's nothing wrong with your speakers. The above video is totally silent, although its content speaks volumes. What you're looking at is a new Wii System Menu hack from homebrew coder "Crediar." What's special about this one - which is installed via the Homebrew Channel we've covered previously - is that it does away with the annoying health warning screen at boot-up, the Wii Menu background music, and, most importantly, region coding for Wii games, GameCube games and Wii Channels. The video is annotated so you know exactly what's going on during the walkthrough. Crediar hasn't made his work public as of yet, but we can only imagine Nintendo - unlike Wii owners - will be none too pleased.

[Thanks, Craig!]

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]]>hackshomebrewRandy Nelson2008-08-05T21:00:00+00:00Wii Brew's Wii Pack Generator delivers no-fuss homebrewhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/wii-brews-wii-pack-generator-delivers-no-fuss-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/wii-brews-wii-pack-generator-delivers-no-fuss-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/wii-brews-wii-pack-generator-delivers-no-fuss-homebrew/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii

For those who still haven't tried Wii homebrew, the folks at Wii Brew have made it even easier than before. Introducing the Wii Pack Generator, "a web-based utility that allows you to select from the most recent, up to date, and high quality homebrew for your Nintendo Wii and create a custom pack." Click on the files you want and the application will give you either a .zip or .exe file you can use to extract the components into an SD card. A video tutorial of the Twilight Hack, required for Wii homebrew, is embedded after the break.

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]]>homebrewtwilight-hackwii-brewwii-pack-generatorwiibrewRoss Miller2008-07-30T15:15:00+00:00Nintendo files lawsuit to curb DS piracyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/nintendo-files-lawsuit-to-curb-ds-piracy/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/nintendo-files-lawsuit-to-curb-ds-piracy/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/nintendo-files-lawsuit-to-curb-ds-piracy/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Hacks

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit in Japan against five retailers for "importing and selling equipment that enables illegal game programs to be played on [the Nintendo DS]" -- presumably flash carts such as R4. According to Reuters, Nintendo is joined by 54 other Japanese developers.

While the lawsuit is intended to thwart piracy, an unfortunate side effect is a hit to the homebrew community. If you were ever planning to pick up a flash cart for the DS, you might want to go ahead and grab one while you can.

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]]>flash-carthomebrewlawsuitpiracyr4Ross Miller2008-07-29T10:15:00+00:00Brawl on the go with homebrew Super Smash Bros. Rumblehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/brawl-on-the-go-with-homebrew-super-smash-bros-rumble/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/brawl-on-the-go-with-homebrew-super-smash-bros-rumble/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/brawl-on-the-go-with-homebrew-super-smash-bros-rumble/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS, Fighting

Nineteen-year-old German homebrew programmer "Fuzzy" recently revealed his latest project for Nintendo's dual-screened handheld; a portable port of Nintendo's franchise mash-up brawler, titled Super Smash Bros. Rumble. The above shakycam video reveals the early fruits of his labor -- so far, only three levels and one character (Mario) are available. It obviously needs a massive amount of work, particularly in the character design and animation departments, but it's a wicked idea. We hope that Fuzzy will continue working on this inspired project, provided that Ninty's legal juggernauts abide.

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]]>dsfuzzyhomebrewmarionintendo-dsrumblesmash-brossuper-smash-bros-rumbleGriffin McElroy2008-07-06T14:00:00+00:00Video: PSP app uses GPS to remix tunes as you walkhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/video-psp-app-uses-gps-to-remix-tunes-as-you-walk/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/video-psp-app-uses-gps-to-remix-tunes-as-you-walk/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/video-psp-app-uses-gps-to-remix-tunes-as-you-walk/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Sony PSP, Rhythm

It's not often (in fact it's never) that you see a game tagline line this: "Make music with a disc of 510 067 420 km² = the Earth." But that's what Oterp, a hombrew PSP app by Antonin Fourneau does.

Oterp uses the PSP GPS add-on to track your relative position on the planet and alters music in real time based on your movements. Its developer has also hard-coded numerous "collection" spots around the globe into the software. Travelling to these locations will unlock new music and effects, similar to unlocking characters via GPS in the Japanese release of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Sounds pretty cool, huh? More videos of it in action can be found at the Oterp site.

[Via MAKE]

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]]>gpshackhomebrewsonyRandy Nelson2008-07-04T18:00:00+00:00Video: GoldenEye 007 running on Wii 'Homebrew Channel'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/video-goldeneye-007-running-on-wii-homebrew-channel/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/video-goldeneye-007-running-on-wii-homebrew-channel/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/video-goldeneye-007-running-on-wii-homebrew-channel/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii, First Person Shooters

The inventiveness of the homebrew scene never ceases to amaze us. Take for instance the above video. What you see in it is, in fact, GoldenEye 007 for Nintendo 64 running on a Wii with the "Homebrew Channel" installed.

The poster of the video states that he was able to get the game ROM working with the emulator used by the Virtual Console version of Sin & Punishment. He gives no details on how he managed the feat, mentioning only that the game works "for the most part" with occasional slowdown and a broken borked save system.

Hopefully Nintendo will see this video and, rather than simply order it pulled offline, realize just how much people really want a proper Virtual Console release of the game.

[Via Wii Fanboy]

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]]>emulationgoldeneyegoldeneye-007homebrewnintendorareRandy Nelson2008-07-03T22:29:00+00:00Guitar Hero: On Tour peripheral lends a hand to homebrew painting apphttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/guitar-hero-on-tour-peripheral-lends-a-hand-to-homebrew-paintin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/guitar-hero-on-tour-peripheral-lends-a-hand-to-homebrew-paintin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/guitar-hero-on-tour-peripheral-lends-a-hand-to-homebrew-paintin/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS, Casual

We know there are probably one too many prerequisites for you to find this story truly interesting -- but if you're one of those rare DS Lite owners who recently purchased Guitar Hero: On Tour, and is also into homebrew applications for the handheld, and also fancies themselves a modern day Botticelli, then there's a new homebrew painting application with some surprising peripheral functionality that the four of you should really consider picking up.

The app in question is BassAceGold's UAPaint (v1.02), which allows the use of the On Tour guitar grip buttons for easily accessible short cuts to important tools, streamlining the digital painting process. It's a really sleek setup -- unfortunately, we're not entirely convinced that DS doodlers really need faster, more powerful methods of etching poorly-rendered genitalia into their luminescent screens.

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]]>applicationartdsguitar-hero-on-tourguitarherohomebrewnintendodspaintUAPaintGriffin McElroy2008-06-29T13:30:00+00:00Twilight Hack reinstated, new patch for Wii menu 3.3http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/twilight-hack-reinstated-new-patch-for-wii-menu-3-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/twilight-hack-reinstated-new-patch-for-wii-menu-3-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/twilight-hack-reinstated-new-patch-for-wii-menu-3-3/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Hacks, Nintendo Wii

It's about time. Less that five days after Nintendo released the Twilight Hack killer known as Wii menu update 3.3, the folks at HackMii have released their previously tested workaround, giving new life to the homebrew community. We can only assume the next menu update that tries to thwart the hack will be itself thwarted in record time.

[Via Engadget; thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

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]]>homebrewtwilight-hackwii-menuwii-menu-updatewii-menu-update-3.3Ross Miller2008-06-21T23:30:00+00:00Twilight Hack prevention already thwartedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/twilight-hack-prevention-already-thwarted/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/twilight-hack-prevention-already-thwarted/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/twilight-hack-prevention-already-thwarted/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Hacks, Nintendo Wii

Nintendo's anti-Twilight Hack hack (also known as Wii menu update 3.3) has already been, erm, hacked. Coders at the HackMii blog have figured out the code used to essentially block the homebrew community and found a way past it. While the fix hasn't been released yet, it's only a matter of time. Note to Nintendo: As with Sony's PSP, you can only do so much.

[Via NWF]

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]]>homebrewwii-menu-updatewii-menu-update-3.3Ross Miller2008-06-20T01:45:00+00:00Ten uses for that extra DShttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/ten-uses-for-that-extra-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/ten-uses-for-that-extra-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/ten-uses-for-that-extra-ds/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS, Hacks, Galleries

Got an extra DS lying around? We're betting more than a few of you do. If you need some suggestions as to what you can do with your extra two (or four or eight) screens, our friends at DS Fanboy have you covered. From homebrew to charity to even sandwiches, check it out.

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]]>homebrewRoss Miller2008-06-18T18:00:00+00:00New Wii menu update 3.3 nullifies Twilight Princess hackhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/new-wii-menu-update-3-3-nullifies-twilight-princess-hack/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/new-wii-menu-update-3-3-nullifies-twilight-princess-hack/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/new-wii-menu-update-3-3-nullifies-twilight-princess-hack/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii

We've got some good news and some bad news. Let's start with the bad news: Nintendo's latest Wii menu update (3.3) effectively plugs up the Twilight Princess hole that served to foster a homebrew community - or, perhaps more accurately, it casts the homebrew community into a realm of darkness. According to the update, "Beacuse unauthorized modifications to save files may impair game play or the Wii Console, updating to Wii Menu version 3.3 will also check for and automatically remove such save files."

As for the good news, the Wii menu update also lets you move a Mii from from the Mii Plaza to the Mii Parade, and really, isn't that awesome enough to make up for killing homebrew? The countdown has begun for someone to produce a Wii downgrader.

Update: According to various sources, the Homebrew Channel still work if it was installed before the menu update.

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]]>breakingnewsfirmwarehomebrewwii-menuwii-menu-updateRoss Miller2008-06-16T22:50:00+00:00StillAliveDS: 2D Portal brewed for DShttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/stillaliveds-2d-portal-brewed-for-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/stillaliveds-2d-portal-brewed-for-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/stillaliveds-2d-portal-brewed-for-ds/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS

Inspired by the Flash game inspired by Portal, StillAliveDS packs all the joy of in hole / out hole, squashes it into 2D, and serves it onto your DS (with supported hardware). So clear out those pirated Pokemons and make room! This is the sort of delicious, home-baked, icing covered code that inspired you to cop a flash cart all the way from China in the first place ... right? (If you're asking, "What's a flash cart?" then you best start here.) Otherwise, get downloading -- it's free!

[Via DS Fanboy]

Gallery: StillAliveDS

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]]>homebrewportalstillalivedst4ilsJames Ransom-Wiley2008-05-31T03:00:00+00:00DS Fanboy's week of homebrewhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/ds-fanboys-week-of-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/ds-fanboys-week-of-homebrew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/ds-fanboys-week-of-homebrew/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS

This week, the staff at DS Fanboy dedicated themselves to all things homebrew. If you own a DS and aren't checking out some of these hobbyist applications, you're missing half the fun of the system. Let DS Fanboy help you get started, find the best games and other software, and troubleshoot your problems, and you'll be reproducing Rembrandts* in Colors! in no time.

*provided you actually have some shred of artistic talent

Getting started

	DS Fanboy's (semi) ultimate homebrew guide Covering some of the most common Slot-1 cards that can turn your DS into a lean, mean, homebrew machine.
	Homebrew glossary DLD-what? Slot where? We've got the answers.

Filling up that SD card

	Widen the horizons of the DS The best apps for making your DS do all the things a handheld was never meant to do.
	Japanese homebrew games that will blow your mind From the wacky to the completely awesome.
	Emulating the gaming world on DS Your favorite old consoles, back in handheld form.
	Don't buy these: homebrew recommendations There are dozens of amazing homebrew apps available, and we've got a small sampling of our favorites.
	Homebrew: Using the DS as a PDA Why carry two things when one will do just fine?
	More Naughtiness on the Nintendo DS All the pornographic puzzles you can fit on a single microSD card.

Checking out the community

	Confessions of a Homebrew Virgin New to this whole deal? You're not the only one.
	Homebrew dev dishes on the DS scene The man behind Laser Hockey DS on the scene, his recommendations, and the lessons Nintendo could stand to learn from homebrew.
	Homebrew support group Got problems? We bet someone has an answer.

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]]>best-homebrew-gamesemulationglossaryguidehomebrewhow-topdaAlisha Karabinus2008-05-24T14:30:00+00:00A guide to homebrew on the DShttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/a-guide-to-homebrew-on-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/a-guide-to-homebrew-on-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/a-guide-to-homebrew-on-the-ds/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Hacks, Portable

The homebrew community lurves the Nintendo DS, and it's no surprise why: a portable system with WiFi capabilities, two screens, and none of the firmware-updating nonsense that the PSP has become infamous for? If we had the skills, we'd be 'brewing it up too.

Luckily, our BFF's over at DS Fanboy have put together an incredibly handy guide to the best DS homebrew peripherals, and what to do with them once they arrive on your doorstep. It even comes with a handy glossary, so you can feel cool and start dropping terms like "MoonShell" and "DLDI." Instant homebrew cred!

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]]>diyhomebrewr4Scott Jon Siegel2008-05-20T17:00:00+00:00Wii 'Twilight Princess' hack gets SD card supporthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/wii-twilight-princess-hack-gets-sd-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/wii-twilight-princess-hack-gets-sd-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/wii-twilight-princess-hack-gets-sd-support/#commentsFiled under: Hacks, Nintendo Wii

twilight hack

The Wii 'Twilight Hack' has been upgraded to version 0.1a3, also known as Hello Grandma! Perhaps responding to complaints from Wii's elderly demographic, purveyors of the Twilight Princess exploit have laid out a process that's as simple as popping out that little card from your digital camera and copying some files right next to the folder of 'Senior Night' at the bowling lanes. Insert into your Wii (see image above) and *POOF* ... you'll be playing a second-rate version of Tetris in no time!

For those still uncertain about just how easy Wii hackery has become, peep the video walkthrough after the break.

[Via Wii Fanboy]

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]]>homebrewsdtwilight-hacktwilight-princessJames Ransom-Wiley2008-03-14T19:00:00+00:00