Exploit allows for Wii homebrew without modchip

We've seen some fairly significant developments on the Wii homebrew front as of late, and it looks like you can now chalk up yet another milestone, as an exploit has reportedly been discovered that lets the console run homebrew without a modchip. To do that, however, you'll apparently need a copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess (hardly a problem for most) and a willingness to take some risks, as the exploit in question takes the rather unelegant approach of crashing the Wii before letting you run your own code. Details on exactly how to exploit the exploit also seem to be a bit hard to follow at the moment, but you can hit up the link below if you want to get started.

[Via Digg]

[Mr.Tech @ Jan 28th 2008 2:43PM]

Won't this mean it will be even harder to get a Wii now?

[James @ Jan 28th 2008 2:55PM]

If you haven't gotten one in the past year and 2 months, something is wrong with your skills.

It's hard to get one, but not THAT hard.

[Alex @ Jan 28th 2008 2:56PM]

I feel for you guys in the states, here in Berlin my local gamestop has about 50 wii's sitting in the display window gathering dust...I think Art Vandelay just found a new item to export!

[pigfister @ Jan 29th 2008 6:00AM]

In the UK the wii is sold out everywhere and wii/ds software tops all euro charts every week!

this hack will do for the Wii what the R4 has done for the DS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS_storage_devices

it will be a download and pirate frenzy soon!

[Jason @ Jan 28th 2008 2:57PM]

Ah, brings me back to the glory days of softmodding the XBOX. In for XBMC-Wii edition.

[shanoboy @ Jan 28th 2008 3:02PM]

Looking at that screen shot makes me wish I were at home playing Zelda instead of being here at work reading the internet all day...

[DWells55 @ Jan 28th 2008 3:57PM]

Yup, looks like a similar concept to the buffer overflow used to crash MechAssault, which allowed the execution of unsigned code and eventually led to Xbox softmodding.

[ET @ Jan 28th 2008 5:54PM]

I doubt wii would have a real processing power advantage over the old xbox, so xbmc might be the same.

[WolfDV @ Jan 29th 2008 4:23AM]

.. and a much nicer form factor, plus intergrated wireless, bluetooth, usb2, sd slot, and comfortable wiimote for controlling it.

even if it can't play HD videos, I would love to see XBMC ported to the Wii

[Jason @ Jan 28th 2008 2:58PM]

It's all the asshole resellers trying to hock them on fleabay that's keeping them in shorty supply here.

[aguiluz @ Jan 28th 2008 3:05PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/02/wii-modded-with-lpt-cable-instead-of-mod-chip/

PS: Too bad, no more video.

[Alexander @ Jan 28th 2008 4:00PM]

This is outmoded and outdated by many of the newer modchips.

[Liam @ Jan 28th 2008 3:05PM]

Daaaamn that game was pretty.

[John Johnson @ Jan 28th 2008 3:08PM]

Hacked!!!bushing!!rsec!!

[wootman @ Jan 28th 2008 3:11PM]

meh, i still have to mod my xbox.
D:

[pathogen @ Jan 28th 2008 3:13PM]

I approve I believe similar hacks were used to softmod the xbox weren't they? Either it'll be interesting to see what the homebrew community comes up with this interesting interface. I'd like to see an apple esqe media center app with coverflow and more motion orientated controls. What do you want to see?

[Joseph @ Jan 28th 2008 4:00PM]

not that.

[Jon Shipman @ Jan 28th 2008 5:54PM]

WiiMC?
WMC?

With support for external USB harddrives and HD .h264 support

[Hurt Reynolds @ Jan 28th 2008 4:32PM]

Way to contribute to the conversation, Joseph.

[Thanatos @ Jan 28th 2008 5:13PM]

I love the textbox i also like that they started this with TP considering almost everyone with a Wii has it.

[Andrew @ Jan 28th 2008 5:26PM]

Looking through the forums on this Wii site, it looks like they've simply found a way to crash the console, which requires specific data relevant to the individual console that there is no public method of getting yet. So yeah, this may, in the future, lead to homebrew without a modchip, but it's a bit of a stretch to claim it allows it guys!

[James @ Jan 28th 2008 6:33PM]

Yeah, its for wii, (there have been other screens), but why is this one from the gamecube version of the game?

(The big green A)

[Beata Yamin @ Jan 28th 2008 10:04PM]

good question :)

[bertbusdriver @ Jan 28th 2008 10:27PM]

i would be really happy if this exploit could work on a wii running the gc version of zelda:tp, since that's the one i have. (Got zelda last january, then got wii in july...)

[James @ Jan 28th 2008 10:29PM]

Yes.. but it would be highly unlikely.

When the Wii runs a GCube game... it literally acts like a gamecube, blocking off motion sensing, bluetooth, the extra ram and power... etc.

So yea, looks like Nintendo might be happy with the boost in sales if this works :D.

[Miles @ Jan 29th 2008 2:27AM]

From the pictures shown on Wiili, it appears it'll work on both.

[thisisbatcountry @ Jan 30th 2008 8:40AM]

this is in response to alex those that you see in the window of your gamestop in berlin i belive are display boxes that do not actually contain a wii console