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Homebrew Channel goes 1.1 [update]
Update: Reader CJLopez turned us on to 1.01, which fixes some bugs from 1.0. Adjusted the source link to point to the newer version.That's right, folks. The Homebrew Channel has left the beta stages and become The Homebrew Channel 1.0. Actually, it's still kind of considered to be in beta, but, hey, we can all it 1.0! As for updating it, you can do it the hard way, by downloading the update here, or you can simply update through your existing Homebrew Channel on your Wii. That is, if you didn't update your Wii to 3.4 yet. Of course, with the new Twilight Hack, it's not like it's much of a nuisance, anyway.Head past the break for the update notes.
It lives! The Twilight Hack returns
Occasionally, you do have to wonder why Nintendo bothers. In typical fashion, the latest Wii Menu update (released only seven days ago) was designed to render the Twilight Hack useless. Also in typical fashion, it's already been beaten, proving yet again that you can't keep a good hack down.While some in the homebrew community predicted that the 3.4 update would sound the death knell for the Twilight Hack, Team Twiizers has now written and released new, Wii Menu 3.4-compatible code (though as usual, updating your Wii isn't recommended unless it's an absolute must).HackMii has a link to the new file and all necessary instructions, so let the brewing of homes recommence! The homebrew community is doing nifty things with the Wii. Have you learned how to play DVDs on your console yet? Or read about the app that lets you play games from other regions? What about getting Goldeneye to run on Wii? Alternatively, you could just use homebrew to get your cheat on.
Wii update stops homebrew installs dead in their tracks
Oh Nintendo, did you really have to go and crush the dreams of so many homebrew faithful? Seems a Wii System Update released last night blocks new installations (existing installs are unaffected) of anything fakesigned like the Homebrew Channel. Perhaps the increased corporate vigilance comes in direct response to the very real threat posed by the Wii Backup Loader to run pirated Wii games. Regardless, this isn't the first time that homebrew developers have had to work around Nintendo's meddling. We'll let you know what they come up with -- until then, however, you might want to hold off on the IOS51 update if you're thinking of going homebrew anytime soon.[Thanks, Matthew P.]
Homebrew app Ocarina makes cheating that much easier
You've got to love the Homebrew community. They're constantly trying to cut corners and this latest app, Ocarina, is no different. Instead of spending time inputting button commands in-game, you can simply inject them, Game Genie or Action Replay-style, into the game. For example, in Twilight Princess, the Ocarina app allows the user to climb ladders super fast, have infinite bombs and use a variety of items underwater. Among other things, Link can also use the Spinner in a really imaginative way. [Thanks, RupeeClock!] The homebrew community has been hard at work creating wonderful experiences for you to enjoy with your Wii. Did you know about homebrew game Masteroids? Or how about the shmup OpenTyrian? Outside of games, people have been using the Balance Board to come up with some really neat stuff. Keep up with the homebrew scene by staying current with our Homebrew category!
Wii Brew's Wii Pack Generator delivers no-fuss homebrew
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.
Wii homebrew made dead simple
If you've been too scared to try Wii homebrew in the past, you'll be interested in this latest project, which is sort of ... meta-homebrew. The Wii Pack Generator holds your hand through the process of downloading homebrew, making it as simple as clicking on some check buttons and unzipping a file. The Wii Pack Generator allows you to choose the programs you'd like to install from a list, and then generates a self-extracting archive containing the Twilight Hack file, the Homebrew Channel installer, and the programs of your choice. All you have to do is extract it onto an SD card!The most complicated part of this whole thing is figuring out who the participants are. This is a project of wiibrew.com, not the well-known wiibrew.org that runs the Wii homebrew wiki.
Wii homebrew guide: go from zero to Quake in no time
As of right now, homebrewers have the upper hand against Nintendo, and it is possible to run whatever you feel like running on the Wii you own -- even on a recently updated Wii. Now would be a good time to go try some of the stuff that people have come up with. But maybe you feel like you don't know where to start, or don't have whatever technical skills are required to make Wii Quake happen.Much like we did on DS Fanboy for homebrew on that system, WiiHD has created a step-by-step guide to Wii homebrew, starting with the Twilight Hack. Follow these instructions, and you'll have the Homebrew Channel, ready and waiting to run your programs. If following three pages of instructions is too much for your fast-paced lifestyle, they've even put together a Starter Kit containing all the software you'll need, including the Twilight Hack and Homebrew Channel files, Quake, and an Amstrad emulator with public-domain games.[Via Engadget]
Welcome back, Twilight Hack
The very day that Nintendo released their anti-Twilight Hack update, clever programmer types found the new code and figured out how to beat it. Team Twiizers has made practical use of that information, releasing their own update of the Twilight Hack save file. If you were worried about having to go a whole week without homebrew, you can relax.While they were sprucing the code up with the Wii Menu 3.3 compatibility, Team Twiizers added a few other nice modifications, including better video configuration, region-specific save file icons, and Twilight Hack-specific "Still Alive" parody lyrics hidden inside the LOADER file. That's, uh, totally a feature!Now get out there and brew some homes![Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Twilight Hack reinstated, new patch for Wii menu 3.3
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!]
Twilight Hack returns to knock out Wii Menu 3.3
Nintendo talks a big talk, but has never invested heavily in actually protecting its systems from those nefarious homebrew junkies. While the Wii Menu 3.3 did slightly break the Twilight Hack, it didn't even bust up folks who already had the homebrew channel installed, and its protections against further hacks were minimal. Now the HackMii folks are back with Twilight Hack v0.1beta1, which bests Wii Menu 3.3, along with some other improvements for homebrew usage. We can't tell if this is incompetence or benevolence on Nintendo's part, or perhaps these hackers are just that good, but either way we're lovin' it JT-style.
Wii Menu 3.3 already hacked, patch forthcoming
Although the Wii Menu 3.3 update didn't undo the Twilight Hack for those who had already installed it, it did prevent new would-be homebrewers from getting their game on -- but like all attempts to outfox the hackers, it's fallen short, and in record time. According to hackmii, which figured out the workaround, the 3.3 update isn't exactly subtle in what it does to disable the hack -- quote the team, "We Are Not Impressed." No publicly-available patch is out yet, but give 'em time, they say they're working on it.[Via Hack A Day]
Twilight Hack protection already beaten
Nintendo's going to have to devise more minor Mii Channel upgrades, because they'll have more homebrew-killing attempts to barely camouflage. Almost immediately after the new Wii Menu 3.3 software went up and killed the Twilight Hack, coders at the HackMii blog figured out what the new code was: surprisingly, it was targeted specifically at the one Twilight Princess bug that enables homebrew loading. And they found bugs in that.Soon after, they wrote up some code that exploits the bugs in the new security code, and allows them to "fool their check into ignoring the TP hack." They have yet to release the fix, but at least we can stop panicking until the next update.The blog post goes into explicit detail about Nintendo's update code, and it's interesting reading even if you know nothing about programming. We know this firsthand. The homebrew community has been hard at work creating wonderful experiences for you to enjoy with your Wii. Did you know about homebrew game Masteroids? Or how about the shmup OpenTyrian? Outside of games, people have been using the Balance Board to come up with some really neat stuff. Keep up with the homebrew scene by staying current with our Homebrew category!
Nintendo adds Update 3.3 to repaired Wiis, internet not happy
Usually, the news that Nintendo updated the firmware on your Wii while it's away for repair would hardly count as news at all. Since yesterday, however, when everybody caught wind of how the latest Wii Menu Update knocked the Twilight Hack and Freeloader on the head, Nintendo's meddling hasn't been as appreciated.A group of disgruntled Wii owners whose consoles have been repaired and updated with new firmware congregated on the forums of GBAtemp.net, in a thread titled "CURSE u NINTENDO!," to howl about Nintendo's repair team and their habit of adding unwanted updates. While we can only sympathize with them, we should probably let this serve as a warning to others: if you are a homebrewer or importer with a Wii that's conked out, you might want to think twice about sending your machine to Nintendo.[Via Go Nintendo]
Wii Menu 3.3 update disables Twilight Hack for those who haven't already taken the plunge
Here's an odd one. We assumed Nintendo would be actively building software updates to kill off the Virtual Console-threatening homebrew that has been rapidly spreading to Wiis worldwide, but the Wii Menu 3.3's effect on hackers seems accidental at worst. The word on the street is that if you've already installed the homebrew channel onto your Wii, the 3.3 update will pose zero threat, but it patches up the Twilight Hack hole, meaning virgin consoles will have little hope for homebrew once they've updated to 3.3 -- until someone cracks it, of course. The update also lets you pull Miis from the Mii Plaza to the Mii Parade directly, a time for rejoicing, indeed. [Thanks, Sean]
Wii Menu Update 3.3 kills Twilight Hack [update 2]
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Nintendo_kills_Twilight_Hack_with_Wii_Menu_Update_3_3'; Well folks, looks like the party has come to an end. All of you enjoying your free Tetris are up the proverbial creek sans paddle. Your Wii should be glowing blue as you read this right now.The latest update, which rolls the Wii Menu to 3.3, not only kills the Twilight Hack, but also allows you to move a Mii from the Mii Plaza into the Mii Parade directly, thanks to the addition of a handy new icon. You just drag and drop as you normally would.But, let's get back to the real news here. Nintendo has finally gone ahead and sunk the U.S.S. Homebrew. We're anxious to see how the community is going to take this one.Update: According to commenters, the update doesn't kill the Homebrew Channel (if it was already installed), so there's still something for you all to have fun with.Update 2: Looks like Freeloader is affected by this new update, as well. Sad face.[Thanks, Sonic_13!] The homebrew community has been hard at work creating wonderful experiences for you to enjoy with your Wii. Did you know about homebrew game Masteroids? Or how about the shmup OpenTyrian? Outside of games, people have been using the Balance Board to come up with some really neat stuff. Keep up with the homebrew scene by staying current with our Homebrew category!
Japanese WiiWare titles pirated on U.S. Wiis
For those readers who just can't wait one more week for the U.S. launch of WiiWare, Twilight Hackers have now made it possible to illegally install downloaded Japanese WiiWare titles on North American Wiis. The below video shows how a WAD installer can be used to extract game data from an SD card and install it to show up on the Wii's Channel Menu, just like a normal, legally downloaded game.While playing Tetris and Pong on your Wii is one thing, playing pirated WiiWare games is another thing entirely -- a thing that could cost Nintendo a lot of money, to be specific. We have to wonder how long the company can turn a blind eye to this hole in its system security now that it has the potential to impact an extremely profitable part of its business.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
WiiWare games hacked, pirated, and brought to North American Wiis
Only a few weeks after pirates figured out how to install Virtual Console games on their Wiis for free using the Twilight Hack, a clever trick for running unofficial code on an unmodded systems, hackers have expanded their counterfeit offerings to allow bootleg copies of WiiWare titles.We're not yet sure if online modes are working, but the fact that pirates can install Japanese WiiWare ROMs/WADs on a US system, as shown above with Family Ping Pong, is impressive (and criminal!). Considering how fast the Wii's piracy scene has been moving, someone will likely soon release instructions on how to bypass microtransactions and install downloadable content updates for free, too.How long will it be before Nintendo steps in to end these shenanigans? Will that mean the end of Wii homebrew, as well? See, this is why we can't have nice things.
Homebrew SNES emulator released for the Wii
Finally, Engadget editor Paul Miller's prayers have been answered -- in the form of a homebrew SNES emulator for the Wii. It's no secret that Paul is eerily obsessed with the SNES, and now he can get access to all his favorites (import or otherwise) with another Wii tweak. The well known emulator SNES9X has been ported to Nintendo's money maker, and it even includes support for the Wiimote (there are plans for future implementation of the Classic controller and two-player game modes). We're assuming this is all part of the much-loved Twilight Princess exploit, though they're a bit short on detail. Hit the read link and start breaking Nintendo's heart ASAP!
Homebrew program enables region-free, Freeloader-free gaming
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Homebrew_program_enables_region_free_Freeloader_free_gaming'; This isn't quite the perfect solution yet, but homebrewer Nuke's latest program is pretty damned amazing, if it works like it says it does. Gecko Region Free is a homebrew loader for Wii games from any region! It's sort of a free Freeloader without the disc.Why "sort of?" Well, obviously, you have to be able to run Wii homebrew to operate this, and there are still some challenges in that area. Like the ten-minute limit on the recent "Homebrew Channel." And the Twilight Princess requirement. In other words, you still need a disc -- but not the Freeloader disc. And we think that homebrewers are going to do a better job of staying ahead of Nintendo's patching than Datel will.[Via DCEmu]
Must See TV: Homebrew Channel
It takes almost two minutes to get to the "good stuff" in this video, so, while you wait for that to play, here's a quick summary of what you're watching -- Team Twiizers, the group behind the Twilight Hack that allows users to run their own code on an unmodded Wii, have developed a way to expand on that exploit and install a "Homebrew Channel" onto the Wii Menu.The channel doesn't do much yet, but just seeing that it's possible has us excited about other possible applications in our near future! Of course, that's assuming Nintendo doesn't put out some sort of firmware update that blocks the exploit, killing homebrew progress before anyone has a chance to release a "Pirated Games Channel."[Thanks, Craig!]
