Datel completes work on the “Wii”loader

By Spencer . February 28, 2008 . 5:44pm

Datel completes work on the “Wii”loaderI’m sure you’ve read this somewhere else by now, but in case you haven’t a Nintendo Wii version of the Freeloader exists. Datel’s device allows gamers to boot Wii games regardless of region similar to the Gamecube Freeloader, which was recently blocked by a Nintendo firmware update. Until the next firmware fix this nifty tool should let importers pick up Japan only releases like Naruto Shippuden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX 2 and Eyeshield 21: Field Saikyou no Senshi Tachi plus a bevy of games before they get released internationally.

 

So, why did I wait on posting breaking news? I put in multiple calls / e-mails to Datel to ask if the product is actually shipping, what games they’ve tested and if they have a contingency plan to fight firmware updates. I still don’t have a solid answer to any of these questions, but these are the things that happen behind the scenes at some desk littered with Katamari cell phone charms.


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  • http://www.darkesword.com/ DarkeSword

    Nice. Please keep us posted if you get a response from Datel. I’m very interested in grabbing this, but not if it’s going to get broken on a firmware update.

  • http://www.darkesword.com/ DarkeSword

    Nice. Please keep us posted if you get a response from Datel. I’m very interested in grabbing this, but not if it’s going to get broken on a firmware update.

  • Aoshi00

    That’s great news Spence, even though I’m pretty sure the big N would mess w/ this freeloader again w/ future updates just like they did w/ the Gamecube one.

    Believe it or not, I’m going to order several Jpn Wii games tonight, and I’m not going to update my Wii until I finish those games!

  • Aoshi00

    That’s great news Spence, even though I’m pretty sure the big N would mess w/ this freeloader again w/ future updates just like they did w/ the Gamecube one.

    Believe it or not, I’m going to order several Jpn Wii games tonight, and I’m not going to update my Wii until I finish those games!

  • Aoshi00

    Not sure if this is a silly question, never ordered directly from codejunkies before. Do they ship outside of Europe? When I tried to order, there’s no option to choose USA…

  • Aoshi00

    Not sure if this is a silly question, never ordered directly from codejunkies before. Do they ship outside of Europe? When I tried to order, there’s no option to choose USA…

  • TacoBeaver

    WHAT? NO WII ACTION REPLAY!??!!?!?

  • TacoBeaver

    WHAT? NO WII ACTION REPLAY!??!!?!?

  • EvilAkito

    This is good news for hardcore importers, but for the rest of us, it’s hard to justify buying something that could be rendered useless next time Nintendo releases a mandatory firmware update.

  • EvilAkito

    This is good news for hardcore importers, but for the rest of us, it’s hard to justify buying something that could be rendered useless next time Nintendo releases a mandatory firmware update.

  • Aoshi00

    Awesome, I just placed an order for it, $27 including shipping. BTW, the link above is for the UK site, that’s why it didn’t take US orders, no biggie.

  • Aoshi00

    Awesome, I just placed an order for it, $27 including shipping. BTW, the link above is for the UK site, that’s why it didn’t take US orders, no biggie.

  • Aoshi00

    Awesome, I just placed an order for it, $27 including shipping. BTW, the link above is for the UK site, that’s why it didn’t take US orders, no biggie.

  • AlphaCananogram

    # Aoshi00 Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 8:11 pm

    Not sure if this is a silly question, never ordered directly from codejunkies before. Do they ship outside of Europe? When I tried to order, there’s no option to choose USA…
    ———————

    Here is the US version of the site
    http://us.codejunkies.com/Products/Wii-FreeLoader__EF000593.aspx

  • AlphaCananogram

    # Aoshi00 Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 8:11 pm

    Not sure if this is a silly question, never ordered directly from codejunkies before. Do they ship outside of Europe? When I tried to order, there’s no option to choose USA…
    ———————

    Here is the US version of the site
    http://us.codejunkies.com/Products/Wii-FreeLoader__EF000593.aspx

  • AlphaCananogram

    # Aoshi00 Says:
    February 28th, 2008 at 8:11 pm

    Not sure if this is a silly question, never ordered directly from codejunkies before. Do they ship outside of Europe? When I tried to order, there’s no option to choose USA…
    ———————

    Here is the US version of the site
    http://us.codejunkies.com/Products/Wii-FreeLoader__EF000593.aspx

  • kakashi

    This is sweet. I have a modded JPN Wii, but I never tried to play any US games till today — GH III. I got DBZ, US version and put that in as a test, and it worked. Happy and excited, I torn open my GHIII box and popped in the disc.

    Some Japanese text (a huge 10 line message) popped up, and something started downloading. I wasn’t sure what it was, perhaps a firmware update, so I quickly rebooted. I tried multiple times, and yet the same thing happened. I haven’t proceeded w/the update since i”m not sure if it was coming from the disc or the ‘net.

    So I left my Wii in standby, hoping for the firmware update over the net.

    So, any fellow hardcore importers face a similar situation? And if so, what have you done?

  • kakashi

    This is sweet. I have a modded JPN Wii, but I never tried to play any US games till today — GH III. I got DBZ, US version and put that in as a test, and it worked. Happy and excited, I torn open my GHIII box and popped in the disc.

    Some Japanese text (a huge 10 line message) popped up, and something started downloading. I wasn’t sure what it was, perhaps a firmware update, so I quickly rebooted. I tried multiple times, and yet the same thing happened. I haven’t proceeded w/the update since i”m not sure if it was coming from the disc or the ‘net.

    So I left my Wii in standby, hoping for the firmware update over the net.

    So, any fellow hardcore importers face a similar situation? And if so, what have you done?

  • kakashi

    This is sweet. I have a modded JPN Wii, but I never tried to play any US games till today — GH III. I got DBZ, US version and put that in as a test, and it worked. Happy and excited, I torn open my GHIII box and popped in the disc.

    Some Japanese text (a huge 10 line message) popped up, and something started downloading. I wasn’t sure what it was, perhaps a firmware update, so I quickly rebooted. I tried multiple times, and yet the same thing happened. I haven’t proceeded w/the update since i”m not sure if it was coming from the disc or the ‘net.

    So I left my Wii in standby, hoping for the firmware update over the net.

    So, any fellow hardcore importers face a similar situation? And if so, what have you done?

  • Naruto Fan

    Thank lord i need one or else i am buying another wii!

  • Naruto Fan

    Thank lord i need one or else i am buying another wii!

  • Naruto Fan

    Thank lord i need one or else i am buying another wii!

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