Yesterday, out of the blue, 6 different readers of my blog wrote to me asking if I had a complete instructional guide on how to copy Wii games with game copy software. I didn’t. But I didn’t want to disappoint them, so I’ve put one together and I’ll be sharing it with you today!
If I had written this guide a few years ago, it would have been an instructional guide to how to install a mod chip. In prior years, that was the only way to play copied games on a Wii – you had to do a hardware mod on the actual Wii. This procedure consisted of opening up the actual Wii with a screwdriver and soldering a modification chip directly onto the motherboard. The biggest problem with this was that it voided your warranty!
In today’s more modern gaming scene, there is a better alternative. A company last year put out a utility which would both remove the encryption on Wii games and preserve the bootable file format of the discs at the same time. This means that you can copy Wii games that can be played on any standard, unmodded Wii console.
So, before I turn this into an article rather than an instructional guide with all of my rambling, here is the start of the guide:
STEP 1
The first that you need to do is, obviously, get a copy of the game copying software. Since several vendors are selling the same program, I won’t recommend one over the other. Just search on the phrase “copy Wii games” in Google and you should be able to find it within the first few results. Once you’ve bought it, download the file, which will be in .Zip format, to your PC’s desktop.
STEP 2
Install the application now. Unzip the .zip file that you downloaded with your favorite unzipping utility. If you don’t have one, 7Zip is a good free one that you can get. Unzip the file to your desktop. You will now have a .exe type file. Run it. The install shield wizard screen will come up. Step through it and accept all of the default settings. When it finishes reboot your PC (or Mac) just to be on the safe side.
Three:
Choose the Wii game that you want to duplicate. Insert it in to the optical drive (the CD or DVD burner) on your pc or Mac.
4:
Launch the game copy application that you just installed. (Just double click on the icon on the desktop)
STEP 5
This step is where the difference comes in compared to attempting to copy games using standard CD burning software like Windows Media Player or even Roxio. You have to “rip” the game disc. Select the option in the game copy software in order to extract, then choose where you wish to store the file. I suggest only using the desktop just as before. And then hit “Start”.
6:
When the last step completes, it’ll be time to actually burn the copy. Remove the game disc from it’s location in the optical drive that you stuck it in. In it’s stead, place a blank disc in the drive. Make sure there are no scratches or smudges or fingerprints on it! In the game copy app, find that same “mode” menu at the top, and select “write” mode. When prompted, select the .ISO file that you created in the ripping mode operation. Click “Go”, and grab a soda, since you’ll be waiting a few minutes once again.
STEP 7
Once it finishes, this app will play some fun tunes to tell you that it’s done, and will state that it is completed. Excellent! Congratulations , you simply take out the game, make a label on it using a sharpie pen, and you are good to go! Don’t forget to place your master copy of your game within a safe and secure place, and also to be sure to play with your copied game!
Which means that you now needn’t be a hardware hacker or void the manufacturer’s warranty just to back-up games as is your legitimate right. Just stick to these directions, and you’ll be fine!
If you’d like to find out more about how to copy Wii games, go and look at the authors website. He blogs about all of the latest news, reviews, and more in the Wii field. He also has detailed instruction with screenshots on how to copy Wii games.. Free reprint available from: Copying Wii Games the Right Way.