Simple secrets of how to copy Wii games

Highly addictive, great fun, and best done in a dark room. It sounds dirty, but this is the world of a Wii fanatic. Since Nintendo released its Wii console, the world of video games has been turned upside down and even the most die-hard PlayStation fans like myself made the leap to the lighter side of video games.

If you’re a fan of Wii games like I am, you probably know how expensive this hobby can be. Aside from the console, games and accessories can cost thousands of dollars, and if you’re a parent, you’d better be careful what you unleash when you buy that first Wii game. There will likely be 10 or more Wii games by now next year.

One of the most controversial problems in console games is the whole copy problem. It’s legal, isn’t it, should it, shouldn’t it? It’s a bit of a gray area because when you buy the game you should have the right to make a backup. Or not? Game makers are waging a constant battle against pirated copies flooding the black market at a fraction of the cost and this is where the problem lies.

When I buy a music CD, I immediately copy it to MP3 and connect it to my iPod. I want the CD, because it is part of my collection and having the original CD is much more valuable than a simple direct download. With Wii and other console games, this is even more relevant. Having the original “box” has all the brochures, instructions, and other cool things that avid gamers are looking for. Making a copy of the original Wii game is the smart thing to do.

These games are incredibly fragile and having to buy the same game twice is just plain stupid. Small scratches and even exposing your Wii game discs to too much sun can irreparably damage them. This is why I am a staunch supporter of backing up all my games and keeping them safe. Games have a fun way to walkie-talk and with all your friends and family borrowing games, before you know it, half of your collection is elsewhere.

So how do you copy Wii games? There are many methods out there and many forum discussions continue on how to do it. The truth is, you don’t need to split your console to make or play backup games. Be careful. Opening the console will automatically void your warranty and may even break the console in the process.

There are many software packages. Some free, some paid. They all have their flaws and difficulties. The free ones are usually 3 or 4 different software packages that you have to use at different stages of the copying process and this can be a bit of a hassle. Most of the time, something goes wrong somewhere in the process and you end up wasting a lot of time copying massive files to your hard drive.

Paid software makes the process much easier, and since the software is quite cheap, it is well worth the investment. I tried most of these packages and only found one that is really worth it. It is the only package that is an all-in-one method of copying a Wii game. Point and click without the guesswork and without hacking into “unbreakable” copy protection.

Basically, all you have to do is remove the data from the disc, dump it onto your computer’s hard drive, and then use the software to copy it back to a blank disc using your computer’s DVD drive. The trick is to delete the data and then copy it back so that your Wii console will read the disc as “original.”

And that is. You can use the free software, but in my experience it is not worth the time or effort. I have created a tutorial on my website to show you how to copy Wii games. Don’t open your console. Stay safe and legal, and most of all, enjoy your Wii.