1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789 The above line should be 79 characters long _____ _____ \ \ / / \ \ __ / / O O \ \ / \ / / ___ ___ \ \ / /\ \ / / | | | | \ \ / / \ \ / / | | | | \____\/_/ \_\/____/ |___| |___| Console FAQ This document is (c) 2006-2010 James Sander-Cederlof aka cripster1971 CONTENTS ======== [Intro] Intro [WiiConDiag] Wii Console diagram [Control] Controller [Control01] Wii Remote [Control02] Nunchuk attachment [Control03] Classic Controller attachment [Control04] Steering Wheel attachment [Control05] GameCube Controller [Control06] Wii Sports shell attachments [Control07] Wii Balance Board [Games] Playing games [Games01] Wii games [Games02] GameCube games [Games03] Virtual Console games [Channel] Using Wii Channels and other parts of the Wii Menu [Channel01] Mii Channel [Channel02] Photo Channel [Channel03] Wii Shop Channel [Channel04] News Channel [Channel05] Forecast Channel [Channel06] Internet Channel [Channel07] Everybody Votes Channel [Channel08] Check Mii Out Channel [Channel09] Nintendo Channel [Channel10] Wii Speak Channel [ChannelSD] SD Card Menu [ChannelOptions] Wii Options [ChannelMessage] Wii Message Board [ChannelCal] Calendar [ChannelWiiWare] [Connect] Wireless Connectivity [Connect01] To your network [Connect02] To the DS / DS Lite / DSi [Memory] Memory [Memory01] Internal Memory / System Memory [Memory02] SD Cards [Memory03] GameCube Memory Cards [Launch] Launch Titles (North American) [VCGames] Virtual Console games (North American) [Included] What is included in the package [FAQs] FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) [Specs] Known Wii Technical Specs [Legal] Legal Stuff [Sites] Sites permitted to post this FAQ [Contact] Contact Info [Hist] Revision History [Credits] Credits [Intro] Intro Welcome to my FAQ (my first FAQ to date)for the Nintendo Wii. You may navigate through this FAQ by using ctrl+F then using the section title enclosed in the square brackets. As time passes and more information is released by Nintendo, this FAQ will reflect those things. I have had the Wii console since November 19, 2006 and I do not regret the purchase of the console. I have not had any problems with it up through this time. Set-up was quick and easy. I was using it within minutes of taking it out of the box. My Wii software at launch time consisted of: Wii Sports Excite Truck Rampage: Total Destruction Madden 07 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Wii Play Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Bust-a-Move Bash! Spider-Man 3 Sonic and the Secret Rings Elebits Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz While Zelda may be the best looking game out of those I have listed, I don't believe any of them to look "bad." Sure, you may not see every drop of sweat or every pimple on a face, but the games I have played are fun. I am not a huge Zelda fan, but the game looked fun, so I rented it then bought it because it was fun. In all of the games I have tested or own / rented, I have not noticed any slowdown. All of the games aside from Zelda (since I don't tend to play the Zelda series a lot) were easy for me to pick up and play. I believe Nintendo has truly made a console where anyone can pick up a game and start to play it. As evidenced by the sales and my experience, I can see Nintendo succeeding in the goal they set out to accomplish. I don't have full use of both arms, and I have been able to play all of those games I have listed above, plus others that I have tried in in my local game store. While some games may be more fun by doing exaggerated movements, most games that get input from different gestures only require a small movement to register. I have also downloaded around ten separate Virtual Console games, all with no problem. I expect to download more as the service continues. [WiiConDiag] Wii Console diagram The top of the Wii Console has flaps that can be opened or closed. If the console is placed vertically the flaps can be left on, either opened or closed, but if the console is placed horizontally, these flaps must be removed if GameCube controllers are to be used. Front view: __________ | _ | | PP [ ] | Power button | [ ] | | RR [ ] | Reset button | _ [ ] | | [o] [ ] | Sync button | [ ] [ ] | | [ ] [ ] | SD card compartment, Disc slot | [ ] [ ] | | [_] [ ] | | [ ] | | [ ] | | [ ] | | EE [_] | Eject button |__________| Back view: __________ | | | | | [][] | USB port, USB port | | | ________ | |[ ]| |[ ]| |[ ]| Air Vent |[________]| | | | S T | Sensor Bar port, A/V port | T | | P | AC Power port |__________| Top view(vertical position) / Side view(horizontal position): _______________ | | | O O O O M2 | Con. 1, Con. 2, Con. 3, Con. 4, GC Memory Card 2 slot | M1 | GC Memory Card 1 slot |_______________| [Control] Controller [Control01] Wii Remote Top view: _________ | o | Power button | | | I | | - - | D-Pad | I | | | | A | A button | | | | | - H + | - button, Home button, + button | | | . . . | | . . . | Wii Remote speaker | . . . | | | | 1 | 1 button | 2 | 2 button | | | # # # # | LED player indicators |_________| Underside view: _________ | | | | | ___ | | [ ] | | [ ] | | [ B ] | B button | [ ] | | [___] | | | | | | _____ | | [ ___ ] | | [| | |] | | [| | |] | | [| | |] | | [|_|_|] | Battery compartment for 2 AA batteries | [ ] | | [ o] | Sync button | [ ] | |_[_____]_| Front view: _________ | [ ] | | [ ] | IR area |_[_____]_| Back view: _________ | | | = | Attachment port |_________| The Power button powers the console on or off, not the remote. The Home button will bring up a menu where you can: Return to the Wii Menu (unsaved data will be lost) Reset the software (unsaved data will be lost) See the Operations Guide (for downloaded software) Change remote settings (Speaker volume, Rumble ability, add (temporarily) remotes or change order of remotes). Rumble and Speaker settings affect all remotes that are active. See the battery life remaining The + button is commonly used as the Start/Pause button on the GameCube controller. The Sync button will let you assign the remote to the Wii console permanently, until you sync it with another Wii console. The remote will turn off after a set period of inactivity (a few minutes) or when the console is shut off. The Wii Remote can store up to ten Miis. To sync the Remote with the console, press the Sync button on the console, then press the Sync button on the Remote. Battery life is expected to be 30 - 60 hours, depending on the features used. Currently there is no official recharging device for the Remote although third party devices can be found easily. The Wii Remote uses Bluetooth technology to connect with the Wii console, while it uses accelerometers and infrared detection to determine its position in space. Up to four Wii Remotes can be connected to the Wii console. Multi player support for more than four players is possible with a combination of Wii Remotes and GameCube controllers. This is evidenced by the Bomberman '93 game on the Virtual Console, which allows up to five players. The Wii Remote has a wrist strap to help secure the device from flying out of your hand and hitting other items. The initial shipment of Wii consoles and Wii Remotes used a wrist strap that has been shown to break off of the Wii Remote. Nintendo started using a more heavy duty wrist strap in the first week of December 2006. Nintendo is offering to send free wrist straps to users who purchased the console prior to the date they began shipping the units with the new style wrist strap. A form on the Nintendo website with the user information can be filled out for the free replacement. Nintendo does not require any wrist strap to be sent back to them to receive the new style wrist strap. Up to four wrist straps can be requested on the form. When powering on the Wii console from the Wii Remote, battery life will be displayed on the controller number LEDs. The number of LEDs that light up correspond to the display in the battery when the Home button is pushed to get access to the features listed above for that button. Wii Motion+ was released as an attachment for the Wii Remote, which allows for more precise motion detecton of the Wii Remote. Newer Wii Remotes can be purchased with the Motion+, or the Motion+ can be purchased alone. Nyko released the Wii Wand which is functionally the same as the Wii Remote aside from some cosmetic changes. These changes include square buttons, a relocating of the power button to the right side of the unit, and a different arrangement of the LED player indicators, which are red instead of blue. [Control02] Nunchuk attachment: Top view: nnnnnnnnnnn ( ) ( ) ( ) ( O ) Analog control stick ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) u Cord to connect to Wii Remote Front view: nnnnn ( ) ( C ) C button ( Z ) Z button ( ) uuuuu The Nunchuk is motion sensitive but does not have rumble support. Nyko released a Nunchuk that if attached to the Wii Wand does support rumble. [Control03] Classic Controller attachment _L__z_____Z__R_ Left shoulder, Z left, Z right, Right shoulder buttons / \ ( I x ) x button ( - - s H S y a ) D pad, Select, Home, Start, y, a buttons ( I b ) b button ( O O ) Left analog stick, right analog stick \_______________/ u cord to Wii Remote The classic controller attachment resembles a Super Nintendo controller with two analog control sticks along the bottom. The cord is on bottom like the Nunchuk attachment instead of on top like the GameCube controller. If attached to the Remote, it can be used to move the pointer around the screen to select the different Channels with the left analog stick. The 'a' button will then confirm what the pointer is selecting. It can be used for the Virtual Console games and also any game the developer wishes to program support for. The Select button behaves like the - button and the Start button behaves as the + button on the Wii Remote, and both are labeled as such also. In 2010 Nintendo released the Classic Controller Pro, with both white and black colors available. It resembles a PS2 controller. Top view: _l_____n_____r_ Left buttons, cord, Right buttons / \ ( I x ) x button ( - - s H S y a ) D pad, Select, Home, Start, y, a buttons ( I b ) b button ( O O ) Left analog stick, right analog stick \_______________/ / \ / \ ( ) ( ) Hand holds ( ) ( ) \_/ \_/ Front view: _____________ / \ ( L R ) Left shoulder button, Right shoulder button ( o ) Cord leading to Wii Remote ( zL zR ) Z left button, Z right button \_____________/ [Control04] Steering Wheel attachment The Steering Wheel attachment is a shell that the Wii Remote fits in. The Wii Remote is placed into the Steering Wheel without ary cords going to the attachment. The attachment is currently included free in the GT Pro and Monster 4X4 games, or the attachment can be bought separately. Mario Kart Wii comes packaged with the Wii Wheel, the official steering wheel attachment from Nintendo. [Control05] GameCube Controller The Wii can accept four GameCube Controllers. This includes wired or wireless, and controllers such as the DK Bongos. There is a flap on top of the Wii that opens up to reveal the four controller ports. [Control06] Wii Sports shell attachments Shell attachments for Wii Sports Tennis, Wii Sports Golf, and Wii Sports Baseball are available. The Wii Remote simply fits into each shell with no cords going to the attachment, like the Steering Wheel attachment. [Control07] Wii Balance Board The Wii Balance Board takes the place of Wii Remote 4 when beinng used. The board may be used in a variety of ways, depending on the game that is being used. In Wii Fit there are balancing games and other exercises that utilize the board, along with the ability to calculate your BMI. Skiing games use it to imitate skiis, while Wii Music can use it to imitate parts of the drum. [Games] Playing games [Games01] Wii games Wii games are inserted into the self loading disc tray. Once loaded, the game will appear in the Disc Channel and can be started by selecting the Disc Channel. As with the GameCube games, Wii games are region coded. [Games02] GameCube games GameCube games are inserted into the self loading disc tray. Once loaded, the game will appear in the Disc Channel and can be started by selecting the Disc Channel. There are no known games which have a problem playing at this point. GameCube controllers must be used to play GameCube games. [Games03] Virtual Console games Virtual Console games get their own Channel assigned to them. Each different game will have its' own Channel, and can be started by selecting the appropriate Channel. Controllers that can be used for Virtual Console games: Platform Wii Remote Classic Controller GCN Controller NES Yes Yes Yes SNES No Yes Yes N64 No Yes Yes Genesis Some Yes Some TurboGrafx-16 Yes Yes Some Sega Master S. Most Yes Yes Neo Geo Most Yes Yes Comm. 64 Yes Yes Yes VC Arcade Yes Yes Yes Every game will list which controllers can be used. Starting costs for the games in North America are as follows: Platform Wii Points NES 500 SNES 800 N64 1000 Genesis 800 TurboGrafx-16 600 TurboGrafx-16 CD 800 Sega Master S. 500 Neo Geo 900 Comm. 64 500 VC Arcade 500 Costs are the same for downloading to your own Wii or using the Gift option to buy the game for someone on your Friend list. [Channel] Using Wii Channels and other parts of the Wii Menu The Wii Channels can be organized by grabbing the Channel with the A and B buttons and then placing it where you like. The Disc Channel cannot be moved, but the Virtual Console Channels or other Wii Channels can be organized to suit your desires. All Channels, including the Disc Channel, are collectively known as the Wii Menu. The Wii Menu has space to hold 48 separate Channels. [Channel01] Mii Channel This Channel is used to create or edit Miis. Miis from other consoles may mingle on your console in this channel, if you have exchanged Wii ID numbers with someone else. Facial features, height, and weight can be set, along with the color for the shirt. [Channel02] Photo Channel This Channel is used to view or edit pictures from SD cards or the Wii Message Board. Photos that are stored are not altered directly, instead a copy with the changes must be saved if desired. You may take the photos and do a jigsaw puzzle with them, and the fastest times for completing the puzzle are stored. The Photo Channel offers a simple set of tools to edit the pictures, and only pictures stored in jpeg format are able to be viewed or editted. It can also view .MOV files (QuickTime / Motion JPEG). There has been an update to the Photo Channel, which can be downloaded at no charge. [Channel03] Wii Shop Channel This Channel is used to download or Gift Virtual Console games and WiiWare (e.g. the Opera browser). Each download requires a certain number of Wii Points, depending on region. Virtual Console games are region coded. Currently, NES games are the cheapest(500 Wii Points), and N64 games are the most expensive(1000 Wii Points). You may check the list in the Virtual Console games section for the complete list of starting prices for the different platforms available in North America. Prices for the WiiWare products vary. The Virtual Console games that are downloaded are emulated without upgrades to the software. There are no enhancements such as on-line play, multi player support, or use of the Wii Remote as a pointing device if the game did not support such things to begin with. While graphics may seem improved in some games, it is not a result of programming it this way in the emulated software; it is a result of the Wii hardware itself. Also, if you have Widescreen support turned on for your TV in the Wii Options, some games may appear distorted and you may need to turn Widescreen off to display the proper screen ratio for the game. Wii Points can be purchased in stores as a 2000 Point card, or they can be purchased on-line through the Wii Shop Channel. On-line requires use of a credit card and Points can be purchased in the following amounts: 1000, 2000, 3000, and 5000. Any Points bought, redeemed, or used to purchase items are recorded are can be reviewed through the Account Activity section of the Wii Shop Channel. Once the Wii Points are used to purchase an item, the Points are deducted from the account and cannot be refunded. When I purchased a Wii Point card from a store tax was added to my purchase, but when I purchased the Wii Points through the Wii Shop Channel there was no tax on my purchase. Tax may be charged for on-line purchase, depending on your area / region. With the introduction of the DSi, Wii Points cards may be redeemed for either use on the Wii Shop Channel or the DSi Shop Channel. Once redeemed, the points cannot be used for the other Shop Channel. The Wii Points were also relabeled as Nintendo Points once the DSi was introduced, although cards labeled Wii Points can still be found. [Channel04] News Channel This Channel is used to view news from the Associated Press. It came active on January 19, 2007. The News Channel also incorporates the Globe from the Forecast Channel. National news, International news, Sports news, Health/Science news, Business, Arts/Entertainment, and Technology news can be selected to view. Text size can be adjusted to make the articles easier to read. Headlines will scroll when hovered over if needed. There is no set number of articles per News section. Scrolling through the text of the article can be done with the B button on the Wii Remote, or with the up and down on the d-pad. Highlighting text is possible with the 1 button. The - button and the + button are used to adjust the text size. Using the A button will enter the article or exit out of the article. A slideshow of the articles headlines in a category can be done, and when you want to view the article, the A button can be used to view the article. Left and right on the d-pad will scroll through the list of articles The Globe will show how many articles are available for a particular location and will show the location of the currently selected article. The Globe can be used to select an article from a given location. The Globe can be viewed just as when using the Forecast Channel, except news article information is displayed instead of the weather information. Upon starting the News Channel, the system will connect to the WiiConnect24 service and obtain the most recent headlines available, and will inform you how long ago it was updated. The headline categories are then presented and you may make a choice from those categories. While the Channel is obtaining the current data, the cat from the Photo Channel makes a visit and can be selected with the A button; if selected the cat will provide hints on usage for the News Channel. An Operation Guide is available for the News Channel similar to the Operation Guide for a Virtual Console game and is navigated through the same way; once the Home button is pushed the Operation Guide will be available to view. Some articles contain images and also some may be accompanied by the globe, but not articles do. The icon before the headline indicates if the globe is present with the article. A circle icon indicates the globe is present while a paper article indicates just text. If the icon is gray, it indicates the article has been selected for viewing already. A blinking icon represents recently added articles. [Channel05] Forecast Channel This Channel is used to view weather from around the world. It is now available(as of December 19, 2006). Weather data is provided by weathernews. The user is allowed to pick the closest location to him from a list of locations. This is the location that the Forecast Channel will display by default when it is started. To see other locations, the Globe can be selected and can be spun like a real globe to see and select different parts of the world. Once a location is selected, the following items may be seen(dependent on location selected): Current (condition and temperature) Today (condition and temperature) Tomorrow (condition and temperature) 5-Day Forecast (condition and temperature) UV Index Weather conditions(without the temperature) can be seen for six hour intervals for Today or Tomorrow by clicking on the Condition image. The 5-Day Forecast will display High and Low temperatures, while the other displays do not list the low. On the Globe, locations can be set to view the temperature or the conditions. Zoom levels can be selected for the Globe and also viewing angle of the globe. While viewing the globe the user can cycle between the following displays: Current Weather Current Temperature Today's Weather Today's High Tomorrow's Weather Tomorrow's High The user can change temperature to be listed in Celsius or Fahrenheit, the Wind Display to mph or km/h, and the Closest Location. [Channel06] Internet Channel This Channel is used to browse the internet with the Opera browser. The beta version of Opera is available for download as of December 22, 2006, according to the Nintendo web site. The Opera browser is expected to be a free download until June 2007, at which point it will cost 500 Wii Points to download(as of this date). The non-beta version became available in mid April 2007. Once downloaded there will be no additional charge to use the Internet Channel. If the browser is downloaded for free, there will not be an additional charge to use it after the free download period has ended. The download can be found in the Wii Ware section of the Wii Shop Channel. Internet Channel (Trial Version) The browser is based off of the Opera 9 browser for the PC, but uses simplied controls. All control and navigation is done with the Wii Remote. Upon starting this Channel, the Start Page will load. This Start Page does not appear to able to be changed by the user. A main area appears on the bottom of each screen which contains: Back button Forward button Stop Loading / Reload Page button Favorites button Start Page button The Back and Forward buttons only let you cycle one page at a time. To go back two pages, you would need to press the Back button twice, for example. The Start Page consists of the following items: Favorites Enter a Web Address Help Zoom Link Scroll Link Legal info The Zoom Link and Scroll Link gives the user explanations on how to use those features within the browser. Legal info is just the text of the necessary legal information pertaining to the things used in the browser. The Help page consists of a diagram of the Wii Remote and an explanation of the actions taken for the different buttons on the Remote: B button: Pointer Scrolling With the B held, the user is free to scroll in any direction permitted on the page. Arrows appear on screen for the possible scroll directions, if the pointer is on the screen. A button: Select This will select the item under the pointer. If data entry is required, the Virtual Keyboard will appear 1 button: Favorites Will bring up the Favorites Page 2 button: Switch Display Mode Single column mode. Makes certain pages easier to view. A larger font size will be used for this mode. - button: Zoom Out Takes the view to the original viewing size when the page loaded. + button: Zoom In Takes the view to an enlarged viewing size to make things easier to see. Home button: HOME Menu Brings up the typical Menu to go back to the Wii Menu, Rest the software, and change Remote settings. The D-pad serves no use in this version. The Favorites page consists of the following: Add Favorite Add the current page to your list of favorites. This cannot be selected without a page already loaded. Edit Favorites This will bring up the current list of favorites the user has stored. When a favorite is selected, the following actions can be performed: Delete Deletes the selected favorite from the list. Rename Changes the display name of the page in the list, not the URL of the page. Move Change the position of the favorite in the list of favorites. Cancel Exit out of the sub-menu with no action performed. As there is no address bar in the browser, to type in an address, use the "Enter a Web Address" from the Start Page. There are no tabs in the browser. Cookies can be used and are stored. Items I've found that are not supported: - Keyboard support (Currently have to use the Virtual Keyboard for typing) - PDF files - Downloading files - Uploading files - Using Mailto: links to email someone - Large Flash files may cause the browser to exceed the memory, and therefore will not load Internet Channel (Full version) Changes from the Trial version include: - A new Toolbar layout is presented, which includes a button to press to gain access to type an address in, without having to go back to the Start page. The Toolbar can now be hidden from view, either auto-hide, or manual hide. - D-pad can now be used to scroll the page, in addition to the B button. - Faster launching time when starting the channel. - More Favorites can be stored, and access to those Favorites is quicker. - Zoom function is now either auto, like the Trial version, or zoom levels can be manually set by the user. - Search button added for easy access to Yahoo! Search or Goggle Search search engines. - Multiple Remotes may be used for pointing on screen, although Remote 1 must be used to make selections and enter text. - Options menu is active. Search engine, Zoom Settings, Toolbar hiding, and Proxy Settings are among those things included. - The Start page has been redesigned to account for the new changes. It also contains a button to press to get back to the Wii Menu. - USB Keyboards are supported with the proper update to the Wii System New button assignments have been added, while some have changed: * B Button + Left Arrow = Search * B Button + Right Arrow = Enter web address * B Button + Up Arrow = Reload * B Button + Down Arrow = Favorites * B Button + (+) key = Page forward * B Button + (-) key = Page backward * 1 button = toggle Toolbar (if manual hide option selected) * + key, - key = multiple zoom levels while in manual zoom mode You may send me any quirks or oddities that you come across while using this browser. [Channel07] Everybody Votes Channel This Channel can be downloaded free from the Wii Ware section of the Wii Shop Channel. It allows users to cast a binary vote (e.g. Yes/No, True/False). New questions are added weekly plus a worldwide question is added monthly. After the question deadline, results are tabulated and then announced. Up to six users can be registered to vote on the console, and each voter uses a Mii to represent him/her. After voting, Predictions can be cast for the more popular choice. Once the user has cast a vote or prediction those choices cannot be changed. The user must place the Mii on his/her choice to submit the choice. One question can be submitted per day to Nintendo for consideration for future use by them. User stats are stored for accuracy, and how the user matches up with others in the polls. Recent poll results are also stored, and the channel provides access for up to sixteen of the most recent poll results. [Channel08] Check Mii Out Channel This Channel lets users participate in contests and lets people view Miis from some of the other users who have participated in the contests. [Channel09] Nintendo Channel This Channel will let you view interviews, game trailers, and other videos that Nintendo puts up on their server for this channel. You may also view new releases for either the Wii or DS. Within the "Find Games For Me" section is the DS Download Station, which lets you download demos and other things (possibly) to your DS. Titles available for download rotate in and out, and dates are given when the downloads are good through. While viewing a video on the Nintendo Channel, the A button may be used to alter the size of the video window to / from full screen. The B button may also be used to bring up a progress slider for the video, allowing you to change the position within the video that you are watching. With an update, video quality may be selected. This allows for bettter quality if you have a fast internet connection. [Channel10] Wii Speak Channel Upon purchase of the Wii Speak microphone, a code can be redeemed to download this channel. This Channel will allow you to connect to other people on your friend list and talk with them over the microphone. [ChannelSD] SD Card Menu With the Wii System Update in March 2009 the Wii can use SDHC cards up to 32 GB in size. Along with this change, the SD Card Menu was introduced. There are 20 pages in this menu to place WiiWare and Virtual Console titles. Items from the Wii Shop Channel can be saved directly to the SD Card. This menu button is located next to the Wii Options button and cannot be moved to another location on the Wii Menu as the WiiWare and Virtual Console titles can be. WiiWare, Virtual Console titles, and Wii Channels can be selected and launched from the SD Card Menu. Once selected and launched, the title is automatically copied to the Wii System Memory, and then started. If there is not enough free space in the Wii System Memory, the title will not be lauched and you will be given the choice to free space within the Wii System Memory. If the copy was successful, the title will stay on the Wii System Memory until another choice is selected from the SD Card Menu. Save data for games and other programs still need to be on the Wii System Memory unless the game / program allows for data to be read off the SD Card. [ChannelOptions] Wii Options There are two main options available under Wii Options. These include Data Management and Wii Settings. Data Management will let you manage your Save Data and Wii Channels. Wii save information includes the 512 MB Internal Memory and SD cards, while GameCube save information is from the two slots for the GameCube Memory Cards. You can Copy Data or Erase Data for either the Wii save information or GameCube information, but you cannot copy between the GameCube Memory Cards and the Wii Memory or SD cards. Wii Channels contain the items you have downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel, and you can Copy or Erase those as well. Nintendo will keep a record of the items you have downloaded, so you can later download them at no charge if you have erased them for any reason. Wii Settings have three pages of settings which include: Console Nickname This sets the name for your Wii. This is separate from the email address that is assigned to your Console Calendar You can set the date and time here. Time is formatted in 24 hour time. Screen You can set TV related information here. Screen Position The horizontal and vertical positioning of the image on your TV screen can be adjusted from here. Widescreen Settings You can choose between Widescreen (16:9) and Standard (4:3) from here. TV Resolution You can choose between Standard (480i) and EDTV/HDTV (480p) from here. Screen Burn-in Reduction You can choose to have the screen fade after about five minutes when Wii software is paused. This will also cause the Remotes to enter Sleep Mode to conserve battery power of the Remotes. This features will act independently of any setting on your TV. Only Wii software is affected by this settings; GameCube games that are paused will not initiate this setting. Sound You can choose between Mono, Stereo, or Surround sound here. Parental Controls You can set restrictions on games here for the content rating. The game ratings are used for Wii games only; GameCube games are not affected by these controls. A four digit PIN will be required to access any features that have been restricted. Be aware, the PIN will be displayed while entering the numbers, so others can see the data during this time. The numbers will be masked after entering them. If your Wii console is also connected to the internet, you have the ability to place limits on the following online features: Internet Channel Once the Opera browser has been downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel, the browser use can be restricted. News Channel Once it is available, the News Channel can be restricted. Wii Messages You can disable the Wii console's ability to send and receive messages from other Wii consoles. Your system will still receive system updates and related business messages from Nintendo regardless of this Parental Controls setting. Use of Points If this setting is on, users will be required to enter the 4-digit PIN in order to use Wii Points to download items from the Wii Shop Channel. Sensor Bar If you find the Pointer is not responding as well as you think it should, you can adjust some settings from here. Sensor Bar Position You can choose whether the Sensor Bar is placed above or below your TV from here. Sensitivity Sensitivity of the Pointer functionality of the Wii Remote can be adjusted from here. Internet You can enter three separate connections here and choose which one should used to connect to the internet. You can also view the MAC address and view the User Agreements from here. If the Wii does not find an Access Point automatically, you can adjust the settings manually. Connection Settings Three separate connections can be entered here. Wireless connections, the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connector, and Wired are supported. Wireless security is supported through WPA, WPA2, WEP. Console Information The MAC address can be found here. User Agreements The legal information for using the WiiConnect24 service can be found here. WiiConnect24 You can choose the behavior of WiiConnect24 from here. It can be On or Off and the Standby Mode and Slot Illumination can be changed if WiiConnect24 is turned on. If Standby is enabled, the WiiConnect24 operate when the Wii is not on. The Slot Illumination can be set to Bright, Dim, or it can be turned off. This affects the blue ring around the disc tray and how bright that light will blink when new data is received. Language You can choose between English, French or Spanish from here. Country You can set your country of residence from here. Wii System Update You can check for system updates manually from here. Some actions taken in other parts of the Wii Menu will trigger an update automatically, while at times it must be done from here. Format Wii System Memory This will erase all system memory, and it cannot be restored, even from an SD card. Completing the format will place the Wii console in the state it was when it shipped from the factory. Any system updates for the Wii console since the manufacture date will need to be installed again. Wii Shop Channel information can be removed by selecting Remove Wii Shop Channel Account in the Wii Shop Channel Settings section and Nintendo recommends doing this before doing the Format Wii System Memory. [ChannelMessage] Wii Message Board This is where messages relating to games or email can be found. Memos can be created and posted on the Message Board. It will also let you write messages to people in your address book. Wii activity for the day is also found here. To send or receive messages, both parties must have allowed permission to do so. Messages can be deleted from the Wii Message Board. Play History cannot be deleted. The Message Board is tied to the Calendar although is can be selected without having to select the Calendar. PC users and cell phone users can be added to the Address Book. Those users will receive a message that they have to reply to before two way communication is possible. [ChannelCal] Calendar The Calendar is located next to the Create Message button within the Wii Message Board, and received messages and Wii activity messages for a given day can be brought up and viewed. The Calendar first displays as a monthly overview. The user can then click on an individual day to see the messages associated with that day. The Calendar button appears after selecting the Wii Message Board. [ChannelWiiWare] WiiWare titles are purchased through the Wii Shop Channel. Once downloaded, the WiiWare titles will take one of the channel slots in the Wii Menu. The prices for the Wiiware titles vary, with some costing 500 Wii Points, and some costing 1500 Wii Points. Extra content for games that can be purchased with Wii Points may be included in some games. File size varies by title. After purchase, the titles may be downloaded again for free. As there currently is no hard drive for the wii, titles may have to be erased off the Wii Menu before other titles may be downloaded. Many titles that do not make use of on-line interaction may be copied to the SD Card. [Connect] Wireless Connectivity The Wii has Wireless support built into the console. With a wireless router, or a USB adapter, the Wii can use WiiConnect24, can play games on-line, use the Wii Shop Channel, use the News Channel, use the Forecast Channel, and can send/receive email messages through the Wii Message Board. Each Wii console has a unique ID number assigned to it, unlike the DS games, which have the ID assigned to them. Games will have other Friend Codes that must be used when using the on-line capabilities of the game. [Connect01] To your network The Wii can connect to the network and has support for WPA, WPA2 and WEP security. You can store three separate Internet connections on the console and switch between them. WiiConnect24 will remain on if your router or USB connector remains on, even if you power off the Wii, if you have it set up that way. If you are using multiple connections, it will reset to using Connection 1 after Wii System Updates. You must change the connection used after doing the Updates if you were using another connection (Connection 2 or Connection 3). I have verified this issue with Nintendo phone support. Newer updates have resolved this issue. [Connect02] To the DS / DS Lite / DSi The Wii can connect to the DS with specific games. It can act as a Download Station for the DS, if the Nintendo Channel is on the Wii. Connection between the Wii and DS should work similarly to the way the GBA and GameCube do. It is up to the game developer with the features they wish to include in the game. [Memory] Memory Wii storage and GameCube storage are separated. Wii information cannot be stored on GameCube Memory Cards, and GameCube information cannot be stored on the Wii Internal Memory or SD cards. To manage the memory, you must select the Wii Options button, below the Wii Channels. Before SD cards can be used to for Copy or Erase operations, the Wii must do a System Update. This Update is typically done during the first use, if an internet connection is set-up and configured properly. Until this Update is done however, only the internal flash memory can be used to store Wii data. [Memory01] Internal Memory / System Memory The Wii comes with 512 MB of internal flash memory to store game saves and Virtual Console games. The GameCube has a maximum of 16 MB per card currently, so this internal memory is equal to 32 of those (1019 block) memory cards, or 256 of the 2 MB (251 block) memory card. [Memory02] SD Cards SD cards may be used to store more game saves and itemspurchased through the Wii Shop Channel if needed. Photos can also be read from the SD cards for use in the Photo Channel. Up to 2 GB SD cards are supported. Standard SD cards, micro SD cards, and mini SD cards are supported. Correct adapters are needed for the micro SD cards and mini SD cards to fit the standard SD card slot on the Wii. With the March 25, 2009 Wii System Update SDHC cards up to 32 GB are supported. [Memory03] GameCube Memory Cards The Wii accepts two Memory cards for the GameCube. The slots are on top of the system, under a flap next to the controller ports. [Launch] Launch Titles (North American) Avatar: The Last Airbender Call of Duty 3 Cars Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Excite Truck The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy GT Pro Series Happy Feet The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Madden NFL 07 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Monster 4x4 World Circuit Need for Speed: Carbon Rampage: Total Destruction Rayman Raving Rabbids Red Steel SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Trauma Center: Second Opinion Wii Sports There were about 13 more titles by the end of 2006, and currently there are over 100 titles either currently released or planned to be released by the end of 2007. [VCGames] Virtual Console games (North American) Currently only NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, Neo Geo, Sega Master System and Turbo Grafx 16 games are supported. There may be other consoles or handhelds supported in the future, but there are no confirmed announcements mentioned at this time for North America. The following list of 30 games is the current list of the games that are planned to be released by the end of 2006 for North America. Games may differ between regions, as the Virtual Console games are region coded. Nintendo maintains a current list of the games offered on the Virtual Console on their website. NES Mario Bros. The Legend of Zelda Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Jr. Pinball Soccer Urban Champion Wario's Woods Baseball Solomon's Key Tennis Ice Hockey SNES F-Zero Sim City N64 Super Mario 64 Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog Altered Beast Golden Axe Columns Ecco the Dolphin Ristar Dr. Robotnik?s Mean Bean Machine Gunstar Heroes Toe Jam & Earl Space Harrier II TurboGrafx 16 Bonk's Adventure Super Star Soldier Bomberman '93 Victory Run Dungeon Explorer [Included] What is included in the package a) Wii system (currently available in black or white) b) Wii Remote and Wii Jacket c) Nunchuk attachment d) System stand e) Stabilizer disk for stand f) Sensor Bar g) A/V Cable h) AC Adapter i) Wii Sports (except in Japan) j) Instruction Manuals k) Two batteries for the Remote m) Wii Sports Resort (Newer models released after the game was released) n) Wii Motion+ attachment [FAQs] FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Q: Can _______ game use a particular Controller or attachment? A: It depends on the game. All developers are free to use any controller or attachment they chose to implement. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 supports Wii Remote/Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and the GCN controller, for example, while Rampage: Total Destruction supports using Wii Remote and Wii Remote/Nunchuk. Q: What about the Virtual Console game controls? A: You may view which controllers or attachments may be use with the game before downloading it. All downloads state which controller or attachment can be used. I have listed the known control schemes, based upon currently supported platforms in the Virtual Console games section. Q: Will the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connector for the DS work with the Wii? A: Yes. Nintendo has repackaged the Wi-Fi Connector and it now lists the Wii and DS on the package. Q: Why can I not find extra Nunchuk attachments? A: They have sold out quickly. It seems Nintendo did not necessarily make one attachment per Wii Remote, as Wii Remotes can still be found. Not every game requires the Nunchuk attachment for operation, so multi player may still be possible if you have more Wii Remotes than the Nunchuk attachments. Q: What are the best games out currently? A: While that is a matter of opinion, it seems LoZ: TP and Excite Truck to be the best selling and talked about. Wii Sports also generates a lot of excitement about it. Red Steel, Rayman, and Super Monkey Ball: BB all seem to be ranked high also. So, depending on the genre you enjoy, is what I would say to check out. Also, if you like the games from the older consoles, it is worth checking out the Virtual Console section of the Wii Shop. The list of titles should be updated every week, if it goes as planned. Q: Can I connect through a wired internet connection? A: Nintendo released an Ethernet adapter to make this possible. Another solution is to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connector for the Nintendo DS / Wii. The Ethernet adapter will plug into the Wii in one of the two USB ports while the Wi-Fi connector plugs into the computer that has the internet connection on it. Q: Can I use a USB keyboard to enter text in place of the on screen keyboard? A: Yes, if your Wii has the proper update. Q: Can I play Game Boy games on the Wii? A: The Game Boy Player for the GameCube does not work with the Wii, as there is no place to connect the device. The device that Datel released which connected to the GameCube memory slot to play GBA games might work, but I never owned that device, so I do not know with certainty. Q: Will the GameCube Action Replay work with the Wii? A: According to the CodeJunkies.com site, it will. After a certain update to the Wii System, this device was disabled for use on the Wii. Q: Can I use rechargeable batteries in the Wii Remote? A: Nintendo recommends using only Nickel Metal Hydride for rechareable batteries. Rechargeable battery packs are also available. Once the battery packs are installed in the Wii Remote, they are recharged through the charging docks provided with the units. Charging takes between two and five hours to charge an empty pack, depending on how many Wii Remotes are being charged at once. The battery packs can be charged after each use instead of having to deplete the battery. [Specs] Known Wii Technical Specs Technical specifications Nintendo itself has released few technical specifics regarding the Wii console, but some key facts have leaked to the press. Known details include: Processors: * CPU: PowerPC based "Broadway" processor, made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, reportedly clocked at 729 MHz * GPU: ATI "Hollywood" GPU made with a 90 nm CMOS process, reportedly clocked at 243 MHz Memory: * 88 MB main memory (24 MB "internal" 1T-SRAM, 64 MB "external" GDDR3 RAM) * 3 MB GPU texture memory Processors and Memory have yet to totally confirmed at this point. Ports and peripheral capabilities: * Up to four Wii Remote controllers (connected wirelessly via Bluetooth). * One SD memory card slot. * Two USB 2.0 ports. * One Sensor Bar port. * Four Nintendo GameCube controller ports. * Two Nintendo GameCube memory card ports. * Mitsumi DMW-W004 WiFi 802.11b/g wireless module * Compatible with optional USB 2.0 to Ethernet LAN adaptor. Built-in content ratings systems: * CERO, PEGI, ESRB Storage: * 512 MB built-in flash memory. * Expansion available via SD card memory, 2 GB maximum supported capacity. * SDHC card support, up to 32 GB with Wii System Update * GameCube Memory Cards (for saving GCN games only). * Slot-loading disc drive compatible with: o 8 cm GameCube optical disc. o 12 cm Wii optical disc. * Mask ROM by Macronix. Video: * Up to 480p(NTSC) or 576p (PAL/SECAM), will work with any TV or projector. * Component (including Progressive scan), RGB SCART, S-Video, or composite output. * 16:9 anamorphic widescreen. Audio: * Main: Stereo - Dolby Pro Logic II-capable. * Controller: Built-in speaker. [Legal] Legal Stuff This document is created by James Sander-Cederlof and is copyrighted. You are entitled to print it out for your own private use, but are not allowed to reproduce it for any money or profit. Contact the author for permission to use the document, in whole or in part, elsewhere. Failure to get prior written permission for posting this FAQ shall be a violation of this copyright. The author is not associated with Nintendo or any of the parts or accessories
contained within or used with the Nintendo Wii console.  The author is also not
associated with any of the game developers or game publishers mentioned in this
FAQ.  All companies hold their respective trademarks and copyrights.

[Sites] Sites permitted to post this FAQ

The author retains the right to post on his personal web site.  In addition,
these sites may post this FAQ:

GameFAQs.com
neoseeker.com

[Contact] Contact Info

You may contact the author at jamessc"at"q.com for
questions, corrections or concerns about this document (Replace "at" with the
@ character).  If you supply addition information for this document, you shall
be given credit.  If you desire a specific name to be used in the Credits
section, let me know, otherwise email address shall be used.

[Hist] Revision History

11/27/06 First revision
  Creation of document
11/29/06 Second revision
  Added Technical Specs, Launch Titles, and Wii Options
11/30/06 Third revision
  Added more controller and Channel info, fixed some spelling errors
12/2/06 Fourth revision
  Added minor information dealing with memory and controllers
  Added more Intro information
12/3/06 Fifth revision
  Fixed some spelling and format errors
12/5/06 Sixth revision
  Added some controller information
  Added list of Virtual Console games and some Wii Shop Channel information
12/7/06 Seventh revision
  Wii Memory and GameCube memory corrections and additions
  Added more Internet Connections details
  Added Wii Console diagram section
12/10/06 Eigth revision
  Updated Legal Stuff section
  Added Calendar section
  Separated allowed sites to the new "Sites permitted to use this FAQ" section
12/15/06 Ninth revision
  Updated Parental Controls in Wii Options
  Updated Virtual Console games list
  Added Controller list in Virtual Console section
  Added Wii Sports attachments
  Updated Steering Wheel attachment
  Updated Wii Message Board and Calendar sections
  Added wrist strap information
  Updated Internet Channel
  Fixed some spelling errors
  Updated FAQs section
  Changed title of "Other Channels" to reflect the broad use of the Wii Menu
   to "Using Wii Channels and other parts of the Wii Menu"
12/18/06 Tenth revision
  Updated Wii Options and Wii Remote Home button Menu
  Updated FAQs section
12/19/06 Revision 11
  Updated various Wii Channels reflecting current known info
12/22/06 Revision 12
  Updated Forecast Channel
  Updated Internet Channel
2/4/07 Revision 13
  Updated News Channel
  Updated Wii Remote section
  Updated FAQs section
2/17/07 Revision 14
  Updated News Channel
5/6/07 Revision 15
  Modified Content layout structure
  Added Everybody Votes Channel
  Updated Internet Channel
  Updated FAQs
6/28/08 Revision 16
  Added new Channels
    Check Mii Out, Nintendo Channel, WiiWare
  Updated FAQs
  Updated Internet Channel
  Updated Connection section
  Updated Contact Info
  Updated Virtual Console info
  Updated controller section
4/21/09 Revision 17
  Updated Channels section
  Updated Virtual Console section
  Updated Controls section
  Fixed some spelling errors
7/20/10 Revision 18
  Updated Controller sections
  Updated internet and wireless connection info
  Updated Included section


[Credits] Credits

Me              - for writing this FAQ
You             - for taking the time to read this FAQ
Nintendo        - For making this great console
                - Verified(through phone support) Internet Connections reset
                  issue
                - Virtual Console game list and Virtual Console controller list
                - Parental Controls for the on-line features
                - Confirmation of Internet Channel availability and price
Wikipedia.org   - Launch Titles and Technical Specs
codejunkies.com - GameCube Action Replay info

Contributions from:
miikrr@comcast.net          - GameCube Memory Card size correction and Wii
                              Update for SD cards
irontailfratley@hotmail.com - On-line tax determined to be area / region as
                              he was charged tax
shadowmanx@gmail.com        - Reminded me about the battery life display on
                              the Wii Remote