Gaming Wii Freeloader: FTW or WTF?

[MaskedRider]

Yes... that's right boys and girls! The Datel FreeLoader for the Wii is here! For those of you that don't know, the FreeLoader will let a console play games from another region without modification. I've personally been waiting for quite a while for this. Now I can play those Gundam games I've been waiting for. However, there is a small problem in the form of Wii system updates. The Gamecube freeloader and the Wii mods have been rendered useless by system updates, which are required by many different games. A gamer could very well spend $20 for a FreeLoader, and $60 each on a few Japanese games, only to have them rendered useless by an update. So what is the best course of action to take?

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]Ah, region coding. Because buying a game isn't good enough—we must buy it in the time and place the manufacturer chooses. :animesigh

I think the Freeloader is pretty awesome but like you mentioned, system updates can screw it over. For reliability the best course would simply be to import a Japanese Wii as well. It's more expensive up front but if you import a lot of games you won't be running the risk of having your Freeloader screwed and ending up with a stack of unplayable games. Or you could go with Freeloader and then import a Wii later should it happen to get blocked by an update.[/color]

[The Spectacular Professor]

Ah, this. I've gotta say, When I found out Nintendo screwed over the Gamecube Action Replay with one of their system updates, I was a bit upset (Animal Crossing gets boring after a while. I cheated. Sue me.) My main problem was the fact that I paid for the product and now big bad N wants me to play my games fairly whether I like it or not. It's almost like stealing, frankly. and then I remember that it was a freeloader as well. PS3 is region free, why does Nintendo have to suck in this regard?

We're paying for their products. Why not let us use them?

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]The really odd thing is that Game Boys (and the DS too I believe) have always been region free. It's only been the consoles that have been region coded. I assume there must be some reason for this but I just can't find the logic in it.[/color]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Desbreko'][color=#4B0082]The really odd thing is that Game Boys (and the DS too I believe) have always been region free. It's only been the consoles that have been region coded. I assume there must be some reason for this but I just can't find the logic in it.[/color][/QUOTE]

Probably because one day I'll import Ouendan, and if I must buy another DS to play it I will kill someone.:p

[Solo Tremaine]

[quote name='Desbreko'][COLOR=#4b0082]The really odd thing is that Game Boys (and the DS too I believe) have always been region free. It's only been the consoles that have been region coded. I assume there must be some reason for this but I just can't find the logic in it.[/COLOR][/quote][COLOR=#503F86]I think the reason Nintendo delayed using discs in the first place was because they were worried about piracy, hence why the N64 was the only system still using carts during the original PlayStation era. I imagine it's the same reason DVDs have different regions, to stop people from importing, copying and illegally distributing games.

And then you have the different screen colour systems in different areas; you have to make sure your console can deal with both PAL and NTSC and that the TVs it connects to can do the same...

Technically, it's illegal in the UK for a shop to sell any game that hasn't been through a rating system (like ESRB), so a store can't just import a game if it hasn't been through the proper systems. And then you have localisation- if you need to wait for a game to come out in French (or [i]British English[/i] please, none of this 'color' malarky) you might as well slap region coding on it too so people really know where abouts the game is from.[/COLOR]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]The thing is, pirates regularly crack region coding anyway. In the case of DVD-Videos there's even legal software that does it. It's hardly stopping anyone.

As for NTSC/PAL, if someone is stupid enough to import an NTSC game and try to play it on an PAL system/TV (or vice versa), region coding isn't going to help them. They won't be able to play the game properly no matter what in that situation.

And if you're importing it's kind of obvious that you're going to miss out on localization. Again, if someone is stupid enough to think they'll get English text in a Japanese import, region coding isn't going to help them. All it does is completely stop them from playing the game instead of letting them muddle through it without being able to understand things.

Honestly, I've never heard anything but hate for region coding in the gaming community and press. It seems like everyone universally applauds systems that don't have it.[/color]

[MaskedRider]

Well, I have no problem being patient and waiting for a game to come out in the US. The problem is when a game WON'T be coming out in the US. The primary reason I want the FreeLoader is that there are two Gundam games for the Wii that I want to get, but there is no change of US release. Now if it was some stupid fighter game or something, I'd easily pass, but these are good old 0079 based games. SD Gundam Scad Hammers looks like a riot, and MS 0079 seems to be the Gundam game I've been waiting for. I know the menus will still be in Japanese, but these are action games, not RPG's. I shouldn't have too much trouble navigating the menus. The other thing is that if they ever release a Masked Rider game for the Wii, they won't even consider US release.