Hacking the Nintendo Wii Mini | MVG

The Nintendo Wii Mini released in 2012 as a standalone $99 console that had no internet connectivity and many features removed. For years it was believed that there was no easy method to hack the system but in 2019 an exploit known as 'BlueBomb' was discovered. In this episode we take a closer look at how we can run this exploit and the homebrew capabilities of the Wii Mini.

Intro Music - Axelay Stage 1 - Taro Kudo

Social Media Links :

#WiiMini #Hacking #Exploit

[ShankMods]

The Wii mini's circuitry is so peculiar, not because how different it is, but how familiar it is. The chips and layout of the core circuitry is almost exactly the same as later revision Wiis. It even has pads to solder on a wifi module, as well as test pads for GameCube and SD cards

[tmay]

Hearing the homebrew channel music feels like taking shots of pure nostalgia.

[ryanthetide]

Saw this when it came out, it's incredible what the homebrew community and security researchers have made possible with consoles that were deemed 'useless'. Thanks for the insightful video, awesome and thorough as always!

[wiimaster]

A few pointers:
- As Shank mentioned in another comment, the Wii Mini's hardware is extremely similar to the Wii even if it doesn't seem like it. Test solder pads are present for GC ports 1 and 4, memory card slot A, and all the necessary pins for an SD card slot. This is because they need access to that to set up all Wiis at the factory. So it is possible to solder in those things relatively easily. There are also pads present for the Wi-Fi module connector, but that requires some other surface mounted components as well. All these things have been done by people.

- Component video is also possible to add back with a PCB design that is available. It has been tested and confirmed to work.

- Hardware is only half the battle. Because a normal Wii would lock up without the Wi-Fi module present, Nintendo removed the Wi-Fi code from all the Wii Mini system software, including IOS (with revision numbers to ensure no game disc tries to overwrite it). They also removed the SD code. So while it is possible to have Wii software (including the Wii system menu with normal internet settings and all) installed on the Wii Mini through homebrew, you have to either install Wii IOS revisions *with Wi-Fi patched out* or also install a Wi-Fi module.

Basically, everything the Wii Mini lacks in both hardware and software can be added back with varying degrees of difficulty.

[JohnnyReb]

I didn't even know they removed 480p support. That's just spiteful.

[MacChuck]

Saying "Unhackable" makes you a target. Great video MVG!

[Fatone]

You can also get a Mayflash adapter for the Wiimote that allows you to connect a Gamecube controller. It gets detected as a Classic Controller but at least makes it so you can use your GC conrtoller.

[chemergency]

I still think the Wii Mini is a very poor hardware revision that should be avoided, but it's neat that there's a way to get *some* use out of it now. It's amazing how the only thing stopping this version from connecting to the internet with LAN was Nintendo purposefully leaving-out the driver for it.

[mistereagleman]

There's something honestly cathartically funny about this. Nintendo tried their best, got rid of so many features along the way, yet the internet persists and shoved all the features back into the hardware through any method they found possible. Honestly inspiring lol, great video too! Glad I own an original Wii model though, much easier to homebrew.

[martinantelo]

This is really great if you received one as a Christmas present and you don't know what to do with it.

But I wouldn't recommend anyone to go out of their way and buy one, this is more limited than a PSP Go. Just the no progressive output is a deal breaker. Buy a regular Wii, or better yet a Wii U instead, if you're looking for Wii homebrew or to play the games in OG hardware. Wii U is the definitive Wii if you ask me: 3 generations of Nintendo natively supported, progressive scan for everything.

[kole]

"Emulation doesn't hurt Nintendo, but I wish it did" - some meme I saw

[iamdarkyoshi]

I despise composite video and interlaced video so I'd personally never want a wii mini, but that retrotink 5x is doing a remarkable job at digitizing the signal. I'm impressed.

[MrMario]

I got to give this a shot on my own Wii Mini a while ago, about the only difference being I used my laptop and loaded up Ubuntu I believe from a live USB device. I tried many times from a VM but despite everything looking like it worked, I never had any luck actually pushing the required payload until I used something other than the VM. Despite that, definitely a fun and interesting experience, although very much a situation where we can do it just because we could. However, isn't that the spirit of modding?

[SlySinatraa]

Hacked this myself back in February, neat little system IMO. Even modded the actual system to support the ethernet adapter.

[devilmikey]

I remember when these first came out in Canada. They did not stay at the $99.99 MSRP for long. Within just a few months of release you could grab them for $50 bucks. I bought one because I wanted a wiimote/nunchuck for my PC and the $50 dollar wii mini, which came with a wiimote/nunchuck, was cheaper than just buying a wiimote/nunchuck. I sold the console for 30 bucks on ebay and still have my nice red wiimote/nunchuck to this day.

[benroller_]

The fact you reused the sd card insert at 1:56 from your 'How a pair of Tweezers defeated security on the Nintendo Wii' is amazing and also really smart.

[theshadowman]

2012 and composite only output. I seriously have no idea how high Nintendo execs had to be to come up with that.

[Fireshot]

Really cool to see this. You were a big inspiration on me getting into retro modding. 3 GameCubes later and a Wii U I’m now working on, I appreciate the hobby I’ve picked up. Thank you

[gogreengameon]

Ahh! Missed a pun there "When there is a _Wii_ there is a way" 😄

[dysphoria-chan]

Removing Internet connection was a weird move, considering the popularity of TV boxes in the early 2010s. This could be a Netflix machine with games.