USB Gecko™ Nintendo Wii™ SoftMod Review

Written by Brakken
August 2008

Introduction

Welcome to my USB Gecko Wii SoftMod Review. The USB Gecko is a USB v2.0 based development adapter for the Nintendo Wii which allows you to perform a wide variety of development related tasks, but offers a few features for the average user. The USB Gecko is around the same size as a normal GameCube™ memory card and plugs into your Nintendo Wii's GameCube Memory Card Slot B. Once plugged in it's connected to your computer using a Male Mini-B / Male A USB cord (the same kind you use with your Sony PSP™).

Once connected you can perform various tasks including loading DOL/ELF (Nintendo Wii/GameCube executable), playing music (MP3 and MODS), use a GameCube Memory Card Manager and Backup Original Nintendo Wii games for preservation purposes. These are only some of the tasks you can preform as these are tools provided by [nuke] the official developer of the USB Gecko. There are also some third party tools that allow you to load DOL/ELF files with a stub re-loader, use cheat codes and there is also a full fledged third party remote debugging application for developers.

Contents

USB Gecko
Driver Disc
USB v2.0 Cable
Disclaimer Card

The USB Gecko is made from high quality plastic and the USB connector is also of high quality. Although, it's a little larger then a normal GameCube memory card there are now problems inserting or removing it from your Nintendo Wii. The Driver Disc comes with a readme.txt file, a PDF installation manual, Adobe's Acrobat Reader™ (in case you don't have it) and drivers for Windows XP, Windows XP x64, Windows Vista, Windows Vista x64, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 x64.

Installation

The installation process starts with installing the driver for the USB Gecko. The installation manual pretty much covers the process. All you do is plug in the USB Gecko into your Nintendo Wii or GameCube and then plug the USB cable into your computer. Windows will now detect a new device and you'll manually install the drivers for it. The USB Gecko is using the "CDM 2.04.06 WHQL Certified" drivers which installs the device as a "USB Serial Converter". You can optimally convert the device to a "Virtual COM Port" which isn't required in most cases.

Once this is done you'll need to download the latest version of the Gecko OS. As of the time of this review the latest version of the Gecko OS is v1.6d. So I jumped on USB Gecko's website and downloaded "GOS16d.zip". This archive contained two directories; one for the Homebrew Channel (HBC) and one that contained a DOL file for loading the GeckoOS using other loading methods such as streaming it to the HBC or another Wii Homebrew Loading Application. The archive also contained versions of Gecko Card, Gecko Load and Gecko Music.

The USB Gecko homepage also offered a stand alone ELF file for use with the Twilight Hack and a "color fixed" version of the Gecko OS for people experiencing only black and white output. I'll be using the HBC throughout the duration of this review. So I copied over the "geckoos" directory in the archive under the "apps" folder on my SD Card and was ready to launch the Gecko OS from the HBC.

Usage

To use the USB Gecko simply insert it into the GameCube Memory Card Slot 2 and turn on your Nintendo Wii. Then run the Homebrew Channel. You should see the USB Gecko icon on the lower right hand corner of the screen turn white which means you have a good connection. The HBC is compatible with the USB Gecko and using WiiLoad or other compatible applications that you can send ELF/DOL files over your local network to the HBC for execution. To send files to the HBC directly you must first turn your USB into a Virtual COM Port which is covered in . Once this is done you need to run "wiiload.exe" which is contained in the Homebrew Channel distribution. Set the environment setting and then you can send over your executable. Note that it's best to send them to the Gecko OS due to it's reloading capabilities.

Next I ran the Gecko OS from the HBC. It loaded fairly quickly and gave displayed a basic menu containing the following selections: Launch Game, Load Files from SD, Config Menu, About and Exit OS. The About menu lists some credits and the Exit OS option will reboot your Nintendo Wii. The Config Menu allows you to adjust how you will boot your original or backup game. Note that I do not have a modchip in my console so I was limited to testing original games only.

Under the Config Menu you have the following options: Boot Lang, Force PAL60, Force NTSC, Force PAL50 and VIDTV Patch. Basically, this menu allows you to configure your Nintendo Wii to play imported games. You see games are released in different regions (such as Japan, Europe and the USA) and say a Japanese game won't play on your USA Nintendo Wii. So using this menu you can change that allowing you to play imported games.

The first option is the Boot Language which gives you the following options: System Default, Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, S. Chinese, T. Chinese and Korean. This will force your Nintendo Wii to display it's menu in the language you select.

The Force options will force your Nintendo Wii to output it's video signal in NTSC, PAL60 or PAL50. NTSC is used in Japan and the USA while PAL50/60 are used in Europe. Once you've selected your Forced mode toggle to VIDTV Patch "On" to enable the video mode. Once you are done you can go to the Launch Game option and play your Import Game. So the Gecko OS gives you Region Free compatibility. One awesome fact about this is you don't even need a USB Gecko at all to use the Gecko OS. Of course, without one you're just limited to Region Free game play. Also note that some games will just not work in other regions for whatever reason.

Usage - Official Applications

The USB Gecko website features many files on it's download page which are categorized into a few different categories two of which are the Official Applications "Wii USB GECKO Downloads (PC Executable)" and the Unofficial Applications "3rd Party Applications". Let's take a look at the Official Applications.

Gecko Load

This is the ELF/DOL streaming application. You can stream Nintendo Wii and GameCube executable with this simple to operate application. All you do is run it (while in the Gecko OS of course), connect to the USB Gecko using the USB menu option. Then you simply click on Load DOL or Load ELF, select your file and it will be streamed to your Nintendo Wii and executed. I tested it with a variety of stand alone homebrew for both the Nintendo Wii and GameCube and they worked flawlessly. Stand alone in this instance means all you send is a DOL or ELF file that doesn't require other files to work. These are not compatible with the USB Gecko. One cool thing about loading your DOL/ELF files using Gecko Load is that it adds a stub loader to the application so if you press the "Home" button on your Nintendo Wii controller you will return to the Gecko OS and upload another DOL/ELF.

Gecko Music

This is the MP3/MOD music streaming application. You can stream music to your Nintendo Wii with this simple to operate application. All you do is run it (while in the Gecko OS of course), connect to the USB Gecko using the USB menu option. Then you simply click on Load MP3 or Load MOD, select your file and it will be streamed to your Nintendo Wii and executed. I tested it with a variety of MP3 and MOD files and they played great.

Gecko Card

This application is supposed to let you retrieve and restore your GameCube save files from a GameCube memory card. However, I got an error no matter what I did. I tried formatting it. Reinstalling the USB drivers, etc ... It just didn't work.

Gecko DVD

This application will allow you to backup your original Nintendo Wii or GameCube games for preservation purposes. Note that it is illegal to make backups of games you do not own. Backups are used in case your original game is lost, damaged beyond repair or stolen. Once you run the application you connect to the USB Gecko with the USB menu option. Next you select the type of backup you wish to make. You can select Wii Single Layer, Wii Dual Layer or GameCube. Sadly, you need a modchip for this program to work. I've heard it works fine and backs up a single layer Wii game in around 2 hours (GameCube 35 minutes), but as I don't have a modchip in my Nintendo Wii I was unable to test this program.

WiiRD

Although [nuke] doesn't code WiiRD it is listed under the Official Applications. It's actually coded by Link. WiiRD is basically a cheat code application that allows you to search, find and apply cheat codes in your games. WiiRD also allows you to perform some advanced debugging functions, much like the discontinued Gecko Tool which was released when the USB Gecko started selling. If you're interested in what the Gecko Tool was check out my previous GameCube Review of the USB Gecko. WiiRD is basically the developers tool and comes in two forms; a GUI version coded by Kenobi and a command based interface coded by Link. Both versions can be used for many purposes including Code Searching, Pointer Searching, Memory Viewing, Setting Breakpoints, a Disassembler, GCT Codes, Screen Capturing and FST (File System Tree). The command based interface version offers the same functionality as the GUI, but you must manually type in the commands, which some old schoolers prefer.

 

I'm by far not a programming or debugging expert, but Blasty gave me some quick definitions for the functions you can perform with WiiRD. Right off the bat I know the Screen Capture will take a screen shot, but it failed to work with the GUI version. The command based interface (CBI) version did indeed take screen shots, but they were messed up. You can see them in the pictures below. Lastly, FST allows you to browse the File System Structure of the game you have in your Nintendo Wii, but does not allow you to extract them.

 

The Code Search screen will allow you to dump RAM, scan for a value, then you can do another dump, enter the (supposed) new value, and it'll narrow down the actual offset which something might reside at. The Pointer Search will allow you to search for a Pointer and give you it's referenced value which then you can use the Memory Viewer to view. The Memory Viewer also allows you to view the entire contents of the Nintendo Wii's RAM.

 

Breakpoints will allow you to set execution/data points to halt the game at any given point in time to inject your own code into it. The Disassembler disassembles code that resides in the game memory.

 

The GCT Codes screen will allow you to input GCT codes and apply them to your game. If you haven't the skill to create your own codes you can use the "Game AR to WiiRD Application by James0x57" to convert Action Replay™ codes into GCT format. This means you can use thousands of cheat codes for your games. You can also load and save you list of codes and toggle them off and on.

Usage - Unofficial Applications

Wiifuse

This application coded by dhewg allows you to connect your Mac or Linux to the internal file system of the Nintendo Wii's NAND or the game in the drive. Once mounted you can use it just like you would any read only media.

Gecko Loader

Much like the Official Gecko Load this 3rd party application will allow you to load DOL/ELF files from your computer. It also has a stub / re-loader so you can return to the loader and send another DOL/ELF file over to your Nintendo Wii. It's coded by dhewg and it's official page can be viewed by clicking here.

Wii Linux

Wii Linux has limited functionality when it comes to the USB Gecko, but what you can do is use a terminal program with the USB Gecko to control the CLI. You can use a terminal program to connect via USB Gecko to your Wii-Linux.

"I've tested it with minicom under Linux (/dev/ttyUSB0, 115200 8N1).

It is recommended to activate linewrap.

$ sudo minicom

Welcome to minicom 2.2

OPTIONS: I18n Compiled on May 2 2007, 10:11:26. Port /dev/ttyUSB0

Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys"

Wii GC-MODE DUMP2USB v1.0 BETA 1

Solut has coded a USB backup tool for the Nintendo Wii in GameCube mode. It comes as a bootable ISO image. Of course to boot ISO images you need a modchip so I did not get to test this backup tool.

Game AR to WiiRD Application

James0x57 has created a simple tool that allows you to input Action Replay codes and it will convert them into GCT (WiiRD) compatible codes. This is a very handy tool that should of been included in WiiRD.

USB Gecko Wii Mode Ripper

Monkey has modified Gecko DVD to allow you to legally backup your original owned games via the USB Gecko without the need of a modchip. This is accomplished by installing the Custom IOS (IOS37-64-v2070.wad) into your Nintendo Wii's NAND and then running the application. Well, it was supposed to work, but didn't. All I got was a bunch of errors. The application comes with the Custom IOS installation HBC channel and also a HBC uninstaller. Once you've installed the custom IOS you run WiiRip on via the HBC then run the PC based application from your computer. Sadly, like I already stated, it didn't work.

WiiRD ASM Helper Tool

This is the GUI Tool discussed above under the WiiRD application. It's basically the GUI for using WiiRD under Windows without having to use the CBI.

   
   
   
   
 

Conclusion

The USB Gecko is a very useful Nintendo Wii accessory for developers and cheat code hackers. Although, with the discontinuation of the Gecko Tool and the bugs present in the current set of applications the programs still need a bit of work done to them. However, for a coder it's positives out weighs it's negatives.

Negatives

Screen Shots Broken
Discontinued Gecko Tool
DVD Ripper Doesn't Work
Memory Card Tool Doesn't Work

Positives

Simple Installation Process
Lots of Applications
Use/Create Cheat Codes
Boot Import Games
Will Continued to be Updated

Links

www.usbgecko.com

-=[ USB Gecko Nintendo Wii SoftMod Review Discussion Thread ]=-

www.usbgecko.com Product(s) were received from the website above. ISO-420 will always link back to whomever sent the product(s) *respect*, but please remember that the reviews are independently written by our staff and are not subject to alteration by whomever supplies us with the review product(s).