I am looking to import some games for my Wii, and was wondering if they are Region Coded?
Yes they are region coded. You can get a mod-chip (like the WiiKey) which will let you play any region games, though.
I imagine it voids the warranty and they are so hard to find. Is it worth it? When I updated the other day it warned it would test for that key and shut it down if it was there.
The warranty, has expired. Also is the Nintendo DS Region Coded, I would like to also import some games for that.
The firmware updates will tell you that it may render your Wii inoperable if they find "unauthorized hardware", but in practice they have been unable to do anything to detect these chips. The chips piggyback onto the DVD drive, so if the chip is turned off, there is zero way for it to be detected. Also, the chip makers frequently come out with updates to counter the manufacturers updates, but to date I am not aware of any updates to the Wii firmware that can actually detect any mod chip. They say they may not work with "unauthorized hardware" but to date it's been an idle threat. As for the above poster where to get a Wiikey, do a google search - easy to find. Be very careful about installing it, it's VERY VERY easy to screw it up and turn your Wii into a brick. You are dealing with very very small and thin wires and one slip and you can break the Wii.
I'll have to try Wii fit... maybe I'll pick it up for my nieces because the older one is complaining of newly added porkiness and she's got a new Wii - sounds like a good fit! I was checking into the firmware issue today - the only thing you need to be careful of is that mod chips remove the region coding, but updates are distributed on the game CD's. So if you have a USA Wii with firmware 2.0 and you get a copy of a Japanese game with firmware 2.1, it will auto-apply that firmware to your Wii, but your Wii is incompatible with Japanese firmware and it can brick it (i.e. render the Wii dead and useless). The workaround is either don't use foreign games, or make sure you always have the latest firmware when playing foreign region games, or just never ever install an update without going online and checking to make sure there are no issues with the update and modchips. The latest Wii firmware is the one in Mario Galaxies and I know it's compatible with the Wiikey firmware 1.9c. Good luck!
Buy one of these: http://www.dcemu.co.uk/neo2-sd-nintendods-flashcart-review.php Then get yourself a flash card, and download game Roms onto it that you can find on the internet.
