Wii

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Schnerby

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Wii
« on: August 09, 2009, 06:29:59 PM »
My brother just got a Wii (in Australia). My folks are coming over and they want to see about buying games here. So, here are the questions.

Are games even cheaper here? I guess they wouldn't be.
You need to get a Wii chipped to play knock-offs, right? His isn't chipped.
Can I buy games a bit cheaper on taobao or something?
I am going to Xi'an with my parents, can I buy games there?

I'm so confuzzled  mmmmmmmmmm
« Last Edit: August 09, 2009, 11:38:42 PM by Schnerby »

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old34

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Re: Wii
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2009, 09:22:12 PM »
My brother just got a Wii (in Australia). My folks are coming over and they want to see about buying games here. So, here are the questions.

Are games even cheaper here? I guess they wouldn't be.
You need to get a Wii chipped to play kncok-offs, right? His isn't chipped.
Can I buy games a bit cheaper on taobao or something?
I am going to Xi'an with my parents, can I buy games there?

Games are very cheap here. Lots of video game stores around selling the equipment and games. I pay 5 RMB per game from my local dealer. If you are just a walk-in customer, you'll pay no more than 10 RMB per game. I have ....wait let me go count......56games! (I've had my Wii for about 2 years) Total cost for all less than $50, about the cost of one game back home.

But, yeah you need a chipped machine to run them. I would suggest buying the Wii here - all of them are sold chipped - EXCEPT it is about impossible to find an English version machine here. Almost all the ones sold here are Japanese...as was mine. The games will play in ENglish, but the menus and setup for the machine, before you begin using it, are all in Japanese. I found a PDF online which showed the Wii Japanese menus translated to English.

HOWEVER, last spring, my local dealer excitedly told me that he had found a way to convert my machine to an English version. I seriously doubted him because all the advice online then was that it couldn't be done. But I let him try (he owed me a new machine if he failed) and voila! it worked. So now I have a full English, chipped machine.

Also, through various updates to the Wii firmware, Nintendo keeps trying to knock out the chips. Best not to allow Nintendo to update the firmware (over the Wii Internet connection). With every new Nintendo update, it takes about a week for the hackers to figure out a workaround and out it goes on the Net. The Game Shops here all monitor the Chinese websites where the hacks can be found so they can "fix the chip software" for you. It's real important to find one, good local dealer who you can trust (i.e. become a regular customer and spend some money in his shop) and once you find that shop, they'll take care of you forever.

So what does this mean for you? you can buy a chipped one here, but chances are it will be a Japanese console. I don't know how widespread the knowledge of how to change it to an English machine is. Or you can buy one back home, bring it over, and have it chipped here. Sorry, don't know the cost of chipping because mine came chipped. But I would guess less than 100 RMB. If you do buy the machine back home, do NOT allow them to update the firmware and do NOT connect it to the Internet where the firmware will get updated automatically. Bring it over and have it chipped here.

Also, though the games are cheap, you're just getting the disk. You can pick up all necessary accessories here (like a guitar for guitar hero, the Wii board for Wii Fit, etc.) at the same shops. A guitar should run you about 150 RMB ($20).

Xi'an is a large city so I'm sure there are many game shops around. Just find the "electronics markets" area of the city and go nuts. Look around the university areas, too.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.

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Schnerby

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Re: Wii
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2009, 11:41:39 PM »
I don't have (or really want) a Wii, just games for my brother. His machine is in English.

He could get the machine chipped in Australia, and then I could send some games back with the folks. Some possible customs issues there?

I really don't know much about consoles.

Thanks O34, for the information. I'll find out about him getting a chip.

Re: Wii
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2009, 01:55:51 AM »
Hiya

I have been told that the Wii are not actually chipped. They just have software on them that enables you to play the copied games.  You can probably download the firmware off the internet to enable you to play the copy games. 

I pay 5rmb (dont pay anymore than 5rmb) for the games.  Lately when I get home and try them, they have errors on the disk and the screen goes green.  I would recommend trying them in the shops first before paying for them. They dont like doing it but if your buying enough of them they will do it.  Also you can check that the games are in English.

Another way of checking they are English is to look on the disk.  It will say RVLU, the U stands for european.  If it has J the game is in Japanese.

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Schnerby

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Re: Wii
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2009, 02:16:52 AM »
Good stuff.

My brother is a bit of a techno-fuzzbrain, so it would have to be installed for him. I'll ask him if he wants to do that. If so I can get him the knock-off games.

Otherwise, the only option is genuine, right?
If so they will be similarly priced here as home I guess.

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old34

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Re: Wii
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2009, 03:46:08 AM »
I've never seen a genuine game on sale here.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.

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Schnerby

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Re: Wii
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2009, 05:44:37 AM »
Ok, so it's chip or nothing.

I will let him know.

Ta  agagagagag