Home » Wii Downloads: Is There Such A Thing As A Free Lunch?

Reprint

In today's Internet-driven world, we are all starting to become accustomed to getting somethin g for nothing. While in most cases, there is still "no such thing as a free lunch," those lunches seem to be getting cheaper and cheaper. For example, if you want, you no longer need to subscribe to the newspaper -- you can read it online for free. The same is true for the dictionary, encyclopedias, and many magazines and television shows... they are all available free-of-charge on the Internet.

So, how long will it take before we can receive all our digital media via the Internet? If you think about it, it's already happening in many areas. You can download songs, videos, and talk shows free or very inexpensively via iTunes, Rhapsody or Napster. Blockbuster, Netflix, and others provide streaming movies straight to your computer or television device for a low monthly membership fee. Can video games be far behind?

 

The answer is No... they are not behind at all! Perhaps you are not aware, but even at this moment, it is possible to download your Wii games off the Internet, and for a substantially lower cost than you would pay in a retail store. Several companies have created membership sites where you can get unlimited access to thousands of games, movies, TV shows, videos and music that you can play on your Wii console. These sites usually offer a variety of membership options, from pay-per-download to monthly, or lifetime memberships, all at an extremely reasonable cost. For example, at many sites, the lifetime membership is equal to or even less than the traditional cost of one game! And once you are a member, you are entitled to unlimited downloads at no additional charge.

 

It's relatively easy to find these membership-based download sites, but you do need to exercise a bit of caution. Just like any other industry, some of these sites are better than others, and a few are no more than outright scams. You want to be sure to choose a site that offers a large selection of the types of games, movies, and music you are interested in. You also should check the availability of good instructions, tutorials, and technical support, in case you encounter any difficulty, especially the first few times you download.

 

Finally, but probably the most important: make sure that your downloads will not require any modifications to your Wii console itself. Many download sites will require that you install a chip in your Wii by actually taking it apart and soldering on the motherboard, or by making risky changes to the Wii's firmware code. There are sites that do not require these changes (known as "chipping" or "modding"), but a large number of them do, and it would be wise to avoid them.

 

In conclusion, with a bit of research and a few wise decisions, you can be on your way to safe, fun, and affordable downloads for you Wii!