Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Some Of The Benefits To Softmod Wii Consoles

By Jeff Spider


The benefits to softmod Wii consoles are almost too many to mention. It will give you access to the huge array of function- and feature-rich open-source software available online. You can back up your gaming library and make loading times fly by. You can enjoy all of your video and audio content using your console. The list goes on and on. Basically, you will fall in love with your cute little motion-sensing console all over again.

The Nintendo Wii's reasonable price tag, novel approach, ease of use and, most notably, unique control system ensured that it was a massive market success - it is still the most popular TV gaming system. Many critics have had to admit that it is the most accessible of the third-generation consoles, with a huge portion of its user-base consisting of first-time and casual gamers.

The success of the Wii has spurred Nintendo's main competitors, the much pricier Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft XBox 360, to develop motion controls of their own - these were released recently to take advantage of the 2010 Christmas season. The Wii still reigns supreme in the market, however, as these new accessories for the PS3 and 360 are quite expensive and gamers, like everybody else, are being forced to tighten their belts in today's economic climate.

The addition of accessories like the highly successful balance board a short time ago also appealed to regular and casual gamers alike, who by this point were looking to use the Wii for more than just gaming - personal fitness titles that took advantage of the motion control system, for instance. This added a whole new dimension of fun to the console in a way that only new features can.

Which brings us to the first reason to softmod your Wii - the entire, massive library of free, legal, open-source software will have you adding new features and functionality like nobody's business. Running the Homebrew Channel, your Wii can become a whiteboard, an audio and video media player, a companion in your quest for fitness, even a building aid of all things (your remote can be used as a spirit level with certain applications). Softmodding is not just about gaming.

Since a softmod entails running software using an SD card and/or an external hard drive, worrying about running out of space becomes a thing of the past. Most Nintendo critics mention the small HDD on the Wii - but since a softmodded Wii is able to utilize external drives, your machine's memory is almost infinitely expandable. Save your expensive store-bought game discs (and DVD drive) from wear and tear by backing up your collection - and enjoy an immediate boost in loading speed as a great benefit.

If your country does not have a Wii online store, leaving you bereft of third-party developed software (WiiWare), a softmod would be especially useful for you since without it you would be missing out on many features that people in other, store-enabled countries are cashing in on.

It is possible to turn your Wii into the media center of your home as there are tons of media players that support a huge array of codecs and file types. If you prefer to physically see your media collection on your shelf, add other functional mods to 'unlock' your disc drive, and use your machine to play optical media like movie DVDs and audio CDs.

There are so many more benefits to softmod Wii consoles, from the practical (there are a lot of productivity, household, lifestyle and academic applications to install) to the whimsical (your children will love being able to paint and draw using the Wii remote, for instance) and the softmod process is relatively easy if you have a good guide.




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