How to Homebrew Wii Games: 73 Tips, Tutorials and Resources

by: Amy S. Quinn (guest blogger)

Certainly you’ve heard that fully integrated Wii homebrews
are in the near future, but did you know that developers are already
homebrewing for the Wii? Through the Internet Channel, you can play
Flash and Javascript games, and yes, even make your own. So if you’ve
spent all your money on a bidding war to get the Wii and you’re out of
cash for games, follow this guide to some of the best Wii homebrew
resources out there.

Inspiration

Take a look at these Wii homebrews to get an idea of what can be achieved.

1. WiiPlayable:
   On WiiPlayable, you’ll find shooters, card, board, sports, and more
   games. These games can be played both with your computer and on the Wii.
2. WiiCade: WiiCade offers lots of homebrewed games, from platform and puzzle to action.
3. Viidelectrix: Play these games from Homestar Runner on the Wii.
4. WiiSticks: Check out this game that uses full integration with the Wiimote.
5. Orisinal: Orisinal has some really nice-looking games for the Wii.
6. Xensory: These games are designed specifically for the Wii and support up to 4 Wiimotes.
7. HullBreach: HullBreach’s game features JavaScript, and can give you an example of what you can do outside of Flash.

Coding Resources

Get code, API, and SDKs here.

8. ActionScript Code: This forum post offers a few useful flash codes for Wii games.
9. WiiCade Wii Remote API: Get the software you need to fix up your game here.
10. WiiCade Multiplayer API:
    A partner to the Wii Remote API, this interface opens up the
    possibility of communication with other players in multiplayer mode.
11. TehWii: Get a useful SDK for the Wii with TehWii.
12. Wii Opera SDK: The SDK from Hullbreach offers the option to make Javascript games.
13. WiimoteLib: This API for the Wiimote can be used in any managed application.
14. WiiWare:
    Nintendo has promised that soon, they’ll release WiiWare, which will
    give developers a kit for creating Wii games, as well as an outlet to
    distribute them on the Wii Shop Channel.

Tutorials

Learn how to do nearly any Wii homebrew mod with these tutorials.

15. Flash 7 Guidelines: Learn how to make any game created in Flash 8 compatible with Flash 7. This is useful if you’re sharing your game on WiiCade.
16. Selfbooting Multi-Emu-Disc for Wii: This forum post offers instructions for creating your own emulator disc for the Wii.
17. High-score List Using PHP: Create a challenge with this high-score tutorial.
18. High-tech City Animation: Check out this lesson to create a light city animation.
19. Nintendo Wii Emulator: This tutorial details what you need to get and exactly what to do in order to emulate on the Wii and play GameCube exploits.
20. Setting Up the Environment: This documentation offers a guide for setting up an environment for Wii development.
21. Is Your Wii Modchip Capable?: Find out if your Wii board can be modded with this guide.
22. Zoom in Zoom Out Flash Animation with Fading Effect: Learn how to create a simple zoom in and zoom out animation.
23. Updating Your CycloWiz With External Install: Use this tutorial to update your externally mounted CycloWiz modchip.
24. Mastering Full Browser Flash: Get your games to open up fully with this tutorial.
25. DIY Nintendo Wii Classic Controller Clip:
    Put together this clip, and you’ll be able to connect your classic game
    controller and Wiimote together, which is useful if you’re making games
    that have motion-sensitive controls as well as dual-analog.
26. Homemade Wireless Wii Sensor Bar: Make your own wireless Wii sensor bar to play homebrew games with a projector, on the road, or any way you feel like.
27. Creating Realistic Fireworks in Flash: With this tutorial, you can create a fireworks display to celebrate your win.
28. Wii Ground Points: Check out this diagram that highlights alternative soldering points for modchips.
29. Connect the Wiimote: Use this tutorial to learn an easy way to connect your Wiimote to your PC.
30. Creating a 3D Tunnel Effect in Flash: With this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use 2D animation to create a 3D tunnel effect.
31. Adding a Top Secret Serial Port to the Outside of Your Wii: Do an external modchip installation with this tutorial.

Game-Specific Tutorials

Use these tutorials to learn how to make a specific game, and then tweak what you’ve learned.

32. Basic Gaming Tutorial: In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a simple flash game.
33. Beat-Em-Up Tutorial: Learn how to make a simple fighting game with this tutorial.
34. Classic Gaming Tutorial: Check out this tutorial to learn how to create a game in ’80s style.
35. The Tank: Part 1: Basic Movement and Artillery: Learn how to animate and move tanks for your game in this tutorial.
36. The Tank: Part 2: Rotating and Shooting the Cannon: In this continuation of the previous tutorial, you’ll cover more advanced tank movements.
37. Isometric RPG Tutorial: In this tutorial, you’ll learn the Actionscript essentials for creating a role playing game.
38. Simple Guessing Game with Actionscript: Here you’ll see how to use ActionScript to create a number guessing game. You’ll also get access to source files.
39. Wii Platformer ActionScript: This tutorial and script is for a platformer-style game.
40. Advanced Gaming Tutorial: This tutorial will teach you loads of Actionscript and the essentials required to create lots of different games.
41. Building an Arcade Game: This five-part tutorial series covers angles, weapons, collision checking, and terrain scrolling.
42. Games of Chance Tutorial: If you want to create chance games like bumper balls, roulette, or slots, check out this tutorial.
43. Ship Guessing Board Game Tutorial: Check out this lesson to create a Battleship-style game.

GameCube Resources

Much of Wii homebrewing is made possible by modding your Wii
hardware to accept GameCube homebrews. These are some of the best
resources for developing GameCube games that can be played on the Wii.

44. GCEclipse: This IDE facilitates GameCube development in C and C++, including code examples and syntax checking.
45. Wii GameCube Homebrew: This guide covers the details of running GameCube homebrew on the Wii.
46. VisualBoy Advance GameCube Emulator: Check out this tutorial to learn how to use a GameCube emulator.
47. Nintendo GameCube Homebrew: This site covers GameCube homebrewing pretty well.

Sharing & Support

Get answers to your questions, or just show off your latest creation on these forums.

48. Flash Kit Community Forums: On these forums, you can chat up other Flash game developers.
49. WiiNode Community Forums: In this Programming Corner, you’ll get help from others who homebrew Wii.
50. PSX-Scene GameCube/Wii Homebrew Forums: This forum discusses homebrew projects for Nintendo, with lots of useful guides available.
51. TehSkeen Wii Homebrew Haven: Check out the Homebrew Haven for advice and support for Wii development.
52. Nintendo Wii/GameCube Hacking and Development Forum: On these forums, you can get ideas and ask for help.
53. ActionScript Games Forum: Get ideas and ask for help in these code forums.
54. Flash Kit: If you’ve discovered a useful tidbit for creating Wii Flash games, share it here.
55. WiiCade: Submit your game to WiiCade, and you can have your homebrew skills rated.
56. Wii Opera SDK Forums: Get help with Javascript games on these forums.
57. GameCube Development Forums: If you’re exploiting Wii’s GameCube capabilities, check out the development forums here.

Software

These are some of the many pieces of software that are designed to facilitate Wii homebrews.

58. WiinRemote: With WiinRemote, you can use the Wiimote or homebrewed games on the PC.
59. WiiFlash: You’ll need WiiFlash to connect your Wiimote to Flash.
60. SDLoad: The SDLoad software is required if you’re going to run an emulator.
61. MultiGame ISO Creator: With this software, you can create discs that hold multiple games at a time.
62. OpenWii:
    With the homebrew app OpenWii, you’ll be able to change your Wii’s
    microcontrollers and pin configurations like a modchip, but without
    actually installing a chip.
63. DarwiinRemote: This program allows customization of buttons on Wii controllers, so you can modify them to fit your games.
64. GCOSRip: Use this software to rip individual GameCube ISO images from GCOS multi-game DVDs and images.
65. Flash: If you’re going to make a Flash game, clearly you need this software. Get a trial copy here.
66. GlovePIE:
    This software makes it easy to use the Wiimote on a PC or Mac, so you
    can use it with homebrewed games that can’t be played on the Wii.

Hardware

Mod your Wii with these components to get homebrew-ready.

67. Datel Homebrew Launcher: With this kit, you’ll be able to run homebrew Wii and GameCube games on the Wii.
68. Wii Modchip: You can use this open source modchip to unlock Gamecube homebrew games on the Wii.
69. Drive Doctor: You can use the Drive Doctor to add your own data to the Wii from your PC.
70. CycloWiz: This modchip direct boots Game Cube homebrews, and is upgradable.
71. WiiKey: The WiiKey is easy to install and makes it easy to support Game Cube homebrews, as well as a number of other features.
72. USB Gecko: Use the USB Gecko to connect your Wii to your PC.
73. Wii Serial Tracker: Get the lowdown on what your specific Wii is running on by entering your serial number here.

Original Post: http://www.virtualhosting.com/blog/2008/how-to-homebrew-wii-games-73-tips-tutorials-and-resources/