So I'm considering getting a Wii. This console generation is (I hope) coming to a close, and I never had a Wii. And there's a back catalog of games for the Wii that I think I would enjoy playing.

But what made me even consider this purchase was going into my old room at my parents' and seeing a shelf full of Gamecube games. I have a Gamecube, but I'd rather not hook that up to my current entertainment center because of a lack of component cables. My PS2 is currently hooked up through one of those 360/PS3/Wii combination component cables, and plugging the Wii in through those is a convenient option. So getting a Wii would be a way to enjoy both the back catalog of Wii games and my own back catalog of Gamecube games, but without adding even more cables to the jungle of cords behind my TV.

But I believe the current Wii on retail shelves does *not* support Gamecube games. Is there any way to tell the Gamecube compatible Wiis apart from the non-Gamecube compatible ones? I'd rather not buy a used one from Gamestop (because I'm not a fan of Gamestop), but if that's the most reliable way of getting a Wii that will play Gamecube games, then I just might have to.

Recommendations, anyone, for where I should buy a Wii from?

I think there smaller, but you can ask in the shops, or just buy online.

They do look different but for some reason I cant find much online about it. I think the Nu-Wii only sits flat so it wont have any crazy angles on the sides.

Buy a nunchuck, even if you buy no other additional controllers. And check out No More Heroes.

Now's the time.

The Wiis that don't support GC games shouldn't have flaps on the top covering GC controller ports/memory card slots.

Edit: Duh, except you wouldn't be able to examine the Wii out of its box to know whether or not it has them. I guess your best bet is examining the packaging to see if it says anything about backwards compatibility?

I would live to be in your position, coming into a console at the end of its life cycle.
I alphabatised my Wii games today, made me amazed at all the fantastic games it has.

@Atramentous said:

They do look different but for some reason I cant find much online about it. I think the Nu-Wii only sits flat so it wont have any crazy angles on the sides.

Yes, the new Wii doesn't have the stand, it lays flat on the side like a DVD player.

Just look at the box (and back) for features listed and/or ask an employee

@medacris said:

Buy a nunchuck, even if you buy no other additional controllers. And check out No More Heroes.

Why would he need another random Nunchuck if he's not buying more controllers?

Thanks, duders! All the talk about the Wii being flat on its side made me realize that *all* the marketing materials I've seen for the new Wii have it in that position. So now I know what to watch out for, if I do decide to buy it new.

Don't do it. Build yourself a baller gaming PC instead.

@Ravenlight: I already have a PC that can run anything I throw at it, and Steam has been trying to empty my wallet during this current round of sales. I could upgrade, get some proper SSDs and a cooling solution that doesn't sound like a jumbo jet at takeoff, but I'm really waiting for that one PC game to absolutely destroy my current build before I go and get the parts for a new one.

@Hizang said:

I would live to be in your position, coming into a console at the end of its life cycle. I alphabatised my Wii games today, made me amazed at all the fantastic games it has.

I always have my game collection by console and alphabetised ......... nerds unite ......... and I agree, there are a lot of great games to play and enjoy. My Wii collection runs at 125 games, but fear not, my 360 collection runs at 93. My poor PS3 collection lags at 22, but like the OP, except being the PS3, I came in late, 4 months ago, so I have a decent back-catalogue to look into.

At Ubersmake, there should be plenty of the original still kicking around at retail and I doubt you have trouble finding them ...... always good to see someone who sees merit in every console. Have fun.

@Ubersmake said:

@Ravenlight: I already have a PC that can run anything I throw at it, and Steam has been trying to empty my wallet during this current round of sales. I could upgrade, get some proper SSDs and a cooling solution that doesn't sound like a jumbo jet at takeoff, but I'm really waiting for that one PC game to absolutely destroy my current build before I go and get the parts for a new one.

Check out Metro 2033 or Witcher 2 on Ultra ;)

For whatever reason, Eastern Bloc games tend to be super-taxing on the high end.

@Contrarian said:

I always have my game collection by console and alphabetised ......... nerds unite .........

I tend to sort my games by the color of the box art. Am I a bad person?

@Ravenlight said:

@Contrarian said:

I always have my game collection by console and alphabetised ......... nerds unite .........

I tend to sort my games by the color of the box art. Am I a bad person?

Yes .... yes you are ........ we live in a multicultural gaming society that shouldn't be segregated by colour :/

If you can find it buy Metroid Trilogy. Awesome package but sorta rare due to it being out of print.

@Contrarian said:

@Ravenlight said:

@Contrarian said:

I always have my game collection by console and alphabetised ......... nerds unite .........

I tend to sort my games by the color of the box art. Am I a bad person?

Yes .... yes you are ........ we live in a multicultural gaming society that shouldn't be segregated by colour :/

Since that made me laugh, I'll turn a blind eye to your egregious misuse of punctuation.

@Ravenlight: Metro isn't really my thing, but I do want to play Witcher 2. By the time I get around to finishing Witcher 1, though, I'll probably have that super-quiet, powerful PC that I really want to build.

@Demoskinos: How are the Prime 1/2 editions on that? I have and loved Prime 1 on the Gamecube. Prime 2 I never touched. And Prime 3 was one of those, "if I get a Wii, this is on my list of games to get," games.

@Ubersmake: If you have a PC that can handle whatever you throw at it why not try throwing a Wii emulator at it?

Like others have said buy no more heroes and buy the sequel, they're both awesome. Also if you want to get some dvd functionality have emulators and get rid of region lock on all gamecube and wii games, put homebrew channel on it..

@mosespippy: I haven't tried it yet, but it's mostly out of convenience. I've tried running a PS2 emulator on it, and Persona 4 rendering at a higher resolution, with texture filters, looks awesome. But the amount of effort involved to get something running and looking good is too high for me. I can deal with setting up rendering settings and controller mappings, but having to make my own disc image so that I don't have to suffer through skipping FMVs was kind of that point where I thought, "I'll just play this on the actual console on the TV I have in my living room." Also, I still have my old collection of Gamecube games, plus controllers. If I want to play Smash Bros. Melee with three other friends, it'd be faster for me to pop in the disc and plug in the controllers instead of finding ways to connect a bunch of controllers to my PC.

Do whatever you can to play Mario Galaxy. Please.