While no one has created a way to install homebrew directly to the Wii U’s operating system, it is possible to install homebrew into the Wii U’s virtual Wii mode, which is designed to allow gamers to play Wii games on their Wii U. This involves “exploits,” software that takes advantage of a glitch in a game that allows that software to hook into the operating system. NOTE: I have not done this myself, because I don’t feel I need it and worry about the possibility that it could harm my Wii U. As always, be aware that hacking a game console could damage or disable that console. Proceed at your own risk. An SD Card (not SDHD) formatted in Fat16 (FAT) or Fat32, and a computer that can connect to the Internet and has an SD card reader. Optional: A second SD card to store your game’s original save game. with a download link and instructions for its use): Super Smash Bros. Brawl + Smash Stack LEGO Indiana Jones + Indiana Pwns LEGO Batman + Bathaxx LEGO Star Wars + Return of the Jodi Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World + Eri HaKawai Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's Wheelie Breakers + Yu Gi Vah (for North American or Japanese releases) or Yu Gi Owned
Steps common to all exploit installations. While a lot of homebrew installation is specific to the particular exploit used, a few first steps are done for all exploits. If you have a savegame for the game you’re using, you’ll want to move that savegame to an SD card other than the one you’re using for homebrew. Move rather than copy, as you want to get it out of the way. To do this, put the SD card in your Wii U and go into Wii mode. From the Wii menu, click on “Wii Options” in the lower left corner. Click on "Save Data." Click on your save file then click on “Move.” You’ll be able to move your save file back after you’ve installed homebrew. Put the SD card in your PC SD card reader. Download the exploit for the game you’re using to your PC. This will be a zip file containing a folder called “private,” and you will unzip the file and copy “private” to the root drive of your SD card. If your SD card already has a folder named “private,” rename it to privateold.
(In some cases exploits will contain multiple “private” folders for different versions of the game or console. See instructions for individual exploits.) Download the Hackmii installer. This will be another zip file. Unzip it and copy the file “boot.elf” to the root drive of your SD card. Proceed to instructions for the exploit you are using: For Lego game homebrew installs, go here.For Super Smash Bros. Brawl homebrew installs, go here.For Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's Wheelie Breakers homebrew installs, go here.For Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World homebrew installs, go here. LEGO exploits: Indiana Pwns, Bathaxx, or Return of the Jodi. The three LEGO game exploits follow similar rules: Go into Wii Mode. Click on “Wii Options” then on “Save Data.” Click on the “SD Card” tab. There you should see the exploit’s savegame. Copy the exploit savegame for your region (USA, JPN, or EUR) from the SD card to the Wii. Load the savegame in the first slot.
Once in the game, your actions depend on which game you’re using. Complete these actions and the homebrew installation will begin: LEGO Star Wars: Walk right to the bar where you will find characters in vats. Choose the one named “Return of Jodi” and press “A”. LEGO Indiana Jones: Walk down the short flight of steps then go through the door on your right, then go through the door at the end of the courtyard. Talk to the character on the left podium. Choose the icon of two shadows with an arrow between them. LEGO Batman: Take the elevator on the right side, then go through the door at the back left of the trophy room. The character select screen comes up; go to the bottom row and then go to the right-most slot that has the highlighted circle. Continue to Homebrew Channel Installation Instructions Super Smash Bros. Brawl – Exploit: Smash Stack The first thing you must do is remove all custom stages, both those created by you or received in some other way.
To do this, start the game, go to the stage builder and move your custom stages to your SD card or delete them. Then exit the stage builder. According to the original instructions for the Wii, if you use something called Smash Service, you must then turn off Wi-Fi on your Wii, and wait 24 hours for the stage to be automatically deleted from the Service.Once you are in Brawl, insert the SD card containing the exploit (do not insert it until the game has started). Go to the stage builder and homebrew installation will start. Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's Wheelie Breakers - Exploit: Yu Gi Vah (North America, Japan) or Yu Gi Owned. Note: Yu Gi Owned contains two folders, each containing the “private” folder you need to copy to the SD card. If the video signal of your Wii is 576i, copy “private” from the 50Hz folder. If it is 480i or 480p, use the 60Hz folder. Yu Gi Vah just contains one “private” folder. Move the Yu-Gi-Vah save file to the Wii. Insert the game and start it.
When the title menu shows up, press A again and in a few seconds the homebrew installation will begin. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World – Exploit: Eri HaKawai Copy the save game to your Wii. Start the game and load the first save. Press “+” to enter menu, then choose Status, press A, and select "Eri HaKawai" (or “Giantpune” for the NTSC). Continue to Homebrew Channel Installation InstructionsJump to: navigation, search Return of the Jodi GeneralAuthor(s)Team Twiizers & rotoTypeExploitLinksDownloadSourcePeripherals Return of the Jodi is a safe way to enable homebrew on a Wii without hardware modification. Return of the Jodi is achieved by playing a hacked game save for "Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga" which executes a homebrew application from an external SD card. Examples of such homebrew .elf or .dol files can be found on the Homebrew applications page. The Return of the Jodi was created by Team Twiizers & roto. This exploit works on the original Lego Star Wars game as well as the newer (1.01) release (NTSC and PAL) all through one masterfully crafted save.
Nunchuck controller (for walking over to bar) SD card (not SHDC) formatted as FAT16 or FAT32 (Preferably FAT16) Some accessibility to copy the savegame from the PC to the SD card (card reader, printer, etc.) Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (you have to boot it at least once before) Some homebrew software to load, (HackMii Installer) Although this isn't necessary, it's highly recommended (Will boot "boot.elf" file on root of SD)Wii: If you have an existing "Lego Star Wars" savegame. MOVE it to another SD CARD, THEN delete your old save off your Wii. On Computer: Rename "private" folder to "privateold" On Computer: Copy the "private" directory from the Return of the Jodi download to the root of your SD card. On Computer: Take your homebrew (Preferably Hackmii Installer) and put it in the ROOT of your SD card as "boot.elf" Wii: Put your SD card in your Wii and turn it on. Wii: Go into Wii Options -> Data Management -> Save Data -> Wii.
Wii: Go to SD card and select the "Return of the Jodi" savegame that corresponds to your game region. NOTE: Some people are having problems with the Wii not "seeing" the savegame on the SD card. If you are experiencing this, try setting the archive bit for the data.bin file. In Windows this can be either be done from the file's properties dialog (right click on it in Windows Explorer and check the box) or from the command line using "attrib +a ". More info at #wiihelp on EFnet. Wii: Copy the savegame to the Wii. Wii: Boot Lego Star Wars. Wii: Load the saved game you just copied to the Wii. Wii: Load the first savegame Wii: Go to the bar on the right and choose the character named "Return of Jodi" and press "A". Wii: After your homebrew boots you can eject the disk and unplug your nunchuck controller lewurm for fine-tuning all code and testing the PAL region save Team Twiizers for initial LIJ source roto for doing all the heavy lifting for this exploit