| Any hard core gamers knows that many of the | | | | Gamecube Mod Chip like the Xeno Gamecube or |
| best games - or at least the most unique | | | | the Viper Gamecube chip to play your import |
| games, come right out of Japan. Most of | | | | and personally backed up games. While the |
| these games never see the light of day in the | | | | Freeloader won't let you play backup games, |
| United States or Europe and gamers are left | | | | it will effortlessly allow you to play Import |
| wanting and drooling for games they'll never | | | | games from any region on any Gamecube. |
| have the chance to play. At least that was | | | | |
| the case with the Gamecube and now also with | | | | I want to also say that this is NOT an |
| the Nintendo Wii. Then along came a little | | | | article to promote the Freeloader as the next |
| disc called the Freeloader, that allowed any | | | | best thing since sliced The Legend Of Zelda |
| Gamecube to play any Japanese game with ease, | | | | for the Gamecube or Nintendo Wii. If you're |
| with no mod chip required and no need to open | | | | not into Japanese games, or import games in |
| your console. | | | | general, and have no interest in them, then |
| | | | the Freeloader is not for you. It doesn't |
| Why do I mention Gamecube and Wii playing | | | | offer any extras or advantages for any |
| import games? Simply because the Nintendo | | | | Nintendo Wii or Gamecube owner who is happy |
| Wii is also compatible with every single | | | | to just play the offering of games available |
| Gamecube Game, including the FreeLoader disc. | | | | in their own country. Its sole purpose is to |
| Because the Nintendo Wii can boot Gamecube | | | | allow gamers like myself, and tens of |
| Discs / games, you can also load the | | | | thousands of others, to enable the playing of |
| Freeloader and finally take advantage of all | | | | Import games. While I am stressing just |
| of the great Import games on the market. The | | | | Japanese games in this article as they are my |
| Nintendo Wii Freeloader is a disc, that | | | | own personal favorite. European gamers can |
| allows any Wii owner to play import Gamecube | | | | also play the latest games released only in |
| games without a mod chip. As you may have | | | | the USA on their PAL Gamecube or Nintendo Wii |
| guessed, the Freeloader was not actually | | | | systems as well. Gamecube import games are |
| manufactured for the Nintendo Wii, but was | | | | not just from Japan. If you're a fan or |
| instead a product that has been out for | | | | Rally racing games, many of the best games in |
| several years (with various updates) for the | | | | that genre are released in the UK and Europe. |
| Nintendo Gamecube. Since the Wii can play | | | | |
| Gamecube games and is backwards compatible, | | | | Just how do you use the Gamecube Freeloader |
| it will also load the FreeLoader on any Wii | | | | on the Nintendo Wii? First of all, think of |
| console allowing you to play any region | | | | it as a Nintendo Wii Freeloader. Insert the |
| Gamecube game with ease. | | | | disc into your Nintendo Wii just as you would |
| | | | your Gamecube, and then select it from your |
| Now, if this were just any kind of disc, I | | | | Wii Dashboard. It'll load up, and you'll be |
| wouldn't write a review on it. And often | | | | greeted by the Freeloader main menu, where |
| times, when I talk about import games, people | | | | you'll have several selections. While it |
| ask me why I would want to play games that | | | | isn't loaded with features that'll blow you |
| are all in Japanese and can't be played | | | | away - that is exactly the reason it's so |
| anyway. Or ask me what the big deal is with | | | | easy to use. I suppose there aren't really a |
| these games from Japan. The fact of the | | | | slew of features you could pack in to |
| matter is, over 60% of Japanese import games | | | | software that is intended to do just one |
| can be played with no problem. I'm a big fan | | | | thing - play import video games. We can |
| or racing games and some of the BEST racing | | | | thank the simplicity and ease of use due to |
| games for Gamecube have only been released in | | | | the few options it has. |
| Japan. The same would go for first person | | | | |
| shooters. But more than that, some of the | | | | The Freeloader is easy to use, both on the |
| games are just so very unique, so well | | | | Gamecube and the Nintendo Wii console. You |
| designed, that you must try them. You'll | | | | simply put the disc in the Gamecube or your |
| immediately become an import game fan once | | | | Nintendo Wii, wait for it to load and then |
| you do. | | | | pick the map representing the region you want |
| | | | to play. You'll then have to eject the disc |
| Regardless of the genre of games you like. | | | | from your Nintendo Wii, or open the Gamecube |
| By being able to play import games, you're | | | | lid, and take out the Freeloader, put in the |
| actually expanding your software library, or | | | | game you want to play and it will just load |
| at least the available selection by thousands | | | | for you. It couldn't get any easier really. |
| of additional games. Many of these games you | | | | |
| won't hear about at your local Blockbuster, | | | | In closing, the Freeloader for the Gamecube |
| or in magazine. But online review sites like | | | | or Nintendo Wii is meant to do one thing, and |
| or have entire sections devoted to import | | | | one thing only. It does it with ease and |
| games and import gaming, because there are a | | | | work perfectly each and every time. It's not |
| tremendous amount of great games available. | | | | intended to do anything else. Comparing it |
| | | | to other software or add ons for either the |
| This brings us back to the Freeloader. The | | | | Gamecube or the Nintendo Wii would be |
| Freeloader was developed by Datel as a means | | | | pointless. If you want to start getting the |
| to cut out the need for installing a mod chip | | | | latest import games without having to wait |
| in your Gamecube console to have access, and | | | | until the hit the local market - if they ever |
| the ability to play these games. Before the | | | | do at all, then the Freeloader is the easiest |
| Freeloader, you would need to install a | | | | and cheapest way to get you started. |