Every Wii game you buy is an investment. You should protect that investment by making backup copies of all your games. There are really only a couple ways to copy Wii games that works. One requires and investment in hardware and the other an investment in software. While both are proven effective methods, the first method carries considerably more risks.
The Wii Modchip
The big advantage to using a modchip is that any ripping software will be enough to copy Wii games and play them. The cost of a modchip starts at about $25 and goes up from there. There are plenty of free burning software products to choose from and most are quite good. The risk is with the Wii itself.
*WARNING* Know the risks that comes with installing a modchip…
Once the Wii console is opened, the warranty is void. Incorrectly installed modchips have been known to damage the Wii beyond repair. Installing firmware updates to the Wii is no longer an option because the update will detect the modchip and disable the console.
The Wii Softmod
The currently recommended way to copy or backup Wii games is called “softmod.” There is no hardware to buy or install, everything is done with software. You can continue to update your Wii and it will still be covered by the warranty.
The cost comes with buying the right software. The price for such software starts at around $40. There are several proven options but I only have experience with these 3 products:
- Easy Backup Wizard <- the cheapest with the most features (read my review here)
- Game Copy Pro
- Wii HomeBrew
All of these were easy to use and the copies worked great.
While the upfront cost may be a little higher with the softmod approach, it is much better in the long run. You can continue to play online with the softmod game copies. Your Wii remains in factory condition so it is still covered by the warranty. If you decide to take your games to someplace else to play, you don’t also have to take your Wii console because they will play on any Wii, even one that has a modchip installed.