Hardware Wii U: The Ultimate (All Generations) Nintendo Console

[gamecaptor]

UPDATE 11/12/18: I would take a look at @eipok thread (https://gbatemp.net/threads/the-ult...endo-games-in-1-device-by-eipok-mar18.497994/). He is on to something as I am moved back to the GX emulators after some trouble with RetroArch.

So I haven’t payed my Wii U much attention since the Switch came out. I fired it back up the other night and I was thinking about how really it is the ultimate “Nintendo” console. What I mean by that is that it plays virtually every generation Nintendo game up to the Wii U. While obviously the Switch is a superior piece of hardware/tech, the fact that I can get nearly every Nintendo game out there on my Wii U is pretty awesome.

That said, here is how I have my Wii U setup. If anyone should have any recommendations on a better setup (i.e. better emulators or better means of playing games) please share.

Please note, this is my ideal setup; there are many options/solutions available. I have found this setup to be the best for me.

NES: Wii U RetroArch Nestopia or vWii FCEGX (preferred)
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller or Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

SNES: Wii U RetroArch Snes9x or vWii Snes9xGX (preferred)
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller or Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

GBA/GBC: RetroArch mGBA or vWii VBAGX (preferred)
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller or Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

N64: Wii U VC (installed to USB HD via Haxchi) or vWii Wii64 (more games available this method)
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller or Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

DS: Wii U VC (installed to USB HD via Haxchi)
Played via: Wii U Gamepad

Game Cube: vWii USB Loader GX v1262 via Nintendont
Played via: Wii U Pro Controller or WaveBird or Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

Wii: vWii USB Loader GX v1262
Played via: Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

WiiWare: vWii USB Loader GX v1262 (emuNAND)
Played via: Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

Wii U: Installed to USB Hard Drive via Haxchi
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller

Wii U eShop: Installed to USB Hard Drive via Haxchi
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller

 

[bootmonster]

So I haven’t payed my Wii U much attention since the Switch came out. I fired it back up the other night and I was thinking about how really it is the ultimate “Nintendo” console. What I mean by that is that it plays virtually every generation Nintendo game up to the Wii U. While obviously the Switch is a superior piece of hardware/tech, the fact that I can get nearly every Nintendo game out there on my Wii U is pretty awesome.

That said, here is how I have my Wii U setup. If anyone should have any recommendations on a better setup please share.

NES: vWii FCE Ultra GX v3.3.9
Played via: Wii U Pro Controller

SNES: vWii Snes9x GX v4.3.7
Played via: Wii U Pro Controller

GBA: vWii Visual Boy Advance GX 2.3.6
Played via: Wii U Pro Controller

N64: Wii U VC (installed to USB HD via Haxchi)
Played via: Wii U Pro Controller

Game Cube: vWii USB Loader GX v1262 via Nintendont (latest build)
Played via: Wii U Pro Controller or WaveBird

Wii: vWii USB Loader GX v1262
Played via: Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

WiiWare: vWii USB Loader GX v1262 (emuNAND)
Played via: Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck and/or Classic Controller Pro

Wii U: Installed to USB Hard Drive via Haxchi
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller

Wii U eShop: Installed to USB Hard Drive via Haxchi
Played via: Wii U Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller

RetroArch is coming on leaps and bounds, with the exception of N64 onwards it's my go to for Nintendo emulation.

 

[VitaType]

~Deleted~

 

[gamecaptor]

RetroArch is coming on leaps and bounds, with the exception of N64 onwards it's my go to for Nintendo emulation.

I've never actually used RetroArch. I should give it a look.

You forgot NDS and GameBoy (Color) in the list (you already added GBA which means you also count handhelds).
I just wonder what the reason for this thread is Is there a deeper meaning or did you just wanted to express your excitement and how great the WiiU is? A excitement I totaly agree with.

Are there any good NDS emulators? Or would VC injects the best way?
Revised my list to include GBC.

A combination of love/excitement for what a great console the Wii U is and looking for input, advice on better ways of doing things (i.e. perhaps there is a better emulator out there that I am unaware of as bootmonster has suggested).

 

[ShadowOne333]

All of the pre-N64 emulators should be the RetroArch ones on Wii U through HBL.
vWii ones are obsolete in comparison, they run much more fluidly and without hiccups in frames like Snes9x GX tends to do.

 

[H1B1Esquire]

Are there any good NDS emulators? Or would VC injects the best way?

I use loadiine when it comes to NDS games. You can make injects, but there aren't "real" "emulators"--I think the work on DeSMuMe was put on hiatus as far as Wii was concerned.

Can also agree that you really don't need to use most vWii emulators vs. RetroArch, barring things like PSX, unless they fixed that or WiiSX-r has better compatibility now.

 

[jahrs]

I agree the wii u might not have been the most gamebreaking system made but due to its massive backwards compatability thanks to emulators and such. It has in a sense become nintendos greatest or for us best mistake ever made. I dont play it as much cause well i went on a game play bender once i hacked mines but i bring it out for parties and nostagia and bragging rights.

Although im hoping that maybe the switch might one day succeed it so i can play all nintendo games so far on the run. Heres hoping for an impossible utopia.

 

[the_randomizer]

I'd personally go with Snes9x main on RetroArch as Snes9XGX uses frame-skipping and games like Kirby's Dream Land 3 tend to stutter a lot with pseudo hi-res levels. GBA also runs full speed for every game. Genesis Plus GX by itself is good as well.

 

[DDTarZan]

Also what with the advancements made in playing GC, Wii, and vWii homebrew via injecting into Wii titles, I'd definitely agree with this. Especially since the aforementioned advancements allow for the majority of those games to be played natively on the Wii U gamepad. I'm waiting until I know enough about GC injection before I try it personally, but regardless I'm amazed with the steps we keep taking. Hats off to all the people still working in the Wii and Wii U homebrew scene.

Also, and I know it's not Nintendo, but we can play PS1 games as well.

 

[gamecaptor]

All of the pre-N64 emulators should be the RetroArch ones on Wii U through HBL.
vWii ones are obsolete in comparison, they run much more fluidly and without hiccups in frames like Snes9x GX tends to do.

And that's the type of information I am looking for Thanks!

I'd personally go with Snes9x main on RetroArch as Snes9XGX uses frame-skipping and games like Kirby's Dream Land 3 tend to stutter a lot with pseudo hi-res levels. GBA also runs full speed for every game. Genesis Plus GX by itself is good as well.

Thanks Randomizer. I have yet to try out RetroArch, so I will test it this weekend.

Also what with the advancements made in playing GC, Wii, and vWii homebrew via injecting into Wii titles, I'd definitely agree with this. Especially since the aforementioned advancements allow for the majority of those games to be played natively on the Wii U gamepad. I'm waiting until I know enough about GC injection before I try it personally, but regardless I'm amazed with the steps we keep taking. Hats off to all the people still working in the Wii and Wii U homebrew scene.

I am also just starting to see this. Seems very interesting.

I believe the Wii U has an install limit (around 300) like the 3DS does correct?

 

[ShadowOne333]

And that's the type of information I am looking for Thanks!


Thanks Randomizer. I have yet to try out RetroArch, so I will test it this weekend.


I am also just starting to see this. Seems very interesting.

I believe the Wii U has an install limit (around 300) like the 3DS does correct?

I could go a bit more in detail, but I know the_randomizer knows more about this than me.

Nestopia seems to be the most accurate emulator for NES available from Retroarch.

Snes9x (main one, not any of the 20XX variations) works incredibly well, Mode 7 and Super FX games (and other special chip ones) run with almost no framedrops. I believe you even haven an option to emulate an overclocked SNES for games like Star Fox, so that it plays not as choppy.
Oh and the main Snes9x core has MSU-1 support, that pretty much kills all others.

mGBA is my personal favorite emulator for everything Gameboy related.
It's really accurate, with heavy development and still being worked on really often.
This one gets rid of the obnoxious "hissing" sound that plagues almost every GBA title, making for a much more rich GBA sound (anti-aliasing).

For the rest of the cores, I cannot tell, but rest assured anything up to the fifth generation of consoles (PSX, N64) works almost perfectly on it.
The only kind of 3D consoles lacking from the Retroarch port for Wii U is Saturn, Dreamcast, PSX and N64 I believe. WiiSXR and Not64 installed as forwarders channels injected in a Wii VC game with the overclocked feature FIX94 made is the only option to play PSX and N64 games at really good speeds (better than original vWii).
Everything else should be all RetroArch, no doubt.

Give it a try and you will see what I'm talking about

 

[duffmmann]

You can also play games from all those systems (including Gamecube) via the Wii U official and injected VC, and by playing that way you also get DS titles as well. Seriously, on the Wii U you can have quick launch icons right from the menu for all your favorite Nintendo games unless they came out for the 3DS or Switch (with exception to some N64 and DS games that have compatibility issues).

 

[Shady Guy Jose]

Regarding controller types, the NES Mini and SNES Mini controllers can plug into a WiiMote and are perfect for playing those games, obviously. The NES Mini controller is sold separately, so it's easy to get. As for the SNES Mini one, if you don't have the console, the remaining options are the Club Nintendo Super Famicom Controller (which is essentially the same, released for Wii SNES VC way back when, but it's a limited and expensive edition) or the original, non-Pro Classic Controller, since its form factor is close to that of the original SNES controller. Classic Controller Pro works just as well, though, this would be just for the genuine experience.

 

[duffmmann]

Regarding controller types, the NES Mini and SNES Mini controllers can plug into a WiiMote and are perfect for playing those games, obviously. The NES Mini controller is sold separately, so it's easy to get. As for the SNES Mini one, if you don't have the console, the remaining options are the Club Nintendo Super Famicom Controller (which is essentially the same, released for Wii SNES VC way back when, but it's a limited and expensive edition) or the original, non-Pro Classic Controller, since its form factor is close to that of the original SNES controller. Classic Controller Pro works just as well, though, this would be just for the genuine experience.

You can also play all these games on the Wii U gamepad for portable (albeit tethered) gaming around the house of all these classic games (with exception to many Wii games that can't be played that way), and for a handheld I definitely enjoy that controller.

 

[SANIC]

Installed to HD using WUP installer not everyone uses haxchi

 

[Pachee]

Virtual Wii at 1.2ghz should be noted on that list. Good bye slowdowns.

 

[Cyan]

vWii at 1.2Ghz, time to test DeSmuMe for fun.

 

[gamecaptor]

Thank you all for your input! I spent some time with RetroArch this weekend and while it is clearly less user friendly than the old vWii GX emulators, I can easily tell the superiority to them.

Revised my list above.

I love the convenience of the injected games, but the Wii U has a limit of 300 games (or at least as I understand it). While 300 is a lot, I like to keep my entire library accessible on the device, hence USB Loader GX for Wii/GC. Though it sounds as though perhaps we’re inching our way towards loaders on the Wii U side. I think everyone would like the idea of not having to access the vWii for anything.

As jahrs said:

Heres hoping for an impossible utopia.

Installed to HD using WUP installer not everyone uses haxchi

This is true, but at this stage I personally I see little reason to not use haxchi.

Virtual Wii at 1.2ghz should be noted on that list. Good bye slowdowns.

What am I missing here?

 

[Pachee]

What am I missing here?

https://gbatemp.net/threads/release...-homebrew-support.483577/page-97#post-7602507
There should be a thread about this, kinda buried there.

 

[gamecaptor]

https://gbatemp.net/threads/release...-homebrew-support.483577/page-97#post-7602507
There should be a thread about this, kinda buried there.

Agreed, I've been floating through that thread but completely missed that. This sounds game changing. I'll be following it much more closely now. Thanks for sharing!