Nintendo Wii and Linux

Filed under: 3. Other Distros, Hardware, HowTos/Tutorials/Tips — E@zyVG @ 1:00 pm

Nintendo Wii has been a bit tougher to crack than hacker-friendly hardware like the PS3, which even has a Sony-approved Linux distro. But now the Wii hacking community has figured out how to run homebrew applications on Nintendo’s latest console, and that includes a rather unpolished “proof of concept” version of Linux that can run on the Wii. Few days ago this news came from the GameCube Linux Wiki:

24 Feb 2008: Long time, no see Although we haven’t posted any news in the last 2 years, we have silently continued our work keeping the kernel patches up to date. With the latest 2.6.24 release we have added support for the USB Gecko adapter as a console and terminal, so you can now logon into your gc-linux distro using minicom or HyperTerminal (TM). And last but not least, we have finally run natively Linux on the Nintendo Wii through Team Tweezers’ twilight-hack. We have released a small usbgecko-enabled Proof of Concept mini-distro to prove it. Did I say have fun? :)

Now, keep in mind, the hacking process is not simple. You need an SD card, SD card adapter for the Wii, a copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the ability to follow complex instructions, infinite patience, and the willingness to completely muck up your video game console if things go wrong.

Wii Technical Specification:

  • CPU (Central Processing Unit): IBM ‘Broadway’ 729MHz

  • Internal Storage: 512MB Flash Memory

  • USB 2.0: 2 Ports
  • System Memory: 256MB
  • Memory Expansion: 2 SD Memory
  • GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): ATI ‘Hollywood’
  • Optical Disc Drive: 8cm GameCube / 12cm Wii (DVD discs)
  • Supported Resolution: up to 480p
  • 12 cm Disc Capacity: 4.7GB (single) / 8.5GB (dual)
  • Wii Controller Ports: Wireless (4 maximum)
  • GameCube Controller Ports: 4 Ports
  • Internet Connectivity: WiFi 802.11b/g
  • Disc Compatibility: GameCube
  • GameCube Memory Expansion: 2 Ports

Links for running Linux on Wii: