The Difference in Speed Between the US Wii and the UK Wii

3D graphics processing hardware is not the only thing that determines the speed of a system. The local system for displaying a television signal has an influence as well – while the United States uses the NTSC system with a refresh rate of 60 Hz (meaning that the image on the screen is refreshed 60 times a second, the United Kingdom uses the PAL system; while the PAL system has somewhat better image quality and color, it refreshes the screen at a rate of 50 Hz.

What this means for speed is that if the speed of a game is tied to the number of times that the screen is updated per second, there can be a slight speed difference between what is displayed on NTSC versus what is displayed on PAL. The system may also be able to play games at both refresh rates – for example with the United Kingdom version of the Wii, you can play games in both NTSC and PAL. UK Wii games run at 60 Hz, but when you play games on the Virtual Console with the UK Wii they run at 50 Hz.

Playing games that were designed for one display system on another may mean that they have to be played with a black border at the top and bottom of the display to fit them to the resolution of a different kind of screen. The USA version of the Wii and the United Kingdom version of the Wii also have somewhat different compatibility with old Gamecube games – while the USA Wii is generally unable to play PAL Gamecube games, the PAL Wii in the UK tends to play all of the compatible Gamecube games, although the frame rate may be lower by a factor of 1.2.

Have you noticed any difference playing VC games on the UK Wii? Let us know!

Using RGB Scart on the SNES, N64 and Gamecube

If you are trying to get the best picture possible from your SNES, N64 or Gamecube, using an RGB Scart cable is the best quality solution. The resolution and clarity that you get with the RGB Scart cable is much better than S-Video or standard AV, however there are some compatibility issues.

Nintendo has engineered some of their systems so that RGB output is restricted. Here are the basics on which systems restrict RGB Scart output, and of those which ones can be upgraded or modified to use RGB Scart.

The SNES, N64 and Gamecube all come in two versions: the USA / JAP version which is designed to work with NTSC style television signals, and the PAL version which is used throughout Europe and other locations where the PAL standard is followed. If you have a SNES which is USA / JAP, or a Gamecube which is PAL, you will be able to get RGB Scart output simply by getting an inexpensive RGB Scart cable to plug in.

If, on the other hand, you have a SNES from the PAL region, the cables will need to be modified before it will work. It’s a fairly simple modification that just requires soldering out some resistors.

With a USA / JAP N64, you will need the console itself modified to work with the RGB Scart cable. This is a lot trickier and we advise only the experienced to go down this route. A PAL N64 cannot be modified to work with the RGB Scart cable.

Surprisingly, Nintendo of Europe gave us UK gamers a break, as PAL ‘cubes require no modifications to work with RGB Scarts straight out the box. However, if you own a Gamecube from the USA / JAP region, there’s a cable mod that can be performed to enable RGB.

Wii Freeloader UK PAL Euro Instructions

The Wii Freeloader (£9.99) is a fantastic disc for playing import USA/JAP games on your UK Wii, but there are a few instructions you must follow to get it to work. See this guide for a step-by-step tutorial on how to play imported games on your Wii:


Loading a Game

1. If the Game that you wish to play is from an NTSC region then you may need to first set the display setting to 60 Hz. This setting is found in the Tools Menu on your console.
2. Insert the FreeLoader for Wii™ disk and it will automatically load and run.
3. Multiple colour bars on the screen will indicate that FreeLoader for Wii™ is in operation. The colour bars will appear twice then the drive will stop.
4. Eject the Freeloader disk and now insert the NTSC game that you want to play.
5. The Game will play as normal.

Console/Firmware upgrades on Game Discs


Most games have an upgrade program which is loaded before the game application itself. The purpose of the upgrade program is to update your console, where necessary, with new firmware modules. When loading a game from another region on your console this upgrade program may have unpredictable results if loaded.

FreeLoader for Wii™ will automatically prevent this upgrade program from being loaded and will only load the main game application.

A number of games will not function unless the upgrade program has first been loaded and so FreeLoader has an alternate. See below for the selective alternative load method guide for these games.


Alternative method: For Games which require a firmware update

1. Insert the FreeLoader for Wii™ disk and it will automatically load and run.
2. Multiple colour bars on the screen will indicate that FreeLoader for Wii™ is in operation. The colour bars will appear twice then the drive will stop.
3. Eject the Freeloader disk and then RE-INSERT / RE-LOAD the Freeloader disk once more.
4. The multiple colour bars will appear twice more and the drive will again stop.
5. Only after the Freeloader disc has been separately loaded twice, eject the Freeloader disc and now insert the Game Disc that you want to play. The Game will play as normal and this time the upgrade program will be selectively loaded.

CAUTION: Please be aware that allowing the upgrade program to run may, in a number of cases, still cause unwanted effects.

Since any game updates can create unwanted results or even incompatibility with Freeloader, it is recommended that all new games, even ones from your own region, are loaded via Freeloader’s alternative selective upgrade method.


Online Upgrades: A Warning

FreeLoader for Wii™ works with all current versions of Wii firmware at the time of its release (11/03/08).

No guarantee can be given of compatibility with future firmware releases so if Online Updates are performed on your console this may prevent Freeloader from functioning correctly.

We recommend that you consider the benefits of any Online Upgrade against the possible loss of compatibility with freeloader and its functions.


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