How to Rip Wii Games – Effective and Reliabl...

Did you know that learning how to rip Wii games onto a hard disk and copy them onto another DVD, is a very easy procedure?

It can be done, though only with specialized software. This power software is needed to rip and burn game discs to break the security encoding and can now be downloaded from various suppliers.

All you need to get started is:

A. a computer with a DVD burner

B. some blank DVDs,

C. a program called Easy Backup Wizard (see below)

It is perfectly legal to make a copy games as long as you have purchased a legitimate copy first.  However, standard cd/dvd copying software isn’t able to copy such discs.

This is due to the manufacturers having special encoding in an attempt to stop people pirating their software.  This is why you need specialized software that allows for the encryption and will help you rip Wii games in no time.

The Best Ripping Software: Easy Backup Wizard

Easy Backup Wizard is the industry leading game copy and ripping software.   With ease you will be ripping Wii games and watching your game library expand faster than you thought possible.

Please take time to read my mini review below or go straight to the product site to see what Easy Backup Wizard can do by Clicking Here

Easy Backup Wizard is a feature rich game ripping solution for ALL consoles, not just Wii.  It has won many awards, all of which gave it a 5 star rating.

The program was very easy to use and I found it intuitive. I had my first disk burning within 20 seconds of opening the program, for a luddite like me, that’s pretty impressive.

As promised by their website, there was no special hardware needed.  I tried the software with all three of my consoles and can tell you that it got through their encryption with ease, all games worked perfectly.

Feature set:

• Perfect 1:1 disc image clone
• No quality loss on sound and video
• Copy all game disc features
• Very easy to use
• Support for CD, DVD and blu-ray games
• Mac and PC compatible
• Includes support for most manufacturer media drives

Some consoles need a software mod applied in order to play burned games; Easy Backup Wizard will work like magic time and time, just be aware of any possible software “tweaks” you may need to make on your console.

Their support site was full of handy information to fix any issue that you might encounter.

Click the button to go the official Easy Backup Website

Why Rip Your Wii Games?

There are two main reasons for ripping Wii games:

• Keep a backup of your games, this backup can be in the form of a disc image on your machine/external hard disk, or it can be in the form of a cloned disk that can be used to play the game on your console.  This is highly recommended as it eliminates the need to use your original disks so they won’t get damaged and you won’t find yourself buying games for the second and third time, all because of a few scratches.

• Rip Wii games to use with the USB loader on your Wii console.  This process allows for you to play games off a USB hard disk attached to your Wii console, you could then rip your Wii games onto this hard disk, or even download them from the internet, and never have to change disks again.

I couldn’t recommend Easy Backup Wizard more highly. I will never need to buy another game for the second time because of scratched disks.

Nintendo Wii’s Awesome uDraw

If you own a Nintendo Wii and you have a child with a flare for creativity, then chances are that you’ll probably be interested in THQ’s new tablet peripheral – the uDraw. Obviously, if you’re expecting a professional grade A graphics tablet then you’ll be sorely disappointed since it is designed primarily with younger folk in mind. With that being said, the art studio program that comes with the uDraw is actually quite impressive and comes with several different key features.

Aesthetics

Upon opening the packaging you soon notice that Nintendo’s uDraw is well designed and quite sturdy. Made with kids in mind, it’s safe to say that the uDraw could probably take quite a beating. The cord that is attached to the uDraw is nice and flexible and although it’s a little short for you or I it’s perfect for the younger ones. The length also keeps it from getting tangled up and damaged.

The uDraw’s stylus is evidently made for smaller hands but can quite easily be used by adults and there is also a small compartment on the side where your Wiimote sits nicely inside the tablet. Upon first glance the drawing surface looks a little minute, but considering the fact that most of the drawing takes place on your home television – well things just get a whole lot bigger!

How it plays out

Okay, so the uDraw is definitely no earth shatteringly brilliant invention, but if you have a HDMI connection then this is a fantastic “My First” art tool for kids! It’s very simple to use and basically does what you’d expect, which is that whatever your child draws will appear on your television, not your walls! This is done simply by connecting your Wiimote to your tablet. I say simple, but it can be kind of a pain to get it tucked away nicely. The accompanying uDraw Studio is a brilliant way to introduce children into art. There is the option to simply paint freehanded, colour in pre-outlined drawings, save your artwork or run through the tutorials. Freehanded painting really shows off what the uDraw is capable of as it bombards you with canvas colours, brush sizes, paint tools and shapes. Think of it as Microsoft Paint made even easier for kids! All in all the uDraw actually plays out quite well, but there are a few size limitations for adults.

Games

There are a few child favourites out there right now, such as Dood’s Big Adventure and Pictionary, but to be honest Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat is where it’s at right now! Control attacks, set up barricades and use weapons all with the stylus pen, there is no way your child won’t love it!

Downsides

Unfortunately the uDraw has definitely not been designed with southpaws in mind as the pen, ink tools and objects are all found on the right hand side. There is also a limited amount of games for the uDraw at this moment in time, though the current releases are actually relatively fun and kids seem to love them!

Overall

THQ’s uDraw is a brilliant concept but it’s not something for the grown ups. Your child will get a lot of fun out of it and Pictionary makes for great family entertainment, but the uDraw still lacks in a good selection of games.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword – Review

If ever there was a game on the Nintendo Wii which effectively utilizes motion sensitivity and will thrill you for hours on end, then it has to be The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Needless to say, if you own a Nintendo Wii and/or you enjoy a good Zelda adventure, then it is imperative you buy this game! Not only is it the best Zelda game to date and not only is it the greatest game ever to grace Nintendo’s Wii, but it truly is the daddy of motion control games.

The Golden Storyline:

With a storyline that lasts on average about 40-50 hours, Skyward Sword isn’t exactly something you’ll finish in a days time. The story is set before the events of Oricana of Time and much like other games in the series the plot begins with the disappearance of Zelda. Link leaves his hometown known as Skyloft and travels down to the evil Hyrule where he pursues Zelda with the help of the Goddess Sword. The plot thickens along the way and it isn’t long before the demon lord Ghirahim makes an appearance. Sure, the story isn’t anything completely out of the ordinary in terms of your typical Zelda plot but nevertheless it is just as captivating as ever!

When your Playing:

The focal point of Skyward Sword is of course the fact that it is so heavily focused on using the Wii Motion Plus. This in turn mimics the way you swing and thrust your sword in combat, allowing you to strategically attack enemies in unguarded areas. It’s a fantastic concept and it definitely absorbs you into such a fantasy adventure.

Also, this time around your helpful little sidekick is a charming character named Fi who is far more helpful and less irritating than Navi ever was. She helps advise you on enemies, people and locations by scanning them for you.

Traversing through the game is much more fun in Skyward Sword since you are able to fly around Skyloft using Link’s loftwing bird and drop down holes in the clouds to enter new areas. There are also plenty of islands to explore around Skyloft which allow you to embark on some brilliant side quests which ultimately give you items to make life easier.

Much like previous games in the series, there are dungeons which you’ll have to make your way through by finding keys and unlocking doors, but it definitely doesn’t feel as laborious as it would in previous games. At the end of each dungeon you’ll face off against an intense boss battle which will have a unique weakness that you’ll have to figure out. This definitively adds flavour to the game and makes each battle as exciting as the last.

Graphics and Audio:

Unfortunately Skyward Sword’s graphics and animations are a little outdated by today’s standards and feel a little blocky and Gamecube-like. Of course this is to be expected since you have to take into consideration the graphical limitations of the Nintendo Wii, but that doesn’t stop the cutscenes from being absolutely jaw dropping.

Skyward Sword’s music is a blend of gorgeous symphonic sounds that easily add to the fantasy adventure you’re on. Let’s admit though, since when has a Zelda game ever had a terrible soundtrack? Of course, like most games in the franchise, dialogue is lacking and conversation is text based with the odd grunt and yelp. This isn’t exactly a bad thing though, since a voice actor would no doubt destroy your imagination and ruin Link in every way possible – much like what happened to Sonic the Hedgehog.

Mehh:

There have been a few complaints that this game feels a little too familiar to previous titles, but c’mon, if it’s not broken then don’t fix it! The fact that you can now strategically take down enemies and pretend you’re holding a sword definitely makes the game better than most stale RPG’s out there.

The Final Word Is…

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is as magnificent as a Zelda game can get. Innovative gameplay, compelling storyline, and awesome music, this game has it all and more! In fact you’ll find yourself stretching out the story as much as possible so it never ends. Unfortunately it does end, but after 25 years we can safely say Skyward Sword is the best yet!

Donkey Kong Country Returns

Cast your mind back to 1994 when Donkey Kong Country first made an appearance on the SNES. Remember how absolutely awesome it was. Back then those graphics were possibly the best we’d ever seen and the game itself provided a challenge unlike no other. Well, Donkey Country recently returned in 2010, making its way onto the Nintendo Wii for some jungle-tastic fun! But did it really blow us away just as much as it did all of those years ago?

Story

As to be expected, the story isn’t exactly the games key feature. You’ll play as Donkey Kong who, with the help of trusty companion Diddy, must stop the Tik Tak tribe from hypnotizing other animals and stealing all of the bananas! As I said, it’s not a story that should be taken too seriously as the games intention is to mainly fill you up with a little nostalgia.

Gameplay

The main improvement to the game is by far the fact that they’ve replaced one hit deaths with a health system to give you more of a shot at actually finishing the game and making it much more fun to play. Of course Donkey Kong still has that difficulty factor to it, but it never really gets so challenging that it drives you ape enough to stop playing it. Unfortunately the levels can at times become too easy since Donkey Kong will transform into super Kong once the game becomes fed up of your terrible playing. Similar to Super Mario Brothers Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2, it’s a feature that pretty much makes you invincible and turns the game into a walk in the park. Of course this is probably implemented for younger players to continue on through levels they become stuck on.

Strangely enough, Kremlings, the main enemies from the original game, are not present in this title. In fact, those annoying bees have gone vanished too! – Not that I missed them much, but they were pretty much a staple to the Donkey Kong Country series.

Overall, you’ll never really become bored with the gameplay. It constantly switches things up, from mine kart challenges, to typical precision jumping, and from riding a rocket barrel to avoiding crashing waves.

Graphics

Set in a lush 2.5 dimensional environment, Donkey Kong’s graphics definitely don’t disappoint. It was especially satisfying how clever each of the level designing was and how backgrounds were incorporated into the action. Level designers also make brilliant use of the 3D engine to create unique challenges that simply wouldn’t have been possible back in the days of the SNES.

Downsides

For what it is, Donkey Kong Country Returns is near enough flawless. It can’t be penalized for being too easy since it’s an incredible challenge without the use of super Kong and time trial levels are out of this world hard. The game maintains all of the brilliance that you’re used to from the original, whilst making things better with the 3D engine. I dare you to find a flaw.

Overall

Donkey Kong Country Returns is by far one of the toughest, yet rewarding games of 2010 – granted you don’t make use of super Kong. It doesn’t quite reach the bar developers Retro Studios set with Metroid, but it definitely doesn’t disappoint, and won’t need to be added to your ripped wii games collection. With enough replay  value and levels to last you weeks on end, Donkey Kong Country Returns is easily one the greatest games to grace the Wii.

The Wii Fit Plus and Balance Board

I don’t know about you, but spending hour after hour running on a treadmill whilst staring at the clock is not my idea of fun. Of course, keeping in shape has never really been about fun. Or has it? Nintendo’s Wii Fit Balance Board combined with Wii Fit Plus is supposed to eliminate the grueling effort that is exercise and replace it with calorie burning fun, fun, fun! So does it work? Is it really as fun as the marketing suggests? The answer is yes!

Wii Fit vs. The Gym!

Okay, so Nintendo’s Wii Fit Plus combined with the brilliant Balance Board usually carries a hefty price tag. Think about it though, add up the total cost you spend going to the gym and I’ll bet you ten bucks that the Wii Fit Plus and Balance Board package costs a lot less! True, the gym does have plenty of aerobic equipment and free weights, but it also has its fair share of grunters, posers and people who stare. Wouldn’t you much rather burn those calories in the comfort of your own home without someone gawping at you or making sex noises? With plenty of fun aerobic activities for you to master on the Balance Board, the only thing Wii Fit is lacking is a set of dumbbells!

What does Wii Fit Plus have to offer?

Wii Fit Plus is a vast improvement from its predecessor and contains fifteen new balance games and six additional exercises which are divided between yoga and strength training. Exercises such as the spine extension and balance bridge are far more difficult than they initially look and will easily accelerate your heart rate, whereas balance board games such as Rythum Kung Fu and skateboarding give the game flavour and make workouts fun! One of the most enjoyable workout programs on the game is Birds Eye Bulls Eye, which is essentially when you say goodbye to your dignity and flap your arms up and down to take control of a bird. Needless to say, it’s one killer shoulder workout!

Wii Fit Plus will also keep a record of all the calories you burn after each activity you complete. It will also provide you with a comparison of how many calories make up specific foods, for example a small banana is approximately 90 calories. This is a fantastic way to encourage you to achieve goals and keep on top of your diet.

If like me, you want to target certain areas of your body or you have a specific goal, then the game will automatically tailor a routine and workout for you to follow. This is particularly useful for sculpting those long desired abdominal muscles.

Downsides

Unfortunately, the built-in BMI calculator is horribly inaccurate and will label you as overweight without taking into consideration your muscle definition. Of course the Balance Board isn’t really hi-tech enough to correctly measure your body fat and so this is expected to happen no matter how big your biceps are. To correctly determine how much weight you’ve lost, you’re best sticking to what clothes you suddenly fit into or how toned you’re becoming.

So is it worth getting off the couch?

Absolutely! Whether you’re looking to drop a few dress sizes, tone those noobs or have some fun, Nintendo’s Wii Fit Plus and Balance Board is just what you need. Sure, you won’t suddenly transform into a Spartan warrior, but you’ll definitely have fun losing weight without forking out for gym memberships!

Learn more from: http://www.nintendo.com