How to Backup Wii Games

No one likes to buy his or her Wii games twice because of a scratched/damaged disk.  It’s costly and down right annoying handing over the cash for a game you have already paid for.

Have you ever found yourself refusing to lend games to friends because you know they are likely to come back in worse condition than they left?  That will all change when you learn how to backup Wii games.

Since learning how to back up Wii games me and my friends have found that our game collections have also grown immeasurably.  Not only do we have a full disc copy of all our games as well as our friend’s games, we also have a full hard disk copy.

This allows us to run all our Wii games off and external drive, we no longer need to insert any discs.

As a result all our original games are in immaculate condition and when a friend asks to borrow a game you just give them a copied disc, no need to worry about what sort of condition it comes back in, or if it ever comes back.  All our Wii disk problems have been solved.

How did we do this? The answer is that we found a brilliant application that has helped us get the most out of our Wii, and all for $29.95. That application was Easy Backup Wizard.

The Best Software to Back up Wii Games

Easy Backup Wizard is the most reliable software available if you want to learn how to backup Wii games.  It comes with everything you need to backup Wii games including any software mods needed to install on your Wii.

What impressed me most about this application is that it works for every console on the market.  I have now used it to backup all my games from my PS3 and Xbox 360 – It creates perfect 1:1 backups of all your disks.

Quickly checkout the developer’s website at: http://www.easybackupwizard.com

The process was incredibly easy, all I needed to do was:

1.    Download and install the application.
2.    Insert the disk you wish to copy into your PC or Mac.
3.    Easy Backup Wizard creates a backup onto which ever drive you desire.
4.    If you want to burn that backup to disk, you simply then insert a blank DVD and burn as you would any other disk, otherwise you just plug your USB hard disk into your Wii.

Easy Backup Wizard leaves no stone unturned when it comes to offering a ‘one stop’ product to get the most out of your console.

Legally backup Wii games and never worry about damaged disks again. Never again turn your bedroom upside down looking for that one game you want to play, instead have every game at your fingertips with USB hard disk storage.

What do you get for $29.95?

Easy Backup Wizard gives you all the features and support you need to learn how to backup Wii games:

•    Backup Wii games to Hard disk or CD/DVDs
•    Copy all game disk features
•    Easy to use
•    Perfect 1:1 disk image clone
•    Supports almost all manufacturer media drives
•    Mac and PC compatible
•    No quality loss on sound and video
•    ALL software mods needed to get ANY console recognising non original discs
•    No hardware modifications needed

Easy Backup Wizard is a must have tool for all gamers, from the ‘sometimes’ gamer to the full-on fanatic.

House of the Dead: Overkill – An Honest Acco...

Ah, the House of the Dead series. You either love it or you hate it. House of the Dead games have been around since the 90’s and still to this day they’re an arcade favourite. 2009 saw the release of House of the Dead: Overkill, but was it just another piece of “shovelware”, or was it a defining moment for the series?

How it Rolls:

The plot takes place in the year 1991 when a Special Agent and a Samuel L. Jackson inspired character are both sent to Louisiana to track down a renowned crime lord, only to find the town is overrun with flesh eating mutants – typical House of the Dead, I know! The story doesn’t progress that much more apart from the fact that you’re desperately trying to hunt down this crime lord whilst facing off against hoards of mutants. You’ll typically get through the game quite fast as it only has 7 chapters, but it’s definitely a step up from previous House of the Dead games.

Get Gaming:

House of the Dead: Overkill is definitely a world away from the lighthearted family-friendly games we’re all used to on the Nintendo Wii and is definitely not intended for children. This becomes apparent the more you the play the game as curse words will be used in every other sentence and gore is literally a constant thing.

Much like its predecessors, the game is an on-rails shooter where you have to put as many bullets as you can in enemies. Overkill is spiced up by allowing you to pick off body parts and save civilians a lot more easily than in previous titles. Shooting is also way more accurate now and there are plenty of things to collect along the way.

Weapons are upgradable by collecting points and converting them to cash, this gives you an excuse to finish the game more than once and provides you with an array of assault options. You’ll also unlock a director’s cut mode after your first play through, which lets you play longer versions of previous levels with much more difficult monsters to contend with.

The Looks:

The graphics aren’t really anything to write home about, but it’s the way each cutscene is sold to you that makes the game so incredible. It has an essence of Tarantino that you really can’t help but admire. The character models were influenced from real life actors, supermodels and Stephen Hawking and this is one game that proves you don’t need to sport luscious visuals to achieve something great.

The Sounds:

Remember older House of the Dead games and how awful the dialogue once was? Well, thankfully House of the Dead: Overkill doesn’t suffer from the same issue. In fact most scenes will actually have you laughing out loud since each character has a unique personality. The music is really awesome too and definitely compliments the atmosphere the game tries to give off.

The Negs:

Unfortunately, boss battles in this game are more or less a walk in the park, especially when you’ve powered up your weapons. In fact, the game itself isn’t very challenging and the constant ‘F’ words used by Detective Washington can grow a little tiring. Aside from these small gripes, House of the Dead: Overkill is an extremely enjoyable game.

The Truth:

House of the Dead: Overkill is by far the best game in the series and probably the best on-rails shooter there is. It’s an absolute pleasure to play through and will have you in stitches within five minutes! Needless to say, if you’re looking for a decent Wii game that isn’t complete shovelware, House of the Dead: Overkill is just what the doctor ordered.

Sonic Colors – Back To His True Colors

It pretty much goes without saying that over the past few years Sonic games have gone through a rough patch. Since the speedster leapt into next generation gaming in 2006, gameplay, storyline and characters have managed to ruin what was once a respectable franchise. The blue blur returned in 2010 with Sonic Colors, but did it have what it takes to get our speedy little hero back on his feet? Let’s find out;

Story

Much like all Sonic games out there, Sonic Colors follows a far-fetched plot revolving around Dr. Eggman, kidnapping, special powers and plenty of action. This particular story sees Dr. Eggman opening up an outer space theme park, stealing innocent little creatures known as wisps and attempting to build some sort of mind controlling cannon – ultimately meaning the end of the world, again. Of course Sonic isn’t just going to stand around and let this happen so he sets out on a mission to free the wisps from Eggman’s slavery and foil these evil plans. It’s a fun story to follow, but it definitely shouldn’t be taken too seriously since it is a Sonic game after all.

Thankfully, Sonic Colors lacks supporting cast members which usually ruin the games. Instead the attention is given to our blue hero and his trusty companion Tails, which in turn sends the story back to its roots and becomes a brilliant adventure once again.

Gameplay

By nodding its head to its classic platforming ancestors, Sonic Colors created an interchanging perspective in gameplay which took next generation Sonic to a whole new level. By implementing good old fashioned platform hopping with the crazy, in-your-face speed we’ve grown to either love or hate, the game offers more than enough variation. Collecting different coloured wisps also add to the flavour to the game as they each grant Sonic a unique temporary ability such as drilling, bouncing off surfaces or spinning along ceilings. Gaining new wisp abilities will also allow you re-visit earlier stages and explore unseen areas.

One thing to note is the unbelievable difficulty of the game. Not because it’s broken and not because it’s controlled using your wiimote, but simply because it’s designed to test your patience. There will be times where you will want to smash up your console, but in the end you’ll applaud the game for not giving you straightforward without-a-moment’s-thought gameplay!

Graphics

Sonic Colors is without a doubt one of the most aesthetically pleasing Nintento Wii games of 2010. Bursting with vivid colouring, incredibly detailed backgrounds and wonderfully designed character animation, it goes without saying that graphical quality has reached an entirely new platform.

Sound

Of course, with any Sonic game, you have to be prepared for the Saturday morning cheesy dialogue. Since the game is designed for younger fans as well as older, we can safely let that little annoyance slip. Thankfully, the Happy Tree Friends influence to the game is soon overlooked when you listen to the games brilliant soundtrack.

Downsides

At times, some of the level designing can be a little overwhelming and frustrating, usually resulting in a few cheap deaths followed by frame rate issues. Aside from that minor flaw, the game is pretty much outstanding in every way possible!

Overall

Sonic Colours is a wonderful game with a lot of fun to be had whilst playing. Gameplay has improved immensely and although voice acting is a little corny, it is bearable unlike previous titles. There is a co-operative mode available, but if anything, it lets the game down since two Sonic’s on one screen just doesn’t work. Sonic Colours will definitely present you with a refreshing challenge that even veteran players will struggle with, however this shouldn’t hinder the game at all since it then provides you with a feeling of accomplishment. So did our mighty blue friend get back on his feet? Definitely!

Top 3 Nintendo Wii RPG’s

The Nintendo Wii is renowned for its family orientated games and abundance of children’s games. However, those of you with a taste for all things swords, magic and story may be in for a treat as the Nintendo Wii offers some of the greatest modern day RPG’s around.  Not surprising as it was Nintendo who housed some of the very best RPG’s around back in the day of the SNES! For a look at the top 3 RPG’s found on the Nintendo Wii, just keep reading;

Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors

Much like any other Square Enix game, Dragon Quest is set in a fantasy world where everyone has spiffy hair-do’s and giant swords. You essentially step into the shoes of a young sixteen year old boy named Blade who like all Avalonia’s warriors must undergo a trial of strength to become considered a true warrior. Without giving away too much of the plot, you will adventure across lands and battle the hordes of evil, slay Xiphos and unravel the mystery surrounding the tower of mirrors. The great thing about this game is that it’s first person and utilizes that good old fashioned rail feature – so it’s like the Sega Saturn’s Shining of the Holy Ark, but better!

Despite monsters always appearing in set positions, battles do have a random encounter feel to them and once thrust into the fighting your Wiimote will then be used as a sword. Of course battles are also spiced up by assigning trusty party members to perform magic attacks or heal you.

The game is quite straightforward but it has awesome little side quests you can do and even allows you to go back to previous parts of the game and change your rank as well as get more items for upgrading your weapons. As if that wasn’t good enough, you can also explore parts of the game that you may have missed due to the options that arise throughout its entirety.

On the whole, Dragon Quest made it into the top 3 RPG’s because of its sheer addictive gameplay, Japanese feel and it almost feels like a modern day Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.

Tales Of Symphonia: Dawn Of The New World

The ‘Tales Of’ series has always been mighty successful and there is a reason Tales Of Symphonia: Dawn Of The New World is almost like gold dust on the Wii – because it’s absolutely brilliant! The game is a direct sequel to Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube and features brand new characters that carry on the events that took place back in the days of Lloyd Irving.

The game takes off as Emil discovers his parents murdered, supposedly by the very hero from the previous game. Escaping the event known as the Blood Purge, Emil is given no choice but to go and live with his aunt and uncle. Years pass by and Emil’s world is turned upside down as he saves a young girl named Marta from the evil Richter. Upon doing this, Emil learns all about the revival Ratatosk and so embarks on a journey filled with just as much adventure as the previous game!

Mixing anime styled graphics with a fantastic soundtrack and brilliant voice acting, Dawn of the New World is easily one of the greatest JRPG’s to date. Everything about the game is pretty much the same to the original in terms of gameplay and the only real major difference is the replacement of the free roaming world map. This is excellent news as it’s the traditional gameplay which sets it apart from other turn based RPG’s out there.

All in all, if you want fun, plenty of adventure and a compelling story, then you need to play Tales of Symphonia: Dawn Of The New World!

Xenoblade Chronicles

There was no way Xenoblade Chronicles was going to be left out of the top 3! It is considered to be one of the best RPG’s on the Nintendo Wii and after sinking your teeth into it, you will soon see why!

The story follows an orphan boy named Shulk who appears to be the only one capable of wielding a weapon called Monado. After his home colony is attacked by a large fleet of Mechon, he seeks to exact his revenge and sets off on a journey that easily has you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.

The great thing about Xenoblade Chronicles is that it isn’t as linear as your typical RPG. You can frequently wonder away from the beaten track and explore new and exciting side quests as well as defeat all the big bad secret bosses that give you a sense of achievement. The other awesome thing about the game is its battle system. Much like White Knight Chronicles crossed between Final Fantasy XII, you are faced with choosing the right moves at the right times which is made easier using Shulk’s Monado!

Fantastic character designs, beautiful scenery, addictive story and incredible gameplay, what more could you possibly want from a decent RPG?! Don’t worry about backing up Wii games with these ones, pay the money for originals. Oh and if all that didn’t impress you, how about the fact that there are absolutely no save points! You can literally save anywhere in the game – making life a whole lot easier.

Why We Will Always Remember the Wii

Throughout video gaming history, consoles have primarily been designed for twenty something males who either still lived at home with their parents or just generally had a taste for some ultra violence. Nintendo clearly saw a gap in the market and released the Nintendo Wii which evidently removed the cliché names such as “geek” and “nerd” and opened up gaming to a wider audience.

Sure, the Nintendo Wii certainly doesn’t have the most heart pounding games out there, but what it does have is games to suit an audience of just about any age, gender or lifestyle! Owning a Nintendo Wii has now become like owning a DVD player – everyone has one! So despite a console war raging on between Microsoft and Sony who are competing for the world’s greatest motion sensing console, sales for the Nintendo Wii still skyrocket beyond them.

Of course hardcore Nintendo fans from the 90’s weren’t too pleased with a high percentage of the games aimed at families, nor were they receptive to the “shovelware”. However, the fact that the Nintendo Wii brings families together can only be a good thing right? I mean come on, there is nothing stopping you from using the Nintendo Wii’s backwards compatibility to play some awesome Gamecube games or even purchase some of the Wii’s more “grown up” games such as the Call of Duty’s and Resident Evil’s. In fact there are over five hundred games on the Nintendo Wii to choose from, so it’s not like you’re stuck for choice on what to play. RPG’s, adventure, sports, you name it and the Wii has it! Not bad for a console primarily aimed at “family entertainment” with advertising campaigns featuring elderly folks playing sport games and groups of kids dancing together!

Nintendo were of course the first guys to shock the world with motion control. Such a thing was only dreamed of and if the Wii hadn’t come into existence then Microsoft and Sony would never have jumped on the bandwagon. Not to mention the fact that the Nintendo Wii was the very first console to actually let you browse the world wide web on your television set (Dream Arena doesn’t count as it was just a barren online network for the Dreamcast).

One thing I think we can all appreciate whether you are Wii fan or not, is the fact that Sonic and Mario have been seen in the same games. Such a thing would never have happened during the 90’s when Sega and Nintendo were at each others throats (Nintendo won by the way).

Unlike many other consoles which require a certain amount of dedication to games to actually get anywhere and have huge levels of rivalry even between groups of friends, the Wii is a slice of lighthearted entertainment that everybody can enjoy. Most games can be played in the doses less seasoned gamers will be able to enjoy before wanting to move on to something else. Twenty minutes on the Wii and you will have achieved what would take about four hours on any other console. This makes the Wii great for non committal gamers that want a bit of entertainment and fast. Of course there are games you can play for longer periods of time, but it’s nice to have the option to switch on and off when you choose instead of endlessly battling your way through the save points.

Appealing to all different types of people the Wii console is revolutionary and although it won’t be the top rung of the technology ladder it still provides a hit of fun that few seem able to resist. This is the go to console for people who enjoy good, clean fun and want to be able to pick and choose what they are playing and who they want to be playing it with. Whatever your gaming style the Wii promises entertainment for everyone and who could really ask for more than that?

Visit the original website for Nintendo at: http://www.nintendo.com