No, the Nintendo Wii is region locked. A standard UK Wii will play European PAL games, but it won't normally play games imported from Japan or North America.
You can get around region locking using homebrew software, but an unmodified Wii will only play games from its own region.
The same restrictions apply to GameCube games played on backwards compatible Wii models.
What regions does the Wii have?
Nintendo released the Wii in several regions, each with its own games and hardware.
The three main regions are:
- PAL: UK, Europe and Australia
- NTSC-U: North America
- NTSC-J: Japan
For example, a Wii purchased in the UK will play UK and European Wii games, but it won't normally recognise an American or Japanese game disc.
Japanese and American games are also locked to their respective regions, despite both using NTSC.
There are some regional variations beyond these three, including Korean Wii consoles.
Can a UK Wii play American or Japanese games?
Not without modifying the console.
If you insert an American or Japanese Wii disc into an unmodified UK Wii, the console will refuse to launch it.
This can be frustrating for collectors, especially when certain games were only released in Japan or North America.
Fortunately, the Wii has a well-established homebrew community, and getting around these restrictions is fairly straightforward.
How can you make a Wii region free?
The most common method is to install homebrew software.
Unlike some older consoles, the Wii doesn't require a physical modchip to bypass its region restrictions.
Once homebrew is installed, you can use software such as Priiloader or compatible homebrew loaders to launch games from other regions.
Priiloader includes a setting called Region Free EVERYTHING, which can remove region checks for disc-based games and other software.
You can find instructions for installing homebrew at Wii Hacks Guide.
We'd recommend following an up-to-date guide rather than an old YouTube tutorial, as Wii modding methods have changed quite a bit over the years.
One thing worth mentioning is that removing the region lock doesn't guarantee every imported game will work perfectly. Some games can have video compatibility or language issues.
Can the Wii play imported GameCube games?
Yes, with the right setup.
The original RVL-001 Wii supports GameCube discs, but it also applies region restrictions.
That means a standard UK Wii will play PAL GameCube games, but not Japanese or American copies without a workaround.
Homebrew software such as Nintendont can bypass these restrictions and run GameCube games from different regions.
Nintendont also offers additional features, including alternative controller support and the ability to use virtual Memory Cards.
It's worth remembering that only the original RVL-001 Wii has the hardware needed to play GameCube discs.
The later Wii Family Edition and Wii Mini don't have native GameCube disc support.
Does changing the Wii's language make it region free?
No.
Changing the console's language or country settings won't remove its region lock.
The Wii's region is determined by its system software and hardware configuration, not simply the language selected in the settings menu.
You don't need to change the console's entire region to play imported games either. Homebrew methods that bypass region checks are usually the simpler option.
What about WiiWare and Virtual Console games?
These are region restricted too.
WiiWare and Virtual Console titles were distributed through the Wii Shop Channel, with different games available in different regions.
The Wii Shop Channel closed for new purchases in 2019, so you can no longer buy these games directly from Nintendo.
Previously purchased titles can still be redownloaded while Nintendo continues to support that functionality.
Homebrew can also be used to run software from other regions, although compatibility varies.
Is it worth importing a Japanese or American Wii?
For most UK players, we'd recommend buying a PAL Wii.
They're easy to find, work with UK power supplies and play the PAL games you're most likely to come across.
If you want to play the occasional imported game, installing homebrew is usually easier than buying another console.
However, an imported Wii can make sense if you're collecting games from a particular region or want to keep your consoles completely unmodified.
Just remember that Japanese and American consoles use different power supplies, so you'll need to make sure you're using one suitable for UK mains electricity.
Which Wii should you buy?
If you're buying a Wii today, we'd recommend the original RVL-001 model.
It plays Wii games, supports GameCube discs and has the GameCube controller and Memory Card ports built in.
It's also easy to modify with homebrew if you want to play games from other regions.
The later Wii Family Edition and Wii Mini can still be good options if you only care about Wii games, but they lose some of the features that make the original Wii so appealing.
For us, the RVL-001 is the one to have. You get two generations of Nintendo games in one little console, and with homebrew, region locking doesn't have to be much of an obstacle.