Wii System Menu

The Wii System Menu (also called Wii Menu or System Menu) is the graphical interface of the Wii console. Here, users can launch their disc based games using the disc channel, manage and launch installed channels, manage save data, change the system settings and use the Wii Message Board.

Unused Content

Channel time limits

The System Menu displays the remaining time the user can spend using this channel

The System Menu displays the text saying that the period of use for this channel has ended.

This feature of the System Menu and IOS is fully functional but was never used on any official title. It could have been used for downloadable game demos but for some reason it wasn't.

It can be activated by setting byte 0x268 of a title's ticket to 0x01. The time limit is read from the following 4 bytes.

If activated, the System menu will display the remaining time at the bottom of the channel's banner. If the time limit is over, you will automatically return to the System Menu, but instead of the usual animation for returning, you will face a black screen saying the time limit for this channel is over. After this, when viewing the channel's banner, the "Start" button will be greyed out and there will be a message saying the licence for this channel expired.

The system saves the time that was spent in the channel (although it's unknown where it does), rendering uninstalling and reinstalling it useless. In fact, IOS will prevent installing a title that is already expired. The only way to be able to install the title again would be increasing or disabling the time limit.

It is also worth noting that the Wii Shop Channel JavaScript code mentions titles with time limits as "subscription" and "rental" titles, likely alluding to this.

Versions

Note: This only covers retail versions of the menu, and does not cover the Startup Disc Menu. For non-retail versions, see Wii Devkit System Menu.

• 9/14 1.0, minus - button on 1st page - prototype, unleaked

• 9/14 1.0, no minus button on 1st channel page - prototype, unleaked

Image of 9/14 1.0, no minus button on 1st channel page - prototype, unleaked.

• 9/14 2.0 - prototype, unleaked

• 1.0 (first non-prototype version)

• 2.0 (notably added SD Card support as well as "lump" on channel list)

• 2.1

• 2.2 (only 2.x version present in Wii Menu Changer)

• 3.0 (notably added clock to channel list)

• 3.1

• 3.2 (last version to use a Trucha Bug-vulnerable IOS, making it highly desirable for hacking purposes for a period of time)

• 3.3 (first version to use patched IOS)

• 3.4

• 3.5 (Korea only)

• 4.0 (first version to fully block Twilight Hack)

• 4.1 (fixes Wii Motion Plus demo video issue)

• 4.2 (patches Bannerbomb v1)

• 4.3 (last version, patches Bannerbomb v2)

Sources