GameCube backwards compatibility

Some have wondered whether Wii's backwards compatibility supports the Game Boy to GameCube link cable. We tested the connectivity functionality in Square Enix's Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and determined that, yes, it does. There did not appear to be any problems, and it should work in any connectivity-compatible game.

Yes, you can fit up to four Wavebirds on a Wii. Though the Wii's GameCube port plate looks different than GameCube's, the dimensions between the ports are the same, so anything that plugs into the Cube controller ports will plug into the Wii. Note that you will only be able to play GameCube games with an actual GameCube controller, so if you're planning on ditching your Cube when you pick up a Wii, keep at least one controller around. Accessories that plug into the memory card slots, such as Odama's microphone, also work. The Game Boy Player, however, will not, since that is specifically designed for the Cube's form factor.

If you keep a lot of GameCube peripherals plugged into the system, you may want to remove the hinged flaps that cover up that section of the machine. The Wii is actually designed for those to be easily removable. If you keep the system lying horizontally rather than vertically, you will be required to remove those if you want it to remain flat while the flaps are open.

GameCube games run in whatever output settings they originally supported, so if they supported widescreen on GameCube, they will support widescreen on Wii; if they didn't, they won't. Simple as that.

Heat and sound emissions

The Wii is very quiet. When it is not reading from a disc, any sound it makes is almost imperceptible unless you're right up there listening to it. When it is reading from a disc, there's a standard light operational whirring, but it is very minor. As far as heat, there is surprisingly little even during gameplay. You can feel some warmth around the back of the machine but it too is very minor.

SD card and flash memory functionality

Several questions were asked regarding what can be saved to SD cards. Unfortunately, many answers to these questions are not yet known. According to the manual, you can put game save data and Virtual Console games on your SD cards, and we already know that SD cards are used to to view pictures and movies, listen to MP3s, and load custom soundtracks into games (currently, only Excite Truck supports this). However, with the online network not going live until launch, we have not been able to test putting Virtual Console games on SD cards, and the system currently only seems to support saving games to the system's internal memory. Since the manual indicates greater SD card functionality, those options may be coming in the system's first update, coming at launch. This should eliminate the problem of running out of space on the internal 512MB of memory (although, to be honest, that should be plenty for a lot of people considering how small legacy games are). Nintendo has stated that though Virtual Console games can be stored on SD cards, they will be tied to the console on which they were purchased.

As far as saving GameCube games to the internal memory or to SD cards, this does not appear to be possible. The system actually goes into a separate backwards compability mode to run GameCube games, so it does not have access to SD card and flash memory. Those options may potentially be added in a software update at some point in the future, but that is speculative.

Nintendo DS connectivity

Though Nintendo has promised extensive connectivity between Nintendo DS and Wii, there does not currently seem to be any way to broadcast a wi-fi signal from a Wii to a DS that allows the DS to go online. That particular funtion is also not something Nintendo has ever specifically mentioned, so while it may be coming, we have no indication as such. What is more likely, and has indeed been stated as an idea on Nintendo's part, would be things like downloading demos and other content to a DS from a Wii system. Obviously, specific games will also have their own connectivity features; in the upcoming online Pokemon game for Wii, you are able to battle using Pokemon transferred from the Diamond and Pearl versions of the game on DS.

That answers most of what we saw in the comments and were able to figure out. When the system's online functionality goes live, it is likely that a lot of questions will be answered. That should be coming in mere hours, when the system goes on sale at midnight tonight.