Thanks to monkey_ninjas316 and Tainted for inspiring this idea with the PSP Homebrew Guide, and the DS Homebrew Guide Respectively. Also special thanks to Sonic Flash for letting me write this.




What Is Homebrew?

Homebrew is user made software. Homebrew software enables much more extended functionality than originally intended by the developers and creators, such as play music, backup game saves, play homebrew games (the legal ones, of course).

To run homebrew on the Nintendo Wii, you must first install a program to run code that enables the functionality of homebrew (links will be provided further down), as well as a storage device to save these programs onto from your computer and read them from the Wii.

• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
  Required to run the hacked gamesave code to enable homebrew. An existing gamesave is required
• An SD Card Formatted to FAT16
  This is the only way to make it readable both by your computer and by your Wii. Can be done easily in Windows, read more here
• SD Card reader
  For your computer to put the code and applications on to the SD card.
• A Wii
  Obviously
• Twilight Hack Ver. 3a Available [1][2][3]
  The program that makes it all possible

To start, first you must identify which version of TP you have so you use the proper homebrew "installer". Look on the inside ring of your TP disc to find a serial number, match it up using the data below to help.


Serial Number       File
RVL-RZDP-0A-0 JPN 	 rzdp0.bin
RVL-RZDJ-0A-0 JPN 	 rzdj0.bin
RVL-RZDE-0A-0 JPN 	 rzde0.bin
RVL-RZDE-0A-0 USA 	 rzde0.bin
RVL-RZDE-0A-2 USA 	 rzde2.bin



Once you have that figured out, and formatted your SD Card properly, make a new folder on the SD Card with the path shown below:

/private/wii/title/RZDx/ (Replace "RZDx" with RZDE, RZDP or RZDJ as appropriate based on the file you will be using)

Take the appropriate .bin file and place it in this folder, then rename it "data.bin"

Then take whatever application you want to run and copy it to the root directory of the SD card. Rename this as "boot.elf".

Now, put the SD card into your Wii and turn it on. Go to

Wii Options --> Data Management --> Save Data --> Wii

Find your Zelda save, click on it, click "Erase" (Yes, you will lose your saved data. Either back the data up to another SD card or another save file).

Open the SD card and select the "Twilight Hack" save. The icon will say "Wiibrew Loader". Copy this file, then return to the main screen.

Boot up The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Load file A, and either walk backwards or talk to the man standing in front of you.

This should then boot into your homebrew application that you placed in the root directory earlier.

As I stated above, you can run various applications (such as a media player), run a Linux kernel, play ported homebrew games (see the list here), extract and save your Miis, or backup save game files (including Gamecube ones).

While there are plenty of sites that provide great downloads for Wiibrew, I am not going to risk violating Neoseekers Rules and Regulations regarding emulation and ROMs that could also be found on these sites.
However:
Here is a great selection of free applications from the WiiBrew Wiki, or see the list here

How do I format an SD card to FAT16?
It is quite simple actually, in Windows XP/Vista, you just select the drive and select format. You will be presented with several options. FAT and FAT32 sound like what we are trying to get. In these newer versions of Windows, FAT means FAT16. FAT16 was the compression that was used on the older systems (such as DOS or Win95/98).

Where can I download Wii Games or other ROMs for this?
I cannot tell you. As per the Forumwide Rules: subclause 19, the discussion of warez, ROMs, or any other illegal activities is strictly prohibited. Please do not inquire, or give help to those who inquire about such devices.

Will this mod my Wii, will it void the warranty?
A valid question indeed. No this will leave your Wii unmodded and untampered with, thus NOT voiding the warranty in any way.

Myself (Deathsythe), Neoseeker, Neo Era Media and any of its affiliated companies; take no responsibility for any harm that may come to your console or peripherals.

Applications

Gamecube Saver: Copies Gamecube saves (as .GCI files) to and from your Gamecube memory card and your SD card.
Homebrew Channel: Installs the Wii Homebrew Channel onto the System Menu. Ten minute limit. (this is going to be BIG after Beta)
Mii Extractor: Extracts your Mii's from your Wii to an SD card.
Mii Installer: Installs Miis from your SD card.
Proof Of Concept Linux: mini-distro is a small Linux OS for the Wii, based on GC Linux. USB Keyboard functionality has been added.
Save Extractor" Dumps saves from your Wii's Memory to an SD card.
Rebooter: Reboots the Wii back into regular mode.
Wii Homebrew Launcher: A good Wii menu-style launcher for .elf files.
Wii Midia: A basic media player.
WiiPaint: Draw on the Wii.

Asteroids: Asteroids Port (very primitive, but works)
Ballion:Destroy blocks with a ball. Wiimote or Gamecube controller can be used. Sound and better graphics
Chess: A simple port of a basic chess game
Minesweeper: Minesweeper port
Snake: A basic Snake port
Tetris: A good Tetris port

This thread should definately be stickied.

STICKY PLEASE.
OMGOMGOGOGMGOGOmgogggggg

Thanks for the praise guys.

I forgot to add some mirrors to the Twilight Hack Program, they are up under the "Tools" section.


Good luck to all of you, feel free to post your accomplishments, achievements, and troubles here.

Hopefully myself, or someone else, can help you with the latter.

One thing you may want to add to "What else can I do with Homebrew?" is run a linux OS such as Ubuntu. Sure you could just as easily do it on your computer but it is something you can do with homebrew.

This is true, I didn't anticipate many seekers would be all that interested in that.

Noted, and added

Thanks for the input.

I played TP and completed it but don't own it, is it worth investing in a copy so I can do some homebrew?

Hard to say. Everything is still relatively new, but if it takes off the way DS homebrew or PSP homebrew did; it would definitely be worth it.

All in all: Maybe not right now, but there definitely is potential, so keep an eye on the Wii-homebrew scene and it might be worth the investment in the (near) future.

So will I need TP everytime I want to use homebrew apps? Cuz I'm pretty sure this is gonna kick off soon like PSP homebrew which I can't have due to firmware version problems.

Is Twilight Princess the only game you can hack? And would I have to buy anything?

Will this do any harm to my console? lol

Very nice! I've got homebrew on the PSP and homebrew on my iPhone, now its time to get homebrew on my Wii. Your Guide is alot neater than mine lol, keep up the good work!

quote Andrew5

Is Twilight Princess the only game you can hack? And would I have to buy anything?

As of right now only TP works, but they may figure out ways to use other games in the future.

quote twilightprince

Will this do any harm to my console? lol

No, no harm whatsoever. It won't even void the warranty.




Thanks for the praise monkey_ninjas316, I try