Wii cIOS base Compatibility List

Some Wii games will work with many different IOS bases, usually base 56 or 57, but some games might require bases which are not installed by default in any guides, such as base 36 or 53, etc.

This compatibility list provides the required base for games which work only with one specific IOS base. If they work correctly with any base, or with both the "common setup" (both 56 & 57), there is no need to list the game here. This list is for games which work only with ONE base (56 OR 57), or another base than these two common ones.

IOS Slots

The Wii has 256 slots. 0 to 199 are reserved for official Nintendo IOS. 200 to 255 are free to use for your needs. But please, if you really need more slots, only use slots from 240 to 253!

Softmod guides usually force the user to install three different cIOS base in slot 249, 250 and 251.

Historically, it was setup like this:

slot 249: base 56
slot 250: base 57
slot 251: base 58

As more games work fine with base 57, few softmod guides recently (2018-2019) changed the default base in slot 249 to 57.

slot 249: base 57
slot 250: base 56
slot 251: base 58

It's entirely possible that you don't have these three slots in use but only one. That's totally fine. You don't need all three cIOS!

By default, all USBLoaders are set to use ONLY the cIOS located in slot 249.

In that slot, you probably already have either a cIOS based on IOS 56 or based on IOS 57.

If you don't know what your setup is, you can run syscheck app, and look at your report on the three common lines 249, 250, 251.

One line of a Syscheck report looks like this:

249[56] d2x v8 final

- The first number (249, 250, etc.) is the slot number.

- The number in the bracket ([56], [57], etc.) is the IOS base, this is what you need for the game compatibility.

- The text is the cIOS version. On Wii, v8 final is preferred. On vWii, d2x v10 r52 is preferred (do not install d2x v10-Alternate r53!), on Wii-mini d2xL is in beta stage so be sure to follow new releases and update it regularly.

Using a specific slot

If you need to use a specific cIOS base, you have to understand how the Wii, vWii and Wii-mini are working.

The console loads and uses ONE and only one IOS at a time.

Installing a new IOS is not enough to fix your compatibility problem! You need to set your USB Loader settings to actually USE the IOS slot you want to load for the game which requires it.

USBLoaders let you change that settings either globally (for all your games), or individually (for one specific game only).

You should set your loader to use by default the IOS slot which is based on either IOS56 or IOS57, and only set a specific slot individually for problematic games

If your IOS slot 249 contains "base56" that's good!
If your IOS slot 249 contains "base57" that's good too!

You don't need to reinstall or swap slots 249 and 250 to get the desired base IOS in the default slot 249. Access your USBLoader settings to change the default IOS slot to use globally or individually based on the game compatibility list below.

Adding a new cIOS

Before adding a new cIOS to your console, you need to check if you don't already have that cIOS version/base installed in one of your existing slots! Run syscheck (see above) if you don't know your setup.

Do not install ALL random cIOS version and base just to cover your needs "just in case one day you need them". Only install new cIOS if you really need it, because your console's internal memory is limited and it's useless to install many IOS at the same time, remember that only ONE is loaded in memory.

If you need a new cIOS, you can replace and overwrite existing slot you don't need anymore. If your slot248 already contains an old version of cIOS, or a cIOS with a base you don't need anymore, just choose that slot number for your new install. It'll replace it and will prevent having useless IOS on your console. If you don't usually need or use your slot 250 or 251, replace them with the needed base ! don't install new IOS in the empty slot 248 if you can replace the unused slot 250. keep your console clean and uncluttered.

cIOS installers

There are a lot of different cIOS installation guides. you can choose the one you want from here:

Or if you know what you are doing, you can find complete packs for both Wii and vWii.

For wii-mini, this is here.

Bonus

If you want to understand what IOS and cIOS are, please look at this guide.

Compatibility list

Confirmed

Title	IOS base	Comments/references
Animal Crossing city folk	IOS base 38	IOS base 38 is required if you want to use the keyboard.
Call of duty	IOS base 57	Doesn't work with IOS base 56.
Guitar hero warriors of rock	IOS base 56	IOS base57 just display black screen. report 1
Spongebob boating bash	IOS base 53, IOS base 58	Tested on Wii with IOS base53, tested on vWii with IOS base58. Both might work regardless of the console type. base58 is usually already installed in slot 251 by most guides, no need to install base53.
Spyro	IOS base 56	The NFC portal accessory works only with base 56. Plug the HDD in port 0, the portal in USB Port 1! Do not use hub with HDD.
We Sing	IOS base 56	The Mic doesn't work with base 57. USBLoaderGX r1272 freezes if mic is plugged in port1 before launching the game. report 1
We Sing 2 (Vol.2 or Encore ?)	IOS base 56	The Mic doesn't work with base 57. USBLoaderGX r1272 freezes if mic is plugged in port1 before launching the game. report 1
We Sing Robbie Williams	IOS base 56	The Mic doesn't work with base 57. USBLoaderGX r1272 freezes if mic is plugged in port1 before launching the game. report 1

Unconfirmed

Title	IOS base	Comments/references
Sing it/just dance/etc.	IOS base 57	Most musical games don't work with base56. Please, make proper tests for each version (just dance 2019,2020,etc.) and add each game properly in the confirmed list.

Conflicting or misleading reports

Title	IOS base	Comments/references
Rockband 3	IOS base 37, IOS base56	Setup : HDD in port 0 and USB HUB for Drum+Mics in port 1 report 1 report 2 Tested with the "ion drum kit" and mic with base 37 report 1 Mic doesn't work with base 57, it requires either base 37 report 1 or 56 report 2. REQUEST: Please confirm if "ion drum kit" really requires base 37 and doesn't work with base 56. no need to force user to install base37 if 56 is working and already installed by most guides.
Rockband lego	IOS base 37, IOS base56/57	See Rockband 3 comments.