So you want to play backups but aren't feeling too grand about installing a modchip? Sure thing: here's WiiGator's Wii GameCube Backup Launcher v0.1 Theta. No need for modchips, it's just pure homebrew channel all the way! Demo vid and more info in the full article.

Many thanks to MahSixFo, aetharr, and girandhistacos for the tips!

Download: Wii GameCube Backup Launcher 0.1 Theta

Broke your Guitar Hero: World Tour (Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii) peripheral and can't afford to buy a new one just yet? That's okay, we've got the perfect DIY video for you right here. This guy from YouTube, madflux, played the game on his bike! And he played it well, my friends. He sure did. Check out the video after the jump.

If you want to give your Wii-addicted friend something more meaningful this holiday season, why not give out something that's a bit more personalized and unique? If you're running out of ideas, you can check out the foam Wiimote project from DIY Life. More details in the full article!

If you've got ample technical skills, and nary the patience to wait for the upcoming Wii Balance Board, we've got something for you. Mike Sylvester over at NintendoWiiFanboy has announced that he's finished working on a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) version of Nintendo's official product, and has successfully tested it on at least one Windows-based game.

Mike's version of the board was built from around US$ 20 worth of hardware store materials, and uses the GlovePIE script to enable him to use it on Windows-based games. Here's a video demonstrating Mike's early tests using the snowboarding game Stoked Rider (Windows, Linux, and Mac OS ):

As you guys probably noticed, this kit is not planted on the ground like Nintendo's rig - Mike explains that it balances on a shaved (yes, shaved) tennis ball. The board will require the user to balance while playing, ensuring that guys who were hoping to literally sit this one out will still be giving their bum a workout.

That's the basic rundown on Mr. Sylvester's board hack - guys who think they're capable of following his lead and building their own board can drop by the read link for further instructions. And before we forget - make sure to invest in a helmet.

Now that the Wiimote strap woes are over, maybe we can all move along and have fun with them. That's what GrueHunter of online site Instructables exactly did with this simple yet cool DIY of his.

We're talking about colored Wiimote straps. Some considerations in making this included removal of the plastic part completely because of fear of melting it. GrueHunter later on commented though that you don't have to do that and that the plastic cap is not removable from the strap itself. This is how the process goes as conducted by GrueHunter:

1. Take your box of dye home, and mix it with 1 cup of boiling water on your stove top.
2. Keep the mixture on the stove, and then stir in your strap(s) (I found that 1-2 straps per bath works the best).
3. Stir it around and make sure you move the plastic on the strap around or you'll get a light spot.
4. When you're happy with the shade, rinse the strap under hot water until it runs clear.
5. Then under cold water for a few seconds.
6. Let it dry and you're done!

Lastly, you might want to consider using colors with darker shades so that they will be more absorbed by the cap and the strap. The user tried it with yellow and wasn't happy with the results. I'm thinking purple, how about you?

Note that this is more of a mod than a hack, but our source calls it a hack so we'll use that term for the moment. Anyway, what this little DIY will let you do is it will let you change where the Wii Classic Controller dangles from.

A damn useful DIY in our opinion. After all, we're all used to having cord be connected from the top of the controller, not the bottom, right? After a whole lot of prototypes, and after a series of consoles over the years, you'd think they'd realize that we like the wire on the top. Oh, well, the wire at the bottom does have its charm.

Anyway, to get to the DIY, just use the read-link that we have at the bottom of the article. To a preview of the final output, check out the image that we've got below.

For anyone who's pretty much gone out and bought almost every console out in the market, you might want to consider getting one of these. This won't only make your consoles happy (if they even have emotions), but it will also keep the rest of your household from tripping over your gaming machines when trying to cross the living room.

Not to be confused with the ultimate gaming DESK, this shelf was created by kriseattle22. We find this piece of furniture to be rather impressive for several reasons. One reason would be how it keeps everything so neat and tidy, with the pretty consoles all lined up nicely, and the controllers hung up at the side of the cabinet in an orderly fashion, just waiting to be picked up. So yeah, with this thing, you won't have to worry too much about your couch eating your controllers anymore.

Next, we love the ventilation on this cabinet. Not only do the consoles get to prettily sit on an elevated platform to keep the bottoms aired, but the maker has also fitted some LED fans on either side of each console to keep it nice and cool.

Now what else could we have asked for with this design? Hmm... probably a system to keep all of the wires out of sight as well.

More images after the jump!

With Nintendo making a big splash with the DS this year, the return of the most popular Nintendo icon - Mario - is but inevitable. With the plump plumber coming a very long way since his FamiCom days, it only seems fitting that he grace the twin screens of the DS as well.

However, some people with formidable Lego collections (and a bit of too much time) just can't wait at all. Using various Lego pieces, one aspiring film maker - who goes by the name of James Whitehead - has resorted to stop animation to recreate Stage 1-1 (or at least a part of it) of the classic Super Mario Brothers game. Whether there have been requests for additional goombas or for a take on Stage 1-2 as well, is yet to be known.