So we've been assured by Nintendo that Virtual Console/WiiWare stuff will transfer from Wii to Wii U. All well and good, since these are games that we paid for and it would be outrageous to expect us to buy them again, and this isn't without precedent, given the DSi to 3DS transfer tool

But there is something worrying in the DSi->3DS transfer tool: the tool does not allow save data to transfer. Now, this is understandable, because the DSi is crackable while the 3DS is not, and if DSiWare save data could be tampered with, then you could import something similar to the Twilight Hack and then the floodgates are open. Disappointing, but understandable. Now, of course, the Wii is crackable, and there's lots of stuff in people's Wii System Memory that probably doesn't "belong" there (i know i have game saves for Zangeki no Reginliev, the Japanese version of Kirby Returns to Dreamland, and an old Twilight Hack floating around), and what if more .elf or .boot files could be made, something that could be put on the Wii, exported to Wii U, to crack the latter hardware? Certainly a worthy reason for Nintendo to shut down any no-questions-asked save data transfer idea.

In my mind, there are three routes Nintendo can take here

1: No save data transfers period, which is gonna piss off a lot of people. How can we play Smash Bros on our Wii U's for the 1-2 years it'll take the new Smash Bros to get here, but all be expected to unlock all the characters/stages again? And this only scratches the surface of games that require significant investment that would be basically ruined in the crossover.

2: All Save Data transfers if your system is "clean," but none transfers if the transfer program detects any modifications to any data in memory (and trust me, just uninstalling the HomeBrew Channel doesn't clean things out completely), which will piss off anyone with a modded Wii, but Nintendo would have a bit of a leg to stand on from a "we told you so" perspective

3: More sophisticated transfer program figures out what's legit and what isn't, and only "clean" data goes across.

What do you think will happen?

Wait? Where was the article that confirmed transfer of games? I could have sworn the article I read said saves would be included. I'll try to find that because I'm pretty sure they said that. Also, SD card transfers for most data could work. As for the online data, you could sync you wii up to the wiiu, which could alow for the transfer of online profiles right?

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/351969/wiiware-vc-and-wii-saves-will-be-transferable-to-wii-u/

"Nintendo has confirmed plans to allow Wii U users to transfer their Wii Virtual Console purchases and Wii game saves to its new, backwards compatible console."

Nothing to worry about.

hahaha.

Besides, I recall being able to take an SD card, put it into my PC, toss a downloaded save onto it, then put it into my Wii and play that save.

Of course, that was years ago. Did that disable that as a way to disable the Twilight Princess hack?

Huh. I must not've read the part about "saves"

Though my point stands. There will have to be a stinger in there somewhere. Either way, i'll edit the OP.

I better be able to play Brawl with my same save data. I would just hate to have to start over after the time I've put into that game. And Mario Kart Wii, I don't think that data can transfer on the Wii either

No, they can't. Which will raise a whole raft of questions about whether this transferability is universal, for one, and whether or not Wii online games (or their onlien functionality, at any rate) will run on the Wii U, and if so, how?

As far as transferring Wii saves to an SD card, you can do that with any game that makes zero use of the Internet.  Any game with online play cannot be transferred.  I assume it has something to do with how Friend Codes work or something.

However, Nintendo will probably institute a special type of transfer that allows you to bring these saves over.  They don't want people to have any excuse to delay in buying the new system.

The DBZ game that had online let you backup your save. It just didn't copy the WFC info stored in the file. Yet Nintendo couldn't do that with important games...

Pretty sweet though I'm not sure I'll even bother. I have a ton of PSP games that I put on my PSV and I didn't bother to transfer one single save. I'm just playing them over again.