How can I legally try Wii games before buying them?
Solution 1:
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. Copyright laws differ per jurisdiction. What I've stated below is the norm in most countries.
Downloading a ROM is illegal. No matter whether you own it, or whether you only keep it for a few hours, it is always piracy.
See the Nintendo FAQ on the matter for more information.
In case you don't trust Nintendo because they are partial to the subject, the WIPO Copyright Treaty explicitly prohibits circumvention of technological measures and unauthorised modification of rights management information in articles 11 and 12.
As for your second question, there are a few options you could try. Like Martin suggested, you could try going into a game shop and see if they have a console you can try it on.
There are also options to rent a game instead of buying it, and you can always buy it again afterwards.
Alternatively, if you are committed to circumventing copy protection in order to play illegal copies of video games, might I suggest moving to Monaco. On balance, it is a far more desirable place to end up than say, Nigeria.
Solution 2:
I'm fairly sure from my view on this, that it would be illegal in most countries, as you are not the legal owner of the content to begin with. It does sound morally right to delete it and then buy it if you like it, but at the same time it's not legal. There are some solutions for it though:
- Rent it. There are still video stores out there that will rent a game for perhaps $5 a week or so.
- Play N' Trade. This store is only in the US, but they have tons of TVs and consoles set up so you can TRY before you buy. I think it's awesome.
- Ask around with friends! Social networking may help with this, just drop a post on Facebook/Google+/Twitter/Whatever you use.
Solution 3:
Check your local public library. More and more libraries these days are offering games for checkout. And it's probably free as long as you return it on time. Some libraries may require a deposit to borrow games/systems.
Solution 4:
Gamefly? Rent from a brick store, if you can find one still standing.