Wii vs Wii U: Which Cables and Power Supplies Fit Which Console?

The Wii and the Wii U look like relatives and sound like relatives, and that is exactly why they are the most common mix-up we see on Nintendo orders. The two consoles take completely different power supplies, and the Wii U adds a second charger for its GamePad. The good news is that the AV cable and the sensor bar are shared between them. This guide sets out which lead fits which console — and gives you a thirty-second way to check before you order.

Not sure which one you have? The Cable Finder walks you through it in four taps.

First: which console do you actually have?

You don't need a model number for this. Two quick checks will tell you.

Read the output printed on your old power supply. The original Wii supply is rated 12V DC 3.7A. The Wii U console supply is 15V DC 5A. And if you are holding a smaller adaptor rated 4.75V 1.6A, that is not a console supply at all — that is the Wii U GamePad charger.

Or look at your controller. If your main controller is a large GamePad that plugs into the wall to charge, you have a Wii U. If every controller in the box is a Wii Remote, you have an original Wii.

One more thing worth knowing: for cable purposes, RVL-001 (the original Wii), RVL-101 (the Wii Family Edition) and RVL-201 (the Wii Mini) all count as “original Wii”. If you have seen an RVL code on your console, you are in the Wii family, not the Wii U family.

Power supplies: these two are not interchangeable

This is the mistake that costs people the most time, so it is worth being blunt about it. The Wii and Wii U supplies use a different connector and a different voltage. Neither one will safely run the other console, and no adaptor bridges the gap.

The original Wii power supply delivers 12V DC 3.7A over a 220cm lead with an Australian plug and strain-relief at both ends. Its wide 100–250V input means an imported Wii runs on Australian mains with no converter, and it fits every original Wii sold worldwide.

The Wii U power supply is a different unit entirely: a regulated 15V DC 5A output on a 2m lead, with a genuine AU 3-pin plug and 100–240V input, so locally bought PAL consoles and imported NTSC units from the USA or Japan both run here without a converter.

The Wii U needs a second charger — for the GamePad

This catches people who already have a working console supply. The Wii U GamePad charges from its own mains adaptor, rated 4.75V 1.6A — nothing like the 15V 5A the console itself takes.

If your Wii U powers on but the GamePad will not charge, the part you need is the Wii U GamePad AC charger, not the console power supply. It runs about 2m with moulded strain-relief at both ends, and its 100–240V input covers GamePads from every region — AU, EU, US and JP.

AV cable: one lead covers the whole family

Here the news is much better. Every Wii-family console, including the Wii U, uses the same proprietary AV multi-out port, so a single composite RCA AV cable fits the original Wii (RVL-001), the Wii Family Edition (RVL-101), the Wii Mini (RVL-201) and the Wii U alike. It is a direct replacement for Nintendo's own RVL-009 lead, runs 1.8 metres, and splits into three gold-plated RCA plugs: yellow for composite video, red and white for stereo audio.

One catch to check before you order: your TV needs the coloured composite inputs, usually labelled “AV IN”. If your set is HDMI-only, you will need a Wii-to-HDMI adaptor instead — our guide to connecting a retro console to a modern TV walks through the options.

Sensor bar: also shared, and also extendable

The sensor bar port is the same on the Wii and the Wii U, so a wired infrared sensor bar works with either console — and with the Wii Mini too. It powers from the console itself, so there are no batteries and nothing to pair: plug it in and the Wii Remote starts tracking. The 3 metre cable reaches a wall-mounted or set-back TV, and the adjustable pivot base lets you angle the bar towards where you actually sit, which most fixed-bracket replacements cannot do.

If the console sits inside a cabinet, across a large room, or you are running a projector, a 3 metre sensor bar extension cable plugs in between the console and the bar. It works with official and third-party wired bars on both the Wii and the Wii U, and you can link two together for six metres of extra reach.

Quick reference

Original Wii (RVL-001 / 101 / 201): 12V 3.7A power supply · shared AV cable · shared sensor bar.
Wii U: 15V 5A console power supply · plus a 4.75V 1.6A GamePad charger · shared AV cable · shared sensor bar.
Shared between both: the composite AV cable, the sensor bar, and the sensor bar extension.
Never shared: the console power supplies.

Shop Wii & Wii U parts at Console Mate

Everything above is held in stock in Australia with same-day dispatch before 2pm, a 12-month warranty and 30-day returns. Browse the Wii range or the Wii U range, or read our wider guide to Nintendo console power supplies in Australia. Still not certain which console you have? Send us a photo of the console and its old power supply through the contact page and we will match the right lead before you order.