# Connect your game

mk8u.de's 3D view shows courses, ghosts and races. The **original graphics, intro flight, karts, drivers and music** are part of Mario Kart 8 – these files belong to Nintendo, so mk8u.de does not hand them out. Instead your browser builds them from **your own copy** of the game.

- The game files stay on your device. Nothing of them is uploaded to mk8u.de.
- What is built stays stored in your browser. After that you only need your game for courses not built yet.
- Without a connected game the 3D view shows the course as a plain surface and the racers as dots.

You connect it in the 3D view with the **"Your game"** button (controller icon) or by choosing **"Course: original graphics"**.

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## Option 1: Straight from the Wii U (with the plugin)

Easiest if you use the **mk8logger plugin** (v0.40.00 or newer). The Wii U hands the running game's files to your browser in your home network.

1. Start **Mario Kart 8** on the Wii U.
2. In the game, open the Aroma menu (**L + D-Pad Down + SELECT**) → *Mario Kart 8 Logger*.
3. Switch on **"Share game files with mk8u.de (home network)"** and close the menu. A notice with the **address** and **code** stays in the top left until mk8u.de has connected, e.g. `address 192.168.0.20, code 482913` (the next time you open the menu they are also shown below the switch).
4. On mk8u.de: 3D view → **Your game** → *Straight from the Wii U*: enter address and code → **Connect**.
5. A small window of the Wii U opens. **Keep it open** while building.

Notes:

- Device and Wii U must be in the **same network** (same Wi-Fi/router).
- Allow pop-ups for mk8u.de if your browser blocks the window.
- The code is new each time you switch it on. Sharing ends when you switch it off or quit the game. Without the code the Wii U gives nothing, and it only ever gives game files.
- The first build takes a little longer over the network (a course some seconds, all karts up to a few minutes).

## Option 2: Cemu file (.wua)

If you play Mario Kart 8 with **Cemu** and have your game as a `.wua` (best with update and DLC in it):

1. 3D view → **Your game** → *Cemu file (.wua)* → **Choose .wua file**.
2. Pick the file – done.

Chrome and Edge remember the file; next time a click on **"Allow the game files chosen last again"** is enough. Other browsers ask again when a course not built yet is needed.

## Option 3: Dump folder

A folder with the game's **`content`** folder somewhere inside:

- **Dumpling** (Wii U homebrew): dump game, update and DLC; on the SD card they are under `wiiu/dumps/…`. Copy them to your computer.
- **Cemu**: the folder `mlc01/usr/title` (with `00050000/1010ec00`, `0005000e/1010ec00`, `0005000c/1010ec00` in it – other numbers for other regions).

Then: 3D view → **Your game** → *Dump folder* → **Choose folder** and pick the top folder. Game, update and DLC may lie side by side; the update wins over the base game.

> iPhone and iPad cannot pick folders – use the `.wua` or the Wii U there.

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## What happens with the data?

- The browser reads only the files it needs for the course, the karts or the music you want, and builds 3D models, textures and sounds from them.
- The result is stored in **this browser** on **this device** (IndexedDB). On another device or browser, connect your game there again.
- A course takes about 7–16 MB, all karts about 90 MB, a piece of music about 10–20 MB.
- **Delete:** in the "Your game" dialog → **Delete stored courses**, or via your browser's site data.

### Allow persistent storage

Without permission a browser may delete the stored courses again, e.g. when storage runs low – then you have to connect your game again and everything is built anew. So after the first build mk8u.de asks for **persistent storage**:

- **Firefox** asks: "Allow mk8u.de to store data in persistent storage?" → **Allow**. If you declined: lock icon in the address bar → *Permissions* → *Store data in persistent storage* → tick "Allow".
- **Chrome and Edge** do not ask but decide themselves – usually yes for sites you visit often, bookmarked or installed as an app (mk8u.de can be installed via the browser menu, *Install app*).
- **Safari (iPhone, iPad, Mac)** deletes site data when you do not visit mk8u.de for **7 days**. Fix: add mk8u.de via *Share → Add to Home Screen* and open it from there.
- **Private / incognito window:** everything is gone when the window closes.

## Wii U GamePad as controller

When you **drive yourself** in the 3D view you can use the Wii U GamePad as controller – buttons, sticks and **steering by tilting like in the game** (full lock at 26°). This needs the plugin **v0.42.00** or newer.

1. Switch on **"Share game files with mk8u.de (home network)"** as above (Mario Kart 8 running, best left in the main menu).
2. On mk8u.de: 3D view → **Drive** → row *Wii U GamePad*: enter address and code → **Connect**.
3. A small window of the Wii U opens; it shows the buttons pressed and the tilt. **Keep it open** (it may lie behind the browser).
4. The controls switch to **"Tilt the Wii U GamePad"**. Rather steer with the stick? Choose *keyboard/controller* – the GamePad counts there like any controller.

While the GamePad controls mk8u.de, **Mario Kart 8 ignores it** (a notice says so in the top left). The plugin menu (L + D-pad down + SELECT) still works. With **Disconnect**, when the small window closes or when you leave the mk8u.de page, the game gets the GamePad back.

## Which version?

Most complete with the **update (v4.2) and all DLC**. Without DLC the DLC courses and karts are missing; without the update some karts and course changes. All regions (EU, US, JP) work.

## Problems?

| Message / problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| "These are not Mario Kart 8 files" | Pick the folder with `content` (with `course` and `data` in it), or a folder above it. |
| "No answer from the Wii U" | Is MK8 running with plugin v0.40.00 or newer? Is sharing on? Are address and code right? Same network? |
| The Wii U window says "The code is wrong" | Use the code shown in the menu now – it changes each time you switch sharing on. |
| A course does not load | Open the "Your game" dialog and check it is still connected; pick the source again if needed. |