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It is with a heavy heart that we bring you this special weekend report. When PopSci’s Wii arrived last week, it didn’t spend too much time in the box. Ripped open without any hesitation, our little Wii gave us a long Friday’s worth of furious Wii Sports and Excite Truck action at PopSci HQ. But then, it was time for it to go off to a photo shoot, where its fate would be sealed.

The plan was simple: carefully disassemble the little white box and controllers for a detailed inside look, then re-assemble it with ease and get back to where we left off, working up a sweat bludgeoning our little cartoon selves in Wii Sports Boxing. But the Wii proved to be one tough nut to crack. Due to Nintendo’s special proprietary screws, we had to resort to brute force. And in the process of doing so, our precious white beacon of joy was rendered unplayable, forever.

But in the interest of making the best of a decidedly horrific situation, we figured it best to finish the job with a full, heart-wrenching disassembly. Here we bring you a visual record of our Wii’s autopsy— put on your recording of bagpipes playing “Taps,” get out your hankies, and click here to launch the gallery. Sniff. —John Mahoney

The broken optical drive was what caused this whole mess in the first place. It's connected to the main board with a single ribbon

by John Mahoney

The broken optical drive was what caused this whole mess in the first place. It’s connected to the main board with a single ribbon
The main board is seperated from the optical drive by a metal plate

by John Mahoney

The main board is seperated from the optical drive by a metal plate
Rear view of the cooling fan and A/V, power and USB ports

by John Mahoney

Rear view of the cooling fan and A/V, power and USB ports
Heartbreaking, isn't it? The external shell and front piece come off

by John Mahoney

Heartbreaking, isn’t it? The external shell and front piece come off
Closer look at the Wii drive.

by John Mahoney

Closer look at the Wii drive.
A closer look at the Wi-Fi module with antenna leads connected

by John Mahoney

A closer look at the Wi-Fi module with antenna leads connected
All done. An overview of the damage

by John Mahoney

All done. An overview of the damage
A closer look at the main chipset (after removing the thermal grease). The codenames are stamped on the surface

by John Mahoney

A closer look at the main chipset (after removing the thermal grease). The codenames are stamped on the surface
Wi-Fi antennas come off

by John Mahoney

Wi-Fi antennas come off
The heatsink is removed, revealing the main IBM "Broadway" processor and the ATI "Hollywood" graphics chip

by John Mahoney

The heatsink is removed, revealing the main IBM “Broadway” processor and the ATI “Hollywood” graphics chip
The Wi-Fi module with thermal grease. The SD card slot is also visible.

by John Mahoney

The Wi-Fi module with thermal grease. The SD card slot is also visible.
The fins of the metal heatsink. It may not be the most powerful chipset, but it still needs to stay cool

by John Mahoney

The fins of the metal heatsink. It may not be the most powerful chipset, but it still needs to stay cool
The other Wi-Fi antenna is on the other side

by John Mahoney

The other Wi-Fi antenna is on the other side
The metal plate comes off, revealing the main logic board

by John Mahoney

The metal plate comes off, revealing the main logic board
One of two Wi-Fi antennas at the back of the console, mounted vertically

by John Mahoney

One of two Wi-Fi antennas at the back of the console, mounted vertically
Console Gaming
Gaming
Photography