Nintendo of America

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Wii Shop Channel

 

The Wii Shop Channel allows you to download Virtual Console games, purchase and redeem Wii Points, and obtain other downloads (subject to availability). A broadband internet connection is required.

Click here or scroll down to read Important Notes about the Wii Shop Channel and the use of Wii Points.

What sort of information do you need?

Accessing the Wii Shop Channel
Wii Points:
Purchasing Wii Points
Redeeming Wii Points Cards  
Viewing available Wii Points
Virtual Console Games:
Controller requirements  
Using the Classic Controller
Playing Virtual Console games  
Additional Information:
End User License Agreements and Privacy Policies
Linking a My Nintendo account to a Wii Shop account
Games or downloads that appear as "Updated" on the Wii Shop Channel
Erasing Wii Shop Channel information
     

 

    Important Notes about the Wii Shop Channel and the use of Wii Points

  • Points have no monetary value and cannot be redeemed for cash. All points and software downloads are only for use on a single Wii console and are non-refundable and non-transfereable.

  • A maximum number of unused Points can be stored on one Wii console.

  • Additional hardware accessories may be required to use Wii software downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel and are sold separately.

  • Software downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel is licensed to you, not sold.

  • When purchasing Wii points through the Wii Shop Channel, do not input any punctuation, such as periods, commas, and apostrophes into the street, city, or county fields. For instance, "St. Clair Ave" would be "St Clair Ave" when entered.

  • Wii Points are subject to a User Agreement, which may be viewed by clicking here.

  • Points cards are valid for use in the United States and Canada only and Points are only redeemable for downloading software or purchasing goods offered on the Wii Shop Channel.

  • If your Parental Controls are set to restrict use of Points, you will be able to purchase Wii Points using a credit card but use of these Wii Points will be restricted by your Parental Controls setting.

    • ^ Back to Top of Page

 

 

 

 

Accessing the the Wii Shop Channel:

  1. Ensure that your Wii console is connected to the internet. If you need assistance getting your Wii console online, click here.

  2. Select the Wii Shop Channel on the Wii Menu.

  3. If you have not previously access the Wii Shop Channel, you will need to read and agree to the User Agreement. For information on locating the User Agreement, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchasing Wii Points

In the Wii Shop Channel you can use Wii Points to download additional features and items, such as selected titles of your favorite classic NES, Super NES, Nintendo 64, and TurboGrafx games (subject to availability).

There are two ways to purchase Wii Points:

  • Purchase Wii Points through the Wii Shop Channel:
    Using a Visa, or MasterCard, you can purchase Wii Points through your Wii console using the Wii Shop Channel's secure servers. To purchase Wii Points through the Wii Shop Channel:
    1. Access the Wii Shop Channel through the Wii console's Channel menu.
    2. If this is your first time using the Wii Shop Channel, read the User Agreement and click "I agree" if you understand and agree to the terms. Click "Okay" after reading the Wii Shop description.
    3. Once on the "Welcome to Wii Shop Channel" screen, select "Start Shopping."
    4. Click the "Add Wii Points" button.
    5. Select "Buy Wii Points with a Credit Card."
    6. Select the amount of Wii Points you would like to purchase. (Please note there is a maximum number of points that can be available on each Wii console.)
    7. Select the credit card type you would like to use to buy Wii Points. The Wii Shop accepts Visa, or MasterCard.
    8. Enter the credit card number, expiration date, and three digit security code. Select "OK" when finished.
    9. Enter your city, state, zip, and county. Click "okay" to continue. Please do not input any punctuation, such as periods, commas, and apostrophes into the street, city, or county fields. For instance, "St. Clair Ave" would be "St Clair Ave" when entered.
    10. Review the purchase details on the confirmation screen, and select "Yes" when finished.
    11. Once the purchase is processed, a confirmation screen will appear indicating that Wii Points were added to your Wii Shop account.

      12. > Troubleshooting (Errors, unable to download, etc.)

  • Purchase a Wii Points Card at a participating retailer:
    Many retail stores that sell Nintendo products also sell Wii Points Cards. These cards come with Wii Points already on them. The amount of Wii Points on a card are displayed on the front of every card. For information on redeeming a Wii Points Card, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

Reedeming Wii Points Cards

Many retail stores that sell Nintendo products also sell Wii Points Cards. These cards come with Wii Points already on them.

To redeem a Wii Points Card:

  1. Access the Wii Shop Channel through the Wii console's Channel menu.
  2. If this is your first time using the Wii Shop Channel, read the User Agreement and click "I agree" if you understand and agree to the terms. Click "Okay" after reading the Wii Shop description
  3. Once on the "Welcome to Wii Shop Channel" screen, select "Start Shopping."
  4. Click the "Add Wii Points" button.
  5. Select "Redeem Wii Points Card."
  6. Scratch off the silver area on the back of the Wii Points Card to reveal the Wii Point Card's activation number.
  7. Enter the activation number into the space on the screen.
  8. Select "OK" to continue.
  9. If you want to redeem the card, select "Redeem".
  10. Once the purchase is processed, a confirmation screen will appear indicating that Wii Points were added to your Wii Shop account.

> Troubleshooting (Errors, unable to download, etc.)

 

 

 

Viewing Your Available Wii Points

Wii Points are used to download content from the Wii Shop, and are stored on your Wii console.

 

To view your available Wii Points:

  1. Access the Wii Shop Channel through the Wii console's Channel menu.
  2. Once on the "Welcome to Wii Shop Channel" screen, select "Start Shopping."
  3. Your current Wii Points balance will be displayed in blue, near the bottom of the screen.

> Troubleshooting (Errors, unable to download, etc.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Controller Requirements for Virtual Console Games

Virtual Console games available for download on the Wii Shop Channel span many different home console systems, and are published by many different companies. Because each console and game can have their own unique controller needs, it is important to understand what the controller requirements are before downloading a game.

When browsing games on the Wii Shop Channel, you can see which controllers are compatible with the game you are browsing. Please make sure you have at least one of the controllers shown on the game's page of the Wii Shop Channel. The following controller icons can appear in the Wii Shop:
Wii-Remote: When held horizontally, the Wii Remote is a great way to play NES and other compatible games.
Classic Controller (sold separately): The Classic Controller attaches to the Wii Remote and can enable play for many different game types.
Nintendo GameCube Controller (sold separately): Inserting a Nintendo GameCube Controller or Wave Bird wireless controller into the available controller slots on the system will enable game play for many types of Virtual Console games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing Virtual Console Games

Once you have downloaded a Virtual Console game from the Wii Shop, it will appear as a channel within the Wii Channel menu. Please note that you must have a compatible controller type to play Virtual Console games (click here for more information).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erasing Wii Shop Account

Note: You should format your Wii Shop Channel and Wii console's system memory prior to selling or otherwise transferring your Wii console to any third party. (For information about privacy and the protection of your personal information, click here.)

To clear information from the Wii Shop Channel, including records of your transactions and rights to download software:

  1. Access the Wii Shop Channel.
  2. Select "Settings" from the list of options.
  3. Select "Remove Wii Shop Channel Account."

Once completed, all information will be erased.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linking a My Nintendo Account to a Wii Shop Account

Linking your My Nintendo account to your Wii Shop account as several benefits, such as automatically registering any downloaded Virtual Console games. Doing so can unlock some great exclusive rewards from Nintendo.com (such as wallpapers, screen savers, etc.).

In order to link a My Nintendo account, you must first create one on Nintendo.com. Please visit https://my.nintendo.com for more information about My Nintendo and to sign up (if eligible).

To link a My Nintendo Account to a Wii Shop Account:

  1. Access the Wii Shop Channel through the Wii console.
  2. Select "Settings" from the list of options.
  3. Select "Link Your My Nintendo Membership."
  4. Enter your My Nintendo account's Username and Password.
  5. Click "Link" to complete the process.

 

 

 

 

 

Games or downloads that appear as "Updated" on the Wii Shop Channel

Occassionally you may find some Wii Shop Channel downloads, such as a particular Virtual Console game, listed with the text "udpated." This means there has been a change made to the actual item. Updates can be anything from fixes of known issues, to added features or other improvements.

Users who have already downloaded the item before the update was posted can simply re-download the item at no additional cost in Wii Shop points. Please note that downloading an updated Virtual Console game will not affect any previously saved game data, such as progress through a game or high score.