Wii Shop Channel

The Wii Shop Channel is a service for the Wii video game console that allows users to download Virtual Console games and WiiWare content. Downloading may require redeeming Nintendo Points, which can be obtained by purchasing Wii Points Cards from retail outlets or directly through the Wii Shop Channel using MasterCard or Visa credit cards online. The service became available with the Wii launch on November 19, 2006.

Recently, Club Nintendo in Europe and America are offering virtual Nintendo Points cards in various values in exchange for the "stars" received from registering games and consoles on the website.

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The software downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel is saved onto the Wii console's internal memory. After a download is completed, the new software appears on the Wii Menu in the form of an additional channel. Software can be backed up to SD cards, but they can only be saved directly onto the Wii's flash memory when downloading.

Virtual Console

The Virtual Console allows users to download games from previous Nintendo systems such as the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Nintendo 64, and non-Nintendo systems such as the Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, TurboGrafx-16, MSX, Neo Geo and Commodore 64 (which is available only in Europe).

New games are added to the Virtual Console lineup on Mondays at 12:00PM ET/9:00AM PT in North America, on Tuesdays in Japan and South Korea, on Fridays at 12:00AM CET in Europe (one hour later during Daylight Savings Time) and in Australia & New Zealand at 9:00AM & 11:00AM AEST respectively.

Imported Titles

In Europe and North America, the Virtual Console features several import titles which were not previously made available in those respective territories. These games cost 100-200 more points than the normal price due to their import status and some translation work.

WiiWare

The WiiWare sections specializes on software specifically designed for the Wii. This includes both games and applications such as additional Channels, which are given their own separate sections in the Wii Shop Channel.

The first WiiWare games, such as TV Show King and Dr. Mario Online Rx, were made available on March 25, 2008 in Japan [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6187517.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;1 Gamespot] ] , in North America on May 12, 2008, [cite web |author= |title=UPDATE 1-Nintendo rolls out Wii fitness game product |date=2008-02-20 |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSN2034720820080220 |accessdate=2008-02-21] and in Europe on May 20, 2008. [cite web |author=Nintendo of Europe |title=Nintendo announces Q2 release schedule |date=2008-04-24 |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/2008/nintendo_announces_q2_release_schedule_7920.html |accessdate=2008-04-24]

WiiWare was previously known as Wii Software in Europe.

Downloading

During downloads, an 8-bit Mario runs across the screen collecting coins, representing the download's progress. Every 33%, Mario will hit one of the three blocks on the screen. The third and final block is a multi-coin block that Mario will stand under and continue to hit from 99% until the download is complete. Each coin represents approximately one percent, but the accuracy can be thrown off by exceedingly fast download of smaller files. Pressing the A button will make Mario shoot fire balls if he is Fire Mario. Sometimes, Luigi appears in place of Mario, or both Mario and Luigi will swim across the screen. There are six different animations, some appearing more often than others.

Wii Shop Channel Updates

Starting the update on February 16, 2007, Nintendo of Europe/Australia sometimes adds another extra piece of news, of which the title is disguised an ASCII face. These link to articles called the Warp Zone, which feature highly detailed background information and tips and tricks for a newly added game. Warp Zone articles are only about games on Nintendo consoles.

Starting the update on March 30, 2007, Nintendo of Europe/Australia adds separate news articles for every new game added in an update to the Wii Shop's front page. These contain some more information on the games. Previously, all new games in an update would be announced in a single piece of news (with the exceptions of some flagship titles, such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time), with very little background information. This was added to the North American Wii Shop Channel on May 14, 2007.

August 6, 2007: The Wii Shop Channel's interface was heavily updated. Four "Recommended Titles" are placed on the Wii Shop Channel's splash page where they can be easily accessed, with new titles and prices indicated. The welcome screen has a new look. Games are now categorized by System, Genre, or Publisher, and a number of games in that category is shown. Users can now search for a specific game using a text box.

December 10, 2007: Ability to send software as gifts to Wii Friends. Along with this update, European Wii owners were given the ability to exchange points collected on the Nintendo of Europe website ("Stars") for Wii Points. Redesigned Wii Menu icon, which includes a previously absent title, also scrolling headlines of a new release and a picture above it.

March 20, 2008: Wii Shop Channel updated in order to access WiiWare games coming out in the Spring.

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