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Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC) was an online
multiplayer gaming service run by
Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible
Nintendo DS and
Wii games. The service included the company's
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and game ...
and
DSi Shop
The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony's ...
game download services. It also ran features for the
Wii and
Nintendo DS systems.
Games designed to take advantage of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection offered Internet play integrated into the game. When promoting this service, Nintendo emphasized the simplicity and speed of starting an online game. For example, in ''
Mario Kart DS
''Mario Kart DS'' is a 2005 kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD Group No. 1 and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on De ...
'', an online game was initiated by selecting the online multiplayer option from the main menu, then choosing whether to play with friends, or to play with other gamers (either in the local region or worldwide) at about the same skill level. After a selection was made, the game started searching for an available player.
On January 26, 2012, it was announced by Nintendo during an investors' meeting that the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service would be succeeded by and absorbed into
Nintendo Network
The Nintendo Network is Nintendo's online service which provides online functionality for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems and their compatible games. Announced on January 26, 2012 at an investors' conference, it is Nintendo's second online s ...
. This new online system would eventually unify the 3DS and Wii U platforms and replace Friend Codes, while providing paid downloadable content, an online community style multiplayer system, and personal accounts. Nintendo Network is fully supported on the
Nintendo 3DS and on the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
, whilst still continuing providing partial legacy support for both Wii and Nintendo DS under the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection brand. Specifically, the Wii U can boot to Wii mode and then access the
Wii Message Board
The Wii Menu is the graphical shell of the Wii and Wii U game console, as part of the Wii system software. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", are ...
messages which have been recorded by the gameplay progress of compatible local games, but it cannot send Wii Message Board messages remotely between different machines.
On May 20, 2014 at 07:30 PM PT, Nintendo ended the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service (WFC) for all games, except for Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection pay and play branded games, Nintendo DSi Shop services (which were terminated on March 31, 2017), and Nintendo Wii Shop Channel services (ended on January 30, 2019).
Launch
On November 14, 2005, the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was deployed, having been developed under the direct supervision of company president Satoru Iwata. Nintendo's Takao Ohara lamented that Nintendo's long history of online strategies had each quit due to unexpectedly insufficient userbases, but that the Wi-Fi Connection had in four months garnered 2.9 million connections from over one million unique users. To achieve the goal of a truly sustainable online userbase with the most-used network service in the world, Ohara described a new strategy for identifying and relieving four main barriers. The proposed four barriers are difficult setup procedures, the psychological barrier preventing newcomers from joining in games, the unpleasantness of receiving abuse from other players, and the cost barrier. The company's proposed online strategy at this point was called "simple, safe, free". Nintendo believed that the online platform's success directly propelled the commercial success of the entire Nintendo DS platform. The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection then served as part of the basis of what would become the Wii.
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection architecture
Services and apps discontinued prior to May 20, 2014:
*
Wii no Ma
(Wiiの間) was a Wii channel that featured a video-on-demand, film rental and shopping service operated by Nintendo and Dentsu.
It was released on 1 May 2009, exclusively in Japan, and it could be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel for f ...
- ceased operations on April 30, 2012.
*
Kirby TV Channel - ceased operations in October 2012.
* As Nintendo terminated the
WiiConnect24 service worldwide on June 28, 2013,
the following Wii Channels have been consequently closed:
**
Nintendo Channel
The Wii Menu is the graphical shell of the Wii and Wii U game console, as part of the Wii system software. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", a ...
**
Forecast Channel
**
News Channel
News broadcasting is the medium of broadcasting various news events and other information via television, radio, or the internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or telev ...
**
Check Mii Out Channel
The Check Mii Out Channel, known as the in Europe, Oceania and Japan and Canal Miirame in Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, was a channel for the Nintendo Wii that allowed players to share their digital avatars, called Miis, and ent ...
**
Everybody Votes Channel
The Everybody Votes Channel was a Wii Menu channel that allowed users to vote in simple opinion polls and compare and contrast opinions with those of friends, family and voters around the globe.
The Everybody Votes Channel was available on Februa ...
** Digicam Print Channel
* Flipnote Studio was replaced by Flipnote Studio 3D on June 1, 2013.
* The
Pokémon Global Link
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of what each of those c ...
for fifth generation Pokémon games - phased out between October 1, 2013 and January 14, 2014 inclusively.
Features
The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was developed to be easy to connect to, safe for everyone to use, and free. Games designed to take advantage of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection offered Internet play integrated into the game. The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection supported up to sixteen players on the Nintendo DS and thirty-two players on the Wii. Basic features of the Wi-Fi Connection included worldwide matchmaking, leaderboards, tournaments. Additional features were available between friends who exchanged Friend Codes.
Friend Codes
Each game that used the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection generated a unique twelve-digit Friend Code that could be exchanged with friends and be used to maintain individual friend lists in each game. Though certain games could be played online without a Friend Code, a Friend Code was required to play with a specific person. Friend Codes were generated from an identifier unique to a copy of a game and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection ID of a DS or Wii system. Using a different copy of a game or loading the same copy in a different system generated a new Friend Code.
If users wanted to become "Friends", they had to mutually add Friend Codes and be authenticated as Friends once both of them were online. Nintendo introduced these features as conscious steps to preserve users' privacy. If a DS or Wii game was sold, but not the system, there was no risk of the purchaser impersonating the seller. If a user needed to replace his or her DS system, then the old system's Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection ID could be transferred wirelessly, in order to maintain the user's original Friend Codes on the new machine. Some games required that the user had to use Friend Codes to use any online functionality.
Many games have additional features that are enabled between registered friends. These may include customized matchmaking options, cooperative play, friend lists, text chat, and voice chat.
Certain Wii games use the 16-digit Wii Number to share some data passively between mutually registered users via
WiiConnect24 instead of using independent Friend Codes. Although, some of these games may use both the 16-digit Wii Number and its own 12-digit Friend Code, depending on whether the online connectivity requires either passive data-sharing or active multiplaying respectively.
Through internal design documents inadvertently leaked in May 2020, Nintendo had chosen to use the 12 digit Friend Codes over more common screen names as the company feared that there could be conflict with people with the same screen name, and it would be potentially easy to guess at a person's screen name which created issues with privacy concerns.
Pay & Play
In 2008, Nintendo announced a new feature for the Wi-Fi Connection called Pay & Play. Games that used the Pay & Play feature had additional
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
(DLC) or services that required extra fees. These fees were paid for using
Nintendo Points
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and gam ...
. A special red Wi-Fi Connection logo with the words "Pay & Play" was used to distinguish these games from the regular free Wi-Fi games.
The first games to feature Pay & Play were released in Japan as part of
WiiWare
WiiWare was a service that allowed Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii ...
on the March 25, 2008. ''
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King'', ''
Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Wii'' and ''Lonpos'' each had downloadable content available for 100 to 800 Wii Points. The first retail Wii titles to feature Pay & Play functionality are ''
Samba de Amigo
is a rhythm game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. The game was released in arcades in December 1999, and for the Dreamcast video game console in 2000. A port for the Wii was also developed by Gearbox Software and Escalation Studio ...
'', ''
Guitar Hero World Tour
''Guitar Hero World Tour'' (initially referred to as ''Guitar Hero IV'' or ''Guitar Hero IV: World Tour'') is a music rhythm video game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. It is the fourth main installment in the ''Guitar Hero'' ...
'' and ''
Rock Band 2''.
WiiConnect24
WiiConnect24 was a feature for Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection that was shut down on June 28, 2013. WiiConnect24 was a feature of the Wii that allowed the system to be connected to the Internet even when the console was in standby mode. Games and channels that utilized WiiConnect24 could send and receive data even while the game was not being played. Players who wished to send data to friends only needed to register each other's Wii System Code and not individual Friend Codes. Players could also send messages to their friends using WiiConnect24 from the Wii Message Board. When a message was received, the Wii's disc slot glowed blue. WiiConnect24 is succeeded by
SpotPass
SpotPass and StreetPass are communication systems first introduced in the Nintendo 3DS. SpotPass was later incorporated into the Nintendo 2DS, models of the New 3DS and New 2DS, and Wii U game consoles. SpotPass delivers content from the Intern ...
for newer Nintendo consoles.
BBC iPlayer
On April 9, 2008, the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
announced that its online
BBC iPlayer would be available on the Wii via the
Internet Channel
The Wii Menu is the graphical shell of the Wii and Wii U game console, as part of the Wii system software. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", are ...
browser. Some users experienced difficulties with the service. On November 18, 2009,
BBC iPlayer on the Wii was relaunched as the BBC iPlayer Channel, which is free to download from the
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and game ...
. The service was only available to users in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. On February 10, 2015, the BBC announced on their website that they had removed BBC iPlayer from the Wii Shop Channel and terminated the service on the Wii due to resource limitations and infrastructure changes.
Wii Shop Channel
The ''Wii Shop Channel'' allowed users to download games and other software by redeeming
Wii Points
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and game ...
, which could be obtained by purchasing Nintendo Points cards from retail outlets or directly through the ''Wii Shop Channel'' using
MasterCard or
Visa
Visa most commonly refers to:
*Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company
** Visa Debit card issued by the above company
** Visa Electron, a debit card
** Visa Plus, an interbank network
*Travel visa, a document that allows ...
debit/credit cards online. Users could browse in the
Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Uni ...
,
WiiWare
WiiWare was a service that allowed Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii ...
, or
Wii Channels
The Wii Menu is the graphical shell of the Wii and Wii U game console, as part of the Wii system software. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", are ...
sections for downloads. A feature to purchase downloaded software as gifts for others became available worldwide on December 10, 2007. Additional channels that were not released at the console's launch were available for purchase in the Wii Shop Channel. These include:
Internet Channel
The Wii Menu is the graphical shell of the Wii and Wii U game console, as part of the Wii system software. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", are ...
,
Everybody Votes Channel
The Everybody Votes Channel was a Wii Menu channel that allowed users to vote in simple opinion polls and compare and contrast opinions with those of friends, family and voters around the globe.
The Everybody Votes Channel was available on Februa ...
,
Check Mii Out Channel
The Check Mii Out Channel, known as the in Europe, Oceania and Japan and Canal Miirame in Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, was a channel for the Nintendo Wii that allowed players to share their digital avatars, called Miis, and ent ...
,
Nintendo Channel
The Wii Menu is the graphical shell of the Wii and Wii U game console, as part of the Wii system software. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", a ...
,
Netflix Channel,
Hulu Plus Channel and the Japan-only
Television Friend Channel
, sometimes referred to as TV Friend Channel, was a Wii channel that featured an electronic program guide service developed by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory and operated by G-Guide.
The channel was launched on March 4, 2008, exclusively in Japan, ...
. Currently all downloadable channels are free of charge. Nintendo announced the purchase and redemption of
Wii Points
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and game ...
would be disabled on March 26, 2018, and then shut down the channel on January 30, 2019.
Virtual Console Channels
''Virtual Console'' channels are channels that allow users to play their downloaded ''Virtual Console'' games obtained from the Wii Shop Channel. The ''Virtual Console'' portion of the Wii Shop Channel specializes in older software originally designed and released for home entertainment platforms that are now defunct. These games are played on the Wii through the
emulation
Emulation may refer to:
*Emulation (computing), imitation of behavior of a computer or other electronic system with the help of another type of system
:*Video game console emulator, software which emulates video game consoles
*Gaussian process em ...
of the older hardware. The prices are generally the same in almost every region and are determined primarily by the software's original platform.
WiiWare Channels
Functioning similarly to the ''Virtual Console'' channels, ''WiiWare'' channels allow users to use their WiiWare games obtained from the Wii Shop Channel. The WiiWare section specializes in downloadable software specifically designed for the Wii. The first WiiWare games were made available on March 25, 2008 in Japan. WiiWare games launched in North America on May 12, 2008, and launched in Europe and Australia on May 20, 2008.
The WiiWare section is being touted as a forum to provide developers with small budgets to release smaller-scale games without the investment and risk of creating a title to be sold at retail (somewhat similar to the
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is a digital video game download service available through the Xbox Games Store, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360. It focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent ...
and the
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store (PS Store) is a digital media store available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles via the PlayStation Network.
The store offers a range of downloadable conten ...
). While actual games have been planned to appear in this section since its inception, there had been no official word on when any would be appearing until June 27, 2007, when Nintendo made an official confirmation in a press release which revealed the first titles would surface sometime in 2008. According to Nintendo, "The remarkable motion controls will give birth to fresh takes on established genres, as well as original ideas that currently exist only in developers' minds."
Like Virtual Console games, WiiWare games were purchased using Wii Points. Nintendo handled all pricing options for the downloadable games.
Nintendo DSi Shop
The Nintendo DSi shop was an online store for the
Nintendo DSi
The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony's ...
and
Nintendo DSi XL
The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony's ...
systems, where people could download DSiWare games and applications. Nintendo announced the Nintendo DSi Shop officially shut down on March 31, 2017, after disabling the purchase of additional
Nintendo DSi Points on September 30, 2016. The availability of DSiWare games and apps on the
Nintendo eShop will be unaffected.
Flipnote Hatena
Flipnote Hatena was the online portion of the notetaking/animation creation app Flipnote Studio for the Nintendo DSi. It has been discontinued.
Netflix
The Nintendo Wii received Netflix on March 27, 2010. It was only for American and Canadian owners but a
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
disc was required. As of October 18, 2010 American and Canadian Wii owners could watch
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
instantly as a channel without requiring a disc.
Netflix has been discontinued for the Wii effective January 30, 2019.
Internet Browser
The Nintendo Wii, DS and DSi can surf the Internet with a downloadable
browser. The Nintendo Wii and DSi browsers are powered by
Opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
, but the Nintendo 3DS browser is powered by
NetFront. The Nintendo DS's web browser, also powered by Opera, requires a DS card and a RAM expansion through the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, ...
port.
Forecast Channel
The ''Forecast Channel'' first became available on December 19, 2006, and was shut down on June 28, 2013 due to the discontinuation of
WiiConnect24 which it required. The ''Forecast Channel'' allowed weather reports and forecasts to be shown on the console from the Internet via the WiiConnect24 service. The ''Forecast Channel'' displayed a view of the Earth as a user-spinnable globe (courtesy of
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...
), with which users could view weather in other regions. When fully zoomed out, an accurate star map was visible in the background. The
Big Dipper
The Big Dipper ( US, Canada) or the Plough ( UK, Ireland) is a large asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major; six of them are of second magnitude and one, Megrez (δ), of third magnitude. Four define a "bowl" ...
and the
constellation Orion are easily recognizable, for example. The ''Forecast Channel'' features included the current forecast, the UV index, today's overall forecast, tomorrow's forecast, a 5-day forecast (only for the selected country you live in), and a laundry check (Japan only). Certain games like ''
Madden NFL 07
''Madden NFL 07'' is an American football video game based on the NFL that was published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the first in the video game series to debut for the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles as launch titles and the ...
'', ''
Nights: Journey of Dreams'', and ''
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games'' could use the ''Forecast Channel'' to simulate weather conditions depending on the player's region.
News Channel
The ''News Channel'' allows users to access news headlines and current news events obtained from the Internet.
News articles are available on a globe view similar to the ''Forecast Channel'', and as a slide show.
The content was automatically updated and viewable via
WiiConnect24 with clickable news images supported.
The ''News Channel'' became available in North America, Europe, and Australia on January 26, 2007.
Starting with the August 6, 2007 update, the ''News Channel'' shows a
news ticker
A news ticker (sometimes called a "crawler", "crawl", "slide", "zipper", or "ticker tape") is a horizontal or vertical (depending on a language's writing system) text-based display either in the form of a graphic that typically resides in the lo ...
in the Wii Menu. However, not visiting the channel for a period of time will result in the ticker not appearing, until the channel is viewed. A December 20, 2007 update only released in PAL regions increased the number of news feeds to the channel, sourced from a larger number of news resources and agencies, providing more news that is available per country. As with the Forecast Channel, the ''News Channel'' is not available in South Korea.
The ''News Channel'' was shut down on June 28, 2013, along with the Forecast Channel, due to both channels requiring the discontinued WiiConnect24 service.
Everybody Votes Channel
The ''Everybody Votes Channel'' allowed users to vote in simple
opinion poll
An opinion poll, often simply referred to as a survey or a poll (although strictly a poll is an actual election) is a human research survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinion ...
s and compare and contrast opinions with those of friends, family, and people across the globe.
''Everybody Votes Channel'' was launched on February 13, 2007, and was available in the Wii Channels section of the Wii Shop Channel. The application allowed Wii owners to vote on various questions using their
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
as a registered voter. Additionally, voters could also make predictions for the choice that would be the most popular overall after their own vote had been cast. Each Mii's voting and prediction record was tracked and voters could also view how their opinions compared to others. Whether the Mii was correct in its predictions or not, it was displayed on a statistics page, along with a counter of how many times that Mii voted. Up to six Miis could be registered to vote on the console. The channel was free to download. Each player could make a suggestion for a poll a day.
''Everybody Votes Channel'' was shut down on June 28, 2013.
LoveFilm Channel
On December 4, 2012, a
LoveFilm
LoveFilm was a United Kingdom–based provider of DVD-by-mail and streaming video on demand in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany.
Acquired by Amazon.com in 2011, the service had reached 2 million subscribers. It claimed ...
channel was available to download in the UK. It was later discontinued on October 31, 2017.
YouTube Channel
The
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
channel allows the user to view YouTube videos on the television screen and has the ability to sign into an existing YouTube account. The YouTube channel is currently only available in the North American and Australian versions of the Wii system, with the North American release on November 15, 2012, only three days before the Wii U was released in North America. Google plans to gradually make the channel available on Wii in other countries besides the aforementioned regions.
The YouTube Channel has been disconnected after June 30, 2017 due to Google terminating legacy support for all
Flash
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
-based YouTube apps on that date.
Check Mii Out Channel
The ''Check Mii Out Channel'' (also known as the ''Mii Contest Channel'' and the ''WatchMii Channel''), was a channel that allowed players to share their Miis and enter them into popularity contests. It was first available on November 11, 2007. It was available free to download from the
Wii Channels
The Wii Menu is the graphical shell of the Wii and Wii U game console, as part of the Wii system software. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", are ...
section of the
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and game ...
.
Users could post their own Miis in the Posting Plaza, or import other user-submitted Miis to their own personal Mii Parade. Each submitted Mii was assigned a 12-digit entry number to aid in searching. Submitted Miis were given 2 initials by their creator and a notable skill/talent to aid in sorting.
In the Contests section, players could submit their own Miis to compete in contests to best fit a certain description (e.g.
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his cre ...
without his cap). After the time period for sending a Mii has expired, the user had the choice of voting for three Miis featured on the judging panel, with ten random Miis being shown at a time. Once the judging period is over, the results of the contest could be viewed. Their selection and/or submission's popularity in comparison to others was displayed, as well as the winning Mii and user.
The Check Mii Out Channel sent messages to the Wii Message Board concerning recent contests. Participants in certain contests could add their user and submitted Mii to a photo with a background related to the contest theme. This picture could then be sent to the Wii Message Board. The Check Mii Out Channel was shut down on June 28, 2013.
Television Friend Channel
The ''Television Friend Channel'' allowed Wii users to check what programs are on the television. Content was provided by
Guide Plus
Guide Plus+ (in Europe), TV Guide On Screen, TV Guide Daily, TV Guide Plus+ and Guide Plus+ Gold (in North America) or G-Guide (in Japan) are brand names for an interactive electronic program guide (EPG) system that is used in consumer electronic ...
. A "stamp" feature allowed users to mark programs of interest with a Mii-themed stamp. If an e-mail address or mobile phone number was registered in the address book, the channel could send out an alert 30 minutes prior to the start of the selected program. The channel tracked the stamps of all Wii users and allowed users to rate programs on a five-star scale. Additionally, when the channel is active, the Wii Remote could be used to change the TV's volume and channel so that users could tune into their shows by way of the channel.
The Television Friend Channel launched in Japan on March 4, 2008, and was discontinued on July 24, 2011 due to the shutdown of analog television broadcasts in Japan. It didn’t launch outside of Japan, as most countries, unlike Japan, have a guide built into set-top boxes and/or TVs.
Digicam Print Channel
The ''Digicam Print Channel'' was a channel developed in collaboration with
Fujifilm
, trading as Fujifilm, or simply Fuji, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operating in the realms of photography, optics, office and medical electronics, biotechnology, and chemicals.
The offerings from the ...
that allowed users to import their digital photos from an SD card and place them into templates for printable photo books and business cards through a software wizard. The user was also able to place their
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
on a business card. The completed design was then sent online to Fujifilm who printed and delivered the completed product to the user. The processing of individual photos was also available.
The Digicam Print Channel became available from July 23, 2008 in Japan. It was planned to be available in Europe, Australia, and North America, but was never released in those regions. It was shut down on June 28, 2013.
Today and Tomorrow Channel
The ''Today and Tomorrow Channel'' became available in Japan on December 2, 2008, and in Europe, Australia, and South Korea on September 9, 2009. The channel was developed in collaboration with Media Kobo and allowed users to view fortunes for up to six Miis across five categories: love, work, study, communications, and money. The channel also featured a compatibility test that compared two Miis, and it also gave out "lucky words" that had to be interpreted by the user. The channel used Mii birthdate data, but users had to input a birth year whenever they were loaded onto the channel.
Wii My Room Channel
A video on-demand service channel was released in Japan on May 1, 2009. The channel was a
joint venture
A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and economic risk, risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four rea ...
between Nintendo and Japanese advertising agency
Dentsu
Dentsu Inc. ( ja, 株式会社電通 ''Kabushiki-gaisha Dentsū'' or 電通 ''Dentsū'' for short) is a Japanese international advertising and public relations joint stock company headquartered in Tokyo. Dentsu is currently the largest advertis ...
. The channel's interface was built around a virtual living room, where up to 8 Miis can be registered and interact with each other. The virtual living room contained a TV which takes the viewer to the video list. Celebrity "concierge" Miis occasionally introduced special programming.
Demae Channel
A food delivery service channel was released in Japan on May 26, 2009 and was discontinued on March 31, 2017. The channel was a joint venture between Nintendo and Japanese on-line food delivery portal service Demae-can. The channel offered a wide range of foods provided by different food delivery companies which can be ordered directly through the Wii channel. A note was posted to the Wii Message Board containing what had been ordered and the total price. The food was then delivered to the address the Wii user has registered on the channel.
Nintendo Channel
The ''Nintendo Channel'' (also known as the Everybody's Nintendo Channel in Japan), was a Wii Channel for the Wii. It was launched in Japan on November 27, 2007,
in North America on May 7, 2008, and in Europe and Australia on May 30, 2008, and was shut down on June 28, 2013. It allowed
Wii users to watch videos such as interviews, trailers, commercials, and download
demos for the
Nintendo DS. In this capacity, the channel worked in a similar way to the
DS Download Station
Nintendo Zone was a download service and an extension of the DS Download Station. Users could access content, third-party data, and other services from a hotspot or download station. The service had demos of upcoming and currently available gam ...
. The channel provided game info pages and users could rate games that they had played. A search feature was also available to assist users in finding new games to try or buy. The channel had the ability to take the user directly into the Wii Shop Channel for buying the wanted game immediately. The Nintendo Channel was updated with different Nintendo DS demos and new videos every week; the actual day of the week varied across different international regions.
An updated version of the Nintendo Channel was released in Japan on July 15, 2009, North America on September 14, 2009, and in Europe on December 15, 2009. The update introduced a new interface and additional features, options, and statistics for users to view. However, the European version was missing some of these new additional features, such as options for choosing video quality. In addition, a weekly show known as ''Nintendo Week'' began airing exclusively on the North American edition of the channel, while another weekly show called ''Nintendo TV'', was available on the UK version of the channel.
Mario Kart Channel
''
Mario Kart Wii
is a kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the sixth installment in the ''Mario Kart'' series, and was released in April 2008. Like its previous installments, ''Mario Kart Wii'' incorporates playable characters ...
'' allows players to install the ''Mario Kart Channel'' on their
Wii console. The channel can work without inserting the ''
Mario Kart Wii
is a kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the sixth installment in the ''Mario Kart'' series, and was released in April 2008. Like its previous installments, ''Mario Kart Wii'' incorporates playable characters ...
'' disc into the console, but to compete in races and time trials the disc is required. The use of the Mario Kart Channel allows for a number of options. A ranking option lets players see their best Time Trial scores for each track and compare their results to those of their friends and other players worldwide, represented by their Miis. Players will have the option of racing against the random or selective ghosts, or improving their results gradually by taking on the ghosts of rivals, those with similar race times. Users had the option to submit these times for others around the world to view. Players could also manage and register friends using the channel and see if any of them were currently online.
Another feature of the channel were Tournaments, where Nintendo would, on a regular basis, invite players to challenges in which a certain objective must be achieved in the fastest time possible similar to the missions mode found on the 2005
Nintendo DS game ''
Mario Kart DS
''Mario Kart DS'' is a 2005 kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD Group No. 1 and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on De ...
''. Players were also able to compare their competition rankings with other players.
Wii Message Board
The Message Board's online connectivity is now defunct, along with the shutdown of its foundational
WiiConnect24 service. It allowed users to leave messages for friends, family members, or other users on a calendar-based message board. Users could also use WiiConnect24 to trade messages and pictures with other Wii owners, conventional email accounts (email pictures to console, but not pictures to email), and mobile phones (through text messages). Each Wii had an individual wii.com email account containing the Wii Number. Prior to trading messages, it was necessary to add and approve contacts in the address book, although the person added would not get a notification of the request. The service also alerted all users of incoming game-related information.
The Wii Message Board was available for users to post messages that are available to other Wii users by usage of Wii Numbers with the now defunct
WiiConnect24. In addition to writing text, players could also include images from an SD card in the body of messages, as well as attaching a
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
to the message. Announcements of software updates and video game news were posted by Nintendo. The Message Board could be used for posting memos for oneself or for family members without going online. These messages could then be put on any day of the calendar. The Wii Message Board could also be updated automatically by a real-time game like ''
Animal Crossing: City Folk''.
Wii Speak
Users with the Wii Speak peripheral were able to access the ''Wii Speak Channel''. Users could join one of four rooms (with no limit to the number of people in each room) to chat with others online. Each user is represented by their own
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
, which lip-syncs to their words. In addition, users could also leave audio messages for other users by sending a message to their Wii Message Board. Users could also share photo
slide show
A slide show (slideshow) is a presentation of a series of still images ( slides) on a projection screen or electronic display device, typically in a prearranged sequence. The changes may be automatic and at regular intervals or they may be manu ...
s and comment on them. The Wii Speak Channel became available in North America and Europe on December 5, 2008.
Games
The first Wi-Fi Connection games were ''
Mario Kart DS
''Mario Kart DS'' is a 2005 kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD Group No. 1 and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on De ...
'' and ''
Tony Hawk's American Sk8land'' for the Nintendo DS, released on November 14, 2005 and November 16, 2005 respectively, followed by ''
Animal Crossing: Wild World'' in Japan on November 23 and in North America on December 5. The first Wii Wi-Fi Connection games were released in 2006 in Japan and in 2007 overseas. In Japan and North America the first game was ''
Pokémon Battle Revolution
is the first Wii incarnation of the '' Pokémon'' video game franchise. It is also the first Wii game to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in North America and Japan and the second Wii game to wirelessly interact with the Nintendo DS handheld ...
''. In Europe, Australia, and New Zealand the first game was ''
Mario Strikers Charged
''Mario Strikers Charged'' is a 2007 sports game, sports video game developed by Canadian developer Next Level Games and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is a sequel to ''Super Mario Strikers'' for the GameCube. It was released on May 25, 200 ...
''.
There were over 100
Wii games, 25
WiiWare
WiiWare was a service that allowed Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii ...
games, 93
Nintendo DS games, and 4
Nintendo DSiWare
This is a list of games and applications, collectively known as DSiWare, for the Nintendo DSi handheld game console, available for download via the DSi Shop and unplayable on earlier DS models. An update released for the Nintendo 3DS in June 201 ...
games available worldwide that supported Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Since May 20, 2014 at 10:30 PM EST, it is no longer possible to download additional content for games, as the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service was terminated on that date.
Connection options
Nintendo DS
The
Nintendo DS has an
802.11
IEEE 802.11 is part of the IEEE 802 set of local area network (LAN) technical standards, and specifies the set of media access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) protocols for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer com ...
wireless adapter built in allowing the DS to access the service via a compatible wireless network. Support for 802.11b clients must be offered by an access point for a DS to be able to connect to it. Public hotspots that use a
captive portal
A captive portal is a web page accessed with a web browser that is displayed to newly connected users of a Wi-Fi or wired network before they are granted broader access to network resources. Captive portals are commonly used to present a landin ...
can be accessed after login using the
Nintendo DS Browser.
Prior to the release of the
Nintendo DSi
The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony's ...
, neither consoles nor games could support security protocols more advanced than
WEP. Even after the Nintendo DSi's release, only online-enabled games made exclusively or enhanced for usage on this console iteration were able to support the Nintendo DSi's native online connection. This extended to the
Nintendo 3DS as well, conditional the console's native online connection setting is the same as the Nintendo DSi, as other advanced settings were also unsupported.
Wii
The Wii has an 802.11b/g wireless adapter built-in. Due to flaws in its implementation, however, it is only capable of working when the 802.11 (legacy mode) basic rates of 1 Mbit/s and 2 Mbit/s are advertised by an access point. This means that 802.11b support must be offered on an access point for a Wii to be able to connect to it. It is compatible with
WEP,
WPA
WPA may refer to:
Computing
*Wi-Fi Protected Access, a wireless encryption standard
*Windows Product Activation, in Microsoft software licensing
* Wireless Public Alerting (Alert Ready), emergency alerts over LTE in Canada
* Windows Performance An ...
with TKIP or CCMP, and
WPA2
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2), and Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) are the three security and security certification programs developed after 2000 by the Wi-Fi Alliance to secure wireless computer networks. The All ...
with CCMP. The Wii is also
AOSS AOSS (AirStation One-Touch Secure System) is a system by Buffalo Technology which allows a secure wireless connection to be set up with the push of a button. AirStation residential gateways incorporated a button on the unit to let the user initiat ...
compatible as of the 3.0 system update. The connection settings allows players to configure access to and save settings for up to three different networks. Connection settings can be detected automatically or entered manually. The Wii does not have an Ethernet port built in, but can be connected via wired LAN with a USB Ethernet adapter available from Nintendo and third parties.
Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector
![Nintendo-Wii-DS-Buffalo-Wifi-USB-Connector](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Nintendo-Wii-DS-Buffalo-Wifi-USB-Connector.jpg)
If a compatible wireless network is not available, the Nintendo DS and Wii can also connect through the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector. Broadband Internet access is not required to make use of this connectivity, though it is recommended to reduce network
latency. It was priced at the Nintendo Online Store, however it has since been discontinued due to legal issues. Its replacement, the Nintendo Wi-Fi
network adapter
A network interface controller (NIC, also known as a network interface card, network adapter, LAN adapter or physical network interface, and by similar terms) is a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network.
Ear ...
, and many third party products, provide similar functionality.
Hotspots
Nintendo worked with hotspot providers to allow free access in public for Nintendo DS users. In 2005, Nintendo made an agreement with Texas-based firm
Wayport, Inc. to provide access in
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
restaurants in the U.S. However, the deal was not renewed and has since expired. A similar partnership with FatPort to create free hotspots in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
was announced by
Nintendo of Canada on October 19, 2005.
In 2006 former Director of Marketing for Nintendo of Europe Jim Merrick announced that Nintendo was planning total of 25,000 hotspots in Europe, with 7,500 in the UK alone thanks to a partnership with
The Cloud and
BT Openzone.
Nintendo of Australia initially announced on November 17, 2005 that they would roll out only 26 hotspots across the country, in partnership with selected
EB Games
EB Games (formerly known as Electronics Boutique and EB World) is an American computer and video games retailer. First established as an American company in 1977 by James Kim with a single electronics-focused location in the King of Prussia mal ...
,
Myer
Myer (stylised MYER, sometimes known as Myers) is an Australian mid-range to upscale department store chain. It trades in all Australian states and one of Australia's two self-governing territories. Myer retails a broad range of products ...
and
Dick Smith Powerhouse
Dick Smith Holdings Limited (formerly Dick Smith, Dick Smith Electronics or DSE) was an Australian chain of retail stores that sold consumer electronics goods, hobbyist electronic components, and electronic project kits. The chain expanded succ ...
stores. On April 14, 2007, Nintendo announced that over one thousand additional free hotspots had been added in a partnership with
Telstra
Telstra Group Limited is an Australian telecommunications company that builds and operates telecommunications networks and markets voice, mobile, internet access, pay television and other products and services. It is a member of the S&P/ASX 20 ...
Wireless, providing access in selected hotels, airports,
Starbucks cafes, and
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
restaurants.
Official website
Nintendo created the official Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection web site as a portal for gamers looking to access the service or whom were in need of troubleshooting assistance. The website had live statistics and data from the service's servers and recorded high scores and service status. It also allowed a user to link his or her Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Connection ID to a My Nintendo account. As of November 2008, the site has closed in North America and has now moved into a subsection of the Games section on Nintendo.com. On May 20, 2014, the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service was shut down, and as a result Nintendo deleted the subsection on its website prior to May 20, 2014.
Closing
The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service was terminated on May 20, 2014 at 10.30 PM (EST) for all
Wii and
DS games, although some users were able to stay online for several hours after the shutdown;
[Archived a]
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
online play features incorporated into these games are no longer available without homebrew. The shutdown is connected to the shutdown of multiplayer services by
GameSpy, who was acquired by
Glu Mobile
Glu Mobile LLC is an American developer and publisher of video games for mobile phones and tablet computers. Founded in San Francisco, California, in 2004, Glu offers products to multiple platforms including Java ME-based devices, Android, Wind ...
in 2012. 3DS and Wii U games are not affected by the shutdown because their multiplayer platform uses Nintendo's own infrastructure instead of a third-party service. The
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and game ...
, third-party video services, and the Pay & Play variants have been shut down as of February 1, 2019.
However, it is possible to still redownload previously purchased content from the Wii Shop Channel. Users can still continue to redownload previously purchased content and/or buy and use the Wii U Transfer Tool to transfer Wii data from the Wii to a
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
, and download The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Save Data Update Channel in order to update the game.
The shutdown had an immediate effect on all Nintendo-published Wii and Nintendo DS titles. However, it may not necessarily apply to certain third-party titles, which could have separate servers running their own games' online functions. For example,
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the ...
revealed that some of the games they published on the
Wii and
Nintendo DS had their online support terminated on June 30, 2014.
A small selection of online-enabled Wii games, such as newer ''FIFA'' games as well as ''
Call of Duty'' games (except ''
World at War'') and ''
Dragon Quest X'', which are not branded under the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, may continue using their online functions normally. Starting in 2015, various
Wii and
Nintendo DS games were digitally re-released, including those which formerly supported Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
On June 27, 2013, Nintendo terminated the WiiConnect24 service features globally due to the release of the Wii U and the host, GameSpy shutting down its servers. Consequently, the Wii channels that required it, online data exchange via Wii Message Board, and passive online features for certain games using 16-digit Wii Friend Codes, have all been rendered unusable.
The
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
hardware itself does not support WiiConnect24, which is the cause for most preloaded and downloadable Wii channels to be unavailable on the Wii U's Wii Mode menu and
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and game ...
respectively, even prior to WiiConnect24's termination. Eventually, the defunct downloadable Wii channels were made unavailable on all versions of the Wii Shop Channel.
WiiConnect24 is succeeded by SpotPass, a different trademark name for similar content-pushing functions that the Nintendo Network service can perform for the newer Nintendo 3DS and Wii U consoles.
See also
*
Nintendo Network
The Nintendo Network is Nintendo's online service which provides online functionality for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems and their compatible games. Announced on January 26, 2012 at an investors' conference, it is Nintendo's second online s ...
*
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Nint ...
*
WiiConnect24
*
List of messaging applications for Nintendo game consoles
Ever since the introduction of the Nintendo DS in 2004, which is Nintendo's first gaming console to have wireless communication as a standard, Nintendo has introduced a variety of instant messaging applications to suit each gaming console they ha ...
*
PlayStation Network
*
Xbox Live
Notes
References
External links
; Official sites
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Technical Support for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS LiteLatest USB Drivers and Software
{{Nintendo hardware
Multiplayer video game services
Online video game services
Products and services discontinued in 2014
Wi-Fi
Wii
Nintendo DS