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| Add to OnlyWire |
| Nintendo Points | |
| User(s) | Wii Shop Channel |
|---|---|
| Plural | Nintendo Points |
| Banknotes | |
| Freq. used | Cards of 2000 |
| Central bank | Nintendo |
Nintendo Points (currently known as Wii Points in regions other than Japan) is a payment system that Nintendo uses for its Wii and Nintendo DSi consoles through the Wii Shop Channel in the Wii Shop and/or the DSi Shop, respectively. Consumers can purchase points by an online credit card transaction or by purchasing a Nintendo Points Card at retail stores.
With the introduction of the Nintendo DSi and its own download service, Wii Points were renamed Nintendo Points.[1] Once purchased, Nintendo Points must be converted into either Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points before they can be used, locking the points for use on one platform only. [2]
Contents |
Redeeming Points
Nintendo Points are redeemed through the Wii Shop Channel or DSi Shop. With Points Cards, there is a concealed panel on the back of the card which, when scratched, reveals a code. The code is then entered on to the Wii Shop Channel or DSi Shop and the requisite number of Nintendo Points are added to the user's account. Points can also be purchased directly through the Wii Shop Channel or DSi Shop using a credit card.[3] These points may then be redeemed on downloadable games and other content in the Wii Shop Channel or the DSi Shop, but are not interchangeable between the two systems.[4] In other words, when one redeems their points on one of the two consoles, they are locked to that same console and cannot be used or transferred to the other.
On December 8, 2006, Nintendo Europe announced that Star Points, which people collect when they buy Nintendo games in Europe, will be able to be used to buy Nintendo Points (Wii Points at the time).[5] On December 7, 2007 the Nintendo Points Card Shop was launched.[6]
Purchasable content
Nintendo Points are used to purchase a variety of software on the Wii Shop Channel which is divided into three sections: Virtual Console for older games, WiiWare for new games designed specifically for Wii, and the Wii Channels section for applications such as the Opera Wii Browser.[7][8] DSi Points will be used for downloadable software ranging from small convenient tools to full downloadable games.
Virtual Console
The Virtual Console lineup consists of titles originally released on past consoles. These titles are run in their original forms through software emulation.
Channels
The only Wii Channel that currently requires purchase is the Internet Channel, a version of the Opera web browser. The final version of the browser became available on April 11, 2007 and was free until the last day of June. After this period the browser had a price of 500 points, however anyone who obtained the software during the free download period can continue to use and update it.[9] Aside from the Internet Channel, all other Wii Channels are free.
WiiWare
This is a section of the Wii Shop Channel where original games are released, and as of May 2008, Nintendo has begun allowing developers to release new software on the Wii Shop Channel under this category. Nintendo does not decide the price of the software, and instead lets the third parties choose a suitable price for their games. This is similar to Xbox Live Arcade, and the PlayStation Network store.
DSiWare
DSiWare are downloadable games and utility applications much similar to WiiWare on the Nintendo Wii. They will be available on the Nintendo DSi, through the DSi Shop.
Downloadable content
A number of Wii and WiiWare games feature additional downloadable content which are purchased using points. Although games such as Mega Man 9 and Guitar Hero World Tour use an in-game interface to purchase content, the user must have previously pre-bought Nintendo Points through the Wii Shop Channel.
Pricing
Nintendo sells 2,000 Wii Points for US$20 in the USA,[10] €20 in the Eurozone, £14.99 in the UK, and AU$35 in Australia.[11] Wii Points are also available at many retailers, though often at a premium. Customers in Japan will find 1,000 points for ¥1,000 ($8.46),[12] as well as in multiples of 3,000 and 5,000 points; 5,000-point cards will be bundled with a classic controller[13]. Wii Points are region-specific.
| United States, Mexico* | Canada | Japan | Australia | Eurozone | United Kingdom (when bought online) | United Kingdom | Chile | Sweden | Singapore | South Korea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Wii Points | USD 1.00 | CAD 1.20 | JPY 100 | AUD 1.50 | EUR 1.00 | GBP 0.70 | GBP 0.75 | CLP 1000.00 | SEK 9.2 | SGD 1.90 | KRW 1000 |
| USD Equivalent | $1.00 | $0.99 | $1.02 | $0.98 | $1.26 | $1.08 | $1.15 | $1.58 | $1.14 | $1.26 | $0.75 |
| EUR Equivalent | 0.79€ | 0.79€ | 0.81€ | 0.78€ | 1.00€ | 0.85€ | 0.91€ | 1.26€ | 0.91€ | 1.00€ | 0.59€ |
| GBP Equivalent | £0.64 | £0.64 | £0.66 | £0.63 | £0.81 | £0.70 | £0.75 | £1.02 | £0.74 | £0.81 | £0.48 |
| JPY Equivalent | ¥97.60 | ¥97.38 | ¥100.00 | ¥96.53 | ¥123.00 | ¥105.40 | ¥112.93 | ¥154.99 | ¥111.94 | ¥122.85 | ¥73.21 |
* The price of 100 Wii Points for Mexico is always the MXN equivalent of 1.00 USD.
Currency conversion correct at 12 November 2008.
Virtual Console prices
The starting prices of the Virtual Console games depend on what system for which the game was originally developed. Some titles cost more or less than these base prices.[10]:
| Original Format | Default Price |
|---|---|
| NES/Famicom | 500 Wii Points (400 in South Korea) |
| SNES/Super Famicom | 800 points+ (600 in South Korea) |
| Nintendo 64 | 1,000 points (800 in South Korea) |
| Sega Genesis/Mega Drive | 800 points (600 in Japan) |
| TurboGrafx-16/PC-Engine | 600 points |
| Neo-Geo | 900 points |
| Sega Master System/Sega Game Gear | 500 points |
| MSX (Only in Japan) | 700 points |
| Commodore 64 (Only in Europe) | 500 points |
| WiiWare | 500 - 1,500 points |
DSiWare prices
DSiWare will feature four pricing categories:
- Free of charge such as the DSi Browser and Moving Notepad.
- DSiWare200: software that the user can purchase for 200 Points which will be very compact utility types of applications and small games
- DSiWare500: software that the user can purchase for 500 Points which will be simple puzzle games and other, more sophisticated utility applications.
- DSiWarePremium: software that requires 800 Points or more for the larger games and utility types.
See also
References
- ^ http://www.mcvuk.com/news/31919/DSi-digital-content-shop-announced
- ^ "Nintendo Points Are Either Wii Points Or DS Points, Not Both". Siliconera (2008-10-03). Retrieved on 2008-10-09.
- ^ Nintendo. "Virtual Console at Nintendo :: Wii. Step 4.".
- ^ http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/08/nintendo-points-wont-make-the-leap-between-wii-and-dsi/
- ^ "Europe buy Wii points with stars". Kotaku (2006-12-08). Retrieved on 2006-12-08.
- ^ "Europeans Can Now Trade Star Points For Wii Points". Kotaku (2007-12-07). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ Opera (2006-12-22). "Play with the Web: Opera browser now available for download on Wii". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
- ^ Casamassina, Matt (2006-09-26). "Wii Surf for Free". IGN. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
- ^ "In-Depth Regional Wii Coverage". wii.nintendo.com. Nintendo. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
- ^ a b "Live at Nintendo's NYC Wii press conference". Engadget (2006-09-14). Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
- ^ "Virtual Console: Secrets exposed". Computer & Video Games (2006-11-03). Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
- ^ Jenkins, David (2006-10-11). "Nintendo Briefing Talks Wii Games, Points Pricing". Gamasutra. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
- ^ "バーチャルコンソール - Ｗｉｉ (Japanese)". Nintendo. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
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