The Wii is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America, and in December 2006 for most other regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major home game console, following the GameCube, and is a seventh-generation console alongside Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3.
Mario Artist is an interoperable suite of three games and one Internet application for Nintendo 64: Paint Studio, Talent Studio, Polygon Studio, and Communication Kit. These flagship disks for the 64DD peripheral were developed to turn the game console into an Internet multimedia workstation. A bundle of the 64DD unit, software disks, hardware accessories, and the Randnet online service subscription package was released in Japan starting in December 1999.
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo that formerly provided free online play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games. The service included the company's Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop game download services. It also ran features for the Wii and Nintendo DS systems.
The Virtual Console was a line of downloadable retro video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video game consoles and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. The Virtual Console lineup consisted of titles originally released on past home and handheld consoles and were run in their original forms through software emulation, therefore remaining mostly unaltered, and could be purchased from the Wii Shop Channel or Nintendo eShop for between 500 and 1200 Wii Points, or using real currency, with prices depending on the system, rarity, and/or demand.
WiiConnect24 is a discontinued feature of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for the Wii. It was first announced at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in mid-2006 by Nintendo. It enabled the user to remain connected to the Internet while the console was on standby. For example, in Animal Crossing: City Folk, a friend could send messages to another player without the recipient being present in the game at the same time as the sender.
The Wii Shop Channel is a discontinued digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii, including exclusive games, and games from prior generations of video games. The Wii Shop Channel launched on November 19, 2006, and ceased operations on January 30, 2019.
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.
A Mii is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. The name Mii is a portmanteau of "Wii" and "me", referring to them typically being avatars of the players. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the DS, 3DS, the Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices such as Miitomo.
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 Shop Channel under the WiiWare section. Once the user had downloaded the game or application, it would appear in their Wii Menu or SD Card Menu as a new channel. WiiWare was a companion to the Virtual Console, which specializes in emulated games originally developed for other systems instead of original games.
The Wii system software is a discontinued set of updatable firmware versions and a software frontend on the Wii, a home video game console. Updates, which could be downloaded over the Internet or read from a game disc, allowed Nintendo to add additional features and software, as well as to patch security vulnerabilities used by users to load homebrew software. When a new update became available, Nintendo sent a message to the Wii Message Board of Internet-connected systems notifying them of the available update.
Wii Speak is a microphone accessory for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. Connected to the console via USB, the device can be placed near the video display, which allowed voice chat to be conducted within entire rooms across multiple households. The device features an LED indicating when the microphone is active.
Wii no Ma was a Wii channel that featured a video-on-demand, film rental and shopping service operated by Nintendo and Dentsu. Wii no Ma was released on 1 May 2009, exclusively in Japan, and it could be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel for free, although paid videos could be purchased with Wii Points. The service was shut down on 30 April 2012.
The Nintendo 3DS system software is an updatable operating system used for the Nintendo 3DS handheld system. The Nintendo Switch system software is believed to have evolved from the Nintendo 3DS operating system.
The Nintendo eShop is a digital distribution service for the Nintendo Switch, and formerly available via the Nintendo Network for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the Nintendo eShop served as the successor to both the Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop. It is also a multitasking application, which means it is easily accessible even when a game is already running in the background through the system software. The Nintendo eShop features downloadable games, demos, applications, streaming videos, consumer rating feedback, and other information on upcoming game releases. The service was discontinued globally for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in March 2023, continuing only on the Switch.
The Nintendo Network was an online service formerly run by Nintendo that provided free online functionalities for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems and their compatible games. Launched in 2012, it was Nintendo's second online service after Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection; the Nintendo Network was not a component of the Nintendo Switch, which uses the subscription based Nintendo Switch Online, although Nintendo Network IDs were able to be linked to the Switch via Nintendo Accounts.
Miiverse is a defunct social network for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U that was created by Nintendo System Development and Hatena, and powered by the Nintendo Network. Integrated into many video games, Miiverse allowed players to interact and share their experiences by way of handwritten messages or drawings, text, screenshots, and sometimes game videos in dedicated communities. It was available via any web browser, and a dedicated app version was originally planned for tablets and smartphones. All users who signed up for a Nintendo Network ID were automatically given a Miiverse profile per account, represented by the Mii avatar connected to said Nintendo Network ID.
The Wii U operating system, also known internally as Cafe OS, is the official firmware version and system software for the Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Nintendo maintains the Wii U's systemwide features and applications by offering system software updates via the Internet. Updates are optional to each console owner, but may be required in order to retain interoperability with Nintendo's online services. Each update is cumulative, including all changes from previous updates.
SpotPass and StreetPass were communication systems first introduced in the Nintendo 3DS; SpotPass was later incorporated into the Wii U game console. SpotPass delivered content from the Internet to the consoles, while StreetPass uses local Wi-Fi functionality to exchange data between 3DS systems.
TV no Tomo Channel: G-Guide for Wii was a Wii channel that featured an electronic program guide service developed by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory and operated by G-Guide.
Demae Channel was a Wii channel that featured a food delivery service developed by Nintendo and Denyusha and operated by Demaecan. It was launched on 26 May 2009, exclusively in Japan, and it was available as a free download on the Wii Shop Channel. In addition, a Wii U version was released on 8 August 2013.
