Wii Shop Channel

The Wii Shop Channel was a virtual shopping network where users could purchase and download WiiWare and Virtual Console games in exchange for the required amount of Wii Points. The Virtual Console allowed players to download games that were originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Nintendo 64, and play them on their Wii console. They could also buy special games called WiiWare which can be purchased only on the Wii Shop Channel itself. Rather than using money to directly buy the games, a credit currency called Wii Points is used. Wii Points could be earned by either purchasing them with a credit card or redeeming a Wii Point Card. Other free-of-charge channels, such as the Nintendo Channel and Internet Channel, were also available for download at the Wii Shop Channel.

When downloading a game or channel from the Wii Shop Channel, one would be asked to verify their purchase (if Wii Points are needed), after which they will be presented with the download screen. The download screen consisted of an 8-bit Mario character continuously running across the bottom of the screen and collecting coins as they moved towards him. The progress of the download was indicated by three Brick Blocks floating above 8-bit Mario's head, which he will jump up and hit as he runs across the screen. Every time the download progresses 33%, a Brick Block would have turned into an Empty Block. The final Brick Block represents the point at which the download has reached 99%. When 8-bit Mario reaches this block, he would jump and hit it multiple times and continue to do so until the download was complete.

Sometimes, Fire Mario would have appeared instead of regular Mario. When this happens, one could have made Fire Mario shoot fireballs while the download was in progress by pressing the button. Occasionally, 8-bit Luigi appears in place of 8-bit Mario, or both 8-bit Mario and 8-bit Luigi would swim across the screen instead of running across it. There is a total of six different animations one may have experienced while downloading software from the Wii Shop Channel, some of which appear more often than others.

The Wii Shop Channel service was discontinued on January 30, 2019, though the ability to add Wii Points was discontinued on March 26, 2018. Between these times, users would have still been able to browse and download purchased software.

The Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch have a similar online shop called the Nintendo eShop. The Nintendo DSi had its own shop, the Nintendo DSi Shop, which has been discontinued.