<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
was	O
a	O
digital	O
distribution	O
service	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
video	O
game	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
service	O
allowed	O
users	O
to	O
purchase	O
and	O
play	O
additional	O
software	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
(	O
called	O
Channels	O
)	O
,	O
including	O
exclusive	O
games	O
(	O
branded	O
WiiWare	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
games	O
from	O
prior	O
generations	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
(	O
marketed	O
with	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
brand	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
launched	O
on	O
November	O
19	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
and	O
ceased	O
service	O
operations	O
worldwide	O
on	O
January	O
30	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Users	O
can	O
still	O
re-download	O
previously	O
purchased	O
software	O
and/or	O
transfer	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
data	O
over	O
from	O
a	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
to	O
a	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
(	O
via	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	I-Device
Transfer	O
Tool	O
)	O
,	O
however	O
Nintendo	O
claims	O
that	O
these	O
features	O
will	O
eventually	O
be	O
discontinued	O
at	O
some	O
point	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Succeeded	O
by	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
was	O
accessible	O
on	O
the	O
original	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
and	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
console	O
via	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
Mode	O
,	O
supporting	O
the	O
download	O
of	O
WiiWare	O
titles	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
legacy	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
titles	O
that	O
are	O
not	O
available	O
via	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
were	O
the	O
currency	O
used	O
in	O
transactions	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
were	O
obtained	O
by	O
either	O
redeeming	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
Cards	I-Application
purchased	O
from	O
retail	O
outlets	O
(	O
100	O
–	O
2,000	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
;	O
1,000	O
–	O
3,000	O
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
or	O
directly	O
through	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
using	O
a	O
Mastercard	O
or	O
Visa	O
credit	O
card	O
(	O
1	O
,	O
000	O
,	O
2	O
,	O
000	O
,	O
3	O
,	O
000	O
,	O
4	O
,	O
000	O
,	O
or	O
5,000	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
depending	O
with	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
dollars	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2008	O
,	O
Club	O
Nintendo	O
in	O
Europe	O
began	O
offering	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
in	O
exchange	O
for	O
"	O
stars	O
"	O
received	O
from	O
registering	O
games	O
and	O
consoles	O
on	O
the	O
website	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
purchase	O
and	O
play	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
games	O
,	O
Wii	B-Application
Shop	I-Application
Channel	I-Application
users	O
would	O
have	O
to	O
fund	O
their	O
account	O
with	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
26	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
add	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
(	O
with	O
either	O
a	O
credit	O
card	O
or	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
card	I-Application
)	O
worldwide	O
was	O
permanently	O
removed	O
following	O
a	O
temporary	O
maintenance	O
notice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
prevented	O
users	O
to	O
purchase	O
and	O
play	O
WiiWare	O
and/or	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
games	O
unless	O
if	O
they	O
had	O
enough	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
in	O
their	O
account	O
balance	O
already	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Already	O
purchased	O
software	O
could	O
still	O
be	O
downloaded	O
(	O
purchased	O
and	O
played	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
any	O
existing	O
Wii	B-Application
Point	I-Application
credit	O
were	O
redeemable	O
until	O
January	O
30	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
was	O
a	O
brand	O
that	O
included	O
games	O
from	O
past	O
video	O
game	O
consoles	O
,	O
which	O
ran	O
under	O
emulation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
games	O
are	O
exact	O
replicas	O
of	O
the	O
originals	O
with	O
no	O
updated	O
features	O
or	O
graphics	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
exception	O
of	O
Pokémon	B-Device
Snap	I-Device
,	O
which	O
was	O
updated	O
to	O
allow	O
in-game	O
pictures	O
to	O
be	O
posted	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Message	O
Board	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Europe	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
featured	O
several	O
import	O
titles	O
which	O
were	O
not	O
previously	O
made	O
available	O
in	O
those	O
respective	O
territories	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Mario	B-Application
's	I-Application
Super	I-Application
Picross	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Consoles	O
included	O
both	O
Nintendo	O
systems	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
NES	O
,	O
SNES	B-Application
and	O
N64	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
non-Nintendo	O
systems	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
,	O
Master	O
System	O
,	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
,	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
,	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
and	O
Commodore	O
64	O
(	O
Europe	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
only	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
titles	O
ranged	O
from	O
500	O
to	O
1200	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
if	O
they	O
reached	O
Platinum	O
(	O
helped	O
20	O
people	O
to	O
connect	O
)	O
,	O
they	O
would	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
download	O
any	O
NES	O
,	O
SNES	B-Application
and	O
N64	B-Operating_System
game	O
in	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
console	I-Application
free	O
of	O
charge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
WiiWare	O
section	O
featured	O
original	O
games	O
specifically	O
designed	O
for	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
decrease	O
the	O
size	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
,	O
instruction	O
manuals	O
were	O
hosted	O
on	O
each	O
game	O
's	O
Wii	B-Application
Shop	I-Application
Channel	I-Application
page	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
titles	O
featured	O
additional	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
priced	O
from	O
100	O
to	O
800	O
points	O
,	O
that	O
could	O
be	O
purchased	O
using	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
in	O
game	O
or	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
page	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
WiiWare	B-Device
games	I-Device
were	O
made	O
available	O
on	O
March	O
25	O
,	O
2008	O
,	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
on	O
May	O
12	O
,	O
2008	O
,	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
May	O
20	O
,	O
2008	O
,	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Channels	O
section	O
featured	O
additional	O
non-game	O
channels	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
downloaded	O
and	O
used	O
on	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
fourth	O
Channel	O
,	O
the	O
Internet	B-Protocol
Channel	I-Protocol
,	O
a	O
web	O
browser	O
based	O
on	O
Opera	B-Application
,	O
was	O
available	O
worldwide	O
originally	O
for	O
500	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
but	O
was	O
free	O
as	O
of	O
September	O
1	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anyone	O
who	O
paid	O
the	O
500	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Internet	B-Protocol
Channel	I-Protocol
has	O
been	O
refunded	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
were	O
also	O
two	O
exclusive	O
free	O
Japanese	O
channels	O
:	O
the	O
Television	B-Device
Friend	I-Device
Channel	I-Device
,	O
which	O
provides	O
channel	O
listing	O
and	O
recording	O
reminder	O
features	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Digicam	O
Print	O
Channel	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
users	O
to	O
order	O
business	O
cards	O
and	O
photo	O
albums	O
using	O
photos	O
stored	O
on	O
SD	O
cards	O
or	O
the	O
Photo	O
Channel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Previously	O
,	O
a	O
preview	O
channel	O
for	O
Metroid	B-Application
Prime	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Corruption	I-Application
was	O
available	O
for	O
free	O
in	O
the	O
fall	O
of	O
2007	O
for	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
PAL	O
regions	O
before	O
it	O
was	O
removed	O
from	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
several	O
months	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
,	O
the	O
Netflix	O
channel	O
was	O
available	O
in	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Channels	O
section	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
Crunchyroll	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Channels	O
section	O
in	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
was	O
originally	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
WiiWare	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
Software	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
before	O
moving	O
to	O
its	O
own	O
dedicated	O
space	O
when	O
WiiWare	O
launched	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
Wii	B-Application
Channels	I-Application
were	O
unavailable	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Software	O
downloaded	O
from	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
is	O
saved	O
onto	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
console	O
's	O
internal	O
memory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
a	O
download	O
is	O
complete	O
,	O
the	O
new	O
software	O
appears	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Menu	O
as	O
a	O
channel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wii	B-Operating_System
consoles	I-Operating_System
with	O
system	B-Operating_System
software	I-Operating_System
version	O
4.0	O
can	O
download	O
software	O
directly	O
to	O
SD	O
cards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
10	O
,	O
2007	O
,	O
a	O
gift	O
feature	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
,	O
allowing	O
users	O
to	O
purchase	O
and	O
send	O
games	O
and	O
channels	O
to	O
others	O
as	O
gifts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
receiving	O
user	O
was	O
given	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
download	O
or	O
reject	O
the	O
gift	O
upon	O
opening	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
notification	O
being	O
sent	O
out	O
to	O
the	O
send	O
if	O
it	O
was	O
accepted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
a	O
user	O
already	O
had	O
the	O
game	O
or	O
if	O
the	O
user	O
did	O
not	O
choose	O
to	O
accept	O
the	O
gift	O
within	O
45	O
days	O
,	O
then	O
the	O
gift	O
expired	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Points	O
are	O
returned	O
to	O
the	O
sender	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
feature	O
was	O
region	O
locked	O
and	O
incompatible	O
with	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
's	O
Nintendo	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Downloaded	O
games	O
can	O
receive	O
updates	O
from	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
has	O
been	O
done	O
four	O
times	O
so	O
far	O
to	O
update	O
Military	B-Application
Madness	I-Application
,	O
Star	O
Fox	O
64/Lylat	O
Wars	O
,	O
Kirby	B-Application
64	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Crystal	I-Application
Shards	I-Application
(	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Mario	B-Application
Kart	I-Application
64	I-Application
(	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
Australia	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
NES	O
and	O
SNES	B-Application
games	O
released	O
before	O
March	O
30	O
,	O
2007	O
have	O
also	O
been	O
given	O
updates	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
Australia	O
to	O
fix	O
previous	O
problems	O
with	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
component	O
cables	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
WiiWare	B-Device
games	I-Device
have	O
also	O
featured	O
free	O
updates	O
for	O
the	O
purposes	O
of	O
fixing	O
bugs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
games	O
include	O
Dr.	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
Online	I-Application
Rx	I-Application
and	O
Alien	B-Application
Crush	I-Application
Returns	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2009	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
of	O
Europe	O
announced	O
the	O
"	O
Connection	O
Ambassador	O
Promotion	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
scheme	O
designed	O
to	O
reward	O
users	O
for	O
helping	O
other	O
new	O
users	O
get	O
connected	O
online	O
and	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
users	O
(	O
The	O
Ambassador	O
and	O
the	O
person	O
who	O
was	O
helped	O
)	O
received	O
a	O
reward	O
of	O
500	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
each	O
time	O
the	O
ambassador	O
helped	O
someone	O
get	O
online	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
ambassador	O
assisted	O
20	O
people	O
,	O
the	O
ambassador	O
would	O
have	O
accumulated	O
10,000	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
from	O
the	O
programme	O
while	O
attaining	O
Platinum	O
status	O
and	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
download	O
all	O
NES	O
,	O
SNES	B-Application
and	O
N64	B-Operating_System
titles	O
from	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
section	O
of	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
free	O
of	O
charge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
service	O
remained	O
exclusive	O
for	O
PAL	O
version	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
consoles	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
29	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
announced	O
that	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
would	O
be	O
discontinued	O
on	O
January	O
30	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
prepare	O
for	O
the	O
closure	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
add	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
with	O
a	O
credit	O
card	O
or	O
a	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
card	I-Application
(	O
for	O
purchasing	O
and	O
playing	O
VC	O
games	O
and/or	O
WiiWare	O
)	O
would	O
be	O
removed	O
on	O
March	O
26	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
that	O
date	O
--September	O
29	O
,	O
2017--	O
Wii	B-Application
Shop	I-Application
Channel	I-Application
users	O
could	O
continue	O
adding	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
to	O
purchase	O
(	O
and	O
play	O
)	O
VC	O
games	O
and/or	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
Ware	O
until	O
March	O
26	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
26	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
add	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
(	O
to	O
purchase	O
and	O
play	O
VC	O
games	O
and/or	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
Ware	O
)	O
was	O
permanently	O
removed	O
and	O
it	O
took	O
effect	O
at	O
1pm	O
PST	O
on	O
that	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
function	O
to	O
add	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
being	O
removed	O
,	O
Wii	B-Application
Shop	I-Application
Channel	I-Application
users	O
were	O
not	O
able	O
to	O
purchase	O
and	O
play	O
additional	O
software	O
unless	O
they	O
had	O
enough	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
in	O
their	O
account	O
balance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
that	O
date	O
afterwards	O
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
remained	O
functional	O
(	O
in	O
service	O
operations	O
)	O
until	O
January	O
29	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Finally	O
on	O
January	O
30	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
at	O
6am	O
PST	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
shut	O
down	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
(	O
all	O
WiiWare	O
,	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
games	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
Wii	B-Application
Channels	I-Application
were	O
removed	O
from	O
sale	O
and/or	O
initial	O
download	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
only	O
exceptions	O
are	O
the	O
save	O
data	O
update	O
channel	O
for	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
Skyward	I-Application
Sword	I-Application
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
Transfer	O
Tool	O
channel	O
(	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
System	O
Transfer	O
channel	O
(	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
's	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
Mode	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
users	O
can	O
still	O
continue	O
re-downloading	O
previously	O
purchased	O
content	O
they	O
have	O
acquired	O
before	O
the	O
shutdown	O
and/or	O
transfer	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
data	O
from	O
a	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
to	O
a	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
via	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	I-Device
Transfer	O
Tool	O
(	O
if	O
it	O
is	O
purchased	O
from	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Shop	O
Channel	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
going	O
to	O
continue	O
until	O
an	O
unknown	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Japanese	O
users	O
were	O
able	O
to	O
transfer	O
or	O
refund	O
any	O
remaining	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
after	O
the	O
shutdown	O
date	O
from	O
February	O
21	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
until	O
August	O
31	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
