Nintendo Points are a currency that Nintendo uses for its Wii and Nintendo DSi systems through the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop respectively. Consumers
can purchase points by an online credit card transaction or by purchasing a Nintendo Points Card at retail stores.
Nintendo Points were originally named Wii Points, though with the introduction of the Nintendo DSi and its own download service, they were renamed and new Nintendo
Points Cards with new values were distributed. 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. However, some countries still have Wii Points Cards that can also be used as Nintendo Points cards.
The Nintendo Points currency system is not supported on the Nintendo 3DS, and will eventually become fully obsolete on the Wii and Nintendo DSi as well when
Nintendo's real currency-based system becomes standard. In Japan, the Wii and Nintendo DSi shops already converted to the new currency system that is used by the
Nintendo 3DS.