The Best Ways to Buy Wii Points & Activate Them in the Wii Shop
The Wii Shop doesn't accept money or credit cards, so you'll need to buy Wii points first before you can buy any downloads. Wii points are the currency for buying games and other software from the Wii Shop. Instead of a price, everything in the Shop has a points value. You can buy points directly through your console in the Wii Shop, or you can buy a Wii points card from a retailer. Here's a quick guide on how to buy Wii points directly from the Wii Shop as well as tips for buying a Wii points card. There are pros and cons to both ways of buying points, so have a read and buy your points the way that suits you best. I'll also tell you how to activate your points so they're ready to go shopping...
- To buy Wii points directly from the Wii Shop, simply go to the Wii Shop channel on your console. In the Wii Shop channel click on the link that says "Start Shopping". From there choose "Add Wii Points", and then click on "Buy Wii Points with a Credit Card".
When buying points from the Wii Shop channel, the points are added to your account immediately. If you want to buy something from the Wii Shop right now, this is the best way to buy your points. Simply choose the number of points you want to buy, pay with a credit card and your points are ready for you to spend.
- Most online retailers that sell Wii products also sell Wii points cards. The most common Wii points card is the 2,000 points card. These 2,000 points cards cost $19.99 in the US and around £14.99 in the UK.
The points card has an activation code hidden behind a silver panel on the back of the card. When you receive your points card, simply scratch off this silver panel with a coin to reveal the code. You'll need to enter this code in the Wii Shop to activate your points.To activate the points on your Wii points card, go to the Wii Shop channel and click the link that says "Start Shopping". From there choose "Add Wii Points", and then click on "Redeem Wii Points Card". Enter the number on the back of your card and your points will be added to your account immediately. You can buy a Wii points card at any of the best online retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Play.com and Game. The card is usually delivered in a couple of days, so it's a good way to buy points if you're not in a hurry or you're buying the points as a gift. Points cards also make a great gift for someone who loves their Wii. It's like giving them a gift voucher for the Wii Shop. A good tip is to shop around for your points card. Retailers often sell Wii points cards at lower prices to try to get your business. This means you get your games and other downloads from the Wii Shop at a discount because the less you pay for your points, the cheaper your games are. Points bought directly from the Wii Shop always cost the same price, so you won't be able to benefit from cheaper points.
Before you go off and buy your points, here is some important info… - Points are region specific so you can't buy a points card in the US and use it in Europe or Japan. The place you buy your points is the place you have to use them.
- Nintendo limits the number of points you can have stored on your console. Don't buy too many Wii points cards at the same time because the Wii Shop won't let you activate all of them. If you're buying Wii points directly from the Shop, the Shop won't let you buy more than the maximum.
- Points don't have a set expiry date and stay in your Wii Shop account until you use them.
- Points bought or activated in the Wii Shop can't be used in the Nintendo DSi shop and vice versa (the DSi is the new Nintendo handheld games machine). If you have a Wii and DSi, you'll need to buy points for the Wii Shop and DSi Shop separately.
The points system can be a bit more of a hassle than simply buying downloads on a credit card. On the positive side though, you can buy Wii points and store them, making it really quick and easy to buy games and other software in a snap, without having to enter credit card and address details every time. If you're going off to buy Wii points, come back afterwards and learn more about using your points.Nintendo Wii Explained Home Page
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