Nintendo Switch
Freedom to have fun. Wherever. Whenever.
Make Wii U the centerpiece of your home entertainment setup with these applications, accessible the day you bring your system home.
Each time you turn on your Wii U console, you'll be greeted by Mii characters from around the world, and the Wii U community's most talked about games in the WaraWara Plaza.
From the Wii U GamePad controller, choose the software you'd like to launch.
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Your one-stop shop for downloadable games and entertainment.
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Browse the Internet from the comfort of your couch.
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Create Mii characters of you, your family and friends.
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- A broadband Internet connection is required to use most built-in software. A system update will also be required.
Wii U Software Features
Access the HOME Button any time
The HOME Button on your Wii U GamePad gives you immediate access to game manuals and Internet Browser at any time—without having to exit your game.
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Wii U Users
Manage and keep track of game save data and details for up to 12 users on one Wii U console. Everyone in your family can play as a different user. You can also set unique parental controls for each user.
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Daily records
Keep track of how much you've played your Wii U games and applications by date, or in a handy graph. You can even track the daily records for each individual user registered on the console.
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Play online with friends
Register friends from anywhere in the world either by exchanging your Nintendo Network ID or sending a friend request to someone you recently played online. Within your Friend List you can see if your registered friends are online, and what game they are playing.
Fast and easy shopping on your Wii U system
Save yourself a trip to the store! You can buy and download tons of games directly from the Nintendo eShop. You'll find both new and classic titles, plus indie games, downloadable content, and more.
Earn points with My Nintendo
You can earn My Nintendo points on digital purchases, then redeem your points for fun rewards (like game discounts!).
Free demos and more
Try before you buy! Enjoy demo versions of select games. Just download and play.
Entertainment for everyone
Nintendo eShop also offers a suite of Video-on-Demand options.
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brings you thousands of movies and TV series, instantly streamed to your Wii U system.*
- Netflix streaming membership required.
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lets you discover and watch videos shared by others, including Nintendo’s official Wii U channel.
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offers more than 150,000 of the latest movies and in-season TV episodes.
- Service available in select areas; visit www.Amazon.com/instantvideo/terms for details.
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provides unlimited streaming of current hit shows, classic series and acclaimed movies.
- Hulu Plus membership required.
Purchase Downloadable Content (DLC)
Select games have additional, optional content that can be purchased from the Nintendo eShop to make the games you own even more fun. You may find new levels, additional characters, and other unique content.
- Wii Points cannot be used in the Nintendo eShop. Ability to download games is dependent on available storage capacity. For more info, visit our support page.
Watch the latest game trailers
Enjoy the latest trailers and gameplay videos for games in the Nintendo eShop, all viewable on your TV screen or on the Wii U GamePad right in your hands.
Set Parental Controls
Use the Parental Control setting to limit access to games based on their ESRB rating for specific users on your Wii U console, or to restrict Wii U Shopping Services. For more info, visit our support page.
How do I shop on my Wii U?
Connect to the eShop
- Connect your system to the Internet.
Learn how - Tap the Nintendo eShop icon on the Wii U menu.
Shop
- On the eShop Home menu, you can browse featured games, sale titles, best sellers, free demos, and more. You may also search for specific titles.
- Tap a title for more information, or to add it to your Wish List.
Purchase and download
- Tap "Purchase" next to the game you'd like to buy.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to add funds, then tap "Purchase" again to finalize. Once your title has finished downloading, you can find it in your Wii U menu.
How to redeem download codes
Download codes are codes for specific digital games or content. To redeem your code, simply tap the Nintendo eShop icon on your Wii U Menu, then select “Enter Download Code” near the top of the screen.
You may also redeem your code online and send the content directly to your system.
Nintendo eShop Cards: Gift-giving made easy
Be ready to buy immediately—or give the gift of fun—with a Nintendo eShop Card.
Broadband internet connection required to use the Nintendo eShop on Wii U.
Learn more.
Enjoy the Internet with a unique two-screen experience.
The Internet Browser lets you surf the web any time on your TV, using the Wii U GamePad. Simple controls let you share the browsing experience with everyone in the room, or from just the GamePad.
Using the TV screen and GamePad
View websites and play your favorite web videos* on the TV screen for everyone to enjoy—viewable in HD on supported TV sets. Get a more detailed look at small text by using the view of the GamePad—or, use both screens at once with supported websites.
- Supports H.264, but Adobe Flash is not supported
Watch videos on the TV.
Read fine print on the GamePad.
Simple GamePad touch controls
Scroll through pages, enter keywords, switch between tabs, and more all using the Wii U GamePad touch screen or buttons. Browse with ease, any way you like.
Tilt the GamePad
Using the built-in gyro sensor of the Wii U GamePad, you can scroll up and down a webpage for a unique and intuitive browsing experience using motion controls.
Browse the web while the TV is in use
Using only the Wii U GamePad, you can browse the Internet with ease while someone else in the room uses the TV for something else. Use the browser to look up info on the program you're watching, or anything else you like.
Unique features found nowhere else
Continue to browse on the GamePad while a web video is playing on the TV, and find the next video to show off without interruption. Surprise and delight your fellow viewers by setting the stage and revealing the video from behind a curtain and drumroll.
Search for the next video while the first one plays.
Use curtains to set the scene and present your video.
Get game info at any time
Access the Internet Browser while in the middle of a game using the HOME Button. You can pause your game at any time and go look up information about it online. The game will still be visible as you browse, and you can quickly return to it when ready.
- Some games may not be able to display the game screen while browsing.
Upload your favorite screenshots.
Go through the game and find a scene you want to upload, then press the HOME Button and select "Internet Browser." Then you can easily send screenshots from your game to sites which allow image uploads.
- A system update will be required September 30, 2013.
When posting to Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr, using the Wii U Image Share will make things easier.
Parental Controls
Use of the Internet Browser can be restricted entirely by the Wii U system's Parental Controls. For more info, visit our support page.
Broadband internet connection required.
Learn more.
Make a Mii for everyone in the family, and more.
Create original Mii characters that represent you, your family, friends, or anyone you like using the built-in Mii Maker application. These Mii characters will appear in specially designed Wii U games, putting you right into the gaming experience!
Use the camera to make a Mii
If you want a head start in creating your Mii, take a picture of yourself using the built-in camera on the Wii U GamePad. Mii Maker will automatically create a Mii. You can then edit further to complete your creation.
Import your favorite Mii characters to Wii U!
From Nintendo 3DS
You can transfer Mii characters created on a Nintendo 3DS system using either its QR Code® pattern, or via direct wireless communication.
From Wii
When you perform a Wii System Transfer, the Mii data on your Wii console will also be transferred.
For more info on System Transfer, click here.
Share your Mii with others
You can create fun photo shoots with your Mii character, or QR Code® patterns that can be shared with other Wii U and Nintendo 3DS owners.
- To make photos and QR Code patterns, an SD card is required (sold separately.)
Take pictures using a variety of fun poses with your Mii character.
Generate a QR Code that can be shared with friends.
Save up to 3,000 Mii characters
Using all of the various ways to create and import Mii characters, plus any Mii that visits to play over the Internet, you can save up to 3,000 on one Wii U console shared between all users.
- QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED in JAPAN and other countries.