bit-tech Shopping: Nintendo Wii Points Card

Rating: 10

Time with product: 6 Months

Strengths: Works just as advertised. Good alternative for those that don't like using credit cards.

Weaknesses: Stores tend to overcharge for these points. Flimsy plastic card.

Summary: The Wii's virtual console arrived and instead of taking real money, Nintendo wants you to buy these points to use in their Wii Shop to buy classic games to play on your Wii. It's a pretty simple package and concept: scrape off the silver area on the back and enter the code to add Wii points to your Wii account. Unfortunately, the card itself is just flimsy plastic that isn't like any normal plastic credit card you may have, but that doesn't affect much at all. Regardless, it's quick and easy, which is the whole point of the points card. Just make sure you're paying at most $20 for the card, not including tax, as some stores have had the gull to charge more than the MSRP.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 30 Days

Strengths: Good for gifts

Weaknesses:

Summary: Buying game gifts can be pretty difficult. It turns out kids are pretty particular about which brand controllers, which games, etc. Actually, everybody is particular about everything which is probably why gift cards are so popular now.The Wii points card is good for that, and allows purchase of download games. For example, the classic N64 Mario Kart game can be purchased online using the Wii and the Wii Points Card. It really plays identically to the N64 version.So basically it is a gift card worth $20. Never any sales for it though.

Rating: 10

Time with product:

Strengths: Convenient and possibly cheaper way to get Nintendo Virtual Console games on your Wii system

Weaknesses: Typing in codes can be a pain

Summary: In order to purchase downloadable content on the Nintendo Wii system (which as of now only consists of Virtual Console games - games for older Nintendo and Sega systems, mostly, like Star Fox 64, Super Mario World, etc) you need to use "points". The points can then be exchanged for NES games (typically 500 points), Super Nintendo games (800 points), Nintendo 64 games (1000 points), and a few other systems (with various pricing). In the future Nintendo is expected to add original content much like the Xbox Live Arcade offerings, and possibly downloadable content for regular Wii games. The points can be ontained in one of two ways. The first is to enter your credit card information on the Wii Shop channel on your Wii and purchase points directly: $10 for increments of 1000 points. The other way is to buy Wii Points cards which have 2000 points (and typically retail for $20). You then enter a code from the card into the appropriate interface in the Wii Shop channel and you are credited with the 2000 points. While some may find the credit card option more convenient (no need to go to a store and buy one of the cards for example), there are some potential advantages to using the cards. The best reason is that the cards can be purchased at a discount (with coupons, gift certificates, trade-in credit at game stores, etc). Also, obviously, if you lack a credit card this is the only way to get the VC games. Personally, I use the Wii Points cards for this very reason - they can be obtained for $15 or sometimes less using coupons and in-store promotions, making the VC games much more affordable than simply paying $20 for 2000 points.

Rating: 6

Time with product: 3 Months

Strengths: helps keep my credit card number from another company's hand, doesnt expire

Weaknesses: no cash value, will not be replaced if lost

Summary: Well the Wii points card lets me buy software for the Nintendo Wii Virtual console without giving them my actual credit card number, which is a plus. Also you can sometimes find these on sale which is great so your not actually paying the real face value of the card. Wish they made cards available in a value other than 2000 points. Be careful, there are no security or scratch pins on the cards, so someone may have already redeemed your card or if you lost it, it will not be replaced.

Rating: 6

Time with product: 2 Weeks

Strengths: Can usually find in stores for $15 with BB Coupons.

Weaknesses: None. It's a card.

Summary: The Wii Points card allows you to purchase classic games from the Wii Virtual Console. Older games cost 1000 points, Older old games cost 800 points, and the oldest of the older old games cost 500 points. So the most expensive games cost around ten dollar. Many of these games you probably never played or never want to play again. But there are some gems already on the system. Castlevania, Zelda, Mario. The consoles range from the NES, Super NES, N64, Genesis, and Turbographics 16. If only they had some older gameboy games on there... Metroid II was a classic.