Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (sometimes shortened to Nintendo WFC, Wi-Fi, or WFC) is a defunct online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games. The service included the company's Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop game download services. It also ran features for the Wii and Nintendo DS systems.
| Developer | Nintendo |
|---|---|
| Launch date | November 14, 2005 |
| Discontinued | May 20, 2014 |
| Platform(s) | Wii Nintendo DS Nintendo DS Lite Nintendo DSi Nintendo DSi XL Wii U (Wii mode, formerly) Nintendo 3DS (DS mode, formerly) |
| Operating system(s) | Wii system software, DSi system software |
| Website | www.nintendowfc.com at the Wayback Machine (archived April 4, 2014) |
Games designed to take advantage of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection offered Internet play integrated into the game. When promoting this service, Nintendo emphasized the simplicity and speed of starting an online game. For example, in Mario Kart DS, an online game was initiated by selecting the online multiplayer option from the main menu, then choosing whether to play with friends, or to play with other players (either in the local region or worldwide) at about the same skill level. After a selection was made, the game started searching for an available player.
On January 26, 2012, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service was succeeded by and absorbed into Nintendo Network. This new online system unified the 3DS and Wii U platforms and replaced Friend Codes, while providing paid downloadable content, an online community style multiplayer system, and personal accounts. Nintendo Network is fully supported on the Nintendo 3DS and on the Wii U, whilst still continuing providing partial legacy support for both Wii and Nintendo DS under the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection brand. Specifically, the Wii U can boot to Wii mode and then access the Wii Message Board messages which have been recorded by the gameplay progress of compatible local games, but it cannot send Wii Message Board messages remotely between different machines.
On May 20, 2014, at 7:30 PM PT, Nintendo ended the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support for all games, except for Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection pay and play branded games, Nintendo DSi Shop and Nintendo Wii Shop Channel services (which were terminated on March 31, 2017 and January 30, 2019, respectively).
After the end of the service, there have been various fan-made services to restore online functionality to games that Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection supported that remain operational.