Nintendo Points are a virtual 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 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 by the Nintendo eShop, currently available on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, as well as future Nintendo consoles, 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 eShop. In the case of Wii U, however, it currently provides legacy support for Nintendo Points via Wii Mode, which allows access to the original Wii Shop Channel.