Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
| |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
|---|---|
| Latest version | N/A |
| Active | No |
| Platform(s) | Wii Nintendo DS family |
| Type | Online service |
| Website | nintendo.com Wayback Machine backup |
The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was a free to use online service for the Wii, DS and DSi created by Nintendo. Launched in 2005, discontinued in 2014
Contents
NDS[edit]
There was a third-party DeSmuME fork that successfully emulated WFC but has quite a bit of requirement (Ethernet cable, though this can be circumvented with external software). After the service shutdown, there was a version compatible with the fan servers (restoring all DLC data, but sadly, most multiplayer games had their content lost forever). melonDS is one of the only emulators to offer Wi-Fi capabilities. It's still a work-in-progress, but it works relatively well.
- Tutorial: How to Connect to WFC in MelonDS
- See Preservation projects page for more information about other revive projects.
Wii[edit]
- Main article: Dolphin Online
- See List of Wii Wi-Fi Connection games
- Custom servers for some of the more popular games exist thanks to the Wiimmfi or WiiLink WFC (WIP) projects. Accessing the wimmfi project's revival servers requires an original NAND dump from your console, as it serves as a unique identifier and helps maintain a level playing field for all participants. Unfortunately, a small number of emulator users have been caught dropping frames or using cheats, which grant unfair advantages. Using an original NAND dump helps prevent such exploits and fosters a fair competitive environment. See Tutorial: How to Connect to WFC in Dolphin.
- See Preservation projects page for more information about other revive projects.
WiiConnect24[edit]
WiiConnect24 was a feature of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for the Wii console. It was first announced at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in mid-2006 by Nintendo. It enabled the user to remain connected to the Internet while the console was on standby. For example, in Animal Crossing: City Folk, a friend could send messages to another player without the recipient being present in the game at the same time as the sender.[1]
- It's possible to connect WiiConnect24 and it's channels thanks to RiiConnect24 project which is part of WiiLink project.
- See Preservation projects page for more information about other revive projects.
Shutdown[edit]
It was shutdown on May 20, 2014, due to the company GameSpy, the ones who were managing these servers, shutting down its multiplayer services after being bought out. Dragon Quest X continued to support the service until November 2017, and support for the Wii Shop Channel ended on January 30, 2019.
See Also[edit]
- Related articles
- Online play on other Nintendo consoles
- Early Online Services (Includes Nintendo's previous online services)
- Nintendo Network (Wii U and 3DS)
- Netplay on Nintendo consoles (Netplay inside emulators for Nintendo's consoles, this shouldn't be confused with Online Services though)
- Nintendo Switch Online (Nintendo Switch)
