Wii

The Wii is a video game console created and distributed by Nintendo. It was first released in North America on November 19, 2006, then in Japan on December 2, 2006, Oceania on December 7, 2006, and Europe on December 8, 2006. The Wii is a successor to the Nintendo GameCube, but original Wii models are backwards compatible with Nintendo GameCube titles, meaning that they can be played on the Wii. The Wii is the first Nintendo home console to have official backwards compatibility with its predecessor.

Unlike the Nintendo GameCube, Wii game discs use the standard DVD size, which allows them to hold more memory than the GameCube discs: up to 4.37 GB for single-layered discs, and up to 7.92 GB for dual-layered discs. Either a Wii or a Nintendo GameCube disc can be inserted into a Wii's disc tray. There is a flap on top of the Wii, and four Nintendo GameCube controller ports and two Memory Card slots are underneath it.

Like the Nintendo DS, the Wii could connect online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, prior to the service's discontinuation on May 20, 2014. The first Wii game in the North American region to utilize Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was Pokémon Battle Revolution, which released on June 25, 2007.

The Wii sold 101.63 million units as of March 31, 2021, making it Nintendo's second best-selling home console, behind the Nintendo Switch. Additionally, the Wii outsold its competitors ('s and the  ) by a wide margin, making it the most popular seventh generation home console.

In late 2012, a successor to the Wii was released, the Wii U, which itself is backwards compatible with Wii games. Some Wii U titles even allow for a Wii Remote to be used as a controller option.

Models
Late into its lifespan, the Wii received two variants, the Wii Family Edition and the Wii mini.

The Wii Family Edition was first released in North America on October 23, 2011, and its most notable difference is that it removed backwards compatibility for Nintendo GameCube titles.

The Wii mini, which first released on December 7, 2012 in Canada, is a smaller model that also lacks Nintendo GameCube compatibility, and it removes the ability to connect online.