Topic: Help, Sold Wii U, buying New one

Hi, I need some help with getting another Wii U. I had a Wii U and sold it about a year ago. I am buying another Wii U
to play the new Zelda game and have a few questions.

1. How do I link my Nintendo ID from the old unit (I no longer have) so I can play all the games I purchased digitally. I have photos of all my account info and serial number from the old system.

2. Is the E-Shop still up and running for the Wii-U?

3. The system I am buy is second hand and came with Splatoon and Super Smash Bros pre-installed on the system. Will they remain on the system when I restore it and put my Network ID on it?

Thank you for your help

1. You have to contact Nintendo.

2. Yes

3. I think so?

@TheLZdragon Thanks. I have read a bunch of horror stories of people losing all their past purchases because they do not own the old system.

I didn't know you can do that, interesting....

You need to have unlinked your NNID from your old Wii U, and then you can log into your existing NNID on a new Wii U, and bam, you should be able to redownload all of your old purchases (basically, you won't lose any of your old purchases, so long as your NNID is only registered to one Wii U at any given time). Your serial number and account details are irrelevant in this case (that information usually pertains to manufacturing/repairs).

One of the Terms and Conditions (it's a contract after all) is that your NNID is unlinked from your console before you sell/give it another party, so Nintendo is not obligated to help you reclaim your past purchases in the event that you've neglected to unlink your NNID from your old Wii U console. When it comes to matters like these, it helps to read the Terms and Conditions so that you know what your rights are. Nintendo may play nice and help you out of goodwill even though they have no legal or moral obligation to do so. You accepted the T&C when creating that NNID.

You should still be able to keep Splatoon and Super Smash Bros. so long as the NNID that they are linked to (if applicable) is not unlinked from the console.

Oh cool, I didn't know the Wii U actually worked like that. But also, buying a Wii U again now....

If someone bought the Wii U with the NNID intact and bought more purchases on it with that NNID, and you go and try to get it back can't they argue saying hey I bought stuff on that NNID?

Thanks everyone. I contacted Nintendo and got my old account back. I had to know my old serial number, rough time of console purchase / activation, and some purchases on my NNID account.

You posthing helped me.

Pretty dumb and archaic system Nintendo make you jump through hoops of fire just to get your games back...
Ive had WiiU break and one stolen and had to call them to get my purchases back. It's big pain in the butt. They had to do it for me a few times as well. I was told they won't do a NNID transfer for me for another 2 years b/c of their commie policies. Really sad I can't do it like Sony's way of just signing into another system with ease and no phone call wrestling to deal with. Really Sad Nintendo.