So long, Wii and DSi

The arrival of the 3DS eShop saw Nintendo move away from Nintendo Points, the custom currency that, in the opinion of some, was far from ideal. The 3DS eShop has continued to evolve and now allows top-ups of a download's value, for example, so the days of buying a block of 1000 points when you only need 100 are, thankfully, long gone.

The most recent batch of pre-paid download cards have accommodated 3DS, Wii and DSi, with the cash value either being applied as funds to an account or converted to an equivalent number of points. The arrival of Wii U starts a new generation for Nintendo's digital stores, it seems, as new eShop cards have emerged on Walmart.com that specify use on only 3DS and the upcoming system, with no mention of compatibility on the older stores.

It's only natural, of course, for Nintendo to move on and progress from its previous systems, but this could mean a dwindling stock of applicable top-up cards for those that want to buy points on Wii or DSi without using a credit card. This could also be confirmation, of sorts, that Wii U's online store will be branded as the eShop, an assumption that many have been making for a long time.

If the cards are to be believed, in that they won't work on the Wii or DSi shop, what do you think? Should Nintendo make its new cards applicable on the older services so that it's easy to top-up on points, or should it move on with the eShop on 3DS and Wii U? Let us know in the comments below.

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[source trendygamers.com, via gonintendo.com]