Getting a Wii U Today? Here's How to Transfer the Data From Your Wii

Nintendo's made it as easy as possible.

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The Wii U is officially out and available, and the good news is that you might even be able to buy one. Unlike the Wii when it launched, the Wii U is not in short supply (we know, we just drove to our local Target to pick one up).

So once you've taken the Wii U home and booted it up, the next question is obvious: how do you get all the precious data from your old Wii onto it? Thankfully, Nintendo has made this process as easy as possible. Just:

Take any old SD card you've got lying around and stick it in the Wii U. With the console connected to the internet, put it into Wii mode run the "Wii System Transfer" application. When it's done, jam the SD card into the Wii, also connected to the internet, and run the same application (it'll be automatically downloaded). Stick the card back in your Wii U, run it one more time, and you're done.

Here's what transfers over:

  • Save data for Wii games
  • Software and save data for WiiWare and Virtual Console titles
  • DLC
  • Wii points
  • Purchase history
  • Miis
  • Wi-Fi connection data

And here's what doesn't:

  • Wii settings
  • Preinstalled WiiWare software and Virtual Console titles
  • GameCube saves
  • Software and saves "for which transfer is not permitted" (no Wii U homebrew for you!)
  • Software that is already present on both consoles

The data can be transferred once, and then it's erased from the Wii. Painless, right? Did you get a Wii U yet? Was it hard to find one, or did you pre-order? Are you waiting for a price drop or more games to come out?

[via Kotaku]

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