Nintendo last week finally made use of the NFC feature on the Wii U game console and began enabling Japanese owners to purchase items in its digital shop using contactless public transportation cards.

Japanese gamers can use Suica, Pasmo Kitaca, Toica, Manaca or Icoca-branded cards to add funds to their Nintendo eShop accounts to purchase games and other digital content.

Nintendo partnered with the East Japan Railway Company to enable Suica cardholders to earn one point for every 200 yen (US$1.95 or 1.46 euros) they spend in the eShop. 

Nintendo launched the Wii U in 2012 and only made a passing reference to the NFC feature in the console's gamepad when it released the machine. The company earlier this year introduced something called an amiibo, which are character figures designed to connect and interact with compatible games via NFC. When a gamer holds the figure over the sensor, it interacts with the game on the screen. Nintendo plans to launch the figures this holiday season.