nintendo is about 3 years late when it comes to online/multiplayer networks, they really need to catch up

It seems that they are. Slowly, of course.

Doesn't sound like they are actually letting you play the games on PC or smartphones so much as you have the ability to make purchases from PCs or Smartphones that you can have via unified Nintendo account and then download onto the system(s). Combined with their intent with Miiverse, this may prove beneficial but not to a great deal.

Surprised to see even a broadly appealing, massive hit like New Leaf has 25% download sales. That's well over a million downloads.

A million copies where Nintendo gets to keep more of the purchase price for itself.

A million copies which will never hit the used market.

A million copies which a retailer didn't have to order and stock before it could be sold.

The last point may actually be the most important for publishers. Games like Muramasa failed on the Wii before even getting a chance to succeed because retailers decided not to order any. In a digital market, the customer gets to decide what will succeed, not the retailer who tries to guess what the customer might want.

Finally.

Unless Nintendo decides to sell it at full price or overprice long post-release...  or worse yet, not have all titles available online.

Still happens, sadly.

It's like they're really trying to join next gen! So cute.

Seriously, though, Sony's internet store has become my preferred way to purchase games. It increases the accessibility by a huge amount and lets people buy games when it's on their mind, like right after they've finished with a review or read some positive comments in a forum thread. It's definitely a step Nintendo should take. It's console gaming's version of the retailer's "impulse rack", where they put tempting items right beside the register.

I would hope that it's faster than Sony's site, however, which is as sluggish as a fish in Jello. They really need to fix that. Still, the option to set a purchase to download when the console is next on is very sweet. Nintendo should look into that, as well, if they already haven't.

Actually, the other way around.

"it's always gonna be there".

...not true for some games in retail, to say the least. Though looking at people and steam sales, perhaps it's me.

I'm not sure what you mean?  I'm just saying that letting people buy from a PC or smart-phone allows them to purchase a game when the impulse hits them, even if they're not in front of a console.  Unless you mean that some people won't buy because it's too accessable?  Possible, I suppose, but I don't think that will be the case for most consumers.  I know it's not for me, as I'm a lot more interested in playing a game when I'm in front of my console than I am in browsing the store.  When I'm at my PC, though, it's something I can do in another tab.