Can You Play the Original Legend of Zelda (NES) on Wii?

Not on the original Wii. The Wii Shop Channel (closed 2019) never offered NES titles—only SNES, N64, Genesis, TurboGrafx-16, Neo Geo, and arcade.

Ways to Play on Nintendo Hardware

• Wii U Virtual Console: The Legend of Zelda (NES) was available ($4.99). Wii U eShop closed March 2023, but purchased titles remain downloadable.
• Nintendo Switch Online: Included with subscription (NES app). Save states, rewind, online co-op.
• Game Boy Advance: Classic NES Series: The Legend of Zelda cartridge (2004).
• NES Classic Edition: Pre-installed on the mini-console (2016/2018).

Emulation note: Downloading ROMs you don't own is illegal. Dump your own cartridge via hardware (e.g., Retrode) for legal personal backup.