When Nintendo first debuted their entry in the interactive entertainment department, I was admittedly disinterested. Being apathetic towards Nintendo unveilings is rather atypical of me. I usually have a fork in one hand and a spoon in the other, waiting to devour whatever Nintendo puts on my plate. I am not much of a figurine collector. I lack the space and the ability to see the point in something that more or less just collects dust. I have a Ganondorf figure that sits on my desk while I do my work, but that's just for decor and admiration towards The Legend of Zelda series rather than an extreme fascination with inanimate objects. As the release of Nintendo's plastic army grew near, my lack of interest remained. In order to care, I needed to hear Nintendo emphasize what contributing factors these miniature mascots could provide to my overall gaming experience and that was something the company did not provide for me personally.
The first wave of Amiibo was scheduled to release the same day as my most anticipated title of the year, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The first wave consisted of some of Nintendo's most important mascots. The company has hopes to release a figure for each character in Super Smash. Bros for Wii U. With 49 fighters in the game, Nintendo appears committed to this playful endeavor. In addition to Smash, Nintendo has outlined future games and previously released games that will support Amiibo.
About a week before the release of Smash Bros., I decided that I would pick up a figure. I was still unsure as to what the figure will do for my gameplay experience, but for $12.99, it was worth dipping my toes in. I attribute my decision to purchase a figure purely based on anxiousness and hype for Smash Bros. As expected from a Nintendo enthusiast, I attended the midnight launch for Super Smash Bros. Every Smash game that releases is its own experience and some of the most fun I have in gaming. At the point of checking out, I let curiosity get the best of me. I grabbed a Link and Fox Amiibo based off sentimental purposes. As I mentioned earlier, The Legend of Zelda is a series I treasure. It was the first series that I really absorbed and became enchanted with. Star Fox 64 was my favorite game on the Nintendo 64. I was quite young when I played it, maybe Kindergarten, and I know I never completed it, but for some reason, I kept playing it over and over, even if it was just those first couple of levels. The next morning, I saw myself running out to Toys R Us. A stampeded of anxious parents stormed to the Amiibo section and picked the selection dry. I walked over to the remains, saw a Pikachu, and remembered how enamored I was towards the original Pokemon games as a kid. I picked it up and happily paid. I had three Amiibo and really had no idea as to why.
During a study break, I decided to play some Smash and finally see what the Amiibo were about. I admit, the options for Amiibo in Smash are limited. After scanning in your pint sized figure, you can customize their look and nickname as well as feed it particular equipment to boost certain statistics. Amiibo are glorified sparring partners. They cannot be used by a player. Amiibo pick up on your play style and perform in battle as if it were you. Each figure has the ability to level up to 50. After several battles, I discovered that a level 50 Amiibo is a much more difficult opponent than a level 9 CPU, which is the maximum level of difficulty for a CPU. Essentially, Amiibo are physical downloadable content. Not owning an Amiibo will not prevent you from experiencing Super Smash Bros. for Wii U to its fullest extent. However, as someone who appreciates a good Smash challenge, Amiibo work for me. It sounds childish, but I have grown a liking to my plastic family. They feel personal and like my responsibility almost. This does not encourage me to purchase all of the figures, however, because that's quite the expensive project. As of writing this, the only new Amiibo I have purchased was Kirby because, well, Kirby is the cutest.
From an aesthetic point, the figures are pretty nice. Some of the better ones: Pikachu, Kirby, Mario, and Fox are almost exact replicas of their in game characters. Some of the more involved ones: Peach, Link, and Marth suffer from some questionable paint jobs and stoic faces. They all have a good amount of weight to them and do not feel hollow. The added poses invoke personality. I would say for the price, they're pretty well done.
While I do want to see more game integration for Amiibo and why they are worthwhile for consumers, I can say I am behind the idea and look forward to seeing how far Nintendo marches with their plastic parade.
The first wave of Amiibo was scheduled to release the same day as my most anticipated title of the year, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The first wave consisted of some of Nintendo's most important mascots. The company has hopes to release a figure for each character in Super Smash. Bros for Wii U. With 49 fighters in the game, Nintendo appears committed to this playful endeavor. In addition to Smash, Nintendo has outlined future games and previously released games that will support Amiibo.
About a week before the release of Smash Bros., I decided that I would pick up a figure. I was still unsure as to what the figure will do for my gameplay experience, but for $12.99, it was worth dipping my toes in. I attribute my decision to purchase a figure purely based on anxiousness and hype for Smash Bros. As expected from a Nintendo enthusiast, I attended the midnight launch for Super Smash Bros. Every Smash game that releases is its own experience and some of the most fun I have in gaming. At the point of checking out, I let curiosity get the best of me. I grabbed a Link and Fox Amiibo based off sentimental purposes. As I mentioned earlier, The Legend of Zelda is a series I treasure. It was the first series that I really absorbed and became enchanted with. Star Fox 64 was my favorite game on the Nintendo 64. I was quite young when I played it, maybe Kindergarten, and I know I never completed it, but for some reason, I kept playing it over and over, even if it was just those first couple of levels. The next morning, I saw myself running out to Toys R Us. A stampeded of anxious parents stormed to the Amiibo section and picked the selection dry. I walked over to the remains, saw a Pikachu, and remembered how enamored I was towards the original Pokemon games as a kid. I picked it up and happily paid. I had three Amiibo and really had no idea as to why.
During a study break, I decided to play some Smash and finally see what the Amiibo were about. I admit, the options for Amiibo in Smash are limited. After scanning in your pint sized figure, you can customize their look and nickname as well as feed it particular equipment to boost certain statistics. Amiibo are glorified sparring partners. They cannot be used by a player. Amiibo pick up on your play style and perform in battle as if it were you. Each figure has the ability to level up to 50. After several battles, I discovered that a level 50 Amiibo is a much more difficult opponent than a level 9 CPU, which is the maximum level of difficulty for a CPU. Essentially, Amiibo are physical downloadable content. Not owning an Amiibo will not prevent you from experiencing Super Smash Bros. for Wii U to its fullest extent. However, as someone who appreciates a good Smash challenge, Amiibo work for me. It sounds childish, but I have grown a liking to my plastic family. They feel personal and like my responsibility almost. This does not encourage me to purchase all of the figures, however, because that's quite the expensive project. As of writing this, the only new Amiibo I have purchased was Kirby because, well, Kirby is the cutest.
From an aesthetic point, the figures are pretty nice. Some of the better ones: Pikachu, Kirby, Mario, and Fox are almost exact replicas of their in game characters. Some of the more involved ones: Peach, Link, and Marth suffer from some questionable paint jobs and stoic faces. They all have a good amount of weight to them and do not feel hollow. The added poses invoke personality. I would say for the price, they're pretty well done.
While I do want to see more game integration for Amiibo and why they are worthwhile for consumers, I can say I am behind the idea and look forward to seeing how far Nintendo marches with their plastic parade.
amiibo worldwide. 
