Nintendo released a new set of toys, and it has iconic characters like Mario, Link, and Yoshi to add to the enjoyment. However, very few details have been released regarding the Amiibo toys, and according to Time, they don't come in with instructions.
So here are the things you have to know about Nintendo's new collectibles:
1) Nobody's quite sure what "Amiibo" means, although it could be something that conveys sentiments. According to Nintendo's director of product marketing, Bill Trinen, "They came up with the name in Japan, and the 'amii' portion comes from a little something in Japanese that conveys the sentiment of friend, of playing with your friend. That's what they're really trying to convey with it. I think for us it sounds a little like amigo. That's not the origin of the name, but it conveys the intent."
2) The figures will be launched together with Super Smash Bros for Wii U, on November 21. It is also noted that Amiibo is biased toward Smash, and sports the Smash series trademark logo.
3) The first 12 Amiibo figures include Mario, Link, Samus, Kirby, Fox, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, Peach, Marth, Yoshi, Villager and Wii Fit Trainer. The next batch will include Diddy Kong, Zelda, Luigi, Captain Falcon, Pit, and Little Mac on December. Finally, by February 2015, it is expected that Bowser, Toon link, Sheik, Sonic, Mega Man, King Dedede, Ike, Rosalina & Luma, Shulk, Lucario, and Meta Knight will be part of the collection.
4) The Amiibo toys use near-field communication to communicate with you on your Wii, and they don't need batteries to work. The NFC chip in the figures' base is activated by the NFC sensor.
5) A bunch of games are compatible with Amiibo, including Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and in the future, the list will include Mario Party 10, Yoshi's Woolly World, and Kirby and the Rainbow Curse.
Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai also gave some insight on the development of the Amiibo toys, telling IGN, "For getting amiibo involved with the game, we tried coming up with ideas that wouldn't clash with the core of the Smash Bros. titles we've made up to now, wouldn't put too much burden on production, and provided something attractive to players. Having them be computer players (CPs) you can enhance and upgrade - in other words, not making them player-controlled - was a good move, I think, in terms of positioning them as a separate entity from the players themselves."
Would you be getting Amiibo for your Wii?
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