Given the success of the figurine based Skylanders and Disney Infinity before it, Amiibo seems like the perfect way to profit on the marketability of iconic Nintendo characters. But Nintendo haven't just borrowed the concept, they've arguably improved it. Skylanders and Disney Infinity figures obviously only apply to their respective games, but Amiibo figures are said to work in multiple Nintendo titles, two obvious ones being the upcoming Super Smash Bros Wii U, and the recently released Mario Kart 8. The figures don't allow grant access to playable characters like Disney Infinity, instead they provide a unique CPU personality for that particular figure which adapts, evolves and grows with each session. In that, they've also provided a reason to collect multiple of the same figure, as the behavior of each one will vary. Given Nintendo's huge roster of own characters and intellectual properties, they have a great opportunity to make Amiibo a fantastic business venture, which is a multi-platform medium that isn't just exclusive to one or two games, like previous figurine/game concepts. Assuming that there's enough support and applicable games for Amiibo figures, it should prove a smash hit for adults and children alike.
Sam is an experienced Film, Gaming and Wrestling writer, critic and journalist who was written for a vast number of different entertainment websites. Follow him on twitter at @Sams_Reel_Views.
