Nintendo amiibo toys turn your favorite characters into collectible joy

Video game maker Nintendo finally confirms what has been widely speculated across the gaming press in the months leading up to E3: They are making collectible figures in the vein of 'Skylanders' and 'Disney Infinity.'

 

During a series of digital announcements at the videogame conference E3, or Electronic Entertainment Expo, the house that Mario built unveiled several game titles and plans to invigorate the Wii U console, which has experienced some turbulence since its launch. But the one announcement that definitely got attention was 'amiibo,' a line of interactive action figures designed to interact with Nintendo games.

 

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime described 'amiibo' as the company's entry into the "toys-to-life category." Ten figures were shown off during the announcement, including Donkey Kong, Link, Mario, Pikachu, and Samus Aran. The figures are activated by touching them to the Wii U's gamepad, which will import character data into the relevant game. 

 

 

This is made possible by 'near-field communications' technology using RFID standards.  Such communication between the chip inside the figures and the gamepad goes both ways. Information from the game can go into the figure. "The figure's data changes as you play," said Fils-Aime. "The character will not only appear in the game but also evolve. It opens the door to new kinds of game play.”

 

But unlike 'Skylanders' and 'Infinity', the 'amiibo' figures are intended to synchronize with multiple games. The first of upcoming Wii U games designed to work with 'amiibo' will be 'Super Smash Bros. for Wii U' followed by 'Mario Kart 8' and 'Mario Party 10.' While activated in-game, the figures gain skills and level up, but aren't controlled directly.

 

Senior Product Marketing Manager Bill Trinen, described the conceptualization and plans for 'amiibo' at greater length in a video released by Nintendo. If you activate your 'amiibo' Mario in 'Super Smash Bros.' you can fight against him, pit him against friends or recruit him onto your team. Rather than being required to unlock characters in games as in 'Skylanders', the figures add value to Wii U games. 

 

 

Effectively speaking, 'amiibo's aren't personal avatars for you to control, but your personalized Nintendo mascot. It's like a higher order of Pokemon, consisting entirely of Nintendo favorites made from beautifully molded plastic. You can even travel with them and take them to a friend's place with all your progress and experience stored on them.

 

While describing 'amiibo,' Fils-Aime did not shy from comparisons to 'Skylanders' and 'Infinity.' The first of the Skylanders games, 'Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure,' was released three years ago. By successfully harnessing the appeal of collectible toys with a clever blend of near-field technology and video game design, the franchise minted two billion dollars in under three years. 

 

Nintendo was the first console manufacturer offered possible exclusivity for 'Skylanders', but they turned it down. After the success of 'Skylanders,' the company quietly integrated an NFC reader into the gamepad. In 2013, 'Disney Infinity' was released, which capitalizes on characters from Disney, which holds one of the world's strongest portfolios of intellectual property. — TJD, GMA News