amiibo News
October2015
News NOA Announces Coming Restock of Old amiibo
To select retailers and lucky(?) wallets
Let's tell the story of an unknown, completely random Nintendo fan. We'll call him Jim Smatshaw. Jim was excited for amiibo from the start, and went to a Toys 'R Us as soon as the first wave came out. That night he chose to buy Wii Fit Trainer and Fox, and fortune smiled upon him. Then, limiting himself to...
September2015
Video Mega Yarn Yoshi, Shovel Knight And More amiibo Madness At EGX 2015
Is your wallet ready?
You like amiibo, right? Of course you do! Everyone does. And with that in mind, you'll no doubt be pleased to hear that Nintendo Life video expert Alex Olney teamed up with our friends at Family Gamer TV at EGX 2015 to get an up-close tour of all the lovely new amiibo on show at the expo. On the Nintendo booth we got to have a...
Rumour Retailer-Exclusive amiibo Look Set for Roll Out At Rival Stores in North America
Timed exclusives only?
In Europe most amiibo, if not quite all, have been released by any retailer that's wanted to stock the figure. It's been a rather different tale in North America, with major players Toys "R" Us, GameStop, Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon all having exclusives at some point over the past 10 months. In some cases, however, these may...
Weirdness Bowser Bummed by Skylanders amiibo Tie-in
GAME store has a cheeky time of it
Anatomically, Bowser's nose can be considered to have two primary purposes. First, it provides something to breathe through when he has a mouth full of hot, fiery death to spit. Second, its presence keeps him from looking like a total goober. Case in point, one GAME store seems to have come across a Hammer Slam...
News Don't Count Nintendo Out, Says Former Xbox Boss Robbie Bach
"Nintendo - with great respect - is a toy company, and always has been"
With the Wii U look set to sell less units that the GameCube and the 3DS falling short of the commercial performance of its immediate predecessor the DS, many industry analysts have characterised Nintendo as a company in decline. However, former Xbox boss Robbie Bach - who spent...
Video Skylanders Superchargers Wii and Wii U Starter Packs Compared
Bowser and DK make their entrances
Ahead of reviews coming in for Skylanders Superchargers we have a look at how the toys stack up in the home. In particular how the Wii U and Wii starter packs compare to the other console versions. As you can see in these unboxing videos, the kids are more than a little impressed by Bowser and Donkey Kong packs...
News Mega Man amiibo Supported In Mega Man Legacy Collection
Dust off your Blue Bomber
We have to admit we're really looking forward to the Mega Man Legacy Collection which is coming to the 3DS eShop early next year. In addition to offering faithful reproductions of the series' origins with the original six Mega Man games, the game also includes a Challenge Mode, which stitches together various areas and...
News Mario Modern Colours amiibo Now Available For Preorder On The Nintendo UK Store
Modern life isn't rubbish
If you didn't get the bundled Mario Classic Colours amiibo with your copy of Super Mario Maker, then the Mario Modern Colours amiibo which is now available for preorder on the official Nintendo UK Store could be the one for you. Heck you should probably just own both variants, it is Mario's 30th anniversary after all...
Video Did You Know Gaming? Tackles amiibo
Origins, dropped ideas and more
We often share Did You Know Gaming? videos here on Nintendo Life, as they provide stylish video summaries - and sometimes little-known details - on various aspects of the medium. We thought we'd post the latest video as it tackles an important ongoing subject here on NL - amiibo. The little toys are always a hot...
News Nintendo Confirms Seven Million amiibo Sales in the US
Splatoon also continues to sell well
The August NPD results have made their way into the world - these only cover physical retail sales in the US and are, therefore, only relatively representative. Nevertheless they do bring us some updated sales numbers and trends from a vital gaming market. From a Nintendo perspective the software top 10 brings...
News Nintendo UK Store Offering Limited Edition Super Mario Box Packed With Goodies
Box fresh
Nintendo UK's online store is marking the 30th birthday of Super Mario by offering a limited edition box packed with merchandise. The Super Mario Box contains a Mario Classic Colours amiibo, 8-Bit Mario Soft Toy, Mario "Breaking Bricks since 1985" T-Shirt and a Mario Hat. It's available for pre-order at £29.99 and ships on October 9th...
Video We Look at Every Single Mystery Mushroom Costume in Super Mario Maker
Spoiler warning!
When Nintendo first revealed that we could play as characters from Zelda, Animal Crossing, Kirby, Splatoon and many more in Super Mario Maker using amiibo, we were thrilled to bits. Little did we know just how expansive this roster would become, which finally comes in at a staggering 100 unique costumes. Of course not every single...
News More Wave 5 amiibo Pre-Order Sale Windows Confirmed for Amazon in North America
Friday's the day
Though amiibo can still be tricky to obtain, a number of retailers have been improving the way they sell the cheeky little figures over the past few months. With first-come-first-served policies that avoid pre-orders, 1-per-limit customers and other ideas, it's generally a better process to get hold of the toys. Amazon has been one...
News Watch Chibi-Robo! Running Around In His Mario Costume In The Latest Zip Lash Gameplay Trailer
The Chibi-House is almost ready for departure sir!
As the release of Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash for 3DS draws ever closer Nintendo has been releasing new snippets of information about the game, along with the recent gameplay trailer below. In the trailer we can see a snippet of Chibi-Robo! running around in a Mario costume, which we can only assume is...
News A Supercharged Star Fox amiibo Hybrid Was A Possibility for Skylanders SuperChargers
I can't let you do that, Star Fox!
We're still kind of amazed that Nintendo allowed supercharged versions of Bowser and Donkey Kong to be included in the upcoming Skylanders SuperChargers game. In addition to being playable characters they also get their own amiibo figurines which have a handy switch in the base to flip into Skylanders mode...
News Man Goes On Quest To Buy Every Single amiibo In Australia In 24 Hours
Will it end well?
Popular Australian YouTube botherer UnlistedLeaf (aka Ando) got challenged by his followers to go on a journey to try and find every single amiibo in 24 hours in Australian stores. We all have no doubt experienced the pain of trying to find a coveted amiibo for our collection, be it in Europe or North America, but will they just...
News Production Of Shovel Knight amiibo Is Being Handled Entirely By Yacht Club Games
"We're basically licensing the amiibo technology from Nintendo"
After last week's revolutionary news of a third-party franchise breaking its way into the world of amiibo, some more details on the Shovel Knight figure have surfaced via Yacht Club Games. In an interview with Destructoid at PAX Prime 2015, studio head Sean Velasco stated that Yacht...
August2015
Poll The Battle of the Nindies and Questions on amiibo
Are Nindie amiibo on your wishlist?
PAX Prime is now right in its peak, with the Seattle event attracting thousands of attendees eager to soak in all there is to offer. Nintendo's been particularly active, too, not only running a booth with plenty of contests and retail games, but also a neat Nindies Lounge with a range of exciting download games...
News Shovel Knight amiibo Pre-Orders Open in the UK and Australia
Still waiting for North American listings
Following reports from sources and some social media mess-ups, Nintendo and Yacht Club Games revealed the Shovel Knight amiibo at a Nindies event in Seattle. It's an interesting arrival on multiple levels - it'll be the first 'Nindie' amii
News Shovel Knight amiibo Confirms "Evolving" Relationship With Indies, Says Nintendo
Unlocks content in current - and future - Shovel Knight games
Just in case you still aren't convinced that the Shovel Knight amiibo is a thing, Nintendo of America confirmed its existence alongside a raft of other announcements during a pre-PAX presentation at its Nindies@Night event at EMP Museum in Seattle. Scanning the amiibo on Wii U version of...
News Nintendo of America Provides an Update on Three amiibo Getting Restocks This Week
Well, 5 amiibo counting the Splatoon triple pack
In late June we complained something fierce about amiibo stock levels, frustrated to see many more figures and cards announced at E3 with little indication of existing problems being resolved. Polls we ran also suggested that a number within our community were also miffed at the situation. Since...
News GAME Confirms Shovel Knight amiibo
Unlocks content in the Wii U and 3DS versions
Earlier this week we shared updated rumours and details from sources suggesting that Shovel Knight may be on the way to Super Smash Bros., to be accompanied by a special amiibo. While it's still not confirmed whether the character will come to the brawler, the amiibo has now been outed. The...
Rumour Fresh Sources Suggest Shovel Knight Is Indeed Digging His Way To Super Smash Bros.
With an amiibo figure in tow, naturally
Rumours regarding Shovel Knight's inclusion in the Super Smash Bros. roster have been doing the rounds for quite some time, but we've managed to unearth some fresh evidence which suggests that Yacht Club Games' famous character is indeed about to take a bow in Nintendo's famous fighter. We've been in touch...
News Next Wave Of Super Smash Bros. amiibo Now Available For Pre-Order In The UK
Also, order 8 selected amiibo and get a free carry case
Get your credit cards ready - Nintendo's online UK store has opened up pre-orders for the next wave of Super Smash Bros. amiibo. Here are the figures now available for order: Mii Sword Fighter No.49 amiibo Mii Gunner No.50 amiibo
Talking Point The Argument For And Against amiibo-Cloning Tool Amiiqo
A necessary evil or bare-face piracy?
Nintendo's range of amiibo toys has been a commercial success, shipping over 10 million units (at the last count) and giving the company a much-needed additional revenue stream during a time of considerable turmoil and upheaval. However, the amiibo story hasn't been entirely positive, with some figures proving...
News New Style Boutique 2 Will Strut Its Stuff in Europe on 20th November
amiibo outfits have never been so stylish
Amongst a glut of details revealed by Nintendo across Europe and North America, the former region had an extra game up its sleeve. There's been no equivalent announcement for NA, but Nintendo Presents: New Style Boutique 2 - Fashion Forward will hit Europe on 20th November. [tweet
News Falco, Mewtwo, Mii Fighters & More amiibo Release Details Confirmed
"I guess I should be thankful"
Furthering the sudden wave of information Nintendo has confirmed release dates for various amiibo figures across multiple regions. We've compiled all the dates below as there's quite a lot of variation between regions, but we're omitting any releases that have been announced previously. North America: Mii Fighters...
News Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer and amiibo Festival Bundle Details Emerge
Including NFC reader info for North America
As part of a detail dump from Nintendo today, information on key bundles and extras for Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer and Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival have emerged. Release dates were already known for the 3DS title, and it's worth noting that amiibo Festival on Wii U still has a 'Holiday'...
News Mega Yarn Yoshi amiibo Stampedes onto Shelves this November
Your fabric-based Godzilla fantasies realised
The Yarn Yoshi amiibo triplicate was a great move by Nintendo - it brought the idea of toys-to-life into actual toys that aren't glorified statuettes. Three clearly wasn't enough though, as now we can expect a giant variation of these adorable critters to arrive in North America, Europe, Australia, and...
News Collectors Rejoice, Rare amiibo Figures Are Getting Restocked
Splatoon 3-pack! Little Mac! Villager! Captain Falcon! Marth!
Nintendo is apparently preparing to push a load more rare amiibo figures into circulation, according to CPSIA certificates found online. Restocks come around 1 to 2 months after CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) registration, and the figures getting refreshed are all listed...
News The Piracy of amiibo Now Seems Possible With the 'amiiqo' Device
Oh, sorry, it's for 'backing up' figures
It's well known that those with a desire to backup or clone Skylanders figures have had the means to do so, which in part is courtesy of the simplistic NFC technology. Encryption is possible, but it doesn't take long for someone to break through the security of the humble chips. Naturally the same threat has...
News Mewtwo Still Looks Just As Fearsome As A Packaged amiibo
No. 51 in the Super Smash Bros. Collection
It wasn’t long ago a prototype of the upcoming Mewtwo amiibo was spotted in the wild at the San Diego Comic-Con following the pocket monster’s DLC arrival in the latest Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS. Since then, nothing appears to have changed, with photos of the final model of the Mewtwo...
News GameStop Confirms amiibo 3-Pack Pre-Order Event This Weekend
An early Saturday start
Earlier in the week we attempted to summarise the rumours around a GameStop-exclusive amiibo triple pack in North America, featuring R.O.B., Duck Hunt and Mr. Game & Watch. Nintendo went on to confirm the triple pack for a release on 25th September, and as expected GameStop has now confirmed i
News The Mewtwo amiibo Will Arrive in Europe on 23rd October
Breathe...
Nintendo's been quite a tease with the Mewtwo amiibo - it was displayed at San Diego Comic-Con without much fanfare, and all has been silent on when it'll arrive. Thankfully the silence has ended, with details of a European release date for what's sure to be a particularly popular amiibo. It's still a little while away yet, but it's...
News Nintendo Confirms September amiibo Release Details for North America
Triple-pack confirmed, Mii Fighters now due in triple pack in November
New waves of amiibo are still hot news for Nintendo gamers, and North American fans now have information on the next batch of figures heading to the region in September; in addition we have confirmation of a new triple pack, in addition to another that was recently leaked. The...
Still no official word on R.O.B., Duck Hunt and Mr. Game & Watch pack
Over the past 24 hours there's been plenty of online chat around an apparent GameStop-exclusive amiibo triple pack that'll go up for pre-order - in stores - on 8th August. Despite the attention it's received on Reddit, particularly, the retailer and Nintendo of America have so far...
News Nintendo's Corporate Social Responsibility Report Outlines Company Goals, With amiibo a Focus
Also includes a final President's Message from Satoru Iwata
Nintendo has released its Corporate Social Responsibility report for the year, a comprehensive document that covers broad principles in addition to details on company policies in areas such as manufacturing, environmental concerns and a number of lighter topics. There's a 'digest' version...
July2015
News 3DS Software Is Getting Patched To Work With The New NFC Reader/Writer Accessory
Amiibo at the ready
Nintendo is launching its NFC Reader/Writer accessory for the non-New models of the 3DS family this Thursday in Japan, and as a result many NFC-compatible games are getting updated so that they support the amiibo-granting dongle. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., Fire Emblem If (or Fates, if you prefer), Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy...
Video This Japanese Super Mario Maker Overview Is Surprisingly Well-Constructed
Game details and amiibo footage, it's all here
It's not long until Super Mario Maker graces Wii U systems all over the world, and our own personal interest surrounding this intriguing DIY title grows with each snippet of fresh news. Today's interesting titbit is a new video from Nintendo of Japan which shows off the game's mechanics in a...
'Special' amiibo cards for character's houses not otherwise accessible
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer is arriving in Europe on 2nd October, and the region's subsidiary has now confirmed release details of various bundles and packs that'll give all 3DS owners a chance to get hold of the game and some amiibo cards. The cards themselves are...
Reminder Amazon-Exclusive Palutena amiibo Orders Open Today in North America
2pm Pacific, 5pm Eastern
Whether you're an amiibo collector going for the full set or a Kid Icarus fan in North America with a bit of spare cash, you'll need to get yourself to your Amazon account today. As announced earlier this week, Amazon is running a timed order window to give eager fans the best chance of getting hold of the Palutena amiibo,...
News Japanese Retailer Highlights Stock Issues With Animal Crossing amiibo Cards
Play-Asia is taking pre-orders, though...
Slowly and surely, the stock scenario with amiibo has become a little better. Through a combination of Nintendo churning out stock and retailers trying to help fans, more of the figures have been up for grabs. It's still difficult for hardcore collectors, of course, but there have been signs of progress...
News Nintendo's Official UK Store Promises More amiibo Stock Today
Details on which figures are being restocked inside
Update: We asked Nintendo UK for comment on which figures will be restocked, and the following are expected between 15:45 and 16:00 UK time: PAC-MAN No.35 amiibo Ness No.34 amiibo Lucina No.31 amiibo Robin No.30 amiibo Olimar No.44 amiibo Marth No. 12 Ike No.24 amiibo Toad amiibo (Super Mario...
News Amazon Confirms Sale Window for Palutena amiibo in North America
Now it's time to fight! (Over stock)
Double check that internet connection, sort out your Amazon login details - a date and time has been given for the Palutena amiibo going on sale in North America. As previously reported, Palutena and Dark Pit are retailer exclusives in the region. Dark Pit is a Best Buy exclusive and will only be available in...
First Impressions Getting Cosy With Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer
How to make a happy home
At Nintendo's E3 presentation two "spin-offs" based on the Animal Crossing series were shown: Animal Crossing amiibo Festival for Wii U, a Mario Party-style interactive board game, and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer for 3DS - an interior design based title. To focus on Happy Home Designer, it left many questioning...
Parent Trap Skylanders SuperChargers Dials Nintendo Love up to Eleven, Even on Wii
FGTV learns more about cross-platform compatibility for Wii U, Wii and 3DS
The natural way of things in the video game world is be to moved on to the next generation of console pretty quickly. The Wii has changed all that, for better or worse. Millions of families who don't consider themselves avid gamers still have that little white box tucked...
News Dark Pit and Palutena amiibo Are Retailer Exclusives in North America
Looks like you could use a little help getting one
Prepare yourselves, amiibo collectors, we have retailer exclusives in North America. Oh, how we love them! Ok, not really, they're not a particularly wonderful thing, but we do have information on two upcoming Super Smash Bros. figures that will be exclusives. To get the bad news out of the way...
News Amazon Teases an amiibo Announcement for Monday 13th July
Those cheeky scamps
If you're not a Reddit regular it can be a slightly baffling place, but it's an important home for plenty of serious gaming fans. That applies to amiibo enthusiasts, of course, and Amazon is using the platform to tease an announcement related to the figurines for Monday 13th July. The following message and image was posted by...
"I see these as spin-offs"
In the general trend of E3 delivering Nintendo franchises in unexpected forms, Animal Crossing amiibo Festival on Wii U joined the previously announced Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer as an unexpected update to the series. Aya Kyogoku, the series director, has been speaking to U
News Mewtwo amiibo Spotted In The Wild
We'll take (mew)two please!
It seems like only yesterday that Pokémon favourite Mewtwo was added to the Super Smash Bros. roster as a DLC update. The only thing that has been missing is an accompanying amiibo, which even prompted a fan to create their own! Mewtwo fans need not give up hope however as an our Nintendo Life features contributor Alan...
It's a-me, charity!
While much of his time at E3 was spent attending events, previewing games and working alongside Morgan Sleeper to produce LA-based content on Nintendo Life, Alan Lopez also took the opportunity to work on a charitable side project. With Charles Martinet on hand to promote Super Mario Maker, Alan was able to get the voice of...
News Nintendo 3DS NFC Reader Pre-Orders Begin to Pop Up in the West
Joining Happy Home Designer in the US
Are you one of those people who haven't upgraded to the New Nintendo 3DS yet? Aside from getting extra processing power, extra shoulder buttons, a C-Stick nubbin and super stable 3D screen - one of the nice benefits is that you can just tap one of your amiibo on the screen and it can be scanned via the device's...
News How Fire Emblem amiibo Interact with Fates
Memories of distant Battlefields...
In what likely comes as a surprise to absolutely nobody, Fire Emblem Fates comes with amiibo compatibility for figures from the series. One fun little twist, however, seems to be a solid nod to where these characters had been employed between installments. According to the folks at Siliconera, Robin, Lucina, Ike,...
News Splatoon Amiibo Scheduled to be Restocked in Japan
Initially kid, then squid
Splatoon has undoubtedly been a huge success since release, with the game already shifting over 1 million sales worldwide. Much of the title's success has been in its native home of Japan, and those sales - coupled with the characteristically low stock of amiibo - resulted in the Splatoon amiibo vanishing fast from Japanese...
News The Animal Crossing amiibo Range is Bigger Than We Thought
Four more figures pop up on official website
Update: A number of readers are correctly observing how these figures were listed in the last couple of weeks. Your humble scribe had missed that, so please understand. Original Article: As amiibo fans will know, there are new Animal Crossing figures on the way that'll be supported in Animal Crossing...
News Dark Pit amiibo Exclusive To Best Buy In North America
Pit's emo alter-ego launches later this month in the US
The Dark Pit amiibo will be exclusive to Best Buy in North America, it would seem. Searching for the figure on Best Buy's site reveals an "Only at Best Buy" label on the product page. The figure launches alongside fellow
June2015
News Shigeru Miyamoto Suggests Low Key and Accessible amiibo Support in Star Fox Zero
"I’m really not thinking about there being locked content"
Just recently we all had our first real look at Star Fox Zero, and the response to its various E3 showings seemed to be a mix of excitement and hype, combined with some mutterings of disappointment and divided opinions on the control scheme. Nintendo has a number of months to convince...
Video Unboxing the Yarn Yoshi amiibo & Seeing How it Works in Yoshi's Woolly World
A stitch in time
Nintendo's been making waves with its latest foray into the toys-to-life genre, namely the crocheted Yarn Yoshi amiibo which takes on a plush, more toy-like form than the plastic statues found in the rest of the lineup. In this video we unbox the blue version of this cuddly critter and see how he and the rest of the amiibo range...
News Ganondorf, Palutena, Dark Pit and Zero Suit Samus amiibo In Stock With Multiple UK Retailers
GAME and official store offer best deals
Earlier this week the Nintendo Official UK Store had a re-stock of some rare amiibo, some of which are now gone while others are still available. Today has brought more additions with the latest wave of figures, with stock available for those that haven't pre-ordered. The following four amiibo figures are...
Gallery The Yarn Yoshi amiibo Is So Cute And Cuddly, It Hurts
We're not pulling wool over your eyes, either
Today sees the release of Yoshi's Woolly World in Europe, and we've been lucky enough to get some hands-on time with the Yarn Yoshi amiibo which accompanies the game. As you can see in the shots below, he's settled in nicely in the Nintendo Life office, even going as far as to have a friendly chat with...
News Animal Crossing Director Talks More About Happy Home Designer and amiibo
"To be sure, Happy Home Designer can be played without any Amiibo cards."
It's safe to say that fan reaction has been rather mixed towards the amiibo-centric focus of the two upcoming Animal Crossing games for Wii U and 3DS. While it's far too early to definitively judge the quality of these upcoming games, it's very apparent that these new games...
News Nintendo's Official UK Store Restocks on Some Rare amiibo
Shulk! Little Mac! Captain Falcon! More!
Update: Little Mac and Shulk are now sold out. Original Article: Just recently we shared a teasing email sent out to customers of Nintendo's Official UK Store, promising restocks of "some" amiibo "this week". Sure enough there's some fresh stock available to grab right now, and it's not disappearing too...
News Gold Mario amiibo Exclusive To Target Australia Sells Out Early Online
Oh no!
Earlier this month Nintendo revealed the gold Mario amiibo figure would arrive exclusively at Target stores in Australia on 25th June. Fans were further informed the rare figure would receive only a single run and would be limited to one per customer with no pre-orders available in-store or online. With such odds, the chance of missing out on...
News Nintendo's Official UK Store Promises Extra Stock of "Certain amiibo Figures" This Week
What a tease...
Oh, amiibo, we love you and we hate you. The cute little toys are utterly charming, but some of them are more elusive than a Samus Aran fan excited about Metroid Prime: Federation Force. Many of the toys are rare, and the dance when hoping for pre-orders to be fulfilled - if you even get a pre-order down - is a familiar jig to many...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Tackles Metroid Prime: Federation Force and amiibo Criticism
"Look, we know that the fans want a straight Samus Aran game"
Reggie Fils-Aime has - as we observed during E3 - the propensity to talk a load of old PR guff at times, which to be fair is part of his job. His annual LA interviews conducted with Kotaku do occasionally get beyond copy-and-pasted standard responses, however, making the latest...
Parent Trap Woolly Yoshi amiibo Finally Turn Toys To Life Figures Into Actual Toys
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson has a yarn Yoshi, don't hate him
It may seem that the knitted amiibo for Yoshi's Woolly World are simply a gimmick. However, for children the difference here is more than aesthetic. They mark a new toys to life trend of offering playable toys rather than collectable figurines for the shelf. Of course, historically toys...
Editorial Nintendo's Approach to amiibo is Increasingly Frustrating
Tom Whitehead wonders what the deal is
When amiibo was unveiled in 2014, and it was still relatively mysterious, I wrote a feature outlining the pros and cons of the platform. It was a hugely exciting project from Nintendo, and the concerns highlighted weren't in line with what's happened since the toys made their début. In fact, it's amazing to...
News French Retailers Are Cancelling Yoshi Woolly World amiibo Orders Due to "Destroyed" Stock
Or "détruit" if you'd prefer
Not so long ago, we reported that Splatoon amiibo orders were cancelled in the UK due to an entire truckful of the blighters being stolen. Just when you thought that things couldn't get any worse in the world of amiibo collecting, we're now hearing reports from France that retailers are cancelling orders because of...
News Reggie Explains Why Donkey Kong And Bowser Were Chosen For Skylanders SuperChargers
As well as how the Activision partnership came to be
If you caught E3 earlier this week, you'd know that Nintendo has teamed up with Activision to create two new amiibo for the latest instalment to the Skylanders series: Skylanders SuperChargers. However, the announcement left some scratching their heads as to why Nintendo decided to use Donkey...
Publisher remaining tight-lipped about "complementary" versions
While there has been lots of noise and pizzazz around the Wii U version of Skylanders SuperChargers at E3, not so much attention has been spent on the Wii and 3DS versions. When Superchargers was announced it was clear that both Wii and 3DS were not the same as the other console...
News Super Mario Maker Will Allow You to Unlock amiibo Mystery Suits for Figures You Don't Own
At least 90 Mystery Suit slots will feature
We've now finished the final full day of Nintendo Treehouse coverage, which provided some useful insights into the company's biggest games from the show. Super Mario Maker naturally featured prominently, and we learned some particularly welcome details around the amiibo-enabled Mystery Suits in the game...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Acknowledges the Need to Improve amiibo Stock Availability
Doubling and tripling volume estimates
An issue that remains a sore spot for dedicated Nintendo fans is amiibo stock - while some figures are commonly available, others are particularly rare and hard to find. Over-pricing from private sellers and rapidly sold out pre-orders are common occurrences with particularly popular figures. Nintendo has...
Video Take Another Look at the Skylanders SuperChargers Bowser and Donkey Kong amiibo in Action
A behind-closed-doors preview
While it probably wasn't an announcement to prompt huge buzz in the E3 audience, Nintendo scored a commercial coup with the arrival of big N-themed Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Packs, featuring exclusive Bowser and Donkey Kong figures that also function as amiibo. Just yesterday we posted a gallery of the press...
Gallery Marvel At The New amiibo Which We Will Probably Never Get To Own
Look but don't touch
Our roving reporter Alan Lopez is on the E3 show floor as we speak to bring you exciting developments as they happen. Of course amiibo are a crucial part of Nintendo's E3 presence this year, so it would be remiss of us to not tantalise you with the latest and greatest new figurines in this toys-to-life sensation. Of course you...
Starter packs for both consoles getting hybrid figures
One of the shock announcements from Nintendo's Digital Event yesterday was the news that Skylanders Superchargers on Wii U would be getting two brand-new amiibo figures. Donkey Kong and Bowser are both joining the cast of Activision's forthcoming toys-to-life sequel, complete with special...
News Nintendo Is Thinking About Making A Transformable Star Fox Arwing amiibo
"We have an actual model & we're thinking how much it would actually cost"
Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed to IGN that Nintendo is currently experimenting with the idea of a transformable Awring amiibo which could have some connectivity with the forthcoming Star Fox Zero. The legendary designer was pushed for details by the site, and explained that...
News Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival Is Basically Mario Party With KK Slider And Company
Coming later this year with 4 amiibo in tow
Those of you expecting a fully-blown Animal Crossing game at this year's E3 may be disappointed, as Nintendo has announced Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival - a board-game style game which brings to mind the Mario Party series. The four amiibo leaked previously will launch alongside the game. Animal...
News Skylanders Superchargers Is Getting amiibo Characters
Donkey Kong and Bowser gatecrash Activision's Wii U title
It might sound like a sick joke, but amiibo support is coming to Skylanders Superchargers. The news was confirmed during Nintendo's Digital Event, and marks one of the most interesting crossovers of recent memory. Two amiibo figures will be available. "Turbocharged" Donkey Kong comes with a...
Rumour Animal Crossing and Pixel 8-Bit Mario amiibo Look Set For E3 Reveal
Nintendo Spain is to blame this time
It seems that inadvertent E3 reveals are continuing to spill out, this time courtesy of a sloppy promotional email sent out by Nintendo Spain. In a mailing to promote the new amiibo announced during Masahiro Sakurai's Super Smash Bros. Special Presentation, it seems that some artwork has outlined more of the...
News Smash Bros. Presentation Confirms Ryu and Mii Fighters amiibo, New Batch Arrives This September
All playable characters in Smash will eventually have corresponding amiibo
After much speculation, Nintendo's pre-E3 Super Smash Bros. video presentation today revealed Mii Fighters will be receiving their very own amiibo line. When used in the game, the Mii Brawler, Swordfighter and Gunner amiibo characters can be configured with custom faces and...
News Exciting Hints of amiibo Restocks Can Be Found in Dull Manufacturing Forms
Influx of documents in early May
Occasionally we've used CPSIA Certificates of Compliance as an indicator of upcoming amiibo restocks or arrivals in North America - no, really, it makes sense. These are product forms that are required for the NFC figures to prove their safety, but also provide handy manufacturing dates. Nintendo shares them within a...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Flogs Rare amiibo in Bundles
That's the spirit...
Oh amiibo, what went wrong? Once a concept that brought happiness and a fulfilment of child-like dreams, it's become a frustrating, irritating endeavour where you can get Link anywhere, but some figures are over-priced, out of stock and rarer than an original idea in a Call of Duty game. Some rare figures include any in the...
News Splatoon Grabs Fifth Place in NPD Results as amiibo Leads Toys-to-Life Sales
Smash Bros. also breaks back into top 10
Following its late May release Wii U exclusive Splatoon has returned multiple positive results in different charts - in the UK it made its début in 2nd place and claimed fourth in its second week, while it's been top of the Japanese Media Create charts for two weeks running. We now have the May NPD results,...
News Gold Mario amiibo Arrives At Target Australia On 25th June
No pre-orders, one per customer & limited supply
At the end of last month Nintendo revealed the silver Mario amiibo figure would be available in Australia and New Zealand exclusively from EB Games from the 30th of May onward, with limited stock and strictly one per customer. It was also revealed the gold Mario amiibo figure would be exclusive to...
News Disney Infinity Producer Brands amiibo Stock Shortages "Irresponsible And Rude"
Says the same mistake won't happen with its own range of Star Wars figures
Nintendo's stock problems with its amiibo range are well documented, with demand vastly outstripping supply on many of the more desirable figures and fans being forced to pay way over the odds on the secondary market in order to complete their collections. Heck, we've even...
Poll We Need to Talk About amiibo - Where Do You Stand?
Awesome collectibles, source of frustration, a bit of both?
As we approach the 'expo we cannot name' - oh alright, E3 - we can't help but wonder how many times Nintendo will mention amiibo. Will we learn more about the amiibo cards that'll accompany Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer? Will there be more blasted Smash Bros. waves that we'll...
Nintendo Life Weekly Possibility of Pokémon amiibo Cards, Monster Hunter X (Cross)
All the reviews, releases, and top news from the past week
We're nothing if not hard working here at Nintendo Life, and in order to help you digest seven days word of news, releases, and reviews, we've bundled it all together into a video to make your life easier. This week we look at the possibility of Pokémon amiibo cards sucking all the cash...
News Splatoon Practically Sold Out at Launch in Japan, With Over 100,000 amiibo Also Sold
It's popular, then
Since release there's been a strong sense that Splatoon has been a hit launch on Wii U, and evidence is starting to support that assumption. There'd been social media chatter of stock being low in Japan, for example, and earlier this week it emerged that it'd stormed to top spot in the Japanese charts. We now have a clearer...
Rumour Code Digging With amiibo Raises Potential for a Future of Pokémon Cards and Mii Fighters
The door has been opened
While there are many opinions regarding the ongoing challenges of successfully collecting amiibo, the continually expanding range - there'll even be a Chibi-Robo figurine - suggests that it's a major part of Nintendo's plans. The possibilities for expansion are certainly vast. Clues to Nintendo's intentions can be found in...
Rumour GameStop No Longer Taking amiibo Preorders, Limiting Sales To One Figure Per Person
Store apparently cracking down on multiple purchases, too
The amiibo stock situation shows little signs of improving, despite Nintendo's assurances that it's trying its utmost to sort things out. Each new wave of figures seems to sell out instantly, and within hours sites like Amazon and eBay are flooded with people re-selling the precious NFC toys...
Video We Check Out The Squid amiibo Challenges
We have an Inkling you're having problems tracking these amiibo down
We have yet more Splatoon videos coming your way. By now you should be aware of the amiibo challenges available in Splatoon, and thanks to a lack of stock - or certain unscrupulous folk spoiling the fun for UK GAME shoppers - you may be struggling to obtain all three...
News Fake amiibo Figures Spotted In The Wild
Toys to strife
Nintendo's amiibo toys are highly collectable items these days, so it should come as no surprise to learn that counterfeit figures are starting to appear. Info Amiibo has reported that Mario, Link, Pikachu, and Samus figures have been spotted. Each figure has telltale signs that it's a fake - for example, Pikachu's feet are raised...
News Art Academy: Home Studio Listing Suggests amiibo Support
Intriguing...
Art Academy: Home Studio - or Art Academy: Atelier in Europe - is shaping up to be an intriguing title and potentially the most impressive entry in the series to date. There'll be a bigger touch screen to work with than at any point before, and there'll be an option to upload videos to YouTube that show your creations coming together...
May2015
News Satoru Iwata Will Return as Nintendo Direct Host, Apologises Again for amiibo Shortages
Splatoon stock seems to be short in Japan, too
Nintendo fans following today's Japanese Nintendo Direct will have seen a new presenter in action, Morimoto-san. The younger face held his own, fitting in with the often formal nature of the Japan-only broadcasts, taking on the tough role of filling the shoes of our most regular presenter - Nintendo...
It's actually quite pricey
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer remains a bit of an oddity, at least in the opinion of this writer. It appears to be a rather simplistic game in which you decorate homes to satisfy cute characters, adopting one small part of AC charm into one package. It's also a vehicle for the first range of amiibo cards, which will...
News Fire Emblem If Allows You to Build and Manage a Town, All Four Current FE amiibo Supported
Ten minute presentation video released
It may not be coming to the West until 2016, but Fire Emblem If is hard to ignore as a result of its rapidly approaching release in Japan. With two distinct versions - and a third arc available via download - it's a title ambitious in scope, expanding upon the excellent Fire Emblem: Awakening. Today's Japanese...
Video Obsession, Violence And Shameless Scalping - amiibo: The Movie Has It All
"How far will you go to complete your collection?"
The amiibo stock situation has been in the headlines for the majority of 2015, with Nintendo seemingly incapable of meeting demand for its highly-desirable plastic, NFC-enabled figurines. This has left many collectors feeling particularly disgruntled, as rare amiibo are impossible to find in stores...
News Amazon Confirms US amiibo Pre-Order Times for Wave 4, Splatoon and Silver Mario
One per customer, speed is everything
With more amiibo waves comes great pressure for collectors, with pre-order stock typically disappearing within moments of arriving. With scalping being particularly problematic Various retailers have tried to even the score and help dedicated fans get hold of the figures, and now Amazon in the US is joining in...
Weirdness Lorry Thieves Make Off With Splatoon Special Editions in Europe
These guys were pros
Update: Nintendo UK has now provided the following statement: We can confirm that the lorry transporting the Splatoon stock from Nintendo's European warehouse to GAME UK has been stolen. Included as part of this delivery was GAME's allocation of the Splatoon + Squid Inkling amiibo and as a result we are unable to honour...
Video Discover What Happens When Yoshis Meet amiibo In This New Yoshi’s Woolly World Trailer
Turn that cuteness dial up to eleven
Yoshi's Woolly World is only a month away from its European launch, which takes place on the 26th June. As we said in our preview yesterday, when you throw in the stunning visuals, quirky and charming design and a lovely soundtrack, it becomes apparent that Woolly World is the real deal - a game crafted with care...
