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People Won’t Use Amiibos as Intended

People Won’t Use Amiibos as Intended

I’m concerned about Nintendo’s Amiibos. I know, it’s premature to be thinking about them. They haven’t even been released yet, and major game support for these NFC figures won’t even kick into gear until 2015. Still, there’s something nagging at me, based on my extensive experience with the Skylanders, Disney Infinity , and Pokémon Rumble U toys. I don’t think people will use Amiibos as intended.

What? Wait, no! I didn’t mean it like that! Minds out of the gutter!

I believe Amiibos aren’t going to end up being as essential, impressive, and revolutionary as Nintendo may lead us to believe. I think that, instead, people are going to pick these up as a novelty item to put on display. They’ll grab their favorite, iconic characters, because this is going to be one of the first times such quality toys will be released worldwide.

The thought came to me when Disney Infinity 2.0 was released. I made sure I pre-ordered a figure prior to launch, but not because I was planning to purchase the game. No, I already learned my lesson from the first Disney Infinity , which I found at Goodwill and played for two weeks before I tired of the restrictive playset rules. I had pre-ordered a Rocket Raccoon figure because, well, I liked Guardians of the Galaxy . I picked up a Groot as well, and both are now on a shelf with my various other figures on display.

They’re joined by the other Nintendo NFC figures, the Pokémon Rumble U toys. These marked the company’s first foray in experimenting with the technology and, as all 50 people who played it can attest, it didn’t work. I’m speaking on authority here, because I was one of them. It wasn’t used in a manner akin to Skylanders and Disney Infinity , where the figure is on a portal and constantly being updated during play. These figures simply unlocked a character and constantly had to be checked in with the GamePad to update data. Even worse, the checking in and updating had to be done outside of the main story mode. It was the exact opposite of user-friendly, which something all NFC figures should be.

Now, this experience alone isn’t enough to cause doubts, but there are other factors we have to consider. The first is that the Wii U is hardly a household institution. It’s the system most compatible with Amiibos, with Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart 8, Mario Party 10, Yoshi’s Woolly World , and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker all boasting compatibility with the toys. But consider this: the figures aren’t essential for any of those games. The roles they play are supplemental. Using them isn’t as simple as just leaving them on a platform while a person plays. They have to be constantly checked in and out with the GamePad, which could get tedious if it must be repeated in a single session.

People Won’t Use Amiibos as Intended

Plus, it isn’t as though it’ll be easy for 3DS owners to use Amiibos. The audience is larger, but it’ll require a bigger investment. They are compatible with the now-available Super Smash Bros ., but that also means purchasing a separate peripheral portal next year to use them. How many 3DS owners would be willing to carry a portal and Amiibos around to enjoy a supplemental feature with additional characters? It’s contradicts the nature of the platform.

Which is why I believe Amiibos will serve a much different purpose. They will primarily be decorative toys. People will purchase them because they loved the original characters and games, and $12.99 isn’t too outrageous a price point for a detailed figure of a beloved character. They’ll find cherished places on shelves and desks, whether or not a person owns a Nintendo console that can use it.

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