What’s The Deal With Amiibo? Some Facts And Tips On The Latest Craze From Nintendo

Ben Franchi ‘18 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Amiibo, what can be said about them? They’re $13, collectible figurines that can add a little bit of extra flavor to your Nintendo games. Whether you’re unlocking new costumes in Mario Kart 8 or training them to be fighting champions in Super Smash Bros for Wii U, there’s no end to the collector’s value of Amiibo figurines. But have they been handled properly in terms of distribution? As of currently, the Marth, Villager and Wii Fit Trainer have been discontinued from the shelves of Gamestop, with Marth getting a limited re-release later this year.
While this trend may be a good idea in terms of increasing rarity among Amiibo, it also limits the casual gaming crowd in getting what they want. Trying to get your hands on Marth for Smash Bros? You’ll have to pay quite a hefty fee, at least three times the amount if you’re buying on Amazon. Not only that, but the limited release of figurines at their starting dates also means that pre-orders sell out quickly. Look at the infamous “mariotehplumber”, who bought at least one hundred Rosalina Amiibo just so no one else could have them, and plans on doing so for upcoming releases on the way. The limited release of Amiibo, combined with their ravenous popularity among Nintendo fans, means that the market is beyond competitive, and that prices have skyrocketed in recent months. A quirky way to enhance one’s gaming pleasure has became a race to the check-out button, an exercise in burning cash for something that should be much less expensive than it is.
So, what’s a good way to get your favorite characters without blowing too much cash? The best, if not instantaneous solution is to wait. As time goes on and die-hard fans with money to blow get their Amiibo quick, the market will get less competitive. If Nintendo keeps releasing their Amiibo, the price should drop with the demand. If you really need your fix, Play-Asia.com can get you most figures early, if you’re willing to shell out $30. Another good site to check out is Amazon.com, which can get you pretty much any Amiibo that’s already on the market, including those that are out of print in the U.S.. Keep in mind that some of these can cost around $40, and can take over two months to ship, so weigh the pros and cons before buying.
Amiibo are a fun way to play games, but like all collectables, they can also be an obsession that sucks up all your cash. So be a smart shopper and put the important things first!