why do you like amiibos?

i dont understand the allure. spending 13 dollars on such DLC would be reason for an uprising but if it comes with a toy who cares? i dont understand it, please enlighten me

Why do people collect comic books or sports cards? Anything that is collectable has an appeal. Maybe not to you but to others.

While they might not offer the most when it comes to in game content and usage they are cool to look at and have displayed. Its for the consumer to decide whether or not it's worth it to them.

Some people love Nintendo merchandise. Some people love toys. For some it's the hunt.

That's the allure.

some people like collecting certain franchises... i collect star wars, transformers and godzilla figures...oh and of course nintendo ..some cost me 300$ each...amiibo is easy compared to that.

so as long as it comes with a toy for the collectors out there its perfectly fine to release mediocre costumes or unlocks for powerups in any given game. people give evolve a truck of shit for its launch day DLC adding up to over 100$ but if said dlc were to come packed in with amiiboesque toys it would be perfectly fine. i guess so, dlc by itself is horrible but as long as it comes packed in with toys its fine because "people just like collecting em" and the dlc is just an afterthought.

so in the future all shitty dlc needs to be packed in with toys. i still dont understand how people arent upset with the concept of amiibos

Because they're official Nintendo products that I find value in. Just today I spent a lot of time training them in SSB for Wii U, and in return they gave me coins and trophies. I have all of the first, second and third waves for the SSB series.

One day Nintendo might not be in the US game market anymore, and everything they've made will be extremely valuable.

I like the little statues.

As game content they're garbage

I don't care about them being playable charcters, I like how they look. BTW, I also have GOW Neca figures and Megablocks Halo series sets.

They are the only real high quality Nintendo figures out on the market, especially for the less popular franchises. They look great displayed and even in their boxes. 13 bucks is not a bad price to pay for a Nintendo figure. As DLC they are pretty much useless. I'd bet 95% or higher of people who buy amiibo are buying to display, not for the DLC or functionality.

@i-rock-socks:

I believe you completely missed my point. I really doubt many people are buying these for the DLC only. Actually I would say very very few are.

They are being bought because they are a collectable. They are bought by fans of Nintendo. Fans of figurines. Fans of those who love the hunt. They are not simply bought for the DLC and then thrown out. The DLC and interactivity is only a part of the package it is not the whole of the product.

If you aren't going to be open and understanding to the reasons and responses to your question, why ask it in the first place?

I don't see how talking down about some other persons purchase or hobby gets your point across or adds anything to this conversation.

If you didn't want to have an actual conversation about the subject with reasonable debate you could have taken this to system wars.

Because I have a job which gives me disposable income and I like them.

well arent we sensitive :) if you feel im being too aggressive then maybe you should try using other forums altogether and you can take ur holier-than-thou attitude and do something unsavory with it.

anywho, u completely ignored my point as well so were both at fault ;) and i got ur point; some people buy them solely to look at and if you want to buy them cause they look nice thats fantastic but the fact of the matter is there linked to DLC which you cannot access without purchasing said toys and this DLC would be considered shitty cashgrabs if sold on its own, and no one gives them flak because they like the little toys. why is it ok to make cash grab figurines (amiibo/spyro/disney) while cashgrab dlc alone is vilified? are people so shortsighted that theyll ignore the very same thing that enraged them if they get a shiny new toy, and rather they bought it for the dlc or not they are supporting it by buying it none the less and no one seems to care. im not saying people shouldnt buy em (i dont really give a damn) im just surprised that a simple toy was all that was needed to stop the influx of bitching.

sidenote - anything can be collectible so that could be used to categorize any product; ur explanation of why people buy amiibos can be used on virtually anything

@i-rock-socks:

There you go. Now it's becoming a debate.

I agree with you that stand alone DLC has become hated and scrutinized. That's the thing though. That content is solely just that, DLC. With these figures you aren't just getting an in game perk or item you also get a physical collectable piece to go along with that. You arent being fed a dowloadable character for $13 you are getting that download and a figuring of that character.

I don't see the problem with DLC in most cases. If it is a worthwhile, to the particular consumer, upgrade or item or what have you then it's not a bad thing. If a game is released and vital items are then added making the original release obsolete or not worth the original price then it becomes a problem. Again that's for the consumer to decide.

There is no doubt a problem with the DLC structure and some companies are using it wisely while some are not. Again that's something for the consumer to decide.

With the Amiibos nintendo isn't just selling you that DLC but giving you a collectable figure as well. You are paying for two things in one package. If they sold you a code for a power up to be used in a game for $13 that's a problem. Selling someone a figurine that is of a character or game they enjoy that also gives you a power up for $13 it isn't just DLC it is a different product. One in which the consumer has to decide if it is worthy of a purchase.

I agree it's a cash grab but I also feel it's not comparing apples to apples. You are comparing a companies cheap attempt of milking a consumer with an unfinished game and DLC to make it complete with a company selling a collectable that also has perks when used with their games. In my eye they are not comparable. If you don't see the value in these figures that's your opinion and many others will agree. No problem with that.

I think that's the misconception of these figures. They are not DLC that is really that important. It isn't something that will completely change the game. These are first and foremost a collectable that adds perks to certain games. Not DLC that is needed to make a game complete hidden in a figure.

I own not one of these figures. I am a huge nintendo fan and own thousands of games for their systems from the NES and on. The wii u is my favorite system out right now. I decided not to buy them because I know I would want them all and I would rather buy other things. I do understand the appeal though and can see why others would buy them.

I think it all depends on why you want them and if it's a value to you and some people do see a value in these.

@cheesie253: i can respect that

@i-rock-socks:

And I can respect why you dislike them. Just wanted to explain it from another view point. Problem is with all this talk about the amiibo I am suddenly getting the urge to add them to my nintendo collection and that's a spendy road I haven't really wanted to go down. Although they would look great on the shelf in the game room!

If you want to discuss the merits of the amiibo perhaps system wars is the better place for you. You don't have to love them but your attitude and reason for placing this here, in the Nintendo forum, feel awfully trollish and disingenuine.

They are collectible. They provide a small bonus in games when used. That's it. If you don't like it don't buy them. I own five and I'm very happy with them. Got a kirby this weekend along with rainbow curse. They're fun. Not much else to it.

The bonuses Amiibo provide can barely be called DLC outside the fact that you bought a collectable figurine that also happens to unlock a costume in mario kart, or trainable sparring partner/teammate in Smash Bros. And for what it's worth the reputation DLC has received over the years from companies like Capcom hasn't exactly done the practice any favors.

Because they are collectable and look nice.
The added DLC is only a slight plus, but pretty bad value so far.

As someone who didn't saw the appeal at first; I became quite addicted to collecting them after getting one as a valentines present from my girlfriend.

Because there something physical. DLC is just that, digital, it's worthless outside of it's initial purpose but Amiibo have multiple use. For starters there decent quality figures for a fairly cheap price, I mean I own some figures that have cost me a lot more than any Amiibo ever could (my most expensive been my Rick and Michonne Walking Dead statues from McFarlane toys that are worth around $300 and $400 respectively), and many of the characters been represented in the Amiibo sets are ones that have never had anything else like this before, and are probably unlikely to ever again. Then there's the fact that they do contain DLC, and not just for a single game, but actually multiple so while said DLC might not be worth much on it's own, they still add to the overall value of the figure, I personally only own three Amiibo, Pikachu, Samus and Toon Link, because they are my three favorite Nintendo characters.

So yeah decent figures at a cheap price, with the ability to unlock additional content in games, what's not to like?

@i-rock-socks:

I collected the Amiibo characters that were related to games that I have played. Think of the figures as art objects. Like others have said, the Amiibo are nice to look at. For people who like Nintendo and their games, the figures have sentimental value and evoke feelings of happiness and amusement.

I don't. I would if they were like 5 bucks.

They look nice. I've been wanting official Nintendo figurines since forever ago.

It's classic materialism. . People think that by collecting these things they are increasing their happiness. It's the same reason people buy jewelery or collect, you know, anything. If people have the money to spare then go ahead, I won't judge them, but personally I can see pass the shallow value material objects really have. I'm just smug and cynical like that :P

Money and things are the two most important things in life, you cannot have happiness without them.

@simuseb2:

I agree with Jaysonguy. Are there any truly happy poor people in life?

Wanted a nice looking figurine after buying a few in the last couple of years. Not into Smash, but got six amiibos ordered for Mario Kart and made sure one was Kirby and one was Yoshi knowing they had games coming out. I thought I'd need Yoshi for sure and got Kirby just in case. I was lucky to get Meta Knight last week, but I haven't cracked the case yet.

I've been into Nintendo since '87 and have all of the consoles, games and almost all of Nintendo Power magazines including the free ones Nintendo Club News magazine starting with issue 4 with Mike Tyson on the cover highlighting Punch Out.

Not sure my collection of amiibos will be large. Just plan on buying some that I may want to use in a game or like the figure.

@calway55:

Sounds good. I have Mario Kart 8 and just got Smash. I did scan the compatible Amiibos for Mario Kart, but not Smash yet. I wanted to see what Smash was like without them first, and then scan them.

What has money got to do with what I just said? Obviously moneys important. With money I am able to pay for my house and the food I eat. I can buy for my phone, my internet, my electricity etc. I can also pay for my video gaming hobby. Money's great. Things are great too. Things can have words written in them to tell a story. Things can be used to play sport and such. But amibos? There's very little particularity behind them. The majority of you aren't playing with them. You are buying them to collect them. To have them. Nothing more. And you think it's making you happier, but that feeling is rather fleeting. Things alone don't increase happiness; experiences do. Video games provide experiences. Books provide experiences. Soccer balls provide experiences. Amibos? The experience they provide is very bad DLC. They are the equvillent of jewellery except people aren't spending hundreds of dollars on them thank God.

Feel free to disagree though. I really don't care what people spend their money on. (Well, as long as they can afford it.) I was just answering TC's question.

@Collie_Lover:

From what I have read if you have stored play on your Smash amiibos you have to erase it if you plan to use it in other games. You may still be able to tap in for Mario Kart outfits(not sure) but you won't get to use them in a game where info is stored.

@simuseb2:

Well I envision children and adults alike playing with Amiibos like Dark Helmet in Spaceballs. But seriously, I agree with you that extreme materialism can be unhealthy. I think it is ok to indulge a little and collect Amiibos. Their use in Mario Kart 8 is limited, but many of them can be used in Super Smash Bros. to level up the figure/character to level 50? That is a serious implementation of the figure. Nintendo is going to release more games where using them is meaningful too. There is the possibility that the use of these figures could grow into something much bigger, like Disney Infinity if the interest is strong enough with customers. That is to say, the figures could be used for adventures, in a virtual toy box, and allow a home interior for the figure within the toy box. Take care.

@calway55:

My understanding is that the Amiibos can be used with Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros without out deleting any data. But the figures could not be used with Smash Bros and Mario Party 10 at the same time.

For me the figures are of great quality. They haven't been utilized greatly yet, but they've only been out for like four months and not too many games have been released yet. I think in due time they'll be worth it in terms of the extra content they give us.

One thing to mention is Nintendo has mentioned going to cards for in game data. Not sure where that will lead.

Disney Infinity has power disks that add character powers, vehicles, and environmental effects. Perhaps the Nintendo cards will do similar things. Nintendo has a massive library of game material to reference for similar uses.

Yas, Almost all YOU HAVE MISSED THE POINT, so if they are collectable, and they are for download content, and they are for both 3ds and for Wii U, and they are Pretty, and they might be sold for the Future. I belive For a $13 dollar pricetag, they are great, Because They are CHARACTERS, that PLaY DLC for more THan One Game. FOR more Than ONE Game. MicroSOft Pizza Hut cards used to happen on 360, Sony Is Just a Upc Barcode of a One time use only. THis AMIBO is GREAT! because in the future, they might have Opportinity on FUTURE GAMES. and they do MORE THAN DLC, they work as a system and are a little, " Game unto it's OWN!" how it funtions Out it's use, since it's for LEVELING UP>! HOW COOL, they are like D&D. I like D&D Mario. Duh Smack! THEY ARE FREAKING NFC Near Field CHIPS, THEY ARE COMPUTER CHIPS WITH STORAGE FOR TAKING TO HOUSES NOT YOURS FOR FUN. GREAT, 105 501 and nuthen left to SAY!

I like them because they are good collectible and using the function for the game pad is really cool.