History Toys / Amiibo

* ''VideoGame/TaikoDrumMaster: Atsumete Tomodachi Daisakusen'' (Japan only): The ''Animal Crossing'' series (any figure or card will do) and Pac-Man each unlock a playable song and elements for the "Kisekae Shoot" picture mode. All other amiibo can be scanned for "oval" currency.

* ProductionThrowback: amiibo are more likely to be compatible with games outside their characters' home series if said games are from the same developers or publishers. Besides all the Nintendo games that reference each other: ''Fire Emblem'' characters are featured in Creator/IntelligentSystems games (like ''Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.''), ''Kirby'' with Creator/HALLaboratory (''[=BoxBoy!=]'' and ''Picross 3D 2''), Pac-Man with Creator/{{Bandai Namco|Entertainment}} (''One Piece'', ''Ace Combat'', ''Taiko Drum Master''), and Shovel Knight with Yacht Club Games (''Gunvolt 2''). There is a practical reason for this: if you want amiibo to be compatible with your game, it's easier to use your own characters than it is to negotiate rights for a guest appearance by someone else's.

* OldSaveBonus: A few games are made to recognize amiibo save data from previous titles in its series. So far this includes ''Mario Party Star Rush'', ''The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'', and ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''

** ''[=WarioWare=]'' has Wario draw a picture of the figure scanned, with about the same artistic skill as a six-year-old. [[spoiler:Unless the figure is of Wario himself, in which case he makes a professionally-done self-portrait and portrays himself as a {{Bishonen}}.]]

* '''VideoGame/ShovelKnight''': Originally a single figure of Shovel Knight himself. A second wave much later featured a three-pack of Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight; and a separate limited gold version of Shovel Knight.

* '''VideoGame/MonsterHunter Stories''' (Japan only): The line includes figures for two versions of One-Eyed Rathalos and Rider (male and female), Rathian and Cheval, Barioth and Avinia, Qurupeco and Dan, and Navirou.

* '''[[VideoGame/LivePowerfulProBaseball Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball]]''' (Japan only): The game comes packaged with two amiibo cards, one of [=PowerPro-kun=] and one depending on the retailer: Ikari, Yabe, Hayakawa, Ganda, and Daijobu.

* ''Super VideoGame/MarioParty'': Scanning any figures receives in-game Party Points, and ''Mario'' characters (Waves 1-3 plus Bowser Jr., but except Toad, who isn't playable) unlock their own shiny stickers (which are also available to purchase in-game).

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': Supports all 82 characters on its roster. As with ''Smash for 3DS/Wii U'', figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors. New to ''Ultimate'', Figure Players can be used in the online Battle Arena mode, and can be sent on "journeys" to fight against other Figure Players over the internet. Save data from ''for 3DS/Wii U'' can be transferred to ''Ultimate''. Nearly every other figure to date that doesn't represent someone playable will unlock that character as a Spirit (45 unlocks in all),[[note]]Toad, Waluigi, Boo, Goomba, Koopa Troopa, and the ''Odyssey'' figures from ''Mario'' (the latter of which provide both Figure Players ''and'' Spirits); the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook, (both Spirits unlocked by either member of their respective duo) and the Octolings (Octoling Boy and Girl share a Spirit, Octopus does not) from ''Splatoon''; the 14 ''Animal Crossing'' figures that aren't Isabelle (with Cyrus and Reese sharing a Spirit); Alm, Celica (sharing a Spirit) and Tiki from ''Fire Emblem''; Wolf Link and six ''Breath of the Wild'' characters from ''Zelda''; and Poochy, Chibi-Robo, Shovel Knight, Plague Knight, Specter Knight, King Knight, Waddle Dee, Qbby, Pikmin, Metroid, and Detective Pikachu from various other lines[[/note]] plus the Timmy and Tommy figure from ''Animal Crossing'' also grants early access to a store in Spirits mode.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': Supports all 82 characters on its roster. As with ''Smash for 3DS/Wii U'', figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors. New to ''Ultimate'', Figure Players can be used in the online Battle Arena mode, and can be sent on "journeys" to fight against other Figure Players over the internet. Save data from ''for 3DS/Wii U'' can be transferred to ''Ultimate''. Nearly every other figure to date that doesn't represent someone playable will unlock that character as a Spirit (42 unlocks in all),[[note]]Toad, Waluigi, Boo, Goomba, Koopa Troopa, and the ''Odyssey'' figures from ''Mario'' (the latter of which provide both Figure Players ''and'' Spirits); the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook, (both Spirits unlocked by either member of their respective duo) and the Octolings (Octoling Boy and Girl share a Spirit, Octopus does not) from ''Splatoon''; the 14 ''Animal Crossing'' figures that aren't Isabelle (with Cyrus and Reese sharing a Spirit); Alm, Celica (sharing a Spirit) and Tiki from ''Fire Emblem''; Wolf Link and six ''Breath of the Wild'' characters from ''Zelda''; and Poochy, Chibi-Robo, Shovel Knight, Waddle Dee, Qbby, Pikmin, Metroid, and Detective Pikachu from various other lines[[/note]] plus the Timmy and Tommy figure from ''Animal Crossing'' also grants early access to a store in Spirits mode.

* ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'': Each ''Shovel Knight'' figure unlocks challenges for Challenge Mode and a purely cosmetic FairyCompanion for all campaigns. Shovel Knight can also save customized appearances and abilities for the in-game character in his own campaign, while the other three grant (again, purely cosmetic) alternate armors in their respective campaigns. In ''Shovel Knight Showdown'', all figures unlock alternate costumes for their respective characters.

* ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'': Each ''Shovel Knight'' figure unlocks challenges for Challenge Mode and a purely cosmetic FairyCompanion for all campaigns. Shovel Knight can also save customized appearances and abilities for the in-game character in his own campaign, while the other three grant (again, purely cosmetic) alternate armors in their respective campaigns.

* ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'': Each ''Shovel Knight'' figure unlocks challenges for Challenge Mode and a purely cosmetic FairyCompanion for all campaigns. Shovel Knight can also save customized appearances and abilities for the in-game character in his own campaign, while the other three grant (again, purely cosmetic) alternate armors in their respective campaigns. (Shovel Knight originally enabled an exclusive co-op multiplayer mode in this version, but this was removed and replaced with the fairy when the ''Treasure Trove'' update made co-op a standard feature on all non-portable platforms.)

* ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'': Each ''Shovel Knight'' figure unlocks challenges for Challenge Mode and a purely cosmetic FairyCompanion for all campaigns. Shovel Knight can also save customized appearances and abilities for the in-game character in his own campaign, while the other three grant (again, purely cosmetic) alternate armors in their respective campaigns.

** ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]'': Features 25 returning and new characters that were not present in ''for [=3DS=]/Wii U''.

* '''VideoGame/ShovelKnight''': A single figure of Shovel Knight himself, and a three-pack of Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight.

* ''Super Kirby Clash'': Players can scan amiibo (five per day?) in order to obtain materials to craft items. Most amiibo give small amounts of material, while ''Kirby'' and ''[=BoxBoy!=]'' characters give more.

** The ''Mario''-series Mario amiibo has both gold and silver variants. Mega Man has his own gold variant figure for the 3DS release of ''Legacy Collection''.

* SelfImposedChallenge: With several amiibo being hard to find at a reasonable price, some self-imposed challenges that people have done for amiibo include but are not limited to:
** Only buying amiibo at MSRP or below (give or take a dollar or two, as places like Toys R Us charge more).
** No importing allowed.
** No pre-orders allowed.

** ''VideoGame/TeamKirbyClashDeluxe'', the standalone UpdatedRerelease of one of ''Planet Robobot's'' minigames, allows players to scan amiibo (five per day) in order to obtain materials to craft items. Most amiibo give small amounts of material, the ''Smash Bros.'' figures of Kirby characters give medium amounts, and the ''Kirby'' and ''[=BoxBoy=]!'' series amiibo give the most.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'': ''Zelda'' characters can be used in the Dungeon Builder mode to add new gameplay elements. For example, ''Link's Awakening'' Link adds a Shadow Link enemy that will hunt down the player.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'': There is an in-game location called the amiibo Gazebo where the player can scan in amiibo for items.

* '''Franchise/{{Super Mario|Bros}}''': In addition to the characters below, Bowser Jr. and Dr. Mario[[note]]who is really a Mario variant, but sometimes has unique functionality of his own[[/note]] from the ''Smash Bros.'' line are often also compatible with certain games alongside other ''Mario'' characters. Piranha Plant and King K. Rool also have a chance of joining this group.

** ''Breath of the Wild'': Two versions of ''Breath of the Wild'' Link (Archer and Rider), ''Breath of the Wild'' Zelda, Bokoblin, and a Guardian.

** ''Link's Awakening'': ''Link's Awakening'' Link

* '''VideoGame/FireEmblem''': All games compatible with ''Fire Emblem'' figures include those characters appearing in ''Smash Bros.'': Marth, Ike, Robin, Lucina, Roy, and Corrin.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': Supports all 82 characters on its roster. As with ''Smash for 3DS/Wii U'', figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors. New to ''Ultimate'', Figure Players can be used in the online Battle Arena mode, and can be sent on "journeys" to fight against other Figure Players over the internet. Save data from ''for 3DS/Wii U'' can be transferred to ''Ultimate''. Nearly every other figure to date that doesn't represent someone playable will unlock that character as a Spirit (42 unlocks in all),[[note]]Toad, Waluigi, Boo, Goomba, Koopa Troopa, and the ''Odyssey'' figures from ''Mario'' (the latter of which provide both Figure Players ''and'' Spirits); the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook, (both Spirits unlocked by either member of their respective duo) and the Octolings (Octoling Boy and Girl share a Spirit, Octopus does not) from ''Splatoon'' ; the 14 ''Animal Crossing'' figures that aren't Isabelle (with Cyrus and Reese sharing a Spirit); Alm, Celica (sharing a Spirit) and Tiki from ''Fire Emblem''; Wolf Link and six ''Breath of the Wild'' characters from ''Zelda''; and Poochy, Chibi-Robo, Shovel Knight, Waddle Dee, Qbby, Pikmin, Metroid, and Detective Pikachu from various other lines[[/note]] plus the Timmy and Tommy figure from ''Animal Crossing'' also grants access to a store in Spirits mode.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'': ''Link's Awakening'' Link

* BribingYourWayToVictory: In some games, scanning an amiibo gives things such as extra health. This trope is most pronounced in ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing: New Leaf'', in which amiibo cards allow you to beckon specific villagers to your town, and act as the ultimate insurance in that if they do leave, you may beckon them back an infinite number of times, so long as you still have the card. Simply put, having all your favorite characters in card form is the surefire way to create your ultimate utopia town in the game.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: amiibo bases are colored differently on the sides depending on the series that they are from. ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'', ''VideoGame/{{BoxBoy}}'' and third-party franchises are black, ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' is bright red, ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is gold, ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' is blue, ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' is dark blue, ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' is dark red, ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' is brown, ''Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary'' is green (and designed as a pipe), and ''VideoGame/ChibiRobo'' is reddish-brown.

* PaletteSwap: Some amiibo are little more than color swaps of each other, such as Famicom R.O.B. and NES R.O.B., Mario and Gold/Silver Mario, Mega Man and Gold Mega Man, and Inkling Girl/Boy/Squid (''Splatoon'' 1) color variants. Can be subverted by their in-game functionality, such as Gold and Silver Mario, which unlock unique individual Mystery Mushrooms in ''Super Mario Maker''.

* WolverinePublicity: While [[SeriesMascot Mario]] is the face of amiibo marketing (as he is for Nintendo as a whole), Link, as the best-selling amiibo character, has the greatest number of variant figures of any character with a whopping '''12''' versions (''Smash Bros.'' regular, Toon, and Young Links; Wolf Link, 8-bit Link, ''Ocarina of Time'', ''Wind Waker'', ''Majora's Mask'', ''Twilight Princess'', ''Skyward Sword'', and ''Breath of the Wild'' Rider and Archer), though Wolf Link doesn't actually count as a Link amiibo. Mario comes in at a distant second, with 8 variants (''Smash Bros.'' regular and Dr. Mario, ''Super Mario'', Gold, Silver, ''Odyssey'' wedding, and Classic and Modern 8-bit).[[note]]Mario does come in first if you count his ''Mario Sports Superstar'' cards, though like Wolf Link, those don't work as general replacements for the figurines.[[/note]]

** Wave 3: ''Majora's Mask'' (Young) Link, ''Twilight Princess'' Link, and ''Skyward Sword'' Link.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': Supports all 82 characters on its roster. As with ''Smash for 3DS/Wii U'', figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors. Save data from ''for 3DS/Wii U'' can be transferred to ''Ultimate''. Nearly every other figure to date that doesn't represent someone playable will unlock that character as a Spirit (42 unlocks in all),[[note]]Toad, Waluigi, Boo, Goomba, Koopa Troopa, and the ''Odyssey'' figures from ''Mario'' (the latter of which provide both Figure Players ''and'' Spirits); the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook, (both Spirits unlocked by either member of their respective duo) and the Octolings (Octoling Boy and Girl share a Spirit, Octopus does not) from ''Splatoon'' ; the 14 ''Animal Crossing'' figures that aren't Isabelle (with Cyrus and Reese sharing a Spirit); Alm, Celica (sharing a Spirit) and Tiki from ''Fire Emblem''; Wolf Link and six ''Breath of the Wild'' characters from ''Zelda''; and Poochy, Chibi-Robo, Shovel Knight, Waddle Dee, Qbby, Pikmin, Metroid, and Detective Pikachu from various other lines[[/note]] plus the Timmy and Tommy figure from ''Animal Crossing'' also grants access to a store in Spirits mode.

* ''[[VideoGame/LivePowerfulProBaseball Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball]]'': The six ''[=PowerPro=]'' cards can earn in-game items, and items can be saved to the cards to transfer between games.

* ''VideoGame/YoshisCraftedWorld'': Six ''Mario'' characters[[note]]Yoshi, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and Koopa Troopa[[/note]] plus Poochy each unlock an outfit for Yoshi based on that character. Other amiibo unlock random common outfits.

*** Subverted for Daisy and Squirtle. They were released as an Event Course costumes, but unlike Wolf Link and the Squid Sisters, no amiibo was incoming at the time. When they did receive an amiibo later on, ''Mario Maker'' wasn't updated to recognize it, leaving their figures incompatible with their respective costume.[[note]]The Birdo and Baby Mario cards from ''Mario Sports'' also don't unlock corresponding costumes, but the entire ''Mario Sports'' line is flat-out incompatible to begin with.[[/note]] The same could potentially be said for the Felyne costume, as it predated the ''Monster Hunter'' figures and can't be unlocked by them either.

*** Averted for several costumes that were set up for amiibo compatibility, even though figures had not been announced yet; including Waluigi, half of the ''Animal Crossing'' figure line (the other half ''had'' been announced by then), and likely the Arwing (as an amiibo was in the works for ''Star Fox Zero'' even if it got scrapped later). Even Baby Mario and Nabbit are set up to have amiibo unlock their costumes, without their amiibo actually materializing.
*** Also averted for a handful of update costumes. Wolf Link, Callie, and Marie were added to the game to tie into their amiibo releases and included compatibility as part of the download.
*** Subverted for Daisy. She was released as an update costume, but unlike Wolf Link and the Squid Sisters no amiibo was incoming at the time. When she did receive an amiibo later on, ''Mario Maker'' wasn't updated to recognize it, leaving her figure the only one incompatible with her respective costume.[[note]]The Birdo and Baby Mario cards from ''Mario Sports'' also don't unlock corresponding costumes, but the entire ''Mario Sports'' line is flat-out incompatible to begin with.[[/note]] The same could potentially be said for the Felyne costume, as it predated the ''Monster Hunter'' figures and can't be unlocked by them either.

* '''VideoGame/DarkSouls''': Solaire of Astoria doing the "Praise the Sun" pose.

* ''Super VideoGame/MarioParty'': Scanning any figures receives in-game Party Points, and ''Mario'' characters (Waves 1-3 plus Bowser Jr., but except Toad, who isn't playable) unlock their shiny sticker (which is also available in-game).

** ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]'': Features 24 returning and new characters that were not present in ''for [=3DS=]/Wii U''.

** ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]'': Features 22-24[[note]]depending on whether we get a figure for Pokémon Trainer, two for Squirtle and Ivysaur, or none in favor of using ''for [=3DS=]/Wii U''[='s=] Charizard[[/note]] returning and new characters that were not present in ''for [=3DS=]/Wii U''.

* ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'': Supports all characters on its roster. Figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors.

* ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'': Supports all characters on its roster. Figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'': All amiibo can be scanned at "Uncle amiibo" robots to get hints to Power Moon locations; and ten ''Mario'' characters[[note]]the three ''Mario Odyssey'' figures, Mario, Dr. Mario, Gold (or Silver) Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and Diddy Kong[[/note]] also grant outfits for Mario to wear (all of which can be unlocked in-game without amiibo). When scanning elsewhere in the game, Mario gives an InvincibilityPowerUp, Peach adds a Life-Up Heart, Bowser reveals the locations of regional coins, and everyone else drops a few coins or a healing heart. %%Uncle amiibo also recognizes almost all Nintendo amiibo by their official names, while other generic figures (eg. third-party characters) refer it as a "lovely" amiibo (the ''Mario Cereal'' box is a generic figure, but recognizes as a "delicious" amiibo).

** ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]'': Features 23-24[[note]]depending on whether we get one figure for Pokémon Trainer or two for Squirtle and Ivysaur[[/note]] returning and new characters that were not present in ''for [=3DS=]/Wii U''.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': Supports all 82 characters on its roster. As with ''Smash for 3DS/Wii U'', figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors. Save data from ''for 3DS/Wii U'' can be transferred to ''Ultimate''. Nearly every other figure to date that doesn't represent someone playable will unlock that character as a Spirit (39 unlocks in all),[[note]]Toad, Waluigi, Boo, Goomba, and Koopa Troopa from ''Mario''; the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook,(both Spirits unlocked by either member of their respective duo) and the Octolings (Octoling Boy and Girl share a Spirit, Octopus does not) from ''Splatoon'' ; the 14 ''Animal Crossing'' figures that aren't Isabelle (with Cyrus and Reese sharing a Spirit); Alm, Celica (sharing a Spirit) and Tiki from ''Fire Emblem''; Wolf Link and six ''Breath of the Wild'' characters from ''Zelda''; and Poochy, Chibi-Robo, Shovel Knight, Waddle Dee, Qbby, Pikmin, Metroid, and Detective Pikachu from various other lines[[/note]] plus the Timmy and Tommy figure from ''Animal Crossing'' also grants access to a store in Spirits mode.

* '''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''': In addition to the list below, Sheik, Ganondorf, and possibly Young Link from ''Smash Bros.'' are usually also counted as ''Zelda'' characters.[[note]]It remains to be seen if Young Link will get any exclusive unlocks outside ''Smash'', or if he'll just be "a Link figure" as far as other games are concerned.[[/note]]

** Wave 3: ''Majora's Mask'' Link, ''Twilight Princess'' Link, and ''Skyward Sword'' Link.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': Supports all 82 characters on its roster. As with ''Smash for 3DS/Wii U'', figures store an AI fighter called a "Figure Player" that can not only be customized with different attack variations and stats, but can also be "taught" specific behaviors. Save data from ''for 3DS/Wii U'' can be transferred to ''Ultimate''. Nearly every other figure to date that doesn't represent someone playable will unlock that character as a Spirit (37 unlocks in all),[[note]]Toad, Waluigi, Boo, Goomba, and Koopa Troopa from ''Mario''; the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook from ''Splatoon'' (both Spirits are unlocked by either member of their respective duo); the 14 ''Animal Crossing'' figures that aren't Isabelle (with Cyrus and Reese sharing a Spirit); Alm, Celica (sharing a Spirit) and Tiki from ''Fire Emblem''; Wolf Link and six ''Breath of the Wild'' characters from ''Zelda''; and Poochy, Chibi-Robo, Shovel Knight, Waddle Dee, Qbby, Pikmin, Metroid, and Detective Pikachu from various other lines[[/note]] plus the Timmy and Tommy figure from ''Animal Crossing'' also grants access to a store in Spirits mode.