Not that we could actually afford them, but we'd be glad to know they exist.
Nintendo's Amiibo series of NFC-chip-enabled toy figures resembling their iconic characters, which can be used to unlock and save data in various video games, has seemingly become a mainstay of the company's merchandising strategy since its initial release in November 2014.
So far, the over 250 different figures have sold more than 80 million units, and at around $30 apiece for what is a cheap plastic toy, they've likely earned the company a fortune. Given that, we think it's not too much to ask for a few with unique features that take advantage of obvious opportunities – like the ones we present in this article.
1. Mini Mario
This would be perfect, considering that the Mini Marios are already toys in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong games they appear in. We’re especially intrigued by the wind-up key on their backs, which, while it might not make them march forward like in the games, could at least let them move their arms a bit. Even better would be if they worked like a wind-up music box, playing a theme when activated. We honestly expected Nintendo to try something like this when releasing the Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake on Switch in 2024, especially since the 2004 original included six levels exclusively unlockable via e-Reader cards (essentially a precursor to Amiibo), which are missing from the Switch version, so unlocking them with a Mini Mario figure would make perfect sense.
2. Master Belch
While this guy may just seem like some random disgusting boss enemy from EarthBound (1994), Nintendo really seem to have an affection for him, even turning him into a playable costume in Super Mario Maker (2015) – costumes which notably usually required Amiibo to unlock – as well as making him a vital part of EarthBound's North American marketing campaign. There, magazines and print ads featured scratch-and-sniff images of Master Belch to showcase that "this game stinks" (it was the 90s...), something which could be alluded to by also coating an Amiibo of this unofficial mascot in a similar scratch-and-sniff material. We couldn't come up with any outstanding game compatibility, but EarthBound fans will probably take anything at this point.
3. Gooigi
With the character being an integral part of the marketing campaign for Luigi's Mansion (2018) and Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019), it's somewhat surprising that Nintendo never sought to capitalize on the marketability of Luigi's wobbly clone, especially when keeping in mind that we currently don't have any Luigi's Mansion Amiibo whatsoever at the moment. Additionally, when Nintendo released the Metroid Amiibo in 2017, they showed that they're capable of creating figures which consist of a gelatinous, pressure-sensitive material – something which would perfectly fit Gooigi, whose signature trait is maluability. For the next game, instead of locking post-launch minigames behind $10 DLC like in Luigi's Mansion 3, why not lock them behind a $30 figure?
4. Muddy Mole
Having the main character of Shigeru Miyamoto's cult classic Mole Mania (1996) peek out from a molehill, like he so often does in his Game Boy title of origin, would not only be adorable, but could come with a fun gimmick as well: Since digging into soft ground is a crucial part of the game's puzzles, it would be fitting to let players gently press the mole down into the hill on the NFC base, with a built-in spring making him pop back up once the pressure is released. If you really wanted go for maximum cuteness, you could feature one of his children, which he had to rescue in the game, sitting next to the molehill. Now, what title this Amiibo could tie into, you ask? Well, the eShop-exclusive Mole Mania remake that we're definitely getting... someday.
5. Chain Chomp
Compared to other modern toys, Amiibo figures lack moving parts (the Guardian one constituting a notable exception), remaining completely static on their NFC bases. However, with a Chain Chomp Amiibo, the signature pole could serve as the base, while the chain and... chomp(?) are fully movable. Adding a bit of sand inside during production would give the figure some satisfying heft, making it perfect for swinging around and accidentally hitting someone in the eye. In terms of functionality, the Chain Chomp appears prominently in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019), where it sadly must be returned to its owner. It would be fantastic if players could keep it after showing the in-game pet owner their devotion to the species by scanning the Amiibo.
6. Doshin the Giant
While most Amiibo figures stand just under 10 centimeters tall, a few exceptions – like the over-20 centimeter tall Mega Yarn Yoshi – have been released seemingly just because Nintendo felt like it that day. However, in the Doshin the Giant games for Nintendo 64 and GameCube, the entire premise consists of players controlling the titular giant (obviously necessitating a giant Amiibo) as he terraforms an island, gathers resources, and plants trees to help its inhabitants thrive. We're confident that the small but passionate Doshin the Giant fanbase would eagerly buy anything that might convince Nintendo the series still holds value, even if there's probably never going to be a new game, seeing as its creator has retired from the industry long ago.
7. Custom Robo
In the Custom Robo series of arena fighting games, which saw a total of six releases from 1999 to 2006, one of the key parts of the game is... well, customizing your robot. You do this by removing and attaching various parts of the main body. This could be easily replicated by including some more loose, exchangeable plastic parts with the main Amiibo. If Nintendo really wanted to go all out, the parts attached to your Amiibo could be registered in game by including some additional NFC chips in them, as is the case with the detachable Kirby and Bandana Dee on the Amiibo for Kirby Air Riders (2025). Given that the franchise would be perfectly suited to a toys-to-life model, Nintendo ignoring the opportunity really just seems like a lot of wasted potential.
8. Paper Mario
When Nintendo released the Mr. Game & Watch Amiibo – which let players detach the flat figure from its base and swap in other poses – many likely thought of another famously two-dimensional character who could use the same gimmick. In the Paper Mario series (with its notoriously devoted fanbase), character animations already mostly consist of switching between a few distinct poses, so offering an NFC base with various interchangeable, easy-to-produce figures of the main hero would be a no-brainer. The recent Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024) remake was light on new sidequests anyway, so unlocking a few via Amiibo would have been an easy and fitting addition, rewarding customer loyalty.
9. Arwing
Nintendo reportedly already intended to release an Amiibo in tandem with Star Fox Zero (2016), which would've allowed customers to transform the recognizable space ship of Fox McCloud into its walker form, just like in the game. At the time, these plans had to be given up due to child safety laws, with the Arwing featuring some very sharp edges and poking points. But realistically, with such an Amiibo probably costing around $50 today, children would be priced out anyway, meaning that they could simply market the Amiibo as an collector's item. The concept is just too good to give up on and generate some badly-needed hype for the Star Fox franchise. And if all else fails, we won't be too mad if they justed smoothed out the edges.
10. ANY Pokémon
The lack of Pokémon Amiibo (aside from those in the Smash Bros. line and the Detective Pikachu figure) is really noticeable and can probably be traced back to some behind-the-scenes licensing issues, seeing as Nintendo only holds a third of The Pokémon Company, with Creatures Inc. mainly responsible for merchandising and probably unwilling to pay royalties to Nintendo for the Amiibo branding. But you can't tell us that scanning in a plastic figure of your favorite marketable fantasy creature into a game to unlock a gift event (which are currently only randomly enabled via the internet) wouldn't be amazing. Creating a limited amount of shiny variants of said figures to be given out as prizes would be a surefire way to make collectors froth at the mouths.
But with that said, what are some Amiibo you would like to see? Let us know in the comments!