The latest Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo released alongside Donkey Kong Bananza is still $29.99 at Walmart and other retailers, but it might not stay at its MSRP for long.
I'm amiibo obsessed.
I own so many of the little Nintendo Switch accessories that I need to rely on a third-party collector app in order to keep track of them all, so you can bet I was disappointed when I first learned that "select amiibo" would be included amongst the Switch hardware price increases in the US.
Prices of older 'legacy' amiibo figures have already come into effect on the official US Nintendo online store. Figures like the Super Mario Series Rosalina have seen an increase from $15.99 to $19.99 at Nintendo, and more recent releases like the Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf are even pricier, now sitting at $29.99, when they were once $19.99 on the store, making me question if my dream of completing my amiibo collection has come to an end.
The Ganandorf amiibo is pretty detailed, and in the past, larger and more intricate amiibos like the Legend of Zelda Guardian were always marked up, but $29.99 is a lot to ask for such a niche accessory.
Its price also adds up when you consider the fact that using the toy requires you to own a copy of Tears of the Kingdom and the original Switch (or the Nintendo Switch 2) to play it on. More so, now that the original family of Switch gaming handhelds, from the Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED, are also part of the recent US price hikes.
The latest amiibo featuring Donkey Kong and Pauline launched for $29.99, too, but it's a pretty detailed and substantial figure that feels more justifiable at that price point. However, for smaller amiibos the $30 mark is a price I'd expect for a set of two amiibos in a box, or a larger, 15cm anime prize figure from brands like Banpresto, not a tiny Nintendo toy.
After doing a spot of research, I've only found that the Switch price increases on the official Nintendo store. Meanwhile, you can still grab everything from one of my favorite figures, Sora Smash Bros, for $15.99 at Best Buy, to the gorgeous Super Mario Series Princess Peach for as little as $14.90 at Walmart, but they might not stay at those prices for long.
The official Nintendo Switch Priding Update stated that amiibos will "see adjustments," so they could get even more expensive over time. So far, these price increases only affect the US, so I'm fortunate enough to still be able to grab amiibos my collection is missing for their original retail pricing, but it's still left a bad taste in my mouth.
Already, the Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo launched for £16.99 when typically new figures cost around £12.99 over here. Like I briefly stated earlier, it's likely as it's a bigger toy than the rest of them, but it has got me second-guessing whether it's worth ever finishing my collection, or whether I'll even be able to afford to in the future.
Where to grab amiibo for less...
- Super Smash Bros amiibo starting from: $15.99 at Target
- Legacy amiibo from: $15.99 at Best Buy
- Amiibo figures starting from: $12.90 at Walmart
For more Nintendo Switch accessories, check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets and the best Nintendo Switch controllers.
