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Amiibos are my favorite accessory from the Nintendo Wii U generation. The small, highly detailed figures have their own dedicated shelf within my office and I still regularly have some set aside whenever I’m diving back into my favorite games on the current Switch. Their compatibility differs from game to game but having the ability to unlock quality-of-life features, from extra items to just some cute outfits for Princess Zelda, has made my almost eight-year-long time with the Switch more memorable.
From the original Nintendo 3DS, to the WiiU and the current Switch, compatibility with the line of amiibo figures, and collector cards, has been well upheld. However, as we finally got the first look at the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 on January 16, there was no hint that the NFC reading tech required to support these cute collectibles will be supported going forward.
That doesn’t mean Nintendo has left amiibos to collect dust. A second and more in-depth look at the Switch 2 is on its way during a Nintendo Direct on April 2, so there’s still hope that the figures will make their grand reappearance. But, the dwindling amount of new releases for the now 11-year-old figure line, and the absence of their inclusion in the first real look of the upcoming handheld has me worried Nintendo has pushed them to the side - which would be a huge missed opportunity.
An amiibo a day keeps the collector bug at bay
The first wave of amiibos dropped in November 2014. It wasn’t the first time we’d been subject to the ‘toys-to-life’ concept, as Skylanders was already four years old at that point. But it was the first time I personally felt the compulsion to buy one. Even the fact that you needed a Nintendo WiiU and a copy of ‘Super Smash Bros for WiiU’ to make proper use of Princess Peach, Yoshi, and other figures, didn’t stop me from pre-ordering the princess ASAP.
That single purchase has since spiraled into over a thousand pounds spent, and a collection of over 100 amiibo figures, cards, and official accessories. From my favorite squishy Metroid figure, which features the creature breaking out to cause Samus havoc, to the complete collection of every single Legend of Zelda figure to date, I went all in to Nintendo’s answer to Skylanders. Despite having no shelf space for more, I have the full intent to continue the collection, so long as the Switch 2 lets me.
When they first launched, the sculpts for the actual figures weren’t great. That first Princess Peach amiibo is still one of my favorite bits of Mario merch I own, but her face doesn’t look that close to her in-game model. At the beginning, that didn’t matter too much. It was all about their existence as affordable and accessible pieces of Nintendo merchandise that mattered - especially during a time before the Super Mario Lego sets and various bits of Mario movie merch were available across online retailers and in-store toy shops.
Backwards compatibility should include amiibos too
Most games on the current Nintendo Switch are fully enjoyable without amiibos. That said, I wouldn’t dive back into Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom without them. Using any of the Legend of Zelda amiibos results in chests dropping from the sky, full of rupees, fish, and weapons to make your journey throughout Hyrule far easier. Using the Wolf Link amiibo that came packaged with Twilight Princess HD on the Wii U even unlocks a hound homage that you can pet and feed throughout your adventures.
Some well-needed mechanics are even locked behind the purchase of an amiibo. When The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was ported to the Switch, buying the Zelda and Loftwing amiibo was required to unlock a form of fast travel in the game. Technically, you can still fast-travel from any shrine without the amiibo-shaped paywall, but returning to the world’s surface from anywhere at a moment's notice relies on having the adorable figure in your collection.
During the first Switch 2 reveal, we got official confirmation that physical games for the first Switch will be playable on its successor (with some as yet unknown limitations). However, if there’s no amiibo support on the Switch 2 these in-game mechanics could be rendered entirely inaccessible. It’s very likely these are the ‘limitations’ that Nintendo has yet to fully elaborate on, which would be disappointing. Not just from an amiibo fan standpoint, but if some of my favorite additions to Switch games are unplayable on the Switch 2, there’s less incentive to pick up the new handheld over the original.
The writing isn’t entirely on the wall for an end for support for these cute collectibles. A previous Switch 2 leak posted to the subreddit r/GamingLeaksAndRumors months ago included a reference to an NFC reader being integrated into the new handheld. And, while there was no mention of it in the first look at the console, there’s still a possibility it’s included in the Ninty hardware.
The current NFC reading tech is subtly tucked away on the right Joy-Con controller, and unlike the WiiU, there’s no icon to mark its presence. This could very much be the same case for the Switch 2. Nintendo, never shy of releasing an onslaught of accessories, could also have an NFC reader add-on up its sleeve, like what we saw with the original Nintendo 3DS, which didn’t have NFC tech built-in until the later New 3DS models.
Amiibos deserve a comeback
Last year, Nintendo produced some of the best-looking amiibo figures in the over 857 collection (number according to amiibo.life). 2024 saw the release of Sora, from Kingdom Hearts, making it the last of the Smash Bros lineup. It was also the year that we saw gorgeous Splatoon 3 figures, featuring the game’s trio of idols, Big Man, Shiver, and Frye. Not to mention the Princess Zelda and Ganondorf Tears of the Kingdom amiibo figures, which are some of the best of the bunch.
But the release of amiibo figures isn’t as it once was. Amiibo-dedicated aisles on my local gaming shops don’t exist anymore, and we’ve seen major first-party releases for the Switch come and go without so much of a hint of an amiibo in sight. I’m still disappointed that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom didn’t get a figure of its own, when the Links Awakening Remake which used the same style, did. From the Super Mario RPG Remake to Super Mario Jamboree and Mario & Luigi: Brothership, there were many missed amiibo opportunities.
If the Switch 2 has NFC support, through its newly upgraded Joy-Con controllers, or support for the existing right Joy-Con, it could open up a new era of figures. I already desperately want a figure of the new Donkey Kong model as seen in the alleged Mario Kart 9 footage. Pokemon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4 are also likely on the cards for the new console, which are more than a great basis for a ton of cute figures - the current Metroid ones are some of the best Nintendo has ever produced.
If no amiibos are planned for the Nintendo Switch 2, it would at least save me some well-earned funds. Cash I could put towards the many games that we’ll soon learn about for the new system. However, the Nintendo Switch 2 is lauded as a new, improved, and ‘upgraded’ version of the existing console. Yet, no amiibo support would instead, be a major downgrade that would prevent the Switch 2 from fully replacing the Switch as my favorite Nintendo console.
Check our Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch 2 guide to see how the current handheld matches up to its brand-new rival, or find out everything we already know about Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders.
