Amiibo

 This article is about a product that is in constant development. Editors must cite sources for contributions with new information to this article. Edits that do not follow this standard will be reverted without notice. For more information, see the Citation Policy. amiibo is a brand of near field communication-based figurines used as add-ons to games with amiibo compatibility. The first line of amiibo, based upon Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, launched on the same day as Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the first amiibo-compatible game, and it has been confirmed that there will be multiple lines based upon various games.

amiibo can be used with Wii U software by placing a figure on the near-field communicator built into the Wii U GamePad under the D-pad; the console must also be updated to at least version 5.3.0. A peripheral for the Nintendo 3DS, a circular white platform, has also been stated to be released in 2015 that will wirelessly connect to the 3DS to send and receive data; the new Nintendo 3DS, however, features a built in near-field communicator on the bottom touch-screen. amiibo will come with data already on them, but data can also be written on them by the hardware. Several figures will be compatible with multiple games; for example, the Super Smash Bros. line Mario figure can also be used in Mario Party 10. Multiple games can read an amiibo's data, while only one game's data can be written to the figure at a time.

Game + amiibo bundles have also been confirmed: a Mario Party 10 + Mario amiibo from the Super Mario line bundle and a Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker + Toad amiibo one for Japan.

Non-Mario games compatible with Mario-related amiibo

 * One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X: Unlocks costumes based on amiibo scanned.
 * Hyrule Warriors: Any non-The Legend of Zelda-based amiibo gives the player a random item/weapon.
 * Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy Plus: Unlocks plane designs based on amiibo scanned.
 * Code Name S.T.E.A.M.: The Super Smash Bros. Fire Emblem characters' amiibo unlock those characters in the game as a party member.

Trivia

 * The word "new" in the new Nintendo 3DS logo is stylized similarly to the amiibo logo.
 * Toad is the first (and so far only) character to have an amiibo figure without a Smash Bros. equivalent.