Nintendo's Latest amiibo Offering With Metroid: Samus Returns Is Downright Scummy

Nintendo's amiibo line has been a tremendous success for the company, bar the extremely overproduced Animal Crossing series that languished with great stock on store shelves before being severely reduced in price to clear stock. The original appeal of amiibo figures was not just to be able to collect cool Nintendo characters--many of which would never receive a figure of any type any other way--but it was also to add value in games with extra bonuses and features.

However, Nintendo's latest use of amiibo with next month's Metroid: Samus Returns on the Nintendo 3DS seems to be taking the concept of locking content behind amiibo and doing so in a really scummy way to a good portion of fans. Has Nintendo gone too far with amiibo? And if so, is it worth boycotting Metroid: Samus Returns because of it?

Amiibo debuted as a toy line as Nintendo's answer to other popular toys-to-life series like Activision's successful Skylanders and Disney's own Disney Infinity. However, while the toys from Activision and Disney's games were tied to one series of software, Nintendo's amiibo could be used for multiple games. While the usage of amiibo hasn't as of yet been as deep as Skylanders or Disney Infinity, it has done small benefits for games like the first amiibo inclusion with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, where custom character data could be saved to individual amiibo. Really, though, the fascination there was being able to collect various Smash Bros. fighters in figure form more than anything else.

But then Nintendo moved on to cosmetic additions and small little bonuses. For instance, in Mario Kart 8 and later Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, specific amiibo could be used to unlock Mii costumes based off the character figures used. An issue that some had with this, and understandably so, was that while the costumes might be appealing to them, perhaps they didn't want to spend a $13 figure just for them, especially if they didn't care about collecting amiibo or displaying them at all. This was only further compounded by more games utilizing amiibo to unlock characters, bonuses, and other content. Why couldn't these additions just be DLC for people to purchase on the eShop, some wondered.

While small bonuses that don't contribute much to games that utilize amiibo or aren't as desirable weren't too much to think of, things got especially heated with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for Nintendo Switch and Wii U. Scarcity of popular and most wanted amiibo was already an issue, and this concept was further compounded with the bonuses unlocked by The Legend of Zelda-related amiibo. New tunics for Link from past Zelda series adventures, rare weapons, and such were locked behind amiibo, and not just any amiibo, extremely rare, costly, and hard-to-find amiibo.

Things have reached a boiling point for many with the news of the two Metroid: Samus Returns amiibo being required to unlock the most challenging difficulty in that game as well as content like playing as Samus Aran in the Fusion Suit. For old fogies like me (speaking in relation to how long I've been playing games and not so much how real world wisdom I have--which would be none), I remember when things like new modes and costumes were unlockables and rewards. Instead, now they're gated behind amiibo that will most likely be hard to find on store shelves. Man, I feel like busting out Archie and Edith Bunker's "Those Were the Days" right now, but with some modernization.

And that's the big problem here--Nintendo isn't just doing DLC its own way, it's doing DLC in a despicable way. One should not have to buy a $10+ toy just to unlock modes and other desirable content. It's fine for collectors, but what about those who just want the content? The figures are a poor justification for something that should already be included in the game. Heck, Star Fox Zero, as maligned as that game often is, did the amiibo right. Yes, you could use a Fox or Falco amiibo to immediately unlock a cool reward, but you could also play the game normally and unlock it that way. The latter would take longer, but you could still do it. Instead, Nintendo has moved away from that logical and defensible take on amiibo and doubled down on their shady practice. It's highly disconcerting and very disappointing.

Now, I'm harsh here on Nintendo's use of amiibo, but does that mean that one should boycott Metroid: Samus Returns and any future game that uses amiibo in an unflattering way? I don't think so. If the game appeals to you, and it seems like it's going to be a truly stellar title, then I think one should still buy it. Heck, buy it used if you're so willing to do so, but showing support for the Metroid series after so many years of absence from the franchise would be a good thing if you love the franchise. If you don't love the use of amiibo, don't support that--as in don't support the amiibo. Don't buy them; don't think about buying them. Metroid: Samus Returns will still be an enjoyable game without the bonus content included. Yes, it's really crappy that Nintendo went this direction with amiibo in Samus Aran's glorious return to gaming, but I don't believe denying yourself the ability to play the game and support a franchise you love is sending the right message to Nintendo quite like what avoiding buying the amiibo would instead.

Top Ten Wii U Games That Deserve A Second Chance on the Switch

The formerly Wii U exclusive LEGO City Undercover hits store shelves today. Not only is it available on Nintendo's new console, the Switch, but also the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam. This made me wonder about what other games from the Wii U's lineup would be deserving of a second (or in some cases third) chance on the Nintendo Switch, as Mario Kart 8 is also one such title that was locked to the system but is getting an updated version on Nintendo's newest system. So let's take a look at ten Wii U titles (and yes, there are ten worthy Wii U titles to make a top ten list like this) that deserve a second shot at popularity with a Nintendo Switch version. (Note: Many of these games actually sold well on the Wii U, so the second chance I want them to receive would give them even more popularity for a much wider audience.)

10) Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

We begin with a game with a glorious clay art style that is the successor to the early Nintendo DS hit, Kirby: Canvas Curse. It's the Wii U's Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. Unlike most of the games on this list, Rainbow Curse used the Wii U GamePad exclusively for its touch-based, drawing gameplay. You drew lines to guide Kirby around and poked the pink puffball to increase his speed as you maneuvered him through obstacle courses filled with enemies to beat and puzzles to solve. Kirby's sole Wii U outing would have to use the Nintendo Switch in handheld form only due to being touch-centric, but this time around the screen would display the game in much more gorgeous higher fidelity, making for a game that would be great on the eyes on both the TV screen and tablet screen.

9) Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Taking the specific Captain Toad-centered levels of Super Mario 3D World and making an entire game out of them, you moved Captain Toad (and later Toadette) through a series of puzzle levels, interacting with the environment of each to reach the Power Star in it. Along the way, you could pick up three diamonds as well as try to beat the level with a specific requirement in order to go for 100% completion, a really fun goal. Like many Wii U games from Nintendo, the art style and characters were abundantly charming, and the gameplay kept players thinking and reacting fast to solve all of the challenges Treasure Tracker posed to them. Some of the Wii U GamePad-based segments, such as the first-person mine cart targeting, would need to be altered to work with the Switch, but all in all, Captain Toad and Toadette deserve another chance to shine as brightly as the Power Stars they both coveted.

8) Xenoblade Chronicles X

With Xenoblade Chronicles 2 supposedly releasing at the end of the year (but I wouldn't be surprised to see a Western release slip into 2018), what better time to release this marvelous open world RPG to the masses while they wait? The one positive thing about the Wii U is that Nintendo built up an arsenal of games that many consumers didn't get to play because they never owned the system. If Sony can get away with releasing their last gen offerings on the PS4, why can't Nintendo? That's where I think Xenoblade Chronicles X would fit in as an offering for those who never got to become engrossed in the massive world that X delivers and does so very well.

7) Paper Mario: Color Splash

Releasing late in the Wii U's life as most of the gaming world's attention turned to the hype train that was the Nintendo Switch, Paper Mario: Color Splash may not have been the classic turn-based RPG experience that were in the origins of the Paper Mario franchise, but the game still brought a tremendous amount of charm, incredibly well crafted worlds to explore, smartly done puzzles instead of the obtuse ones from Sticker Star, and one of the funniest, well-written games I've played in a long time. Even the lesser parts of Color Splash were worth playing through just to keep enjoying the seemingly endless charm and humor of the game. Plus, battles were finally worthwhile.

6) Pokken Tournament

A Pokemon fighter?! What took so long, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company (specifically the latter)?! Pokken Tournament combined the familiarity of the Pokemon series with the 3D fighting gameplay of the Tekken series, and this explosive combination was a great deal of fun. The arcade version continues to go strong with the inclusion of three new Pokemon fighters not seen in the Wii U version (at least not yet). It seems like it would breathe new life into the console front of Pokken Tournament with a Nintendo Switch port with the new characters and even more DLC included. After all, Pokken Tournament is a really well done fighter, and it deserves more time in the eSports arena.

5) Star Fox Zero

This was a controversial review on SuperPhillip Central, as I didn't agree with folks lamenting about the controls of the Wii U original. I found it really playable once the admittedly high barrier of entry was leaped over. That said, if retooling the controls to make a more enjoyable Star Fox experience with an improved Nintendo Switch version of Star Fox Zero would give the game and the series more popularity and fanfare, then I'm all for it. I wonder how certain parts of the game would work, what with not being able to fly one direction while targeting at a foe by looking at another direction, but I'm sure Nintendo could find some kind of balance. They are pretty good at developing solutions for gaming problems, as their history shows.

4) Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

I never thought Donkey Kong Country 2 would be usurped as the top DKC game in the series for me. Nintendo and Retro Studios somehow did just that by not only creating my favorite Donkey Kong Country game with Tropical Freeze, but also by creating one of the best 2D platformers of all time. This is a shared opinion with a fair portion of the gaming community. That's why Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze with all of its ingenious level design, action platforming set pieces, challenging difficulty, and lovely David Wise-composed soundtrack deserves to be played by as many gamers as possible. It'd be a shame if Tropical Freeze was stuck on the Wii U.

3) Super Mario Maker

This game, a creation tool for making 2D Mario levels, actually already had a second chance to shine with Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, but it was gimped in functionality (such as no online level sharing, a big part of what made the Wii U original so successful). Despite this, the 3DS version sold well. Regardless, I'd love to see Super Mario Maker's full Wii U version given a port to the Switch as a series of tools that are constantly updated-- sort of like its own service that continues to see updates on the Switch instead of multiple iterative sequels. The online level sharing would be included, of course, unlike the 3DS version, granting new life to Super Mario Maker with a Nintendo Switch version.

2) Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

There are rumors of Super Smash Bros' Wii U outing getting a Nintendo Switch release, especially in the early dats of Nintendo Switch news and rumor-mongering. That supposed enhanced port would receive all of the Wii U content as well as the Nintendo 3DS stages updated. We all know how well the Smash Bros. series does, and it did well on even the Wii U, so it seems like a given for there to be a Switch port while we wait for an all-new entry in the series. Heck, even with a Switch port with the Nintendo 3DS stages, that would be more than worthy of being the only Smash Bros. release for the system. Regardless, just imagine the multiplayer with the portability of the Switch. You could smash your bros from anywhere!

1) Bayonetta 2 

SEGA seems to be hinting at a Steam Bayonetta release with a timer, but it seems because of Nintendo's involvement with the sequel (published and provided funding) that Bayonetta 2 will remain a Nintendo system exclusive. Most people didn't buy the Wii U, a fact that has been made clear earlier in this article. It would make sense for Nintendo's investment to get another shot with what I would think (but I really don't want to assume) would be a quick and easy Nintendo Switch port of Bayonetta 2. It's one of the most fantastic character action games around, and Platinum Games did a magnificent job with it. Like many games on this list that didn't do so hot sales-wise, it'd be a shame if a game of this magnitude and quality was stuck on the Wii U.

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Speaking of which, which Wii U games stuck on the system would you like to see put on Nintendo Switch the most?