Go Figure!

Duck Hunt was an out-of-left-field addition to the Smash Bros. roster in 2018, but it was a fitting tribute to one of Nintendo’s most successful games. (There is a reason why Duck Hunt was bundled with the NES for most of the system’s life span, after all.) The unnamed dog and duck are among the most recognizable gaming characters from the 1980s, but there’s not exactly an abundance of Duck Hunt merchandise out there. This makes the amiibo seem extra special, and it feels like an important piece of gaming history. I also appreciate the subtlety of the amiibo, and I could imagine someone displaying the figure on their desk without even realizing it was from a video game. As an aside, I was happy that the dog and the duck were able to share the spotlight. It’s like we got two characters for the price of one!

My favorite piece of Metroid artwork was featured on the cover of Metroid II: The Return of Samus. When the game was remade for the 3DS in 2017, Nintendo paid tribute to Samus Aran’s iconic crouching pose on the cover of Samus Returns. This homage was also the basis for the Samus amiibo that launched with the game. It’s the coolest the iconic bounty hunter has ever looked, and I always loved the way that her exaggerated shoulder pauldrons made her look like an intergalactic linebacker. Nintendo has released five different Samus amiibo (as of this writing), but it was surprisingly easy to choose one for this countdown. As an added bonus, Samus was bundled with a squishy Metroid amiibo in North America. You could still import her from Japan if you wanted her by herself, but the two-pack is actually the cheaper option at this point in time.

After Nintendo and Rare got divorced in 2003, Banjo and Kazooie were sent to live with Microsoft. Sadly, the bear and bird were neglected by their new stepfather. With Nintendo and Microsoft competing for market share in the console space, it didn’t seem like Banjo and Kazooie would ever be allowed to return home. That’s why it was so surprising when they were added to the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster in 2019. It was great to see the legendary duo again, and they even had their original art style! The Banjo & Kazooie amiibo is just as colorful and boisterous as the in-game models, and the characters seem like they’re celebrating a momentous occasion. The Banjo-Kazooie games were all about cooperation between its two protagonists, so it’s only fitting that their amiibo is a symbol of cooperation between Nintendo and Microsoft.

Donkey Kong was the first amiibo in my collection, so I might be a little biased with my ranking. Nevertheless, I maintain that he’s one of the standouts from the original Super Smash Bros. line. (He’s a lot more intricate than the other two Donkey Kong amiibo, if nothing else.) DK looks exactly like he does in the render, and I was surprised to see a small figure with so many elaborate details. The fur was especially impressive in this regard, and I was expecting something of a lower quality. His pose is a perfect reflection of his energetic personality, and his wavy necktie makes it seem like he’s in motion. A lot of amiibo stand around like lifeless statues, but I guess Donkey Kong has too much vitality to stay still. I even like the way that he’s perched on his feet, and his acrylic base doesn’t seem like an afterthought like it does with some amiibo.

Mario is the most iconic video game character of all time, but I’m not sure if he warrants nine different amiibo. Quite frankly, some his amiibo are redundant and unnecessary. (I’m looking in your direction, Gold and Silver Mario!) No serious person would call Cat Mario unwarranted, however. The amiibo was released alongside the Switch version of Super Mario 3D World, and it was a great way to commemorate one of Mario’s greatest power-ups. Of all the Mario amiibo, Cat Mario is the most vivacious. His jumping abilities are an integral part of his character, but only one of his amiibo catches him in the act. It should be noted that Cat Mario and Cat Peach were released side-by-side, and were even offered as a bundle. No amiibo collection would be complete without both of them, but Cat Mario’s being singled out for being the more energetic of the two.

I wasn’t overly excited when Sephiroth was added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Although I’m a huge fan of Final Fantasy VII, I felt that Cloud was already doing an adequate job of representing the game. That being said, I have no hang-ups about the Sephiroth amiibo. I love the contrast between his black attire and his silver hair, and I appreciate how they were able to make his sword look imposing without taking up an obnoxious amount of space. Above all, I’m blown away by how detailed he is. His clothing actually looks like leather since it has so many creases and folds, while his silver pauldrons have a metallic quality to them. His wing is the most impressive aspect, of course, and it’s really cool how the feathers are layered on top of each other. The sculpt is more akin to what I’d expect from an expensive scale figure.

The Monster Hunter line includes some of the largest and most detailed amiibo. Unfortunately, it also includes some of the most obscure ones, since many of them were released exclusively in Japan. That being said, the five monster-and-rider figures from the Monster Hunter Stories series are definitely worth the import charges. The monsters in question are so large that they barely fit on the standard bases, and they’re way more complex than typical amiibo. Incidentally, the riders that sit atop of each monster are both removable and interchangeable! Since you can swap the riders out to your hearts content, it’s difficult to single out one of them for this countdown. As a starting point, I’d recommend the One-Eyed Rathalos with the male rider. They both look like they’re ready for battle, and their intensity is unmatched.

The Ice Climbers amiibo is a lot like the Duck Hunt amiibo, insofar that it doesn’t necessarily look like it’s based on a video game. If you didn’t know better, you might assume the amiibo was just a generic figurine with cute little eskimos. Popo and Nana aren’t nearly as famous as Mario or Link are, so their amiibo is pretty much the only official Ice Climber merchandise that exists. There are several other reasons why the amiibo stands out to me. Firstly, Popo and Nana are adorable with their colorful parkas and oversized mallets. I also appreciate how active they are. They were both caught mid-swing, and Nana is actually jumping in the air! Finally, I like how the characters are anchored to a iceberg-like base that’s both aesthetically-pleasing and completely on-brand. It’s much better than having unsightly acrylic stands attached to their bodies.

Some of the most creative amiibo are from the Zelda line. The massive Guardian has flexible legs, Wolf Link has a speaker embedded into its oversized base, and the glossy paintwork on the Link’s Awakening amiibo makes it look like a 1:1 recreation of the in-game model. There are 25 Zelda-related amiibo in all, and five of them are Princess Zelda herself! If you have to choose just one Zelda amiibo, you can’t go wrong with Zelda & Loftwing. I had mixed feelings about Skyward Sword, but I loved the vibrant color pallet and the expressive characters. Princess Zelda’s iteration from that game was recognized on this site as the best version of the character, and the amiibo captures her wholesome nature. You can tell from a glance how gentle and caring she is, and her loftwing is as enamored with her as the rest of us are.

Yoshi’s Woolly World was willed into existence when a coordinator at Nintendo took it upon herself to craft real-world Yoshis out of yarn. Her creations were so well-received that the producers decided to build an entire game around a yarn motif. This concept came full circle with the release of unique amiibo that were also made out of yarn. Three yarn Yoshi amiibo were released in various colors, and there was even an extra special “mega” version that towered over his diminutive counterparts. Against all odds, the yarn Poochy amiibo that launched alongside Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World on the 3DS was somehow even more endearing. The little guy is the very embodiment of happiness, and his giant smile is downright infectious. Anyone who questions Poochy’s placement on top of this list is obviously a joyless bastard.