What are amiibo?

Amiibo are Nintendo's toys-to-life figures and cards. Each one contains an NFC chip that a compatible Nintendo system can read when you tap the figure to the right touchpoint. The figure itself is a physical collectible, but the scan lets supported games unlock digital extras.

What NFC does

NFC stands for Near Field Communication. In amiibo, the chip stores identifying data that tells the system which figure or card was scanned. The game then decides what that scan means. The amiibo is not downloading a character from the internet; it is acting more like a physical key that the game recognizes.

Where you scan

On Nintendo Switch, amiibo are scanned through the NFC touchpoint on supported controllers. Different systems and controllers place that touchpoint in different spots, so the exact motion depends on the hardware you use. If a scan fails, check the controller, the game menu, and whether the figure is supported by that title.

What games can unlock

  • Cosmetics: outfits, gear, paraglider fabrics, posters, or photo-mode extras.
  • Resources: materials, currency, consumables, or daily bonus drops.
  • Characters or visitors: some games use amiibo to invite villagers, summon helpers, or load trained Figure Players.
  • Saved data: Super Smash Bros. uses amiibo to store a trained Figure Player on the chip.

The important limitation

Owning an official amiibo does not guarantee every game will use it. Compatibility is controlled game by game. The best buying habit is to check the official figure first, then check the specific game feature you want.