The Super Smash Bros. Amiibo concept is a thing that I like. For years I've been pestering licensors that someone needs to make Smash Bros. toys, and I didn't expect that non-poseable interactive statues would be how we got Link and his friends from this combat series. Taking a cue from Skyward Sword, this dynamically-posed, non-articulated figure is nicely designed but doesn't actually do anything.
The 3 3/4-inch figure (including the base) is a bit smaller, and more expensive, than the Jakks Pacific counterpart. To be honest, if you don't have a Wii U or 3DS you ought to just get that figure instead - it does things, it can be played with. The Amiibo's statue-like sensibility makes for a good sturdy display piece, though. Unfortunately, the head looks down and he's in this ridiculously specific combat pose. The head paint on the Amiibo is good, but the flesh color in the face does a good job of sucking out all the detail.
I bought a couple of Amiibo figures and later got a Wii U when they were on sale, and while I didn't yet get Smash Bros. I found you can scan this figure in Mario Kart 8 to get a new outfit for a Mii racer. The figure is meant to serve as a leveling-up attack in Smash Bros. but it also works as a sort of a DLC delivery mechanism in other games - and I completely, totally approve of this. I love the idea, because the figure acts as a "backup" to unlocking the item later (as needed) and you can also loan a buddy the figure and in some games, it permanently unlocks the item. I don't have to swipe the figure every time I want to dress up as Link in Mario Kart 8.
The figure is largely molded in color, with a little bit of deco. I assume this keeps costs down, plus makes it harder to rub paint off several parts. The Master Sword is painted silver, but the hilt is largely blue and somewhat bland. The shield looks a bit more colorful on the Jakks figure than the Amiibo, and while this is a fun little figure it's worth noting there are many other Link figures to buy if you aren't needing the Amiibo functionality. A Figma figure brings you tons of detail, accessories, and articulation. The Jakks figure is, overall, quite good - lots of articulation and gear for the price. And if you go back, there are quite a few collectible figures dating back to the NES days. This is a neat figure and it's rare to see a media company/content provider also produce their own collectible figures, so you know it's going to be decent at the worst.
If you have a Wii U, you're probably going to benefit from this figure as it delivers you in-game items going forward. If not, I wouldn't make this your first pick - it's a wonderful desk accessory and the display base keeps it upright, but you'll never see his face unless he's displayed above your eyeline. I love the idea of the Amiibo as a sort of a complete collectible line of figures, but the distribution seems to make it difficult to get everything. As a one-off it's sort of a dud, but as part of a larger set it's a dynamic figure that really stands out on a shelf. I realize this isn't helpful but hey, you've probably already made a decision on this one anyway and if not, get Toon Link later on.
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