Since The Legend of Zelda Wii U release date was pushed back to 2016, another whole year of opportunities to debate and discuss the game has opened up. One particular debate that is getting mixed reactions from fans is the integration of amiibo in The Legend of Zelda Wii U. Will the use of amiibo bring a huge negative impact on Zelda U or will it simply not matter?
It is not strange for Nintendo to integrate amiibo in their recent and upcoming titles. Games like Mario Party 10, Splatoon, and the latest Super Mario Bros. are only some of the recent Nintendo games that support amiibo integration. Amiibos are simply toys that can unlock special content in a game but technically, it is very different from DLCs.
Amiibos, in reality, do not provide any additional in-game experiences. The way amiibos operate is just by unlocking content that are already present on the game disc. Once features have been unlocked, the 13 dollar figures have no more use. On the upside, amiibos can usually work with more than one game. For instance, the Link and Zelda figures on sale today would most likely work with the upcoming The Legend of Zelda Wii U. Then again, there's also the possibility that only a new amiibo could unlock a secret map or dungeon in the upcoming game.
Amiibos are not that different from on-disc DLCs that have long infuriated players. But for some, amiibos are attractive collectibles that are really worth the buck. But for those who have no use for these physical figurines, buying it is simply not logical.
This is not the first time Nintendo has required or suggested an extra hardware for The Legend of Zelda, though. Previous entries in the series dating back to 1998 had additional features that can only be accessed by certain hardware. For instance, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword required a Motion Plus attachment for Wiimotes, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask suggested a Rumble Pak, Majora's Mask required the expensive Nintendo 64 Expansion Pack, and much, much more.
Thus, the integration of amiibo could simply be just a way to maintain the "tradition" between The Legend of Zelda and an extra hardware, which did not cause the game to fallout before. With the undying success of the series, surely the integration of amiibo in the upcoming The Legend of Zelda Wii U would not be as fatal as some think.
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