It's interesting to juxtapose the original Nintendo Wii release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword against its HD counterpart. The former launched with a special edition Wii Remote and soundtrack bundled in; the latter is already drawing criticism for its price-point, and its limited edition Joy-Con that are sold separately haven't helped the issue. Now, Nintendo has introduced another unfortunate wrinkle into the mix: a new Zelda & Loftwing amiibo figure.
This amiibo is both one of the most beautiful and functional figures that Nintendo has ever released. However, it's arguably too useful -- giving players access to a vital quality of life enhancement in Skyward Sword HD that should absolutely be included in the base game. With it, players will be able to immediately hitch a Loftwing ride between Skyloft and the surface from any location, even inside a dungeon. To add insult to injury, the amiibo is a full $24.99, far above the usual $15.99 price point, which already dwarfed the original asking price of $12.99.
Fans are understandably upset. In a remaster that was already being criticized for lacking meaningful updates, one of the most sizable upgrades is locked behind an expensive, supply-constrained, physical paywall. Traveling between realms in the original game was a chore, so this is a Wind Waker HD Swift Sail-caliber update and a fundamental change to the gameplay loop. Unfortunately, it'll be inaccessible to most. Assuming that the player even has access to the figure, the quality of life it affords is surprisingly cumbersome. Being forced to carry this figure around, even on the go, to scan it whenever the player wants to fast-travel is inefficient design.
If the figure weren't so elegant, it would be an abject blunder from Nintendo. Ultimately, its incredible design is shielding the amiibo from total criticism, and forcing reluctant Zelda fans to fork over a nice chunk of change. After all, the full Skyward Sword HD experience -- before the themed Joy-Con are factored in -- now costs about $85, when many don't think it should even command $60 at retail.
However, the root of the issue goes beyond any individual figure. The problem's origin is the concept of amiibo itself. The brand straddles the line between boutique collectable and NFC game piece. They are neither World of Nintendo toys nor Disney Infinity figures. As such, Nintendo has not had any clear direction for amiibo's in-game component. Sometimes, they act as trainable companions in Super Smash Bros. games. Other times, they store cosmetic unlocks like in Splatoon. Here, they feature fundamental and gated gameplay content.
As such, the fumbled implementation of this figure is less a function of corporate greed and more a result of aimless direction. The Zelda & Loftwing amiibo would sell out instantly if it only granted Link a Blue Rupee once a day. The same is true for the vast majority of figures. Nintendo did not have to invent an elaborate justification for the amiibo's existence to make a profit, so it seems as though this was simply a shortsighted attempt to add value to the figure when many other amiibo are close to worthless in-game. In other words, this was a blatant over-correction.
Bearing this in mind, it's difficult to get overly frustrated at this figure in particular. The existential issue lies within amiibo as a whole, and it's way too late to rectify this problem. Earlier this year, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury received two new amiibo, and they only afforded Mario power-ups in-game; that's a far cry from the Zelda & Loftwing figure's game-changing mechanic. It's also a clear indication that, the longer amiibo persists, the more obvious it is that Nintendo still has no overarching plan for the toys.
0 Comments