Not all of Nintendo’s amiibo figurines were made equal. Some simply do a lot more than others across a lot more games. But based on the number of compatible games alone, which amiibo is best to pick up in 2023?
15. Ganondorf
The mighty wielder of the Triforce of Power only has one figure from his Super Smash Bros for 3DS and WiiU appearance but has been used in a large number of games for cosmetics and unlocks. He was most notably used for the extra hard difficulty in Twilight Princess HD which stacks on top of Hero mode, as well as in Breath of the Wild where he yields rupees, strong two-handed weaponry, and the sage sword used for his attempted execution in Twilight Princess. He will also allow you to invite the Ganon villager to your Animal Crossing New Leaf town, but he is unfortunately absent from New Horizons. He’s a great addition to any Zelda fan’s collection and sells for about £20 on second-hand markets
14. Sheik
The second Legend of Zelda amiibo to make the list is Sheik. Similarly to Ganondorf only the Super Smash Bros variant of this figure exists and it is quite tricky to find. Sheik unlocks extra weapons in Hyrule Warriors, like all Zelda amiibo, and gives the player her mask from Ocarina of Time as well as full restoring your health in Twilight Princess HD. Sheik sells for about £18 on second-hand markets
13. Samus
Surprisingly high up the list is the bounty hunter Samus Aran. Due to being one of the original amiibo she is compatible with a lot of the early games as well as her own outings in the Metroid series. A few variants of this figure exist, from her original Super Smash Bros figure, to the Samus Returns iteration and even a new one for Dread so there’s plenty to choose from. She is mostly used to unlock varia suit style cosmetics, a sound test in Samus Returns, and an extra energy tank in Dread. You can purchase the Smash Bros and Dread amiibo at RRP from the My Nintendo Store.
12. Donkey Kong
It’s on, like Donkey Kong! This amiibo will naturally see a lot of use across most Mario family titles as he has a Super Smash Bros and Super Mario series variant. This means he can be used across most of the Mario Party titles, unlocks a Mii Suit in Mario Kart 8, and is a trainable partner in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash. DK does sit on the pricey side, costing at least £20 on the second-hand markets.
11. King Dedede
His Royal Nemesis King Dedede is up next, with both a Super Smash Bros and Kirby series variant he is usable across all Kirby titles (which there are plentiful amounts of). He grants instant access to an exclusive copy ability featuring the King’s hammer in Planet Robobot, puzzle pieces in Star Allies and a special hat and ability in Extra Epic Yarn. Both variants of King Dedede are in stock for RRP at the My Nintendo Store.
10. Meta Knight
Next up is the lone swordsman Meta Knight, just like the king he has a Super Smash Bros and Kirby variant and is compatible across every game that King Dedede is. This means he grants his own copy abilities in each of the Kirby games as well as giving cosmetic items such as his mask in other non-Kirby games too. Likewise, he is also available for RRP on the My Nintendo Store.
9. Zelda
The Princess of Hyrule has had three figures based on her Twilight Princess, Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild iterations, and all have similar functionality. Within Breath of the Wild they unlock special shields for Link as well as extra weapons in Hyrule Warriors and even items for Skyrim, as well as the other Legend of Zelda amiibo. She is by far the most useful non-Link figure from the series and a great companion to him if you’re looking to expand your collection. Her Breath of the Wild figure is by far the most accessible and is available for RRP at the My Nintendo Store.
8. Kirby
The pink puffball Kirby has an advantage over his other friends in the Kirby series as he is also one of the original Super Smash Bros characters, so as well as having all the functionality they do he also has the advantage of working with nearly every early amiibo supported games. From yielding copy abilities left right and center across every Kirby game since 2014 he also unlocks star-related cosmetics across 3DS games and a Kirby helmet for your Mii in Mario Kart 8. He is currently at RRP after a recent restock on the My Nintendo Store.
