# Interactive Gaming Figurines Nintendo's Amiibo Announced at E3 2014 Add a New Gaming Dimension By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-06-11 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amiibo References: [blogs.wsj](http://blogs.wsj.com/personal-technology/2014/06/10/nintendo-at-e3-watch-its-digital-event-presentation-at-noon-et/) & [e3.nintendo](http://e3.nintendo.com/amiibo/) Nintendo made quite a few exciting announcements at the E3 2014 conference and among them was the announcement of the Nintendo Amiibo figurines. The toys will be very similar to those that belong to Skylanders and Disney Infinity, since the figures themselves add a new way to experience a game. The figurines are embedded with special chips and make use of near-field communication, so that players will be able to hold Amiibos like Mario, Kirby or Pikachu over a Wii U GamePad and with a game like Super Smash Bros., this action will summon that particular character to battle. Players will also be able to level up their Amiibos over time. As of now, Nintendo has announced 10 different Amiibos, although there are plans to introduce more, as well as include support for other games like Mario Kart 8, Yoshi's Woolly World and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.3/10 - Popularity: 23% | Activity: 37% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Interactive Gaming Figurines:** The introduction of interactive gaming figurines, such as Nintendo's Amiibo, presents an opportunity for game developers to create new and innovative ways for players to engage with their characters and games. - **Near-field Communication Technology:** The integration of near-field communication technology into gaming figurines opens up possibilities for other industries, such as retail and advertising, to create interactive experiences for their customers. - **Gamification of Physical Objects:** The gamification of physical objects, like the Amiibo figurines, presents an opportunity for toy manufacturers and retailers to create interactive and engaging products that cater to a growing gamer demographic. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Gaming Industry:** The gaming industry can leverage interactive gaming figurines, like Nintendo's Amiibo, to create exciting new experiences for players and drive engagement with their games. - **Toy Industry:** The integration of gaming technology into physical toys, like the Amiibo figurines, presents an opportunity for the toy industry to create innovative and interactive products that appeal to a wide audience. - **Retail Industry:** The integration of near-field communication technology in gaming figurines can be applied to create interactive retail experiences, such as in-store games or product demonstrations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Functional Adventure Game Figurines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/noah-and-mio.md) - [Functional Collectible Figurines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zelda-ganondorf-amiibo.md) - [Highly-Anticipated Collectible Figurines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sora-amiibo.md) - [Functional Gaming Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gashapon-toys.md) - [Collectible Figurine Action Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/funko-fusion.md) - [Multifunctional Game Sets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-lego-group.md) - [Holographic Video Game Characters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/protohologram.md) - [Customizable Toy Islanders](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/animal-crossing-1.md) - [Light Pastel-Colored Controllers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nintendo-1.md)