Super Nintendo World has revealed that the Power-Up bands which can be collected and used in the park also function as Nintendo Switch Amiibo. Amiibo have been a huge success for Nintendo as collectible merchandise for fans; the figures each resemble a character from a prominent Nintendo game or a friendly third party. Fans who own the figures can tap them to their Switch consoles and unlock special in-game content from compatible titles like Super Smash Bros. That game is far and away the biggest hotspot for Amiibo; its central theme of featuring a veritable armada of characters from across the video game industry lends itself very well to collectible figures.
And Amiibo are certainly not the only way Nintendo's been branching out of the video game industry. The company has also teamed up with Universal Studios to build an entire theme park dedicated to its beloved video games. Super Nintendo World has been under construction for some time now, but earlier this month, Nintendo released a special video starring Shigeru Miyamoto himself as he toured the park. The theming proved just as extensive as one would expect from a Universal Studios creation starring Mario, and Miyamoto also went so far as to show off a set of special wristbands fans can pick up and wear throughout the park. These wristbands can be used to interact with special activities and decorations in Super Nintendo World, similar to the magic wands which are offered for sale in Universal Studios' Harry Potter theme parks. Fans who use the compatible phone app can even track the coins that they collect during their time in the park.
But that's not the only feature of the Power-Up Bands. A new post on Nintendo's website elaborates a special feature of the bands which makes them all the more valuable as souvenirs. Each Power-Up Band functions as an Amiibo, representing the Nintendo character it represents. Nintendo has produced six varieties of the wristband, representing Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Yoshi. Tapping the wristband to a Nintendo Switch unlocks all the content that would come with an actual Amiibo of the character.
Nintendo has clearly put a lot of work into this park. No detail has been overlooked, and there will certainly be a lot of details to look out for. For instance, one leaked photo of the upcoming park shows some hidden Pikmin loitering near the cafe, providing a surprising easter egg in the Mario-focused park. The Power-Up Bands are already great ways to incentivize visitors to explore the park thoroughly and find hidden details like this, and having them function as Amiibo makes them all the more valuable.
The video game industry has been progressing very quickly. Not too long ago it would have been unheard of to build an entire amusement park dedicated to video games. But Universal Studios and Nintendo have gone all out on this project, and based on some phone app datamining, it might even be set for an expansion. Fans who visit Super Nintendo Land when it opens next year are sure to make some great memories, and thanks to these Power-Up Bands, they'll be able to relive those memories every time they use their Nintendo Switch.
Source: Nintendo