Gameplay video shows horse customization
Mario Sports Superstarsnow has anofficial Japanese sitedetailing each of the five sports along with amiibo card function information. Breakdowns on how each sport is played are provided and are also shown off in the six-minute gameplay video that was simultaneously released. “Horse Racing” in particular seems to have more to it than mere racing. On top of feeding, grooming, and petting your horse, you can wander around and collect accessories such as wizard hats.
The training mini-games consist ofSuperman 64flashback-inducing rings you must ride, bat, or kick balls through. At first glance it seemed like there’d be a variety of mini-games to beef up the content like in otherMario-related sports titles such as the Dream Events in theMario & Sonic Olympic Gamesseries. However, this ring training games appear to be all there is.
First used inAnimal Crossing Happy Home Designer, amiibo cards have found their way toMario Sports Superstars, but will serve a different function. Touching an amiibo card will unlock the star version of the character you scan, which are better versions of the characters much like inMario Tennis Ultra Smash. These star characterscanbe unlocked in-game by clearing the Champion Cup, however.
Superstar characters, superior to even the Star Characters, will be unlockable by clearing the game where you kick balls at blocks with a character scanned in via amiibo card, but it is not clear where or not these Superstar characters are exclusive to amiibo card users.
If you’re wondering if you’re able to use you’re existing amiibo figures, you can…to unlock in-game collectible cards. Using any amiibo from any series will entitle you to a pack of three cards, three times per day. The cards can also be purchased with in-game currency, specifically 300 coins for the same three-card pack.
When I first heard of amiibo, I thought the idea would be novel. Making a single amiibo for each unique character and having it be usable in all the games that character appears in is not what Nintendo had in mind though. It seems as though there’s a new amiibo with every new game, and now there are even amiibo cards which you’ll need to get if you want superstar characters and not just some lame in-game collectible cards for this game.
For a while I thought about collecting amiibo like everyone else, but adding more and more all the time marginalizes pre-existing amiibo both in function and novelty. If I collected them now it would be just to put them on a shelf as they continue to have lame uses, if any at all, in games nowadays. But then again if I’m just going to buy them to look at I’d prefer to go to a professional figure maker and get something of higher quality.
