Nintendo has brought back a Wii U favorite in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury for the Switch, and it's already proving to be a huge success. Along with improvements to the original, and a brand new game mode, fans can also use their real-life amiibo to spawn power-ups and gain special advantages.

Every amiibo is compatible with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, but some provide better benefits than others. For players who are looking to throw Mario and friends a lifeline - or parents who want to make the game more accessible to their young children - it’s helpful to know where to start, and what will happen when different amiibo are used.

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To activate an amiibo, players must first hold down the left arrow on the D-Pad during gameplay, which will cause the amiibo “a” symbol to appear above their character’s head. Players can now tap their amiibo to the NFC reader located on the right control stick of the Joy-Con. 

The results of a successful activation will vary depending on the amiibo used. The vast majority of amiibo will cause a 1-UP mushroom to spawn, but a handful will provide special bonuses. The most powerful of these bonuses comes from Cat Mario; activating this new amiibo turns the player character into White Cat Mario, granting access to all of Cat Mario’s move set and making the character invincible. This is handy for anyone who wants to move more quickly through Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, but without relying on the Bowser Jr. shine exploit. This power-up is especially useful for parents whose young children may be struggling to complete the levels. 

In addition to the Cat Mario amiibo, Cat Peach is a new amiibo that was released to celebrate Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. Instead of changing the player character, the Cat Peach amiibo spawns a random power-up. So players who need a little boost may find this to be a convenient attribute.

The other amiibo with unique properties all belong to the Bowser family; specifically the Bowser amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. series, the Super Mario Bros. series, and the Wedding Outfit Bowser from the Super Mario Odyssey series, as well as the Bowser Jr. amiibo. Alternatively, players without their own may be happy to learn that Bowser and Bowser Jr. amiibo have been re-released alongside Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.

Tapping any of the Bowser amiibo will immediately activate Fury Bowser mode, which can provide a greater challenge for more courageous players. Using the Bowser Jr. amiibo will cause Bowser Jr. to fire a shockwave that works a lot like a POW Block, destroying enemies and triggering any blocks in the area. Players should note that these effects only work in the Bowser’s Fury game mode, but they won’t have to worry, as Bowser’s Fury can be played without having to beat Super Mario 3D World first.

With amiibo in hand, players will be able to make things easier - or more challenging - for Mario and friends. Perhaps after defeating Bowser, players can search Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury for the suggestive-looking bridge.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is available now on Nintendo Switch.

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