Nintendo says the company tried to create an Arwing amiibo that would have launched with Star Fox Zero, but despite numerous tries they weren't able to complete it.

The original concept for an Arwing amiibo that would launch with Star Fox Zero was of a traditional Arwing that would then transform into the bipedal Walker vehicle, just as it does in Star Fox Zero. But after multiple tries at getting the amiibo just right, it ended up a failed project.

Why? Because Nintendo could not meet child safety standards for the toy. Back in 2014, Star Fox creator Shigeru Miyamoto said he wanted to create an Arwing amiibo, but now says it won't be seeing the light of day any time soon:

"Unfortunately, we won’t be releasing an Arwing amiibo. We did have a few prototypes. There was an Arwing amiibo that transforms into the Walker, but we weren’t able to turn that into a product that could meet safety guidelines for children."

Judging by the concept drawing below, it's not hard to see why the Arwing amiibo may have failed. There are lots of sharp points, which would serve as a serious challenge in getting it approved for a toy—even if it would have been a cool amiibo for fans to add to their collection.

But that doesn't mean fans will never get an Arwing amiibo. Miyamoto left it open ended saying, "We had to give up on that idea, but maybe we’ll do something with it in the future. Who knows." It's likely that Nintendo could create an amiibo of the Arwing, but it might not be able to transform.

Star Fox Zero will have amiibo support, including support for the titular Fox McCloud amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. line. Using the Fox amiibo with Star Fox Zero will unlock the classic Arwing from the original SNES Star Fox game.

Nintendo hasn't mentioned any other amiibo functionality as of yet with the newest Star Fox game, but a Falco amiibo does exist, which could have added functionality in Star Fox Zero in the future. Nintendo has also yet to make amiibo for Fox's other wingmen, Slippy Toad and Peppy Hare. A Slippy Toad amiibo could be a good move for Nintendo, especially if it had added features for the newly announced Star Fox Guard, which centers around Slippy and his uncle.

Amiibo are a major part of Nintendo's strategy, following in the footsteps of products like Skylanders and Disney Infinity, so it's likely only a matter of time before more Star Fox amiibo are released.

Are you bummed that we won't be getting an Arwing amiibo? Get at us in the comments.

Star Fox Zero launches April 22, 2016, exclusively on Wii U.

Source: IGN