Nintendojo Toy Box: Jakks Pacific World of Nintendo

For this edition of Nintendojo Toy Box, we’re going to do something slightly different by shining the light on an entire lineup of Nintendo toys, namely the ones from toy maker Jakks Pacific. Over the past year or so, Jakks has been successfully producing an array of toys and action figures based on Nintendo’s various franchises under the name of World of Nintendo. And when we say “Nintendo’s various franchises,” we mean various. There are World of Nintendo toys based on Super Mario, of course, but even those try to do something different, unlike many recent offerings featuring the famous plumber and his friends. Jakks’ Wario figure is a real standout example of this. Imposing and large, it stands in stark contrast to the comparatively diminutive (though no less appealing) Mario and Yoshi figures.

This writer is particularly fond of Jakks Micro Land Mario toys. The Micro Land line features minifigures of various Mushroom Kingdom denizens, which can be arranged on small dioramas of a variety of New Super Mario Bros. stages. Like the larger Mario action figures, the selection of minifigures is diverse, bringing to life everyone from the Koopa Kids to Magikoopa. When arranged, the dioramas look like stills ripped straight from the games themselves. It’s the sort of thing I would have loved to play with as a kid. Now, uh, I do no such thing, instead diligently collecting them and displaying them for viewing purposes only. Yeah… Moving along…

The real highlights of the Jakks line, however, have been the non-Mario action figures. The Legend of Zelda has been getting some love that it hasn’t seen in years under the company’s guidance, producing figures based on Link from Skyward Sword, as well as the toon iterations of Link, Zelda, and Ganon. Further establishing its reputation as the new go-to toy company for Nintendo enthusiasts, Jakks has also graced fans with Samus clad in her Metroid Prime Varia Suit! While all these toys alone would be enough to sate even the most ravenous of Nintendo memorabilia collectors, it’s hard to put into words just how impressive Jakks’ line of deluxe 6-inch figures are.

To date, there have been 6-inch figures made of Toon Ganon, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and a Metroid. Yes, to my knowledge, this is one of the first times (if not the first time) the little bloodsuckers have been immortalized in plastic, at least in the West. In the coming months, Jakks intends to release even more toys in its Nintendo line, including figures of Propeller Guy, Fox McCloud, and Ocarina of Time Link. The Jakks line isn’t as detailed as Nintendo’s own Amiibo, but given the competitive pricing (the 6-inch toys clock in at a reasonable $15, which are the most expensive of the lot) and quality builds, not to mention the excellent selection to choose from, it’s fair to say that the company is really making a name for itself with the Nintendo faithful. For those being burned out by Amiibo hunting, or looking for something else to add to their collection, look no further than these wonderful Jakks toys.