Nintendo is working to increase the value proposition of its Amiibo toy line, announcing overnight that the figurines will soon be able to unlock time-limited demos for classic NES and SNES titles through the Wii U.

The Wii U app, due in the first half of 2015, will allow players to enjoy "highlighted scenes" from selected games when they tap certain Amiibo to the GamePad. The demo scenes will be constrained by a time limit, but other scenes will be available if you tap the Amiibo again, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said in a presentation to Japanese investors. "We hope that when you tap your Amiibo, the quickly changing game scenes will pleasantly surprise you and make you feel as though you have just exchanged a game cartridge," Iwata said.

Amiibo have quickly become a new pillar of Nintendo's business alongside gaming hardware and software, with 5.7 million in worldwide sales by the end of 2014. Nearly two-thirds of those sales have come from North America, Nintendo announced, with Link figures ranking as the most popular in all regions but Australia. In the investors presentation, Iwata reiterated plans to introduce "card versions" of Amiibo that could be used to unlock stuff without a figurine.

Certain retailer-exclusive and supply-limited Amiibo have been incredibly hard to find in the US, leading many fans to line up outside stores as new shipments come in. "As store shelf space is limited, some Amiibo may become standard models while others may be replaced once they sell out," Iwata said, adding that figures which are "indispensable to play a certain game" will be restocked regularly. Currently, Amiibo figurines can be used to manage upgradeable computer-controlled characters in Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U and new 3DS and to unlock in-game items or outfits in certain Wii U games.

Elsewhere in the presentation, Iwata highlighted strong first week sales of the New Nintendo 3DS XL internationally, with about 175,000 sales in the US and 160,000 sales in Europe.