As an early purchase bonus, Nintendo was offering the Piranha Plant amiibo for free alongside the game for people who ordered the game before January 31, 2019. Everyone else will need to buy their Piranha Plant separately off Amazon. After you get your amiibo, you have to go through a bit of a process to get him to appear in-game as a fighter. Here's the step-by-step process to unlocking Piranha Plant in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch.
Products used in this guide
- Audrey 2: Nintendo amiibo - Piranha Plant - Super Smash Bros. Series ($20 at Amazon)
- Two in one: Joy-Con Controllers ($69 at Amazon)
- Play like a pro: Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($60 at Amazon)
How to get Piranha Plant in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- What to do if you bought the game before Jan 31, 2019
- How to use the Piranha Plant amiibo
- Having troubles redeeming Piranha Plant?
- Purchase the Piranha Plant amiibo
What to do if your purchased Super Smash Bros. Ultimate after Jan 31, 2019
Piranha Plant was free with all purchases of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate if you ordered your copy before January 31, 2019. Everyone who ordered their copies before the date has already been able to redeem their free amiibo. If you ordered your copy before that date, you can continue below for instructions on how to redeem your Piranha Plant. If you didn't pre-order the game, you'll need to purchase your Piranha Plant separately off Amazon.
How to redeem Piranha Plant if you made your purchase before Jan 31, 2019
If you purchased a physical copy of the game.
- Insert the physical copy of the game into your Nintendo Switch.
- Highlight the game card loaded on your Home screen.
- Press the + button on your Joy-Con.
- Select My Nintendo Rewards from the menu that pops up.
- Follow the instructions to register your game and claim your Gold points for it.
- Now that your game has been registered, wait for your email from Nintendo with your download code. Nintendo says it may take up to 10 days for the email to be sent out, but some have reported receiving the email within a day.
- If you don't see your email check your spam folders or other promotion folders just in case.
- Once you have your code open the Nintendo eShop on your console.
- Select Redeem Code from the bottom left-hand side.
- Enter the code sent to you.
If you purchased a digital copy of the game.
- Your game will automatically register to your My Nintendo Rewards after your purchase.
- Wait for your email with your download code. Nintendo says it may take up to 10 days for the email to be sent out, but some have reported receiving the email within a day.
- If you don't see your email check your spam folders or other promotion folders just in case.
- Once you have your code open the Nintendo eShop on your console.
- Select Redeem Code from the bottom left-hand side.
- Enter the code sent to you.
If you followed those steps, your new amiibo should be unlocked for you in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. You have until June 30, 2019, to redeem your Piranha Plant. If you don't redeem your amiibo in time, you'll have to purchase it separately on Amazon.
How to use the Piranha Plant amiibo
- Scan your Piranha Plant on the right Joy-Con controller's right analog stick.
- If you're using a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, scan your Piranha Plant over the NFC touchpoint. (Center of the controller between the left analog stick and YXAB buttons).
Having a physical copy of the Piranha Plant makes it a lot easier to summon your amiibo in-game. Since you aren't finagling around with download codes and pre-purchase options, you can use your figurine directly with your console!
Still having issues redeeming Piranha Plant?
Check to make sure you've done everything listed above to unlock him. If you're still experiencing some issues, here are some troubleshooting tips you should try.
- Whether you bought digital or physical, you'll need to make sure that the email address associated with your My Nintendo Rewards account is accurate and updated, as this is the email address Nintendo will send the code to. If you've used the wrong email address, you may need to contact Nintendo for a replacement code. Note that it may take up to 10 days to receive your code
- If your email address is correct, check your spam folder for an email from Nintendo. It should come from the email address nintendo-noreply@nintendo.net, and should show with the subject being "Thanks for your purchase of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game." Your 16-digit code would be in this email.
- Already have your code? Make sure you redeem it in the Nintendo eShop. Open the eShop and go to the Redeem Code section at the bottom. Then, use the virtual on-screen keyboard to type in your 16-digit code. You should see that the code is for Piranha Plant, so continue with the prompts until you've confirmed your download. If it says the code has been redeemed already, keep reading.
- If you suspect you've already redeemed your code for Piranha Plant and it still isn't showing up in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you may need to update your game. You'll need to be on version 7.0, and you can check which one you're on by looking at the upper right corner of the main menu. If you're not updated, close your game and go to the main menu. Make sure you're connected to the internet, then attempt to relaunch the game. You'll be asked whether you want to take the update or start the game without it. Take the update. Once you're loaded back in, you'll see confirmation that Piranha Plant is now available for your enjoyment.
- If all else fails, you may need to contact Nintendo's customer support.
Looking for a Piranha Plant of your own?
If you didn't pre-order your copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate before Jan 31, 2019, you'll need to buy it separately. Whether you're collecting amiibo right next to your Pop! collection or adding another fighter to your army, Piranha Plant is a must-have for any Nintendo fan. They're iconic because of their presence in nearly every Mario game since the original release!
Get the party started!
Add another decoration to your shelves with this new amiibo. Unlock the character as a fighter to level them up as you train with them. The more you train, the more Piranha Plant will mimic your playstyle when you battle with or against them!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a must-have for any home. Whether you're playing alone, with your friends or family, or practicing for a public tournament, this game is endlessly fun. Using amiibo allows you to unlock new characters, test out new battling options, and level up your amiibo friends.
What else can make the game better?
After you train your amiibo army to match your playstyle, you'll want to test them out with your friends. If you're looking to play with more than one other friend, you'll need more controllers. It also comes down to finding a controller that's more comfortable for you. A lot of people who play Smash are used to the N64 or GameCube controllers instead of the standard Joy-Cons the Switch comes with— and that's where the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller comes in. Improve your Super Smash Bros. experience experientially with either of these options!
Joy-Con Controllers ($69 at Amazon)
If you're looking into your own copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you'll need a second set of Joy-Cons for more of your friends to play with you. With two sets of Joy-Cons, you can have up to four players battling at the same time in most modes of the game.
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ($60 at Amazon)
For those of us who played the older versions of Super Smash Bros on the Nintendo 64 or GameCube, you may be looking for a more familiar type of controller. That's where the Pro Controller comes in. Instead of the thin blocks the Joy-Cons offer, the Pro Controller comes with a more comfortable fit that you're used to— and it's entirely wireless.
Squirtle amiibo ($16 at Amazon)
There are dozens of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo out there for you to collect. One of my favorites is this awesome Squirtle figure, which released in September 2019.
