With the increasing popularity of Nintendo’s amiibo, it was only a matter of time until counterfeits would start flooding the market.

Today, we’re hearing reports counterfeit Mario, Link, Samus, and Pikachu amiibo have started to pop up across a number of marketplaces, as well as some markets in Brazil. These counterfeit amiibo lack the chip that’s needed to be used across a wide variety of Nintendo titles, meaning they’re purely cosmetic replicas.

For those who spend nearly every waking moment hunting amiibo, there are some telltale signs that will help keep you from picking up a counterfeit figure without realizing it. Mario’s overalls are made of a different texture, Link’s face is distorted and his tunic looks hastily painted on, Pikachu’s arms are completely fused to his body, and Samus’ head sticks out from her body than it should.

At least the counterfeit amiibo are from wave 1 collection. Considering those are easy to purchase these days, it shouldn't be that difficult to find a legitimate figure rather than a counterfeit one. If the more sought after amiibo start getting counterfeit, then there's a higher chance a customer could end up with one since they're usually in high demand when they first release.

[Via Nintendo Inquirer]