Out of all the videogame knickknacks I've amassed, perhaps none are as useless as my bobbleheads. They don't do anything but bobble. They don't cover my wall, I can't wear them, and they bring all the fun and replayability of a Final Fantasy game. But there's just something about owning my favorite fruity little game characters in statue form. Once I had one, I had to have more, and once I had more, I had to have them all. This pictorial focuses on Nintendo franchise dolls given away in promotions, as opposed to ones sold at retail, or based on other companies' characters.

The first of these four to show was Nintendo's mascot, Mario. This Target-exclusive "limited-edition" doll could be yours with the purchase of a GameCube console and one (or two?) games, way back around February of 2002. Given that NinPro "only" produced 40,000, and the required purchase was so expensive (during slow retail months, no less), a lot of these are still floating around, and you could probably score one for less than $10 on eBay.

Oddly enough, this was Mario's second bobbleheaded appearance; Toysite released a retail doll the year before. The promo Mario holds a GameCube console in one hand and its controller in the other (can you spot my repair work?), and its base sports the GameCube logo instead of Mario's name. He has his own box and even a certificate of authenticity, but mine are packed away for the time being.

Donkey Kong followed Mario the summer of 2002, and like his old rival, he could be found at Target. NinPro's DK (and his CoA) was blister-packed in with the shiny new Platinum GBA, and I couldn't resist a new bobble and a new color. (The GBA is long gone.) This doll has a bristled faux-fur texture and sports the DK tie and goofy look that purists love to hate. The important lesson here is that an 800-pound gorilla can step on a GBA screen with no adverse consequences.

September 2002 saw Star Fox dock in Target electronics departments nationwide. When I'm not hating this doll for making me buy the lackluster Star Fox Adventures at full price, I can appreciate his fine fur texture and the impressive amount of detail in his clothing and accessories. I would have preferred a traditional Star Fox design over the Dinosaur Planet adventurer look, but what sane Nintendo fan wouldn't? At the very least, it's perhaps the last piece of Nintendo/Rare memorabilia you’re likely to find.

The prize of my bobble collection, though, has got to be Link. Not available through any usual means, these dolls were given only to retailers in spring of 2003 to promote The Wind Waker, and even then they were distributed sparingly. When I spied one at a local GameStop sitting behind the counter, I asked about it – and found that the store's manager had to cosplay as Link at a retailers' trade event to win the bobblehead. This man decidedly did not resemble Link. On a subsequent visit, I learned that the Hero of Winds had sold the doll on eBay – for around $150 – only to be stiffed by a deadbeat bidder.

Link doesn't seem to be quite so expensive anymore, but if you just have to have him, expect to shell out over $50 at the very least. This doll is based on the Wind Waker design the kids so love to hate, and it's fairly unique among Zelda memorabilia in that respect. Link has a decent amount of detail in his sword and shield, and stands atop a platinum Cube, making him a bit taller than the others.

I'll be back before long with coverage of Nintendo's retail dolls, as well as promotional bobbles offered by Capcom and others. And maybe I can talk James into shooting his pathetic little Dr. Muto doll, if I haven't thoroughly put him to shame yet.

· · · Anthony Onyrscuk ("Burgundy")