The Great Amiibo Unlock Adventure: Animal Crossing Takes a Leap
Get ready to crack open piggy banks and dust off those amiibo because a hilariously magical update is zooming into Animal Crossing: New Horizons! On January 15, it’s all systems go as this fantastic free patch takes the game (and the Switch 2 Edition) to version 3.0. Don’t worry; players won’t need a degree in rocket science to navigate these updates—just amiibo and perhaps an overzealous sense of joy!
Four New Villagers That’ll Make You Go “Whoa!”
As the legends of yore would say, “What’s cooler than a crow?” Answer: New villagers that directly channel the spirit of beloved video game franchises! Yep, two charming additions from the Legend of Zelda and two stylish sisters from Splatoon are ready to set foot on your island.
- Tulin: An offshoot from Breath of the Wild, sporting a look that screams “I just ran a marathon on a cloud”.
- Mineru: Straight from the Tears of the Kingdom, because who doesn’t want a villager who cries adorable tears?
- Cece: One of the stylish sisters, a Splatoon aficionado who truly believes that splatting paint is a way of life.
- Viché: The other sister, who is convinced every day is a good day for a colorful artist’s splash fight!
The Amiibo Shuffle: Who Unlocks What?
Now, Nintendo has cunningly decided that only certain amiibo can bring these delightful characters to life. It’s a bit like a VIP club, but less exclusive and more chaotic. Here’s where the amiibo fun comes in: scan your figures and out pops the corresponding villager. But be wary! Those amiibo buddies can sometimes be as confusing as a Rubik’s Cube. Two amiibo may unlock the same character, leading to thrilling moments of “Great, another Tulin. Just what the island needed!”
The Not-So-Secret Amiibo List
To prevent the panic that may ensue when scanning amiibo like a treasure-hunting pirate searching for gold, here’s the rundown:
Tulin (The Legend of Zelda)
- Bokoblin (Breath of the Wild)
- Daruk (Breath of the Wild)
- Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
- Link (Archer) (Breath of the Wild)
- Link (Majora’s Mask)
- Link (Smash Bros)
- Link (Skyward Sword)
- Link (Tears of the Kingdom)
- Revali (Breath of the Wild)
- Toon Link (Smash Bros)
- Toon Link (Wind Waker)
- Tulin (Tears of the Kingdom)
- Young Link (Smash Bros)
- Yunobo (Tears of the Kingdom)
- Zelda (Wind Waker)
- Zelda and Loftbird (Skyward Sword)
Mineru (The Legend of Zelda)
- Ganondorf (Smash Bros)
- Guardian (Breath of the Wild)
- Link (8-Bit) (The Legend of Zelda)
- Link (Link’s Awakening)
- Link (Ocarina of Time)
- Link (Rider) (Breath of the Wild)
- Link (Twilight Princess)
- Mipha (Breath of the Wild)
- Riju (Tears of the Kingdom)
- Sheik (Smash Bros)
- Sidon (Tears of the Kingdom)
- Urbosa (Breath of the Wild)
- Wolf Link (Twilight Princess)
- Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
- Zelda (Smash Bros)
- Zelda (Tears of the Kingdom)
Cece (Splatoon)
- Big Man
- Callie (Alterna)
- Callie (Splatoon)
- Marina (Side Order)
- Marina (Splatoon 2)
- Octoling Boy
- Octoling Boy (Blue)
- Octoling Girl
- Octoling Octopus
- Shiver
- Smallfry
Viché (Splatoon)
- Big Man
- Frye
- Inkling Boy (Blue)
- Inkling Boy (Green)
- Inkling Boy (Purple)
- Inkling Girl (Green)
- Inkling Girl (Orange)
- Inkling Girl (Smash Bros)
- Inkling Girl (Yellow)
- Inkling Squid
- Inkling Squid (Purple)
- Marie (Alterna)
- Marie (Splatoon)
- Pearl (Side Order)
- Pearl (Splatoon 2)
Other Sparkly Features to Look Forward To
In addition to the amiibo shenanigans, the update packs a punch with a list of tantalizing features:
- A hotel on the pier, staffed by Kapp’n’s relatives who, no doubt, have more vacation stories than travelers at a rest stop.
- Home storage upgrade options: now players can hoard a whopping 9,000 items! Because who needs a clutter-free lifestyle?
- Slumber Island: Create and decorate your own dream islands. It’s like a vacation, but without the sunscreen and awkward tan lines!
- Collab items from iconic franchises like Lego and Slatoon; players may want to consider a separate storage system for all the cool stuff.
- Playable retro game consoles, which may require a subscription, but worry not—players will just pretend they’re trophies on a shelf!
It’s an exciting time to be an Animal Crossing fanatic. In summary, when the villagers move in, prepare for a whole new level of adorableness—just don’t forget your amiibo!
