Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 Update Adds Zelda and Splatoon Collaborative Villagers via amiibo

Animal Crossing: New Horizons, one of Nintendo Switch’s most successful and beloved titles, received its highly anticipated Version 3.0 update last week, delighting longtime fans with a host of new collaborative villagers.

Developed by Nintendo, Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to evolve since its global launch in March 2020, with regular updates introducing fresh content and crossovers that keep the gameplay experience vibrant for millions of players worldwide. The latest 3.0 update focuses on bringing iconic characters from Nintendo’s celebrated franchises, The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon, onto players’ islands.

Nintendo has introduced a unique set of villagers inspired by these series, which can be invited by scanning specific amiibo figures.

This innovative approach continues the tradition of using amiibo to enhance in-game interactions, a method highly appreciated by the Animal Crossing community and collectors alike. Four new collaborative villagers are available through this update: Mineru, Tulin, Cece, and Viché.

Each villager represents a unique crossover event and can only be invited by scanning compatible amiibo from the respective game series. For The Legend of Zelda collaboration, the following amiibo unlock the villager Mineru: Zelda (Super Smash Bros.), Shiek (Super Smash Bros.), Ganondorf (Super Smash Bros.), Wolf Link (Twilight Princess), Link (Ocarina of Time), Link (Twilight Princess), Link (Zelda 1), Link (Rider Breath of the Wild), Guardian (Breath of the Wild), Zelda (Breath of the Wild), Urbosa (Breath of the Wild), Mipha (Breath of the Wild), Link (Link’s Awakening), Zelda (Tears of the Kingdom), Sidon (Tears of the Kingdom), Riju (Tears of the Kingdom). To invite Tulin, players can use amiibo such as Link (Super Smash Bros.), Toon Link (Super Smash Bros.), Young Link (Super Smash Bros.), Link (Majora’s Mask), Link (Skyward Sword), Toon Link (Wind Waker), Zelda (Wind Waker), Link (Archer Breath of the Wild), Bokoblin (Breath of the Wild), Daruk (Breath of the Wild), Revali (Breath of the Wild), Zelda & Loftbird (Skyward Sword), Link (Tears of the Kingdom), Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom), Tulin (Tears of the Kingdom), and Yunobo (Tears of the Kingdom). Switching focus to the colorful Splatoon series, amiibo such as Callie (Splatoon), Marina (Splatoon 2), various Octoling and Inkling variants, Shiver (Splatoon 3), Big Man (Splatoon 3), and Pearl (Side Order) can unlock the villagers Cece and Viché.

Each amiibo represents a different in-game character and offers players an engaging way to further customize their island population. In a statement summarized by Nintendo representatives, the company reaffirms its commitment to expanding player engagement through creative collaborations.

The seamless integration of popular Nintendo franchises in Animal Crossing: New Horizons demonstrates Nintendo’s ongoing focus on delivering diverse content for its wide-ranging audience. Animal Crossing: New Horizons remains a titan on the Nintendo Switch platform, having shipped over 43 million copies worldwide as of the end of 2023.

New updates and collaborations such as the Version 3.0 amiibo feature cement its status as a flagship title for Nintendo and a cornerstone of the Nintendo Switch ecosystem. Players can access the new content by updating their copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons via the Nintendo eShop.

The use of amiibo for inviting collaborative villagers continues to bridge the gap between physical collectibles and digital enjoyment, a hallmark of Nintendo’s interactive approach in recent years.

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