Animal Crossing: New Leaf’s amiibo Update is Live – Here’s What it Adds
Animal Crossing: New Leaf‘s long-awaited amiibo update was given a surprise release during the Animal Crossing Direct that aired in the early hours of the morning. This ‘Welcome amiibo’ update adds a multitude of new features into the game, and is sure to breath new life into it. If you can’t download the update (or don’t own the game!) then a physical version of Welcome amiibo will be launching at retail on November 10th.
The major new feature, hence the ‘Welcome amiibo’ title, is amiibo support. If you find Wisp the ghost roaming your town, he’ll give you a lamp that you can use to summon him in your house. When he has been summoned, you can tap any Animal Crossing amiibo card or figure to summon that character into your town to visit – most of them can even be asked to stay permanently!
The game is compatible with all existing Animal Crossing amiibo, as well as an upcoming new series of cards launching on November 10th. Surprisingly, Australia will also be getting a special pack of Sanrio crossover cards that will add characters with Sanrio-themed furniture, like Hello Kitty costumes. This pack will be available exclusively from Nintendo AUNZ’s eBay store from November 10th.
The new amiibo cards will bring their associated characters to a new RV Park in your town, in their own personalised RVs. These characters have never been available as villagers in New Leaf previously, and will bring all-new furniture to the game. You can order their furniture like other furniture in the game, but instead of using Bells you’ll use a new currency called MEOW Tokens. These tokens are earnt through tasks given to you as you play, like plucking weeds or catching specific fish.
Some non-Animal Crossing amiibo can be used as well! For Splatoon fans, the Squid Sister amiibo will unlock characters who dress up as them and have Splatoon-themed furniture, while the Inkling amiibo will allow you to meet Inkwell the octopus, who has some Splatoon items of his own. The various Legend of Zelda amiibo will invite a number of different Zelda characters, such as Medli, Ganon, Epona, and even Wolf Link! If you imported the Monster Hunter Stories amiibo from Japan, they’ll unlock special Monster Hunter content, which could be a sign that the game will be getting localised in the future.
The Monster Hunter Stories amiibo are compatible in the English version of New Leaf! #AnimalCrossing pic.twitter.com/GqzlUlogao
— Daan Koopman (@NintenDaan) November 3, 2016
amiibo can also be used in a new amiibo Camera mode, which allows you to pose different villagers and insert them into your photos.
There’s a heap of features not tied to amiibo as well. If you find new Wii U or 3Ds furniture items in the game, you can place them in your house to unlock minigames, such as Animal Crossing Puzzle League or a version of the Desert Island Escape minigame from Animal Crossing amiibo Festival that doesn’t require amiibo to play. This is reminiscent of the NES games you could find and play in the original Animal Crossing game on Gamecube.
If you visit Nook Homes on Main Street, you’ll be able to purchase a new upgrade for your home – a secret storeroom! This room doesn’t take up physical space in your house, but allows you to keep items stored away in it like a closet. Purchasing it will also allow you to take a decorating class from Lottie that will unlock the ability to decorate your house using the touch screen like in Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer.
Speaking of Happy Home Designer, if you have a save file from it on your 3DS system then you’ll unlock a set of new giant furniture items that you can purchase and place in your house!
For more information on this update you can watch the Animal Crossing Direct below or visit Nintendo’s site. Reddit users have also been assembling a list of tweaks and quality of life improvements not detailed in the Direct.
