‘Animal Crossing’s New ‘Welcome Amiibo’ Update Turns Over ‘New Leaf’

It’s rare to hear about a game three years after its initial release, but Nintendo has worked that very magic on Animal Crossing: New Leaf, one of their best titles on the Nintendo 3DS, thanks to a free-to-download update to the game. Animal Crossing is back and better than ever.

If you already own the game and haven’t downloaded the update, what are you waiting for?! The Welcome amiibo update is free and adds a wealth of content for the title. If you’ve never picked up Animal Crossing before, the new Welcome amiibo game re-release now on store shelves is worth another look at the title.

Here’s what you need to know about the updated version of the game.

How to Use amiibo

Those Animal Crossing amiibo you picked up for Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival and the Happy Home Designer amiibo card packs can now be used with New Leaf.

The day after downloading the update (or beginning the game again with the new retail version), you’ll hear a voice call to you. It’s Wisp, and he’s hiding inside a special lamp. Pick up the lamp and place it in your house like furniture. When you interact with it, Wisp will appear and ask you to tap an amiibo on the bottom screen of your New Nintendo 3DS XL. (If you don’t have the New Nintendo 3DS XL, you’ll need the NFC reader.)

If you tap an Animal Crossing amiibo figure to your 3DS, the character will appear in the new RV campground that’s just off to the side of your town. The amiibo card will invite the corresponding character into your house, including the new Welcome amiibo cards. Chat with your visitors in your house or in the RV campground.

Animal Crossing amiibo figures also unlock the new mini-games “Desert Island Escape” and “Puzzle League.”

Invite Splatoon and Zelda Characters To Live in Your Town

There are also certain Splatoon and The Legend of Zelda amiibo that are compatible with Animal Crossing. Not only will you get a chance to buy new themed furniture and decorations, some characters can be invited to live in your town permanently.

Tapping Toon Link will invite Medli from Wind Waker to come to the RV campground in your town, for example, where you can invite her to move in.

Little Changes Go a Long Way

In addition to the amiibo support and campground, the new update also adds features like:

• Use AR to put your amiibo cards in a photo using your 3DS camera in the amiibo Camera mode.
• The Happy Home Designer decorating method is now available! Talk to Tom Nook to buy the new secret storage.
• You can now sit down on rocks and floor pillows.
• You can also shake trees while holding a tool that uses only one hand and hang clothing on the wall.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo definitely makes returning to your village worth your time. Isabelle won’t even nag you too much about your extended absence. And if you’ve never been the mayor of a village before, this is the perfect time to start.

GeekMom received promotional items for review purposes.

All images © Nintendo