Amiibo

amiibo is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo that launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines and cards to the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch video game consoles. amiibo functionality can be used directly with these consoles by using their built-in NFC readers, though the original Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL require an official NFC adapter to also be used. amiibo are typically compatible with multiple different games and will unlock bonus content or affect gameplay once read.

amiibo was first introduced to the with figures released for  from 2015 to 2017, and four series of cards for, although the figures and cards are compatible with both games. Two additional series of cards were made available for the launch of in 2016, which introduces amiibo compatibility into  and can also utilise previously released cards and figurines. Selected amiibo from other series can scanned to unlock special crossover villagers based on the The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, and Monster Hunter series.

is compatible with all previously released Animal Crossing amiibo, but not those from other series. While it is unknown exactly when the cards were discontinued, Nintendo announced in September 2020 that series 1-4 will be returning to select retailers in November 2020 for a retail price of US$5.99 per pack, possibly due to increased demand as a result of the success of. The Sanrio series of amiibo cards were rereleased on March 26 in North America and Japan and on April 8 in the UK. This was the first time the cards were released in North America. In September 2021, after the reveal of an October Animal Crossing Direct, the official Animal Crossing Twitter account announced that a fifth series of amiibo cards (not including the series) would be released at a later date.

The line of amiibo cards is a spiritual successor to the Animal Crossing-e series of cards for the Nintendo e-Reader.

In the games
amiibo are compatible with the following titles:

is the first title to support the use of amiibo, and is compatible with the first four series of cards and all currently available figurines. The game is not compatible with the series or Sanrio series of cards, and attempting to scan these amiibo will freeze the game. This includes Carrie's amiibo card, despite her being a potential client.

After completing a few remodels for Nook's Homes, Lyle will bring an amiibo phone into the office for the player to use. The phone allows an amiibo to be scanned, who will be contacted by the player using the phone. The player will then be able to recruit that character as a client and perform a remodel for their house. This is the only way to perform remodels for special characters, as they will never become clients during regular gameplay.

amiibo can also be scanned while in a client's house or facility to invite the character to that location. Villagers can have their clothing and headgear customized, and special characters have a limited selection of clothing that they can be changed between. Invited characters will remain in that location indefinitely unless asked to leave, and a maximum of 5 characters can exist in a single location at once. Scanning the amiibo again after inviting a character will save all furniture in the room to the amiibo, which can then be scanned in a different copy of the game in order to transfer furniture to other players to help fill their catalog.

Scanning the Villager amiibo will unlock a golden Villager Statue in the catalog, and scanning the Isabelle amiibo unlocks the Isabelle Scooter. Scanning these amiibo are the only way to acquire these items for use in the game.

In, the player must first locate an Empty Lamp in their town. Once placed in a house the lamp can be interacted with to summon Wisp, who provides access to most amiibo functionality in the game. Villagers can be invited to move into town by scanning their corresponding amiibo card. Special characters (using their figurines only) and villagers from the series will instead appear in their RV in the campground when scanned, from which furniture can be purchased in exchange for MEOW Coupons. The villagers can be spoken to and invited to move into town. The Super Smash Bros. Villager amiibo will also invite Wisp himself to the campground.

Other features include the amiibo Camera available on the title screen, which places characters in augmented reality using the 3DS camera. It is compatible with all amiibo but not any others, even those that yield crossover villagers with Wisp. However, these villagers and any others can be used in this feature if they are a resident in the player's town. as well as players themselves. Also, in Animal Crossing Puzzle League, each figurine grants a different special ability, and crewmembers can be chosen for Desert Island Escape.

The game is compatible with all amiibo figurines and cards from Series 1-4, the Welcome amiibo and Sanrio series, and promotional cards. Series 5 cards will only work if the character had an amiibo card in a prior series. The Super Smash Bros. series Villager and Isabelle figurines are also compatible.

A total of eight unique crossover villagers from other series and six Sanrio-themed villagers are available only by scanning their amiibo and inviting them to move into the player's town:

The Legend of Zelda series

 * W. Link NLWa Villager Icon.png W. Link, obtained through Link, Zelda, and Young Link from the Super Smash Bros. series, Wolf Link, Link (Archer), Link (Twilight Princess), Link (Skyward Sword), or Link (Link's Awakening) from The Legend of Zelda series.
 * Medli NLWa Villager Icon.png Medli, obtained through Toon Link from the Super Smash Bros. series, Toon Link (The Wind Waker), Zelda (The Wind Waker), Zelda (Breath of the Wild), or Zelda and Loftwing from The Legend of Zelda series.
 * Epona NLWa Villager Icon.png Epona, obtained through Sheik from the Super Smash Bros. series, Link (Ocarina of Time), Link (Rider), or Link (Majora's Mask) from The Legend of Zelda series.
 * Ganon NLWa Villager Icon.png Ganon, obtained through Ganondorf from the Super Smash Bros. series, Link (The Legend of Zelda), Guardian, or Bokoblin from The Legend of Zelda series.

Splatoon series

 * Inkwell NLWa Villager Icon.png Inkwell, obtained through any variant of the Inkling Boy, Girl, or Squid amiibo from the Splatoon series. (The Octoling amiibo are not compatible.)
 * Cece NLWa Villager Icon.png Cece, obtained through the Callie amiibo from the Splatoon series.
 * Viché NLWa Villager Icon.png Viché, obtained through the Marie amiibo from the Splatoon series.

Monster Hunter series

 * Felyne NLWa Villager Icon.png Felyne, obtained through any of the six amiibo from the Monster Hunter Stories series. (Monster Hunter Stories 2 or Monster Hunter Rise amiibo are not compatible.)

Sanrio series
The following villagers are based on characters and series created by Sanrio and will never move into town unless their card from the limited edition Sanrio series of amiibo is scanned and they are invited to move: • Rilla NH Villager Icon.png Rilla (Hello Kitty)

• Marty NH Villager Icon.png Marty (Pompompurin)

• Étoile NH Villager Icon.png Étoile (Kiki and Lala)

• Chai NH Villager Icon.png Chai (Cinnamoroll)

• Chelsea NH Villager Icon.png Chelsea (My Melody)

• Toby NH Villager Icon.png Toby (Kerokerokeroppi)

is compatible with all current amiibo. Unlike New Leaf, amiibo from other video game series cannot be used. amiibo have three main functions in : spawning characters for photo shoots at Photopia; unlocking their respective posters; and bringing villagers to the Campsite with the opportunity to have them move in as residents.

Photopia
At Photopia, scanning any amiibo will unlock the character's respective poster that will be available for purchase in the Nook Shopping Catalog. For characters who appear in, scanning their respective amiibo also allows the player to spawn the character as a model for a photo shoot. Models cannot be spoken to, but interacting with them makes them face the player.

These characters from previous games cannot be spawned as models, but their corresponding posters may be unlocked: • Villager NH Character Icon.png Villager

The following amiibo can only be summoned as models if the update they are introduced to the game with is installed: • {

Camping
Villager amiibo can also be read once per day from the Nook Stop. The scanned villager will appear and speak to the player, during which they may be invited to put up a tent at the town's Campsite. When visiting the Campsite, the camper will give the player a DIY recipe for a specific item and ask the player to craft it for them. If the player gives the camper the item, they will thank the player by giving them clothing in return and hint that they would like to be invited again.

From the camper's third consecutive visit, the player may ask the camper to move onto their island as a resident. A camper can only be invited to move in if there is a vacant plot, or a maximum of ten villagers already live on the island. In the latter case the player will be prompted to choose a resident to move out so that the camper may move in.

Acanning an amiibo for a special character (until version ) or a villager already living on the player's island will result in a special dialogue explaining why they can't come. The special characters would have been available to speak with are the same as those that can be invited to Photopia in each update (see above). If the player scans the amiibo for a villager that is in the process of moving in, they will get a special "answering machine" message.

The Roost
The Roost is added to the Museum with Ver. 2.0. An amiibo phone is located on the back wall, it can be used to scan amiibo to make the scanned character visit the café. The scanned character may bring additional characters with them, for example scanning Mable may prompt her to bring Sable and Label along with her.

amiibo can be scanned in the expansion to prompt the scanned character to visit the archipelago, allowing the player to design a vacation home for them. Scanning amiibo is the only way to be able to create designs for certain special characters, such as Isabelle or Timmy and Tommy.

Other games compatible with amiibo
The following Nintendo games have effects when an amiibo from the is scanned:

Taiko no Tatsujin
Scanning a compatible amiibo in Taiko no Tatsujin will unlock the "New Leaf Medley" and extra content in Kisekae Shoot Mode.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
The Villager amiibo can be used in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as a customizable fighter, who can be trained up and given alternate moves.

Super Mario Maker
Scanning a compatible amiibo in Super Mario Maker will unlock them as a Mystery Mushroom costume. These costumes can also be unlocked through the 100 Mario Challenge. The and Mystery Mushroom and costumes are only available in the original game, and are not present in Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS or Super Mario Maker 2. • Blathers

• Celeste

• Cyrus

• Digby

• Isabelle (Summer outfit)

• Isabelle (Winter outfit)

• Kapp'n

• Kicks

• K.K. Slider

• Lottie

• Mabel

• Resse

• Resetti

• Rover

• Nooklings

• Tom Nook

• Villager

Mario Kart 8
Scanning a compatible amiibo in Mario Kart 8 (Wii U) or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch) will unlock an Animal Crossing-themed Mii racing suit.

Yoshi's Woolly World
Scanning the Villager amiibo in Yoshi's Woolly World will unlock a Villager-themed pattern for Yoshi. Additionally, in the game's 3DS port, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, amiibo figures or their corresponding cards can be scanned to unlock the following Animal Crossing-themed patterns for Yoshi:

Kirby: Planet Robobot
In Kirby: Planet Robobot, scanning different characters' amiibo will give Kirby a Copy Ability relevant to that character or series. All give Kirby the Leaf ability, a reference to how a leaf represents furniture in the player's pockets, and the series icon.

Miitopia
In Miitopia, scanning an Isabelle, Tom Nook, K.K. Slider or Mr. Resetti amiibo will unlock a corresponding costume that can be worn by the cast of Mii's in the game.

WarioWare Gold
amiibo can be read in WarioWare Gold by using Wario's amiibo Sketch toy in the arcade. Once the amiibo has been read, Wario will paint the corresponding character in his signature style.

Hey! Pikmin
Scanning a compatible amiibo in Hey! Pikmin will unlock bonus treasure stages in the game.

Style Savvy: Fashion Forward
Scanning any Isabelle amiibo or amiibo card in Style Savvy: Fashion Forward will unlock clothing based on her summer outfit for use in the game. Any other amiibo card will unlock Star Hairpin.

Style Savvy: Styling Star
Scanning an amiibo in Style Savvy: Styling Star will unlock three Animal Crossing-themed shirts for use in the game.

Conga Master Party
In Conga Master Party, a compatible amiibo can be read to unlock Animal Crossing-themed costumes for use in the game as well as unlock specific characters.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Scanning a compatible amiibo in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will unlock that character's spirit. Scanning the Timmy and Tommy amiibo will also unlock a special in-game shop. As with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, the Villager and Isabelle amiibo can be used as special AI-controlled fighters, though the custom moves from the previous installment are not present.

amiibo figures
On November 21, 2014, the first wave of Super Smash Bros. amiibo were released. This wave featured a majority of the Smash main series' cast, including Villager. On August 24, 2015, Nintendo had a press release which revealed information about and a new Animal Crossing amiibo series. The first wave was released on November 13, November 20, and November 21 in North America, Europe, and Japan and Oceania respectively. An additional wave was released on December 17, January 22, January 29 and January 30, in Japan, North America, Europe and Oceania respectively. On November 14, 2015, several stores updated their amiibo store displays to include the previously unannounced Kapp'n, Timmy and Tommy Nook, and Rover amiibo. .These three amiibo alongside a variation of Isabelle wearing her summer dress were released on March 18, 2016 in Europe and North America (minus Isabelle who was released in North America on June 10), March 19 in Oceania, and March 24 in Japan. Isabelle's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo was released on July 19, 2019 in Japan and Europe, and on July 26, 2019 in North America.

Trivia

 * On October 28, 2015, Nintendo revealed the Animal Crossing Series 1 Cards were the best selling amiibo product in Japan and the 6th best selling product in North America.
 * Prior to the November 8, 2015 restocks by ToysRUs, the Villager amiibo was one of the most sought-after amiibo in North America.
 * The Lottie amiibo figure was originally a Target exclusive in North America, but became available at other retailers about a month later.
 * The amiibo cards introduced in Series 5 have a subtle redesign compared to the previous series. The background has been changed from blocks of different items to tropical leaves, and the species icon and card number are now both in rounded squares, rather than the species icon being in a square and the card number being in a circle. Most noticeably, the cards lack dice or hand-sign values, due to being used for the amiibo Festival minigames "amiibo Dice Battle" and "Resetti Bop," respectively; this wave is incompatible with amiibo Festival.