Introduction to Animal Crossing Amiibo

Since Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in March 2020, amiibo functionality has become an essential tool for collectors and players seeking specific villagers or exclusive furniture sets. Unlike many games where amiibo provide minor bonuses, Animal Crossing offers substantial rewards: the ability to invite specific villagers to your island, unlock exclusive furniture collections, and collect character posters for decorating your home.

The Animal Crossing amiibo ecosystem includes over 500 compatible figures and cards spanning multiple series, from the original Animal Crossing amiibo card series (Series 1-5) to Sanrio Collaboration cards and Super Smash Bros. Isabelle and Villager figures. Understanding what each amiibo unlocks can save you time, bells, and frustration when building your dream island.

Animal Crossing amiibo cards feature hundreds of unique villagers

How Amiibo Work in New Horizons

To use amiibo in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you must first unlock the campsite facility by progressing through Tom Nook's story missions. Once the campsite is built (typically after your 5th-6th resident moves in), you can scan amiibo at the Resident Services terminal using the "Invite a Camper" option.

The Invitation Process

When you scan a villager amiibo card or figure, the character visits your campsite the same day. However, you cannot immediately invite them to move in. The process requires:

  • Day 1: Scan the amiibo, meet the villager at the campsite, complete a DIY crafting request
  • Day 2: Scan the same amiibo again, complete another DIY request
  • Day 3: Scan for the third time, complete the final request, then invite them to stay permanently

This three-day process applies to all villager amiibo. The villager will request specific DIY furniture items, which you must craft using materials from your island. Once invited on Day 3, you can choose which current resident they replace (if your island is at the 10-villager maximum) or they'll move into an empty plot.

Villager Compatibility by Series

Animal Crossing Amiibo Cards (Series 1-5)

Nintendo released five main Animal Crossing amiibo card series between 2015-2016, containing 100 cards each for a total of 500 unique villagers and special characters. All non-special character cards (like regular villagers) work with the campsite invitation system described above.

Key fact: All 391 regular villagers from Series 1-5 can be invited to your island using their amiibo cards.

Special Character Cards (Series 1-5): Cards featuring special characters like Tom Nook (#002), K.K. Slider (#003), Isabelle (#001), or Celeste (#305) cannot be invited as residents. Instead, they unlock exclusive posters at Harv's Island photoshoot studio, which you can then order from the Nook Shopping catalog for 1,000 bells each.

Welcome Amiibo Series (Series 6)

Released in November 2016 alongside Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo, this 50-card series features villagers that were previously exclusive to the 3DS title. In New Horizons, these cards work identically to Series 1-5, allowing you to invite villagers like Vivian (#01), Ursala (#09), or Gonzo (#42) to your island following the three-day invitation process.

Sanrio Collaboration Cards

Perhaps the most sought-after amiibo cards, the Sanrio Collaboration pack contains 6 cards featuring Hello Kitty-themed villagers: Rilla, Marty, Étoile, Chai, Chelsea, and Toby. These cards unlock two exclusive features:

  • Villager Invitations: You can invite any of the 6 Sanrio villagers to your island using the standard three-day process
  • Exclusive Furniture Sets: Once a Sanrio villager visits your campsite, their entire themed furniture set becomes available in Nook Shopping's Promotion tab, including items like the Hello Kitty bed, Cinnamoroll table, Pompompurin TV, and My Melody dress

Originally released in 2016 and re-released in March 2021, these cards regularly sell out within minutes due to high demand. The furniture sets cannot be obtained any other way in New Horizons.

Super Smash Bros. Series

Two Super Smash Bros. amiibo unlock special functionality:

  • Villager (#009): Unlocks the Villager poster only; cannot be invited as a resident since "Villager" is the player character
  • Isabelle (#011): Unlocks the Isabelle poster only; she's a special NPC and cannot be invited to live on your island

Furniture and Item Unlocks by Franchise

Beyond villager invitations, many amiibo from other Nintendo franchises unlock exclusive posters and, in some cases, themed furniture items. Here's what each franchise provides:

The Legend of Zelda Series

Scanning any Zelda-themed amiibo (Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Guardian, Bokoblin, etc.) unlocks character posters featuring the respective character. No exclusive furniture sets are available, but the posters feature beautiful artwork from various Zelda games.

Super Mario Series

Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and other Mario franchise amiibo unlock character posters. The Super Mario series particularly offers vibrant, colorful poster designs perfect for arcade or game room-themed island areas.

Splatoon Series

Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl, and other Splatoon amiibo unlock Splatoon character posters. These feature dynamic, street art-inspired designs that complement urban or graffiti-themed island builds.

Other Compatible Amiibo

Nearly every Nintendo amiibo figure and card unlocks at least a poster in New Horizons. Compatible franchises include: Metroid, Kirby, Star Fox, Fire Emblem, Pikmin, and many more. With over 200+ amiibo figures released since 2014, the poster collection potential is enormous.

Poster Collection Guide

Once you unlock Harv's Island (accessible after recruiting three villagers), you can scan any compatible amiibo at the photoshoot studio. After scanning, the character's poster becomes available in your Nook Shopping catalog under the "Posters" category.

How to Order Posters

Visit Harv's Island, enter the studio, and press down on the D-pad to open the decorating menu. Select "Amiibo" and scan any compatible amiibo card or figure. The character appears as a decoration in the studio, and their poster is immediately added to your catalog. Return to Resident Services or use the Nook Shopping app on your NookPhone to order posters for 1,000 bells each (delivered the next day).

Advanced Tips and Strategies

Villager Hunting Optimization

If you're seeking a specific villager without their amiibo card, you'll need to use Nook Miles Tickets to visit mystery islands, hoping for random encounters. However, amiibo cards guarantee the villager you want, saving potentially hundreds of Nook Miles Tickets and hours of searching. Popular villagers like Raymond, Sherb, or Judy can take 200+ mystery island visits to find naturally but require only three days with an amiibo card.

Replacing Unwanted Villagers

The amiibo method is the only way to choose which villager leaves your island when inviting a new resident. When you invite an amiibo villager on Day 3 and your island has 10 residents, Tom Nook asks which current villager should move out to make room. This bypasses the random move-out process, giving you complete control.

Time Travel Considerations

Players who use time travel can complete the three-day amiibo invitation process in minutes by advancing the date after each scan. This accelerates villager collection but may impact turnip prices and other time-sensitive events.

Fake vs. Authentic Cards

Due to high demand, counterfeit amiibo cards flood online marketplaces. Authentic cards feature official Nintendo packaging, high-quality card stock, and clear printing. Unofficial cards (while functionally identical) violate Nintendo's intellectual property. If purchasing secondhand, verify authenticity through seller ratings and detailed photos.

Pro tip: Official amiibo cards have a matte finish, while many counterfeits use glossy card stock.

Conclusion

Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers deep amiibo integration that enhances the core gameplay experience without being required. Whether you're hunting for dreamies, collecting all 391 villager cards, or decorating with exclusive Sanrio furniture, amiibo provide meaningful shortcuts and unlocks. With proper understanding of compatibility, invitation mechanics, and poster collection, you can maximize your amiibo investment and build the perfect island community.