Splatoon and Zelda Amiibo Decide Which Animal Crossing Villagers You Get in Massive 3.0 Update

Nintendo just dropped the details we’ve all been waiting for: Specific Splatoon and Zelda amiibo are the only way to unlock four brand-new crossover villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ next big update, arriving January 15. If you’ve been hoarding those figurines, now’s your chance to put them to work.

The 3.0 update isn’t just about these unlockable villagers. It’s packed with features that seriously expand what’s possible on your island, no matter if you’re still playing on Switch or prepping for the upcoming Switch 2 Edition. Here’s why you’ll care, and exactly how those amiibo tie in.

The Four Crossover Villagers: Here’s Who, and How, You Unlock Them

Nintendo is pulling in Zelda and Splatoon crossovers for the biggest New Horizons update in years. Two villagers hail straight from Hyrule: you’ll get Tulin (from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom) and Mineru (from Tears of the Kingdom). On the Splatoon side, Animal Crossing introduces two all-new squid sisters: Cece and Viché. These two love a good cosplay as Shiver and Frye from Splatoon 3.

Now here’s the catch: Every villager is tied to a specific amiibo. You can’t just scan any Zelda or Splatoon figure and unlock whoever you want. You’ll need the right figures, and, as Nintendo confirms, multiple amiibo may unlock the same villager. If you’re missing one, you might simply get a repeat.

Below is the full breakdown. If you want Tulin, these amiibo will do the trick:

• Bokoblin (Breath of the Wild)
• Daruk (Breath of the Wild)
• Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Link (Archer) (Breath of the Wild)
• Link (Majora’s Mask)
• Link (Smash Bros)
• Link (Skyward Sword)
• Link (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Revali (Breath of the Wild)
• Toon Link (Smash Bros)
• Toon Link (Wind Waker)
• Tulin (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Young Link (Smash Bros)
• Yunobo (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Zelda (Wind Waker)
• Zelda and Loftbird (Skyward Sword)

Mineru comes from scanning one of these:

• Ganondorf (Smash Bros)
• Guardian (Breath of the Wild)
• Link (8-Bit)
• Link (Link’s Awakening)
• Link (Ocarina of Time)
• Link (Rider) (Breath of the Wild)
• Link (Twilight Princess)
• Mipha (Breath of the Wild)
• Riju (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Sheik (Smash Bros)
• Sidon (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Urbosa (Breath of the Wild)
• Wolf Link (Twilight Princess)
• Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
• Zelda (Smash Bros)
• Zelda (Tears of the Kingdom)

On the Splatoon side, here’s who unlocks Cece:

• Big Man
• Callie (Alterna)
• Callie (Splatoon)
• Marina (Side Order)
• Marina (Splatoon 2)
• Octoling Boy
• Octoling Boy (Blue)
• Octoling Girl
• Octoling Octopus
• Shiver
• Smallfry

And for Viché, you’ll need one of these:

• Big Man
• Frye
• Inkling Boy (Blue)
• Inkling Boy (Green)
• Inkling Boy (Purple)
• Inkling Girl (Green)
• Inkling Girl (Orange)
• Inkling Girl (Smash Bros)
• Inkling Girl (Yellow)
• Inkling Squid
• Inkling Squid (Purple)
• Marie (Alterna)
• Marie (Splatoon)
• Pearl (Side Order)
• Pearl (Splatoon 2)

If you don’t have the right amiibo, you won’t get the villager you want; simple as that.

All the New Features Hitting in the 3.0 Update

The update launches January 15, 2026, and it’s the most stacked New Horizons patch since launch. Here’s what else you should expect:

• A brand new hotel on the pier, run by Kapp’n’s family. They’ll bring guests to your island, and you can deck out themed rooms to impress visitors.
• Home storage gets a big boost. Upgrade your space twice more, with capacity shooting up to 9,000 items, almost double the old limit.
• Slumber Island is coming. Create and decorate up to three dream islands and invite friends; no need to mess with your main one. Show off different ideas and themes without compromise.
• Fresh collaborations with major brands. New furniture and items will feature Lego, The Legend of Zelda, and Splatoon designs. Expect more options when decking out your home or town.
• Playable retro games. For players with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, you’ll now have in-game consoles offering NES and Game Boy classics. It’s nostalgia on demand, straight from your Animal Crossing living room.

This patch brings long-time fans back and makes Nintendo’s island sim feel like it’s starting a second life. If you’re eyeing those new villagers, better check your amiibo shelf, or start hunting on eBay. Animal Crossing: New Horizons just locked some of its best characters behind Nintendo’s collectable figures, and the countdown to January is officially on.