Amiibo cards have made a comeback with the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons as most will enable players to invite specific that cards villager to live on their island. Major characters such as Isabelle can only be summoned to Harvey’s island for photo opportunities but the majority of other villagers can be invited to live with you. This is great news for anyone who is really fed of earning thousands of Nook Miles for mysterious island tickets then ending up on a native fruit and flower island with Pietro on it.
However, it isn’t simply a case of scanning the card and the villager appearing, suitcase in hand. There are actually several steps to follow and the process will take a few days to complete. Here we take a look at the steps you need to follow in order to populate your island with your dream villager line up, using Amiibo Cards.
10 Step One: Unlock The Amiibo Facility
The Amiibo facility isn’t available straight away as it won’t unlock until you already have five villagers in homes. This is because it’s tied to your overall quest progress. After Tom Nook has asked you to build three homes, residents will start moving in. At this point, Resident Services will relocate into a building.
Once Isabelle is in place keep talking to Tom Nook and asking him what you should do. He will soon let you know that the ability to use Amiibo cards is unlocked.
9 Step Two: Invite A Villager Using The Nook Terminal
The nook terminal should now include an option to invite to your campsite via Amiibo. Once you have this option simply select it and then place the Amiibo card or figure on the NFC Touchpoint.
The touchpoint is located in the joystick on the right-hand joy-con. You’ll need to put the base of the Amiibo figure against it or the square bump on the back of the Amiibo card. Once your Amiibo is in place you’ll see a confirmation screen asking if you want to invite the villager on the card or figure.
8 Step Three: Speak To The Villager At Your Campsite
Once you’ve invited the villager using your Amiibo they will show up at your campsite as soon as it is free. This could be the same day or the next day, depending on if you have a random villager there already. It’s best to check the campsite is empty before inviting, just to minimize the chances of the villager not showing up.
Once they are there you need to ensure that you go and speak to them, after all, it would be rude not to wouldn’t it?
7 Step Four: Complete The DIY Task
Amiibo sent villagers are actually a pretty demanding bunch and will ask you to make things for them. They will either pick a random recipe in your Nook Phone or offer you the recipe for whatever they want.
Normally this isn’t a problem but occasionally you can be asked to craft something you can’t easily make, like a cardboard chair on a day there are no boxes around to take. If you can’t make the item then you can select this option when talking to them.
6 Step Five: Repeat The Last Three Steps
Despite the fact that villagers found on mysterious islands will come and live with you after a 30-second conversation, Amiibo villagers are far more particular. This involves them wanting to really get to know the island.
Their second visit will be the same as the first. You can invite them via the Nook Terminal then go and speak to them to find out their DIY demands. Once the item is crafted then they’ll happily return home, again.
5 Step Six: Make Room For Them
You can invite a villager when your town is full but the game will choose a random villager to evict. For this reason, it’s best to ensure you have full control and have prepared a space for your Amiibo newcomer.
The third time is (mostly) the charm so it’s good to be prepared. Just be aware that if you weren’t able to craft all three DIY items then the villager may want to return again. This is because low-level bribery of three crafted items appears to be how this whole system functions.
4 Step Seven: Invite, Chat, And Craft, Again
At this point, you’ll have this process down. Check the campsite is empty, invite your camper, speak to them, and craft the DIY. It’s good to make sure you have a decent amount of crafting materials on hand for this purpose.
If you’ve done all of these steps three times you should be able to move onto the final stage. If not, you may need to repeat this step again, sorry!
3 Step Eight: Keep Talking
After the third time you’ve handed your villager the item you so lovingly crafted for them, keep talking. The conversation should drift to how great your island is and how friendly everyone is.
Once they’ve talked you up a bit you should be able to extend an invitation to move. They will accept your kind offer, as they should after all that effort.
2 Step Nine: Wait For Them To Move In
As with other villagers, the empty lot will go up for sale as soon as they make their decision. You’ll see a sold sign on the plot and the villager’s name will appear if you hover over it.
The next day you should see them move in with their boxes, which they will unpack over the day. If you return the following day you’ll see them finally unpacked and ready to become involved in island life.
1 Step Ten: Repeat For Other Villagers
There are no limits to how many villagers you can invite using Amiibo cards. While you can only invite villagers who are eligible to join, so no Isabelle, Gulliver, Redd etc, there are no other restrictions.
To invite another villager simply select another card and start the process again. Soon you’ll have a village of your favorites, assuming you can get hold of their Amiibo cards.
NEXT: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Villagers In Animal Crossing: New Horizons
