Get ready to go back to town with today’s special Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct. This morning at 7 a.m. PT (that’s 10 a.m. for those of us on the East Coast), tune in for a video presentation focused exclusively on the new updates coming to Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the Nintendo 3DS.
Originally released in 2013, New Leaf quickly became—and still remains—a favorite in my household. This new free update promises to add amiibo support and additional related content for longtime players, and a new version of the retail title, Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo, will be hitting store shelves this month with all this bonus content already included on the cartridge.
UPDATE
Wow, that is a lot of content to include in a free update!
According to the Nintendo Direct, Welcome amiibo should be available for download today for existing New Leaf owners, with the standalone retail version hitting shelves on December 2nd. Check out the video below (or skip straight to the features list) to get the full skinny on what’s in-store.
Work with amiibo!
- New Life for Animal Crossing amiibo Figures!: The 16 Animal Crossing series amiibo figures let you invite special guests into your game with their own RVs, where you can interact with them on their day off from daily duties in town. These characters will also offer players an in-game Wii U console item or New Nintendo 3DS XL and New Nintendo 3DS items, which give players access to new games Desert Island Escape and Animal Crossing Puzzle League, which are almost like new games in themselves!
- Wisp’s Wishes: By finding the magic lamp in the main game, you will unlock amiibo functionality. Once acquired, you can use the lamp once a day to summon the ghostly Wisp, tap a compatible amiibo and invite that respective amiibo character to your village. Do you want to live in a village full of ducks? Or cows? By using specific amiibo, you can make that wish come true!
- New Welcome amiibo Cards: 50 new amiibo cards for Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo launch on Dec. 2, the same day as the new packaged edition of the game. These cards not only include cool new villagers from past Animal Crossing games, but also their RVs as well! And speaking of those RVs…
- New RV Campground: After updating the game, you will notice a new area in your town. This new campground offers different interactions with special villagers and new shopping opportunities, as well as Harvey, a hilarious new character that will assist with all your campground needs. By tapping certain amiibo figures or cards, a character will show up in her or his custom and stylish RV. This even applies to some non-Animal Crossing amiibo like the Inklings from Splatoon and Wolf Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD.
- More to Play!: The in-game Wii U console item unlocks the Desert Island Escape game, while Animal Crossing Puzzle League can be accessed with the in-game New Nintendo 3DS XL and New Nintendo 3DS items. The Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS XL and New Nintendo 3DS items can be obtained via fortune cookies at the Nooklings’ shop, but it’s much easier to obtain these items when you scan any of the 16 Animal Crossing amiibo figures.
No amiibo needed!
- MEOW Coupons: By earning new MEOW (Mutual Exchange of Wealth) Coupons, you can obtain unique in-game items at the campground or from your visiting animal friends. To earn these coupons, you must complete new daily or weekly Town Initiatives, like pulling a set amount of weeds or gathering certain seashells.
- Say Cheese!: With the new amiibo Camera mode, you can take the coolest in-game selfies ever. By gathering your favorite villagers, you can snap a photo and save it to view whenever you like! You can even share with friends using the 3DS Image Share tool. No amiibo are needed for this mode, but by tapping an amiibo you can take photos of your new villager friends!
- What Do you Do With a New Storeroom?: Store things, of course! With the Animal Crossing: New Leaf update, you can use your Bells to obtain a new storeroom for your house at Nook’s Homes. You can access this storeroom from anywhere in your house and it stores tons of collectibles. Maybe you can even hide a dusty old umbrella in there. Isn’t that where all dusty old umbrellas are stored?
- Decorating is Easier Than Ever!: Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo lets you customize your home by moving around your furniture and items using the Nintendo 3DS touch screen. This makes setting up a perfectly styled room easier than ever.
- Happy Home, Happy Transfer: If you have save data from the Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer game, you can link your save data and unlock 20 giant furniture items to spend your Bells on in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. What do we mean by giant furniture? Well, just that. This new furniture is HUGE and will definitely make an impression in any home.
