Understanding ACNH Zelda Amiibo Compatibility
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 update introduced extensive amiibo support for Legend of Zelda figures. Understanding which ACNH Zelda amiibo to use is essential for players who want to unlock all the collaboration content. The good news is that Nintendo has made the system straightforward—virtually every Zelda amiibo ever released works with Animal Crossing New Horizons.
When you scan a Legend of Zelda amiibo at the Nook Stop terminal in ACNH, two things happen simultaneously. First, all 28 Zelda-themed items become available for purchase in your Nook Shopping catalog. Second, depending on which specific amiibo you scan, you can invite either Tulin or Mineru to visit your campsite. This means choosing the right ACNH Zelda amiibo matters if you have a preference for which villager you want to recruit first.
Key Point: Any Zelda amiibo unlocks all 28 items, but different amiibo invite different villagers. Link-themed amiibo summon Tulin, while Zelda and Ganondorf amiibo summon Mineru.
Which Zelda Amiibo Work with Animal Crossing?
Players often ask what Zelda amiibos work with Animal Crossing New Horizons. The answer is comprehensive—Nintendo has ensured broad compatibility across both the dedicated Legend of Zelda amiibo line and Zelda characters from the Super Smash Bros. series. Below is the complete list of compatible ACNH Zelda amiibo and which villager each one invites.
| Amiibo Figure | Series | Unlocks Villager | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link (Various) | Zelda / SSB | Tulin | All 28 |
| Toon Link | SSB / Wind Waker | Tulin | All 28 |
| Young Link | SSB | Tulin | All 28 |
| Link (Archer) | BOTW | Tulin | All 28 |
| Link (Rider) | BOTW | Tulin | All 28 |
| Link (TOTK) | TOTK | Tulin | All 28 |
| 8-Bit Link | 30th Anniversary | Tulin | All 28 |
| Zelda (Various) | Zelda / SSB | Mineru | All 28 |
| Zelda (BOTW) | BOTW | Mineru | All 28 |
| Zelda (TOTK) | TOTK | Mineru | All 28 |
| Ganondorf | SSB / TOTK | Mineru | All 28 |
| Sheik | SSB | Mineru | All 28 |
| Guardian | BOTW | Mineru | All 28 |
| Bokoblin | BOTW | Mineru | All 28 |
| Champion amiibo (Daruk, Mipha, Revali, Urbosa) | BOTW | Mineru | All 28 |
As shown above, Link-related ACNH Zelda amiibo consistently invite Tulin, while other characters from the Zelda universe invite Mineru. This pattern makes it easy to choose which amiibo to scan based on your villager preference. Remember that you only need to scan one amiibo to unlock all items—the villager invitation is the main differentiating factor between figures.
Meet the ACNH Zelda Villagers: Tulin and Mineru
The 3.0 update introduced two beloved characters from Tears of the Kingdom as recruitable villagers in Animal Crossing. These ACNH Zelda villagers bring unique personalities and Hyrulean charm to your island community. Here's everything you need to know about Tulin and Mineru, including how to get them on your island.
Tulin
The Rito Warrior- Personality Jock
- Species Bird (Rito)
- Origin Tears of the Kingdom
- Unlock Amiibo Any Link amiibo
Tulin brings his energetic Rito spirit to your ACNH island. As a jock villager, he loves talking about fitness and sports. His home features Zelda-themed decorations that reference his Wind Temple adventures in TOTK.
Mineru
The Sage of Spirit- Personality Snooty
- Species Deer (Zonai)
- Origin Tears of the Kingdom
- Unlock Amiibo Zelda, Ganondorf, Sheik
Mineru embodies ancient Zonai wisdom in ACNH. Her snooty personality reflects her scholarly nature from TOTK. She often discusses technology and history, and her home showcases unique Zonai-inspired aesthetics.
How to Get Tulin in Animal Crossing New Horizons
Many players specifically want to know how to get Tulin in Animal Crossing since he was a fan-favorite character in Tears of the Kingdom. The process involves scanning a compatible amiibo and then convincing him to move to your island through the campsite system. Here's the complete process for inviting Tulin using your ACNH Zelda amiibo.
Visit Resident Services
Go to your island's Resident Services building and interact with the Nook Stop terminal on the right side. Make sure you've updated to version 3.0.
Select "Invite amiibo Camper"
Choose this option from the Nook Stop menu. The game will prompt you to place an amiibo figure on your controller's NFC reader.
Scan a Link Amiibo
To invite Tulin specifically, scan any Link-themed amiibo (regular Link, Toon Link, Young Link, BOTW Link, or TOTK Link). Tulin will appear at your campsite.
Visit the Campsite
Find Tulin at your campsite and speak with him. Like other amiibo villagers, you may need to invite him multiple times over several days before he agrees to move in.
Prepare a Plot
Once Tulin agrees to move in, you'll need an available plot on your island. If your island is full, he can replace an existing villager of your choice.
Getting Mineru on Your Island
The process for inviting Mineru to your ACNH island mirrors the steps above, but requires different amiibo. To summon Mineru, scan a Zelda, Ganondorf, Sheik, or any non-Link Zelda series amiibo. The campsite invitation process works identically—speak with her multiple times across different days until she agrees to become a permanent resident.
ACNH Zelda Amiibo FAQ
Here are answers to frequently asked questions about using Legend of Zelda amiibo with Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Yes! You can have both ACNH Zelda villagers living on your island at the same time. You'll need to scan different amiibo to invite each one—a Link amiibo for Tulin and a Zelda or Ganondorf amiibo for Mineru. Each villager takes up one of your ten available villager slots.
Without an ACNH Zelda amiibo, you cannot directly unlock the items or invite the villagers yourself. However, friends who have unlocked the items can gift them to you through Nook Shopping. For villagers, there's unfortunately no alternative method—Tulin and Mineru can only be recruited via amiibo scanning.
For items, one scan unlocks everything permanently. For villagers, you typically need to invite them via amiibo on three separate days before they agree to move in. Each day, visit the campsite, talk to them, and craft an item they request. After three successful interactions, they'll agree to become a resident.
If you want both villagers, you'll need at least two different ACNH Zelda amiibo—one Link variant for Tulin and one Zelda/Ganondorf for Mineru. For the best value, consider the Super Smash Bros. Link and Zelda amiibo, which are widely available and compatible with many Nintendo games.
For the Zelda collaboration specifically, you need the figure-based amiibo, not cards. The Animal Crossing amiibo cards are a separate product line. However, any physical Legend of Zelda amiibo figure will work with ACNH to unlock the collaboration content.
As of the 3.0 update, only Tulin and Mineru are available as ACNH Zelda villagers. Nintendo hasn't announced additional Zelda characters. Previous games like New Leaf featured Wolf Link, Epona, Medli, and Ganon as amiibo villagers, but these haven't been confirmed for New Horizons yet.
Related Guides
Explore more of our ACNH Zelda content to complete your Hyrulean island experience.