Welcome to the neighbourhood! Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo arrives at retail today

25th November, 2016 – Pack your cares away and escape into a world of fun and friendship in Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo for Nintendo 3DS family systems, available across Europe from today. This new packaged version of the game incorporates the recently released Welcome amiibo update, which adds amiibo functionality, the new campground area, two action-packed additional games and a wealth of new items for players to decorate their homes with.

A well-loved franchise with over 27 million units sold worldwide, Animal Crossing invites players to take up residence in an idyllic village, whiling away blissful hours with activities such as fishing, bug-catching and home decoration – not to mention becoming pals with a colourful cast of friendly animal neighbours they live alongside. With global sales of over 10 million units, Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a fan-favourite title on Nintendo 3DS family systems, and allows the player to become mayor of his or her town and engage in creative features such as public works projects to improve the lives of residents in town, while of course maintaining the stress-free, relaxing gameplay that is the series’ hallmark.

Furthermore, in this new packaged version of Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo, players can use the extensive range of Animal Crossing amiibo figures and amiibo cards (sold separately). This includes the 50 new Animal Crossing amiibo cards released on 11th November, one of which is included in this retail version to get players started*. For full details on what particular amiibo cards and figures do in-game, be sure to check out the amiibo section of the Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo website.

The most varied Animal Crossing experience to date, Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo features all-new activities, games and items, including:

• Wisp’s Wishes: By finding the magic lamp in game, players will be able to use their amiibo. The lamp can be used once a day to summon the ghostly Wisp. If players tap an Animal Crossing series amiibo card or figure, Wisp will give players the choice of inviting that character to the campground or receiving a new item, depending on the amiibo used.
• The campground: This new area offers different interactions with special villagers and new shopping opportunities, as well as Harvey, a hilarious new character that will assist with all campground needs. In this relaxing area players can meet a character summoned via Wisp, and see them in their stylish camper where they can purchase unique items and furniture. Even without amiibo, an animal will still show up in their camper each day.
• Cool amiibo collaborations: A Sanrio Collaboration pack of amiibo cards also releases today, allowing players to bring animal friends with Sanrio-themed clothing and accessories into the word of Animal Crossing. What’s more, players who own select Splatoon or The Legend of Zelda amiibo can invite characters from those series to visit the campground – and some may even move in to their town!
• More to Play: By obtaining a Wii U item or New Nintendo 3DS XL / New Nintendo 3DS item, players can unlock two new games to play in their home. The Wii U item unlocks the Desert Island Escape game, while Animal Crossing Puzzle League can be accessed with the New Nintendo 3DS XL / New Nintendo 3DS item. The Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS items can be obtained via fortune cookies at the Nooklings’ shop, but it’s much easier to obtain these items by scanning any of the 16 Animal Crossing amiibo figures and purchasing them at the campground.
• MEOW Coupons: By earning new MEOW (Mutual Exchange of Wealth) Coupons via completing simple tasks around town, players can then spend their MEOW Coupons on unique in-game items at the campground.
• Happy Home, Happy Transfer: Players with Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer save data on their Nintendo 3DS system, can transfer it to purchase giant furniture in Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo. This new furniture is huge and will definitely make an impression in any home!

With new items, locations and an abundance of new features, newcomers to Animal Crossing have the perfect chance to enjoy the peaceful town life in the new packaged version of Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo, out now at retail locations across Europe.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo is available in shops and as a downloadable version from Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS family systems or via this website**.

*In order to access the exciting amiibo features included in the update, those with a New Nintendo 3DS or New Nintendo 3DS XL can tap the amiibo directly to their system, whereas those with a Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL or Nintendo 2DS can use the Nintendo 3DS NFC Reader/Writer accessory (sold separately).

**To be able to purchase download games from Nintendo eShop on the official website, you'll need to have a Nintendo Account which is linked to a Nintendo Network ID, and you'll need to have visited Nintendo eShop on the device you wish to download on at least once. For automatic download, your system must be updated and connected to the internet with automatic downloads enabled, and it must have enough storage to complete the download. To find out more, visit our Support section.

For further updates:

Animal Crossing on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalCrossing

Isabelle from Animal Crossing on Twitter https://twitter.com/AC_Isabelle

Nintendo UK on Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/nintendouk

Nintendo UK on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/NintendoUK

Nintendo UK on Twitter https://twitter.com/nintendouk

Nintendo UK on Instagram https://instagram.com/nintendouk/