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Are Previous Zelda Villagers Returning to Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

Nintendo’s current New Horizons amiibo lineup includes Tulin and Mineru, not the previous Zelda villagers. Wolf Link amiibo currently invites Mineru.
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Not in the Zelda lineup Nintendo currently documents for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The free 3.0 update added Zelda crossover villagers Tulin and Mineru, but Nintendo’s current amiibo list maps supported Zelda figures to those characters—not to the older Zelda villagers. Scanning a Wolf Link amiibo, for example, invites Mineru rather than bringing back Wolf Link as a villager.

Which Zelda characters can you get in New Horizons now?

Nintendo announced that selected amiibo from The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon series can invite certain characters to an island. The Zelda visitors named in the announcement include Tulin and Mineru. Nintendo’s current amiibo compatibility list specifies which figures invite each character.

Compatible Zelda amiibo Visitor invited under the current mapping
Wolf Link Mineru
Ganondorf (Super Smash Bros. amiibo) Mineru
Link (Super Smash Bros. amiibo) Tulin

These examples show why the figure’s character and the villager it summons are not necessarily the same. Check Nintendo’s list for the exact figure before buying or scanning it; not every Zelda amiibo has the same compatibility.

Are Wolf Link, Medli, and Ganon coming back as villagers?

Wolf Link, Medli, and Ganon were earlier Zelda-themed villagers in the series. Nintendo Wire reported before the 3.0 release that these older character versions would not return in that update. Nintendo’s current compatibility roster likewise lists Tulin and Mineru, not those previous villagers.

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Animal Crossings New Horizons - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]
  • Build your community from scratch on a deserted island brimming with possibility; Create your personal getaway and customize your character, home, decorations, and even the landscape itself
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That supports a clear answer about the currently documented lineup: the older villagers are not confirmed as returning. It does not establish that Nintendo will never add them in a future update; Nintendo has made no such permanent statement in the cited announcement or compatibility list.

What changed in the 3.0 update?

Nintendo announced the free 3.0 content update with amiibo functionality that lets selected figures invite crossover visitors. The announcement described the content as arriving January 15, 2026, while Nintendo Support’s version history records version 3.0.0 as released January 14, 2026. Those are the dates as stated in the respective Nintendo pages, rather than a single blended release date.

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  • Share Your Paradise - Show off your island utopia to family and friends - or pack your bags and visit theirs.
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Nintendo Support lists version 3.0.3, released April 29, 2026, as the latest update in its version history. The support record is useful for identifying the current game version, but it does not add the older Zelda villagers to the compatibility roster.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Should you get a Zelda amiibo for this crossover?

Nintendo says amiibo figures are sold separately. A compatible Zelda figure is an optional way to invite Tulin or Mineru and access the associated crossover content, but it is not a way to restore Wolf Link, Medli, or Ganon as their earlier villager versions. Choose based on which currently supported visitor you want, and verify the specific figure on Nintendo’s compatibility list.

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Quick Recap

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Get to know the island residents, garden, fish, decorate, hunt for fossils, and more.
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  • Take in-game photos of your designs and add them to your portfolio. Show them to other characters and you may get more requests to create vacation homes. Share the photos with other players using the in-game Showroom in the Happy Home Network app and they can tour your personally-designed resort islands or go tour theirs for some relaxation and inspiration.
  • Purchase the Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC from Nintendo eShop, or download and play it as part of an active Nintendo Switch Online plus Expansion Pack membership at no extra cost.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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