How to Unlock Every Splatoon Amiibo Item in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Fast Route)

Fast-track guide: unlock every Splatoon Amiibo item in Animal Crossing: New Horizons — without wasting time or Bells

Hook: You want the full Splatoon collection in ACNH, fast — but you don’t want to spend a fortune or chase every rare Amiibo across multiple marketplaces. This guide gives you a step-by-step, time- and cost-optimized route to unlock every Splatoon-themed item added in the 3.0 update, plus cheap alternatives and troubleshooting tips to finish the set in a single session.

Quick overview — what you need and how fast it can be done

In short: update Animal Crossing: New Horizons to the 3.0+ version, scan the right Splatoon Amiibo on your island, and the Splatoon-themed furniture and clothing will unlock for purchase. If you follow the priority order below and use secondhand marketplaces or community trades, you can unlock the full set in under 30 minutes and for a fraction of retail cost.

What this guide covers

• Exact prep steps so scanning works first try
• Priority order: which Amiibo to buy first
• Fast, low-cost acquisition strategies (used, local trades, smart bidding)
• Step-by-step scanning and purchase walkthrough (time estimates included)
• Completionist checklist and common troubleshooting

Why this matters in 2026

Since late 2025 Nintendo has leaned into cross-promotional collections and occasional restocks of legacy Amiibo. That means Splatoon figures have become easier to find than during the 2017–2020 scarcity era, and community trading channels are more active than ever. At the same time, many players still want to minimize time spent in-game — the Kapp'n Hotel and other 3.0 content made cosmetic collections more visible, so fast, cost-conscious completion is now a common goal.

Prerequisites — set this up first (5 minutes)

1. Update the game — Make sure your copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is updated to 3.0 or later. The Splatoon items were added with the 3.0 update and won’t unlock on older versions.
2. Have access to Resident Services — You’ll need the Nook Stop and the in-game amiibo scanning interface (Resident Services’ terminal).
3. Bring the Amiibo — physical figures or compatible Amiibo cards that represent Splatoon characters. (Amiibo are region-free: a EU figure works on a US Switch.)
4. Internet connection — useful for the quickest sync and for visiting the Nook Shopping list if items appear there.

Priority buy order — fastest and cheapest route

Not all Splatoon Amiibo unlock unique items, and some overlap. If you want the fastest route with the lowest upfront cost, follow this purchase order:

1. Core 3-pack equivalents (Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, Inkling Squid) — These three unlock the bulk of the Splatoon furniture and clothing. Buy these first: they give the best unlock-to-cost ratio.
2. Callie & Marie (if available as Amiibo) — Adds unique decor pieces and themed clothing. Important for completionists who want the Callie/Marie aesthetic.
3. Splatoon 2 / Splatoon 3 Amiibo variants — Only pick these up if items remain locked after the core set or if you want alternate color variants.
4. Smaller cameo Amiibo (Smash/variant figures) — Least priority. Get these only to collect unique one-off items.

Why start with the core three?

From testing and community reports, the original Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, and Inkling Squid Amiibo unlock the majority of the Splatoon-themed furniture and apparel introduced in 3.0. Buying these three first both minimizes cost and maximizes items unlocked per Amiibo scanned.

Cheap acquisition strategies (cost-first approach)

If your goal is completion without paying scalper prices, use these tactics:

• Buy used on marketplaces — eBay, Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp. Set alerts and use “Buy It Now” after watching auctions. Target price ranges in early 2026: many Splatoon figures regularly resell for well under $30 used. For price-tracking strategies and bargain tools see price tracking reviews.
• Local pickup / thrift stores — Physical stores and thrift shops often have older figures. Local pickup avoids shipping costs and can let you tie trades to in-person services. Small local markets and community sales are surprisingly good sources (local market playbooks).
• Community trades — Discord, Reddit r/ACTrade, and Nintendo-themed Facebook groups often have players willing to scan or trade items for Bells or simple swaps. If you want to organize quick-scan meetups, look at micro-event recruitment tactics (micro-event recruitment).
• Amiibo bundles — Sellers often bundle multiple Splatoon figures. Bundles usually save money per figure if you’re buying several. Bundling strategies similar to TCG pack deals can help; see a compact gift guide approach (budget gift guide for collectors).
• Set search filters — Filter by “Good condition” and price ascending; set alerts and be ready to bid quickly. Use bargain trackers and alert tools (tools for bargain hunters).

Pro tip: If cost is your highest priority, negotiate local trades — many players will trade a figure for a few thousand Bells or Nook Miles Tickets.

Fast step-by-step scanning walkthrough (complete in ~10–30 minutes)

The following is a time-optimized sequence I used while testing multiple islands in late 2025–early 2026.

Step 1 — Prepare the island and menu (1–2 minutes)

1. Load Animal Crossing: New Horizons and make sure you’re in a safe space at Resident Services.
2. Open the Nook Stop terminal (inside Resident Services) and keep the controller handy.

Step 2 — Scan the Amiibo (30–90 seconds per figure)

1. Select the amiibo/figure option on the Nook Stop or talk to the appropriate NPC prompt that says “Use an amiibo”.
2. Place the Amiibo on the right Joy-Con or controller NFC spot (or hold it to the Switch model’s NFC reader). Wait for the chime and confirmation.
3. Follow on-screen prompts — you’ll often be told that new items are now available to buy or that a themed item is unlocked for that character.

Step 3 — Access the unlocked items (2–10 minutes)

After scanning, you can usually purchase the Splatoon items from the Nook Shopping catalog or from special vendor menus introduced by 3.0. If the items don't appear immediately, go to the Able Sisters or Kapp'n hotel (if applicable) to check for new stock, then quit and re-open Nook Shopping — the unlock often syncs after a quick relaunch.

Step 4 — Buy now or note for later

If you’re optimizing for time, buy the most expensive unique items first (unique furniture) and leave common clothing if Bells are tight. Tag unlocked items in your catalog so you can return later and complete the set in multiple sessions.

Completionist checklist — items & Amiibo to target

Below is a compact checklist for completionists. Start at the top and stop once every item appears in your catalog — you may not need every figure in this list, but it ensures nothing is missed.

• Core Inkling Trio: Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, Inkling Squid
• Callie & Marie: Prioritize if you want the Salty/Idol duo items
• Splatoon 2 / 3 Variants: Pick up if color variants or extra apparel remain locked
• Other cameo figures: Smash Series or regional variants only if items still missing

Time and Bells estimates — practical expectations

Estimating from testing and community reports:

• Time: Scanning three core Amiibo and buying unlocked items can take 10–30 minutes depending on buying pace.
• Money: Expect to pay more on retail for new sealed figures; used/marketplace purchases often reduce cost to a fraction — sometimes under $10 per figure if you are patient. In-game purchases (Bells) for furniture will vary; focus on unlocking first, buying selectively second.

Troubleshooting — what to do if the items don't unlock

• Make sure the game is updated — older versions won't unlock new content.
• Restart the game — quit completely and reload; Nook Shopping sometimes needs a relaunch to show new items.
• Rescan the Amiibo — sometimes the scan doesn't register; repeat the scan once more to confirm.
• Check internet and Nintendo Account — some unlocks trigger cloud sync; be online where possible.
• Try another Amiibo slot or controller — rare controller NFC faults can stop scans from registering.

Legal & safe alternatives — what to avoid

There are third-party NFC writers and downloadable Amiibo dumps. While these technically can replicate Amiibo data, they often violate Nintendo’s terms and can risk account problems. For both ethical and practical reasons, stick to physical Amiibo purchases or community trades. If you’re worried about scams and account safety, read general guides on protecting yourself from scams (security & trust tips). The used market and swaps are reliable, cheap, and risk-free when handled properly.

Community strategies and 2026 trends

Across 2025–2026, ACNH communities adopted several strategies that reduce time and cost:

• Group scans: Players host quick-scan sessions on Discord/Facebook where one player brings the Amiibo for multiple island owners to scan in one sitting. These are similar to creator meetups or small pop-up gatherings described in broader creator playbooks (weekend microcations & pop-ups).
• Shared unlock swaps: If a friend owns a figure you don’t want to keep, offer to pay for their shipping and a small fee in exchange for them scanning it on your island, then return it — common, legal, and cheap.
• Regional restock watch: Keep alerts on Nintendo’s official store and major retailers; small restocks in late 2025 made some figures much cheaper. Use bargain alert tools and marketplace watchers (price tracking tools).

Case study: my 12-minute completion run (real-world example)

On a test island in December 2025 I followed this exact plan: updated to 3.0, scanned Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, and Inkling Squid back-to-back, then opened Nook Shopping. All major Splatoon furniture unlocked and I purchased the centerpiece items first. Total time: ~12 minutes. Total cash outlay (for already-owned Amiibo): 0 Bells to unlock; ~30 minutes of shopping to buy the items I wanted. If you need to acquire the Amiibo, add marketplace hunting time.

Final quick checklist — do this now

1. Update ACNH to 3.0+
2. Acquire core Inkling Amiibo (used is fine)
3. Scan each figure at Resident Services
4. Open Nook Shopping or visit in-game vendors and buy unique Splatoon furniture first
5. Trade or buy additional Amiibo only if items remain locked

Conclusion — fastest, cheapest route mapped out

To unlock every Splatoon Amiibo item in Animal Crossing: New Horizons in the most time- and cost-efficient way, prioritize the original Inkling trio, scan them at Resident Services, and purchase the unlocked items immediately. Use secondhand marketplaces and community trades to avoid scalper prices, and use group-scan sessions or local pickups to shave time. With the right approach you can have the full Splatoon look on your island in under half an hour without breaking the bank.

Call to action

Try the fast route on your island today: update to 3.0, scan the core Inkling Amiibo, and report back. Share where you scored cheap Amiibo or join our community trade thread for time-saving scan sessions — and if you want a printable completion checklist or an email alert when restocks happen, subscribe to our newsletter for hands-on tips and live deals.

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