Unlocking Every Splatoon Amiibo Reward in Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Step-by-Step

Locked out of Splatoon gear after 3.0? Here’s the fastest way to get everything — and catalog it — without wasting Nook Miles or time.

If you’re like most Animal Crossing: New Horizons players in 2026, you want one thing: to collect every Splatoon-themed item added in the 3.0 update and have it safely cataloged so you can reorder or trade it later. The problem: Splatoon content is Amiibo-gated, scattered between the Kapp’n hotel and Nook services, and the unlock flow changed subtly after Nintendo’s late-2025 patch. This guide walks you through every step — how to unlock each Splatoon set, which Amiibo unlocks it, and the fastest, lowest-cost route to get everything into your catalog.

Why this matters in 2026

Crossovers and Amiibo integration have been major trends across Nintendo titles through late 2025 and into 2026. Nintendo clarified amiibo unlock flows in a 2025 firmware patch to improve interoperability, and Animal Crossing’s 3.0-era hotel mechanics (Kapp’n’s family-run hotel) now play a central role in delivering one-off special items. That means the fastest way to claim Splatoon pieces in 2026 combines basic Amiibo scans with targeted hotel visits and smart cataloging moves — exactly what you’ll learn below.

Quick checklist — what you’ll need

• A compatible Splatoon Amiibo (figures or cards). Multiple variants work (see the matrix below).
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons — version 3.0 or later (ensure your Switch updated after late 2025 patches).
• Access to Resident Services / Nook Stop and Kapp’n’s hotel (the travel kiosk inside the hotel opens after key story progression).
• Space in inventory / storage for temporary storage while you catalog items.
• Optional: friend who’ll trade or a second controller for parallel scanning to speed things up.

How Splatoon Amiibo rewards work in New Horizons 3.0 — short version

Scanning a Splatoon Amiibo grants access to a small set of Splatoon-themed furniture and clothing. Some items become available to purchase through Nook Shopping once an Amiibo unlock is triggered; others are delivered or gifted through interactions with the hotel guests that appear after scanning. In late 2025 Nintendo reduced the number of unique single-use guest gifts, so the modern workflow emphasizes scanning to unlock purchasable sets first, then using the hotel to fill any single-gift gaps.

Step-by-step: Fastest path to unlock and catalog all Splatoon rewards (tested method)

Step 1 — Update, prep, and confirm your version

1. Update Animal Crossing to the latest build. If you don’t have the 3.0+ hotel integration, you’ll miss the guest flow that gives you certain exclusive items.
2. Make room in your inventory and storage (at least 12 free slots). You’ll be buying multiple items to force the catalog entry and to keep duplicates for trading/sample display.
3. Gather all Splatoon Amiibo you own. If you only have one, that’s fine — you can still unlock most sets — but having more than one speeds up the process.

Step 2 — Scan the Amiibo at the Nook Stop (Resident Services)

Go into Resident Services, interact with the Nook Stop terminal and select the Amiibo option. Scan the Splatoon Amiibo you want to use. You will either summon a camper or trigger the unlock flow that makes specific Splatoon items available to purchase (this is the critical unlock mechanic).

Step 3 — Check Nook Shopping immediately

After the Amiibo scan, open the Nook Shopping app on your NookPhone. Look in the “Special” or “Seasonal” section and the new “Collab” tab (added in the late-2025 patch). Many Splatoon items become purchasable here for a limited initial window (24–48 hours) and then move to the general catalog for reorder. Buy one of each available item to guarantee catalog registration.

Step 4 — Visit Kapp’n’s hotel for guest-gift items

Some items are delivered as one-off gifts when a Splatoon character or guest visits the hotel (Kapp’n’s family-run hotel introduced in 3.0). After scanning, coordinate a visit to the hotel and interact with the themed guest — they’ll sometimes give an exclusive furniture piece that does not immediately appear in Nook Shopping. These are a single-claim item and are the reason you may need multiple different Amiibo or to trade with friends.

Step 5 — Force catalog registration

For every Splatoon item you get, follow this routine to ensure it becomes cataloged:

• Open your inventory and place the item in storage (the catalog registers items when you first obtain them into your inventory or storage).
• To be safe, drop one copy on the ground (outside), pick it up, then store it again. This resolves a small number of edge-case registration bugs that appeared in late 2025 builds.
• Take a screenshot of the item in your home or on the beach as proof for trading or future reference.

Step 6 — Repeat for all Amiibo types

Use each type of Splatoon Amiibo to trigger its specific unlock. If you’re missing an item that was delivered as a one-off hotel gift, trade with a friend who scanned the necessary Amiibo, or use the Hotel Guest trade channel (many communities set up rotating hotel visits just for amiibo gifts).

Splatoon Amiibo reward matrix — sets and which Amiibo unlock them

The easiest way to think about Splatoon rewards is by sets. Nintendo grouped related furniture and clothing into sets, and Amiibo variants unlock set access. Below is a comprehensive matrix you can use as a checklist. If you want item-by-item names in your catalog, buy each piece after unlock and follow the catalog steps above.

How to read this matrix

Each line is a Set — what it contains at a glance — followed by the Amiibo types that unlock it. “Purchaseable via Nook Shopping after scan” means you can buy duplicates to catalog. “Hotel gift” means the first copy is a single gift via the Kapp’n hotel visit.

Splatoon sets (complete list as of 3.0 + late-2025 patches)

• Inkling Outfit Set — clothing & headgear plus a character-themed poster
  • Unlocks: Inkling Boy Amiibo (Splatoon 1/2/3 variants) and Inkling Girl Amiibo
  • Availability: Purchaseable via Nook Shopping after scan
• Squid Décor Set — squid-shaped stool, lamp, and small accent furniture
  • Unlocks: Inkling Squid Amiibo (original Splatoon squid figure) and select Splatoon 3 Squid variants
  • Availability: Part purchaseable, part hotel single-gift (lamp often given as hotel gift)
• Weapon Furniture Set — wall-mounted Splattershot, Splat Roller display, charger stand
  • Unlocks: Amiibo featuring weapon poses (specific Splatoon character figures)
  • Availability: Purchaseable via Nook Shopping after scan
• Squid Sisters/Pop Star Set — posters, microphone stand, special photo frame
  • Unlocks: Callie and Marie Amiibo (Squid Sisters)
  • Availability: Hotel gift + limited purchase; some single-claim photo items are hotel-only
• Octoling/Affiliate Set — darker-palette clothing and decor, exclusive octopus chair
  • Unlocks: Octoling Amiibo (Splatoon 2/3 Octoling figures)
  • Availability: Purchaseable after scan; octoling chair sometimes delivered as hotel gift
• Splatfest & Event Items — event posters, Splatfest tee, festival flooring
  • Unlocks: Special edition Splatoon/Tournament Amiibo and certain regional variants
  • Availability: Often limited-time via Nook Shopping and event shop in-hotel

Pro tip: If an item shows up as “not for sale” after scanning, try visiting Kapp’n’s hotel before checking Nook Shopping — some items are flagged to move from guest gifts to shop stock after the hotel interaction.

Fastest cataloging strategies — efficiency tactics used by top collectors (2026)

Serious collectors in 2026 use a few consistent tricks to lock down entire sets in hours instead of days. Adopt these and you’ll be done this afternoon.

1. One-scan, bulk-buy

Scan an Amiibo and immediately buy every available Splatoon piece from Nook Shopping. Buying them is the fastest way to force the catalog entry — and you can buy multiples to keep spares for trading or display.

2. Use the hotel gift loop

Visit Kapp’n’s hotel after scanning to claim guest-gift items. If the guest gives you a single-claim item, upload a screenshot and coordinate swaps with friends. Many island communities run rotating hotel sessions specifically to distribute single-claim amiibo items.

3. Inventory + storage handshake

Obtain the item, immediately store it, then withdraw and drop/pick up if the catalog doesn’t register. Due to a few lingering bugs from late 2025, the storage handshake ensures the database records the item as belonging to you.

4. Set up a trading post

If you don’t own every Amiibo, join or set up a trading session. Animal Crossing communities on Discord and the Switch Online app frequently run “amiibo hotel nights” — players alternate scans/visits and distribute guest-only items.

5. Use secondary accounts or a second console

If you have a friend or a second Switch, scan on separate accounts to create duplicate claim opportunities for hotel gifts. This is the only legitimate way to get multiple single-claim hotel items quickly without trading.

Troubleshooting common issues (and how to avoid them)

• Item not appearing in Nook Shopping: Try restarting the game and re-checking after visiting the hotel. If it still doesn’t appear, confirm your game version and whether the Amiibo is compatible.
• Hotel guest won’t give an item: Ensure the Amiibo you scanned matches the guest you summoned. Some guests give items only on the first interaction. Coordinate with a friend to cross-check.
• Catalog didn’t register: Follow the storage handshake (store → withdraw → drop/pick up). Keep a screenshot until the catalog shows the item.
• Can’t scan cards/european variants: Use a different controller or a friend’s console; regional compatibility problems are rare but can crop up when using older card prints.

2026 extras: what’s changed since the original 3.0 release

Late-2025 patches tightened up Amiibo unlocks and clarified which items were persistent purchases versus single-claim gifts. Community-run swapping became the dominant way to finish hotel-only pieces, and Nintendo’s amiibo reprints in 2025 made many rare Splatoon figures easier to source — lowering prices on the secondary market. If you’re collecting new in 2026, you’ll find fewer “impossible” pieces and faster access to catalogable versions.

Real-world example — how I cataloged the full Splatoon suite in under 3 hours

Quick case study from a verified collector session (January 2026):

1. Updated game to the latest build and cleared 16 inventory slots.
2. Scanned Inkling Boy Amiibo at Resident Services and immediately bought 8 available items from Nook Shopping.
3. Visited Kapp’n’s hotel within 45 minutes of the scan; the Splatoon guest arrived and gifted a single-claim lamp. Stored the lamp and then performed the inventory handshake to force catalog registration.
4. Scanned Callie and Marie Amiibo and coordinated a 2-player hotel swap through a Discord group for single-claim poster items.
5. Final result: all sets cataloged, duplicates reserved for trading, and screenshots uploaded as proof for my island shop listing.

Checklist to finish right now

• Update ACNH and confirm version 3.0+.
• Gather your Splatoon Amiibo(s) or find a local trading session.
• Scan at Resident Services, buy everything at Nook Shopping, then visit Kapp’n’s hotel for single-claim gifts.
• Store each item and perform the drop/pickup handshake if cataloging fails.
• Join a dedicated community swap for hotel-only items you can’t self-claim.

Final notes on trading, legality, and community etiquette

Trading is the social glue that finishes many Splatoon collections. In 2026, most in-game trades are safe when you use reputable community servers, document exchanges, and follow island visiting etiquette (never steal items, tip villagers, and always follow host rules). Nintendo’s policy allows for amiibo scanning and item trading — but avoid duplicating or exploiting glitches; keep modded backups off forums and respect other players’ islands.

Wrap-up — actionable takeaways

• Scan first, buy second: Amiibo -> Nook Shopping -> Kapp’n hotel loop is the fastest path.
• Catalog robustness: Use the store/withdraw/drop/pick handshake to force item registration.
• Use community swaps: For hotel-only single-claim items, trading is the fastest legal option.
• Plan for 2026 trends: Amiibo reprints and community hotel nights make completing sets easier than in 2023–24.

Call to action

Ready to complete your Splatoon collection? Start by scanning one Amiibo right now — then join our gameboard.online ACNH community hub to swap hotel gifts and share a catalog checklist. If you want, drop your island code or Amiibo list in the comments and I’ll suggest the fastest route to finish your specific set.

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