This is a great thread! I was hoping someone would do this!
I really love this awesome mini game ... a new layer in ACNL which I already loved, and now this hidden gem!
At this point I have completed every level in Beginner (there are 10 in each) ... all but the last four in Intermediate, and all but the last two in advanced.
I used both methods for acquiring my characters, bought some with play coins, but the majority I scanned from Amiibo cards.
A few comments ...
in trying different teams, I personally found my consistently best team consists of:
1) Any Dog (I used Mac) for their ability to sniff out and reveal where the good stuff is on adjacent squares ... only three moves though, and a fairly decent fighter
2) a Whimsy (I used Canberra) for the ability of 7 moves, excellent fighters and help you spread out on your map ... downside is the little booger will sometimes not move at all (you spin a wheel each time and get either 7 moves or zero ... sometimes though, even if your wheel lands on zero he will choose seven anyway) ... so whimsies are kind of unpredictable but I swear by using them
3) Any elephant (I chose Tucker) only three moves, are great fighters, and have the great ability to smash rock obstacles ... plan their path carefully because they smash every obstacle on the adjacent square to where they are standing ... great for getting through mountains and making new paths.
(I may need to add a swimmer for levels coming up)
When I completed all the beginner levels I won a Wii U Station ... very cool
For unlocking the Advanced levels I won the water floor and for unlocking the intermediate levels I won the seascape wall ... I am just about to complete the intermediate levels (yes, I jumped around
) and for that I will win the Wii U Gameshelf! ... I have won a few Meow coupons and, oh! Major excitement ... I won a frying pan! Lol ... can't remember what for ... haha