Nintendo Direct reveals more news about Animal Crossing gameplay, saving
- feb
- 20
The next Animal Crossing title is coming, and here are all the juicy details!
Finally, after years of anticipation, E3 2019 gave Animal Crossing fans the announcement they've been waiting for. Nintendo announced Animal Crossing: New Horizon for the Nintendo Switch, the first console addition since the beloved GameCube release, and it's easy to see that this franchise entry will be worth the wait.
We're going to be getting more information on the game in the next Nintendo Direct, which is coming on February 20!
Here's everything we know so far.
- What is Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
- New Horizons: What's new with gameplay
- Your friendly-neighborhood places if interest
- Phone a friend: Call an Islander and New Horizons multi-player
- NookLink and amiibo compatibility
- Other twists on the New Horizons
- Transfering data
- Playing on the Nintendo Switch Lite
- Animal Crossing accessories galore
- When does Animal Crossings: New Horizons release?
A relaxing getaway
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Build, craft, relax
Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes place on a deserted island. Start off with a tent and upgrade to a house, customize it to your liking, make friends with the villagers, and play with your friends.
What's new in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Update February 20, 2020: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Direct
A month ahead of launch, Nintendo held a Direct all about the upcoming Animal Crossing: New Horizons. With it, we received updates on how building your island will work, learned exciting news about how to expand your new deserted getaway, and received some unfortunate news about cloud backup. Plus, Tom Nook took over the Animal Crossing Twitter feed and will be sharing new updates.
Update February 17, 2020: Animal Crossing: New Horizon skins for the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite
Don't want to wait for the Animal Crossing: New Horizon Switch or accessories, or maybe you can't justify buying a whole new Switch? Don't worry; you can still flaunt your Animal Crossing: New Horizon love with some adorable skins for your Switch and Switch Lite. The Switch Bundle features Timmy and Tommy Nook, and the same is available for the Switch Lite. The Switch Lite also features two more new skins: one with a unique wood-inspired finish, and the second featuring some of our favorite Animal Crossing characters.
Update February 7, 2020: Save data will not be transferable from console to console.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons will have it's own save backup; however, users will not be able to transfer save data between consoles. Also, the game will be compatible with the Switch Lite, but it requires Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers for multiplayer play.
Update February 5, 2020: Exclusive Animal Crossing: New Horizons custom PowerA Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch
After the exciting reveal of the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Switch console and accessories, PowerA has followed up with an exclusive design of its own. Featuring K.K. Slider or Timmy and Tommy Nook, these new wireless controllers ar now available for pre-order and costs $49.99. Plus, it will arrive just in time for release on March 20, 2020. Unfortunately, due to their popularity, they have sold out. But, you can still pick up K.K. Slider at Best Buy or Target.
Update January 30, 2020: Animal Crossing: New Horizon custom Nintendo Switch, dock and case
Aloha! to the newest Nintendo Switch design. Nintendo of America tweeted the lastest design for a brand new custom Nintendo Switch, and it's all about Animal Crossings: New Horizons. Featuring unique Joy-Con controllers, Animal Crossing-inspired embossed details, a Tom Nook, and family designed dock, and a leaf-printed protective case, it's the perfect package for any Animal Crossing enthusiast.
The new Nintendo Switch design is available for pre-order and the accessories will be available on March 13, 2020, just in time for Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Update January 24, 2020: Target releases Animal Crossing: New Horizons pre-order bundle
If you haven't already pre-ordered Animal Crossing: New Horizons and you love getting bonuses, you're in luck. Target tweeted out a pre-order bundle that includes a free, and exclusive, Animal Crossings: New Horizons journal. When you pre-order the game, you get access to this cute, matching notebook. The pre-order bundle is currently available only through Target.
Update January 10, 2020: Officially-licensed Animal Crossing: New Horizons Accessories from Hori
Animal Crossing fans rejoice! It looks like Nintendo and Hori have joined to bring us some great Animal Crossing: New Horizon-inspired accessories for the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch Lite. Though they are currently only available through Amazon Japan, and fans can purchase these adorable extras.
The collection includes a storage case, a shoulder bag, a patterned pouch, a Switch Lite semi-hard cover, a super cute Switch stand, and a charming tote bag. At this time, they are not available for purchase, but you can pre-order them! The entire collection will ship internationally, but not until March 31, 2020. Unfortunately, they are not included as part of the New Horizon Getaway Package.
Update January 2, 2020: New trailer for Animal Crossing: New Horizon
It's finally 2020, and that means only a few short months until Animal Crossing: New Horizon. With the new year came a new trailer tweeted by ACPocketNews. This trailer acts like a timeshare presentation to some of our favorite animal NPCs, including Isabella! Included with the 30-second trailer was a release date of March 20, 2020.
What is Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Animal Crossing is a simulator game series where players control a taciturn avatar starting a new life in a new town filled with quirky inhabitants and fun seasonal changes. The goal is to explore, gather, chat with townsfolk, clean up weeds, and really deck out your living quarters.
With the help of resident retailer and business raccoon, Tom Nook, you start small and work your way up to a bigger house with more additions. To do this, you'll need to earn Bells (money) doing odd jobs for your neighbors, collecting and selling all manner of creatures, or just getting rid of your junk.
To top things off, you don't actually need to be in the game for things to happen. That's right; the town will go about its daily business without you. There's no shortage of things to do in these casual, yet fun games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a brand-new unexplored world, and everything about the franchise may be changing for the better.
New Horizons: What's new with gameplay?
Compared to the previous entries in the franchise, to say there's a lot is putting it mildly. Animal Crossing games typically present players with a random map design whenever a new town is created. Players will arrive via plane and attend an Orientation with CEO Tom Nook as they are welcomed to their new island adventure. Before getting started, you can pick your island layout, your hemisphere, and then select where you want to pitch your tent. You can place your home anywhere you want, even the beach! From there, you can help your fellow adventures select spots for their new homes, and then it's time to start building.
In New Horizons, everyone starts from scratch, even Nook, by receiving the "Nook Inc. The Deserted Island Getaway Package." Players have a tent, a NookPhone, and a pocket full of dreams. With this blank canvas, or "empty map," you can really set to work making this island according to your vision. And that is exciting!
As you cultivate your new island home, you can invite residents, establish businesses, and eventually obtain a permit to shape your island home to your exact specifications. All this comes a fee, of course, but Tom Nook is happy to do it. Plus, you don't have to do it alone. Up to eight of your family or friends can join you on the island, and together you can create it in your own unique vision.
Animal Crossing: New Horizon's focus is still similar to past franchise games, but it comes with some new mechanics. The goal is still to collect, explore, and shape your town, but there are a few enhancement to really take customization to the next level.
Getting crafty and hunting for materials
Originally incorporated in the Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp mobile game, players will have the chance to get crafty and create their own items using materials found while exploring. From the game footage, it appears that you won't have a personal bench to start, but that's OK. Tom Nook has a workbench for you to craft whatever you need, for free!
Tom Nook's shop looks like it'll be the place to go if you want to buy or sell materials or anything else you're carrying around, including weeds. (Yes, weeds!) Of course, if you're a hoarder (like me), you'll want to hold on to those materials. From what we've gathered from the trailer, those materials will be useful for building all sorts of items, like the "flimsy ax" used to chop down trees. Of course, getting a new item can help you gather even more materials, and sometimes some rare components may just pop up.
You can use just about anything to build new items, from wood to weeds. Players can uncover recipes to craft items using the NookPhone under the DYI Recipes app, which has tons of recipes for tools, furniture, clothes, bait, and more. All the information you'll need to build will be right in the recipe, down to the number of resources. As you learn these recipes and become a master, you can take them to the next level by adding your own personal twist, like a funky pattern.
Frequent flyer: What are NookPhone and Nook Miles?
One of the fancy new additions and key items in New Horizons is the NookPhone. This handy little device has a bunch of useful apps that will help as you play.
- DIY Recipe App: Contains recipes and materials needed for crafting
- Camera: For snapping handy photos
- Map: Check out your island's layout
- Nook Miles: Rewards program
- Call an Islander: Call a friend to join you.
- Rescue Service: Lost? No worries. We can help.
The NookPhone is pretty much your connection to everything. While most of the apps are self-explanatory, the Nook Miles is a nifty new feature that rewards players as they complete objectives, much like airline miles. Simple tasks like crafting a certain number of items or catching a certain amount of bugs can earn Nook Miles.
If you accumulate enough miles, you can complete the 'Nook Mile' card and exchange it for rewards. This addition is pretty great; we can finally be rewarded for our hard work. Earning Nook Miles can get you more than just prizes. You can pay off your Nook Inc. Island Getaway Package, purchase "Mystery Tour" tickets, and get a hold of some items that may not be readily available. It adds just a little incentive to do more on your island.
With all this untracked, new space, it's actually easy to get lost on your island from time to time. Plus, there are a lot of scary and dangerous things on the undeveloped island. If you find yourself trapped, you can simply pull out your NookPhone and call for the Rescue Service. They will happily pick you up and take you back to a safe area.
If you want to capture every moment, the camera app comes in handy. You can snap photos, zoom, and add graphics; you can even pose if you'd like. This feature is even better when you have some friends along for fun.
Your friendly-neighborhood places if interest
In addition to Tom Nook's headquarters, your island will feature other points of interest. In the beginning, you may be limited to one or two, but as you cultivate the land and bring in new residents, commerce will follow. Of course, that is if you want it to.
Players will have immediate access to the Island Getaway headquarters and the Airport. The Airport plays an important role when it comes to multiplayer. When you want to invite some friends or visit another island, this is the place to go. Of course, to access your friends' islands, you will need a Nintendo Online membership. You can also send mail or packages to your friends via the Postal Service as well, which is located in the Airport as well.
Finally, if you've collected enough Nook Miles, you can purchase tickets to Mystery Tours. Players will get to travel to distant islands, depending on where the pilot feels like going and explore different areas. You can pick up fruit, gather materials, and catch exotic creatures to bring back home. Of course, you may want to watch out for any dangerous insects on your journey.
Once you've had a chance to really improve your town, you'll have many more options that you may want to add to your growing village, like a museum, a campsite, a general store, or a fashion boutique. As more people move to the town, you may even run into some familiar faces, like Isabelle! In fact, she may want to help you build town morale. Once you've improved your town enough, you can run special events, tournaments, and create the atmosphere you desire! Or you can just enjoy rustic living.
As soon as your town becomes "legit" and you earn your permit, you can even make changes to the landscape. Build mountains, shape water, or build pathways. There's definitely more than one way to build a community. It's all up to you.
Phone a friend: Call an Islander and New Horizons multiplayer
Playing together with your friends has always been a staple feature of Animal Crossing games, and New Horizons looks no different. At the end of the trailer, there are a total of eight villagers seen together gathering at some rocks next to the water.
It's confirmed that up to eight islanders can be living together on the same island. Up to four of them can play together at the same time using two pairs of Joy-Cons. There are online and local multiplayer, and more details will be revealed later.
During each multiplayer session, a leader can be designated for the group. The leader can use the Call an Islander app to bring in additional islanders. The leader will have a yellow flag marker shown above their head, so it's easy to distinguish who is currently leading the group. If at any time you want to switch the leader so they can share in the 'material' wealth, you can easily move the flag around from player to player. Plus, each player can emote, which is a fun little detail.
During co-op play, the other islanders will teleport near the leader if they stray too far. It should be noted, to engage in the four-player co-op, every player needs to have a house on the island. Keep in mind; only one island can exist per Switch console, regardless of home many people are registered to it. For eight-islander multiplayer, you can travel to one player's island and explore using local wireless or an internet connection. To play online, each player should have a Switch, a copy of the game, and a Nintendo Account. Also, online play does require a Nintendo Online membership. Oh, and unless you're considered best friends in the game, you'll have to leave your ax and shovel at home.
NookLink and amiibo compatibility
Sometimes holding on to your old games and amiibo is a great idea; you never know when it might be useful! For online play or if you want to transfer some of your custom designs from Animal Crossing: New Leaf or Happy Home Design, the NookLink is just the tool for you. Using the NookLink on your mobile device, you can chat with friends or use the keyboard. If you're missing some of the fancy designs you made in previous games, you can scan the QR code using the NookLine app and bring them on over to New Horizons. This service will be available in March 2020 after the game's launch.
If you happen to have some Animal Crossing amiibo, you're in luck! Animal Crossing: New Horizons supports amiibo figures and amiibo cards. You can invite those fan favorites to Photopia, and take pictures. However, it's not clear yet how players will be able to use these amiibo.
Other twists on the New Horizons
While the game has a very familiar look, there are so many new details that are exciting about New Horizons. Who knows what could have been added? A lot, apparently. Nintendo has already confirmed that players will receive plenty of free updates, including one upon the game's release on March 20, 2020.
In addition to crafting, the NookPhone, and multiplayer, some new gameplay elements are being introduced. From the trailer and gameplay demos, we can tell there's going to be customization options galore. Items no longer have to be placed inside the home; you can set up a nice bonfire and hammock right outside your house.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons will also feature northern and southern hemispheres, so no matter where you are, your island will experience similar seasons and weather. While seasons are nothing new to Animal Crossing, there will be new activities and things for players to do as the weather changes. What's more exciting about this update is the variety it brings. Weeds, plants, and growth will change, as the trailer shows plant life cycles and even mushrooms in fall. Plus, players need to be more aware of when night falls, since there's no telling what they will see under cover of darkness, including some dangerous bugs or scary ghosts.
Fishing, bug catching, fossil finding, and planting are all still staple activities, but now you can pick flowers instead of crushing them. Players can craft bait, make a garland, use weeds to craft, and move trees! Plus, the fruit will no longer be a novelty. Eating a piece of fruit seems to give your islander strength to perform more strenuous tasks, like pulling up and moving a tree. The island itself will just be much bigger, and you can truly make it however you'd like.
Transfering Data
Unfortunately, Animal Crossings: New Horizons will not support moving user data or transferring saves between consoles. So, if you want to move your save data between your Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite, you are out of luck. This also means that if you do engage in local co-op, your friends can't transfer their data to your Switch either.
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons software doesn't support save data storage using Nintendo Switch Online, but the developers are working on a way to restore your save data in case of loss, theft, or damage to the original Switch. This restore method is only possible for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Unfortunately, information about this backup system is still being developed.
Playing on the Nintendo Switch Lite
Nintendo Switch Lite owners rejoice! You can take part in the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, too. The game is compatible with the handheld-only device, and what's more, players can still engage in multiplayer fun. Players will still need a Nintendo Switch Online membership for online play. Also, if you plan to play locally with your friends, it's necessary to connect some Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers fo the other players as well. It works the same as the Nintendo Switch; so, keep in mind that once you create an island on one system, you can't move it to another.
Animal Crossing accessories galore
While players won't be 'getting' the NookPhone until the game arrives, there are plenty of other fun Animal Crossing: New Horizon goodies coming out just in time for release. The first is the new Nintendo Switch featuring Tom, Timmy, and Tommy Nook. In addition, it will have unique Joy-Cons, a dock, and a leaf-print carrying case.
If you don't need a new Switch, or can't justify getting one, there are several Animal Crossing: New Horizon skins at a much more affordable price. This includes a Switch bundle and a few options for the Switch Lite, including a wood-inspired finish, and a design featuring adorable Animal Crossing characters.
If you are a fan of wireless controllers, the PowerA Wireless Controller has two special designs featuring K.K Slider, and Timmy and Tommy Nook.
If you are a fan of all the merch, Hori has tons of officially licensed accessories. The collection includes a storage case, a shoulder bag, a patterned pouch, a Switch Lite semi-hard cover, a super cute Switch stand, and a charming tote bag. At this time, they are not available for purchase, but you can pre-order them.
When does Animal Crossings: New Horizons release?
Originally, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was supposed to come out sometime in 2019, but the release has been delayed. Nintendo said the reason for the delay is that they want to "ensure the game is the best it can be." That's fine with me since it seems the game will be worth the wait.
The new release date is March 20, 2020, which isn't too far from now, and it will be available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.
Update February 20, 2020: Updated with new details following Nintendo Direct.
A relaxing getaway
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Build, craft, relax
Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes place on a deserted island. Start off with a tent and upgrade to a house, customize it to your liking, make friends with the villagers, and play with your friends.
Get More Switch
Nintendo Switch
