Animal Crossing: New Horizons Guide – Tutorial, Tips and Hints

UPGRADE: We are adding new guides for the free update 2.0 and Happy Home Paradise DLC – find new and updated guides at bold font in the relevant sections below!

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons took over many of our lives slowly but surely, but if you don’t know what to do next in the game, you should check out the tips and hints outlined below.

If you’re completely new to the series, you might want to read our Animal Crossing: New Horizons review, where we concluded that the game is an “Accessible and Addictive Masterpiece – 10/10”. Alternatively, discover everything that is available in Update 2.0 and the Happy Home Paradise DLC pack.

If you don’t currently own the game, check out Where to Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch and How to Buy the Happy Home Paradise DLC.

Assuming that do Enjoy the game, sit back and relax as we take the stress out of your new island. Let’s start.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Tutorial

Introduction to Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Given how much there is to do in New Horizons, just knowing where to start is quite intimidating. Not only do you have to deal with a seemingly deep question up front, but you also have to choose a location to pitch your tent, acquire essential tools like the ax, shovel, and ladder, and unlock vital services like the Museum and Enhanced Resident Services. . Then there’s the process of bringing villagers to your island and attracting key talents, like the one and only KK Slider.

Better tools and better equipment

You won’t get very far in New Horizons unless you have the best equipment and tools. You can buy tools from various vendors in the game using Bells, but you can also create them yourself using components scattered around the island. Make sure to unlock the tool ring early on as it makes switching between tools a bit easier, and be sure to update your ax and shovel as soon as possible – the more advanced the tool, the longer you can use it. Before it breaks

Unlock and upgrade buildings and amenities

There are various amenities and shops for island residents to unlock and upgrade as you play. To get the most out of your island getaway experience, you’ll want to add the following buildings and characters to your desert island.

Manage your resources

Resources are essential in Animal Crossing: New Horizons when it comes to crafting and upgrading items, and just about anything you can collect on the island can be sold by Bells. However, elements such as wood, rocks, nuggets (both iron and gold) and clay are used in the construction of important elements and structures. Make sure you have plenty in your pockets at all times!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fish, Bugs and Fossils

There’s a whole ecosystem of creatures that live within New Horizons, and you’ll want to collect as many as possible to donate to Blathers at the island’s museum (which also accepts artwork donations). Some of these can only be purchased at certain times of the year, so you will need to check back constantly.

Special days and events

Throughout the year, Animal Crossing: New Horizons hosts special holidays and events that coincide with real-world festivals and holidays.

• Festivale: Pavé, Rainbow Feathers, Reactions, Clothes and Valentine’s Gifts
• Explanation of the bunny’s day date, start time, egg collection, and crafting
• Nature Day Event – Leif the Sloth, Shrubs, Shrubs and Nature Day
• May Day Event – May Day Tours and a Returning “Special Visitor”
• International Museum Day Event – The Stamp Rally and Event Rewards
• Wedding Season Event: Cyrus and Reese’s Wedding Rewards and Heart Crystals on Harv Island
• Bug-Off – Explanation of event date, start time, fast move and rewards
• Fishing Tournament – Event Date, Start Time, CJ, and Rewards explained
• Fireworks Show – Event Date, Start Time, Redd Raffle Item List, and Custom Fireworks Explanation
• Fall Update: Complete Fall Events Guide
• Halloween Event Guide: How To Get Jack Candy, Lollipops, And Prizes
• Turkey Day: Franklin, Homemade Thanksgiving Recipes, Secret Ingredients, and Rewards
• Christmas Toy Day Event Guide: Magic Jingle Bag and Toy Day Game
• New Years Eve Guide – Tom Nook’s New Years Items List

Special characters

Special characters, many recognizable to fans of the previous Animal Crossing game series, periodically appear on your island or are even installed. These beloved characters invariably provide opportunities to expand your catalog with special items, so they’re worth a chat with when they appear.

General help, tips and advice

Here are some general tips and tricks to make your life a little easier on New Horizons. From quickly earning Bells to making use of amiibo cards and figures, we’ve got you covered!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Happy Home Paradise DLC Tutorial

The Happy Home Paradise DLC, available for purchase separately or included as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription, unlocks a wide range of possibilities in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, including various expanded decorating skills, furniture new, new and returning characters, the ability to change the time of day and season and much more.

Thank you for reading! This concludes our step-by-step guide for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we will continue to update this page and all of our other articles on the game for the months to come – yes, months! What game!