Nintendo recently released its biggest update yet for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and given the scale of what all would be added I decided to jump back in after many months away. And I have thoughts to share on all that is new on the horizon.
I’m going to break down updates into three categories based on things involving islands (both your own and others), villagers, and items. We’ve got a lot to talk about so let’s begin.
The Islands
Hav’s Island Shopping Plaza
I actually had no idea this was an update until looking up everything for this post. And as soon as I found it, I started working on it. Not only are familiar faces there like Leif, but also new shops like Katrina’s fortune-telling. To get started, you’ll have to donate bells to start each business, costing 100,000 bells each. Sounds like a lot, but selling fossils, fruit, and fish can get you there at a decent pace. Being able to shop with sellers who were previously only random visitors on your island is the huge draw for me, so I’m looking forward to getting all the shops up.
Farming and Cooking
You can now grow produce and cook! At first, I didn’t see the point of cooking, but you can eat the food for strength like you can fruit. You can also earn miles doing so, gift them to people, and sell them for money. I still wish that cooking had something a little more worthwhile, but I really enjoy the farming aspect. If only finding and getting produce starters was easier.
Kapp’n Boat Tours
Want another way to visit a random island? Kapp’n Boat Tours does so for 1,000 miles. Much like the islands you visit with Nook Miles Tickets, these islands are randomly generated and only visitable once. This is where you get gyroid fragments that I mention later, and you also have chances of visiting islands that are in different seasons than your own. Plus you can visit islands with crops and dig them up to bring them to your island. You can only do this once a day, which I don’t like personally. I can buy a million Nook Miles Tickets, but can’t do the same with the boat equivalent? There isn’t a reason to do so in my opinion.
Island Ordinances
For the ordinances, you get to decide on certain rules. The options include later nights for villagers and shops, earlier mornings for the same, or task the villagers to help beautify the island by picking weed, watering flowers, and cleaning the water of trash. I currently have the last one, but I really don’t need any of these personally. So I’m pretty indifferent about this update.
The Villagers
Brewster and The Roost
The museum gets a cafe! As far as I have gotten with it, all you can do is drink coffee and sometimes Brewster gives you things. I’m assuming that the more visits to the place will get more things to happen eventually. My one complaint is that the animation for Brestwer making the coffee is so long. In a game where most things can be sped up, this is just a little annoying.
Other New Faces
A bunch of new villagers, both returners from previous games as well as fully new to New Horizons, have been added. In general, I don’t have any opinion about them because I mostly haven’t met them unless they are attached to another update like The Roost or Kapp’n’s Tours.
The Items
Gyroids
Gyroids are a staple in the Animal Crossing series. They are essentially musical creature-like items that dance and make music when placed together. You find them through fragments that you then bury and water to get a random one. In general, it’s just a thing to do and collect. They do work great for my it’s a small world though.
Custom Designs Storage Increase
I, as well as many others, desperately wanted more custom design spots. And we finally got them! No complaints on that.
New Recipes, Furniture, Nook Miles items, and more!
There is a huge influx of new items and recipes available now. It’s nice to have more options and I really enjoy all the new recipes. Plus all of the amazing theme park items from Nook Miles are perfect for my Disney theme island.
If you want to learn about everything that came from the update, I recommend this Animal Crossing World article. You can also get a list of all of the items as well.
Are you playing the big update? What are your thoughts? Let me know with a comment below.
New update looks so good omg! I’m nervous to log on AC since it’s been so long and I know the hell my villagers are about to give me, if they’re still there 😅
Digging the boat tours and cafe addition. Farming looks kinda fun too. Might have to boot up again after all!
I’ve had long breaks and the villagers tend to just mention how you’ve been gone forever and move on.