Animal Crossing retro games
Image: Nintendo Life

Ever since the first entry in the series, Animal Crossing fans have been wishing playable retro Nintendo games would make a return. And now they have, after a fashion.

With the release of update 3.0.0, a small selection of 8- and 16-bit games are playable in Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Switch 1 and 2.

In this guide, we've listed each console and the one playable game you can access, plus how to get the consoles in the game.

Every playable retro game in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

There are seven playable consoles in the game, but only six playable games.

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Remember, you will need an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription to be able to access them. Also, there is no rewind or save state functionality.

Here's the full list of playable games:

Each game comes with onscreen control instructions on the right side of the screen. Clicking the right stick removes the guide and centres the screen. To quit the game, just hold down 'ZL' and 'ZR' as instructed.

How to get the retro consoles in ACNH

If you're wondering where to find the systems, you'll need to unlock the hotel and decorate rooms for guests over several days to gain access to the retro consoles.

Specifically, they become purchasable from Grams' souvenir shop in the hotel. They are found on the 'Special' tab and, as with everything else at the shop, they can only be bought using Hotel Tickets.

You earn tickets by decorating rooms or crafting DIY Request items and depositing them in the box outside the hotel (on the pier, next to Kapp'n and his boat). Check out our hotel guide for more information.

The exact unlock method isn't clear at the time of writing, but Grams added these "rare" items to her catalog when she expanded her stock for the third and final time.

When the unlock occurred, we had:

  • Unlocked and decorated all eight rooms and the VIP room at the hotel
  • Crafted and donated over 50 items for Kapp'n
  • Had the hotel operating on our island for a week in in-game time

We'll update this section when we've narrowed down the exact unlock conditions.

Other non-playable Nintendo items

Grams has a selection of other vintage Nintendo items to buy, including the Ultra Hand, Love Tester, and even a Switch 2.

However, these are standard items like any other in the game. Interacting with them triggers an animation, but they're not 'playable' like the retro consoles. Well, technically, you may well be playing on a Switch 2 already, but thinking about that makes our brain hurt.

ACNH Retro Games FAQ

Animal Crossing retro games
Image: Nintendo Life

Before we wrap up, here are a few answers to questions you might have about the games.

How do I play the retro games?

Simply place the console in a room, walk up to it, and press 'A'. You don't need a television item next to the console or anything - you'll just be given the option to play.

How much do the retro consoles cost?

Each console costs 500 Hotel Tickets.

Are there any differences between the NSO versions and the Animal Crossing versions?

The games themselves appear to be identical, but there are some major differences in the features available.

Rewind options and Save States are available in the Nintendo Switch Online versions, as well as display and button remapping options. None of these are present in New Horizons.

What's the best game here?

F-Zero is so good they put it twice! But Panel de Pon (known as Tetris Attack in the West) is excellent, too.

Hang on, two F-Zeroes?

Yes, two F-Zeroes. We love it, but it does seem like a missed opportunity not to add a different game.

Is it worth playing these games in Animal Crossing rather than accessing them via the Nintendo Switch Online apps?

In a word? No.

This is a tiny selection of games presented without the mod cons and display options present in the NSO apps. Really, these are just a cute novelty and a callback to the GameCube Animal Crossing, which featured playable versions of several NES games. It's a little strange that playing them requires a subscription, to be honest.

If you're serious about playing these and getting the most out of them, just download the relevant NSO app instead. Don't play them in this New Horizons wrapper.

Let us know below if you've got any questions.