Twenty minutes of a Nintendo Direct is usually about four to ten big things, but the Animal Crossing Direct was more jam-packed than a sticky child's lunchbox. So much so, in fact, that we've had to split up our usual "everything" round-up into two parts: The free stuff, and the paid stuff.
Here's everything you can find in update 2.0 for Animal Crossing: New Horizons without paying for it:
The Basics
- It's all free, obviously
- The update will be available to download from the 5th November
- The version number is 2.0
- It's the last "major free content update" — we still could get more minor updates, or major paid updates
The Big Stuff
We've split all the new additions into "big stuff" and "quality of life updates", but you may disagree with us on what counts as "big"! All the same, here's the stuff we consider to be massive changes to Animal Crossing: New Horizons:
Returning and Upgraded Special Characters
You can read the full list here, but a fair few beloved NPCs are coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with Brewster taking over The Roost, and tons more (Tortimer, Harriet, Reese and Cyrus) being available on Harv's Island.
New Special Characters And Villagers
Niko and Wardell both have something to do with the Happy Home Paradise expansion, and we'd guess that Wardell is somehow related to Wendell the Walrus from previous games.
But look closer at the amiibo cards and you'll se a staggering amount of new villagers, including Cephalobot the robot octopus, Ione the galactic chipmunk, and Frett the creepy dad-dog. It's not entirely clear how many of these new villagers will be Happy Home Paradise-only yet.
Harv's Island Expansion
Harv's Island will now be even more useful, with a shopping-themed expansion out the back. It seems to work a bit like a campsite, and sellers that usually come into town on occasion, like Kicks, Saharah, and Leif, can set up small shops with a caravan, while returning favourites like Tortimer, Katrina, and Harriet will offer new services.
You'll have to raise enough money to invite each one individually, through a ruggedly handsome version of Lloid that has a moustache.
Froggy Chair
Froggy Chair is back, baby. And it's customisable, too.
Cooking
Who could have predicted that Animal Crossing would get a cooking mechanic? US, THAT'S WHO. But, our prescience aside, the new cooking crafting menu — which appears to be accessible via an oven — will give you the chance to turn various fruits, vegetables, and more into delicious and decorative plates. But where will we get all the vegetables?
Farming
...By growing them, of course! Farming was previously sort of in the game, with the addition of pumpkins, but now that's been expanded to tomatoes, wheat, sugarcane, and many more crops that you can grow from scratch.
Kapp'n's Islands
Kapp'n returns after his role in New Leaf as ferryman to Tortimer's Island, and this time, he'll take you to a new place that only he knows. Take a ride on his boat (and listen to his sea shanties) to get access to new islands, which can have different weather, times of day, and even seasons to your main island, making bug and fish catching much more accessible year-round. There will also be new types of flora, like vines that let you climb cliffs, just like a ladder.
The Roost
We all knew it was coming, thanks to the Nintendo Direct in September, but it's lovely to see the new and upgraded Roost that will open in the Museum.
Staffed solely by Brewster the bird barista, The Roost is a dimly-lit and very cosy little café where patrons can drink coffee any time of the day. You'll be able to see visiting characters and villagers in here, as well as having the option to invite friends and sit down for a cup of joe — just hold the pigeon milk, please.
New Furniture
New Fences
It's exactly what it sounds like: Nine new fences, including Block Fencing, Lattice Fencing, Log-Wall Fencing, Corrugated Iron Fencing and more. There's also the ability to customise fences, too.
More Hairstyles
11 new hairstyles are available, including some that you'll have to learn from Harriet the stylist poodle on Harv's Island. There's a side-braid, a middle parting floppy-haired boyband look, and waves, dreads, and cornrows, too.
More Reactions
11 new reactions are coming, including:
- Double Wave
- Stretch
- Bounce To Music
- Listening Ears
- Say Cheese
New KK Slider Songs
KK has been hard at work in the studio, and we'll be getting 12 new songs as a result, including:
- Chillwave
- KK Bashment
- KK Break
- KK Chorinho
- KK Dub
- KK Fuge
- KK Hip Hop
- KK Lovers
- KK Polka
First-Person Camera & Tripod
The camera app on the Nook Phone now lets you switch to a first-person mode, or tripod mode, which will let you take photos that you're actually in.
Gyroids
Gyroids are not only back, but they're EXTRA cool and EXTRA weird now. Dig up Gyroid fragments, and plant them again to get them growing. Once they've soaked up water, they'll grow into big Gyroids, which you can then dig up again to find out which kind of Gyroid it is!
Each one has a different design and a different noise, and they look a lot cooler and varied than the old, more similar ones. You can even customise them to match your house's aesthetic, and like in past games, they sing along in tune and in time with whatever music is playing.
Previously, there has been a limit to how many Gyroids you can have in one room — it was 4 in New Leaf, and 8 in City Folk. It looks like the limit will be at least 7 this time, and you'll also be able to display the Fragments.
Stretching
We doubt anyone could have predicted this, but now you can have stretching sessions in the plaza, along with your villagers and special NPCs like Brewster. Er, do birds need to stretch?
You can even join in with your pals online, and you can do the stretches in real life using your Joy-Con. It's basically a much more sedate Ring Fit where no one yells at you.
Quality of Life Updates
Villager House Visits
We've been wondering if the villagers hated us and/or our home decor, but now we can finally visit each other's houses properly instead of just barging in while they're doing DIYs. You can invite them over, and they can invite you over — and, if New Horizons is anything like previous games, maybe they can also just invite themselves over.
Scooting Between Furniture
Honestly, we thought this was already in the game, because it was in New Leaf, but no — we haven't been able to scoot this entire time! When gaps between furniture are too small, the only way your character can get through is to turn sideways and do a little sidle. Finally, it's back, and now we can smush all our furniture together again.
Storage Shed
Outdoor storage is HERE. The Storage Shed will let you store things without having to traipse all the way back to your house.
Permanent Ladders
Visit the Nook shop to grab a Ladder kit, and set up permanent ladders wherever you want. If you're tired of having to switch over to your Ladder any time you want to go up, then this is a great solution — it's space-saving, much smaller than an incline, and it comes in different designs, too!
Your Own ABD
The Automatic Bell Dispenser is usually located inside the Resident Services building, which means having to walk in, wait for the loading screen, then access the machine itself, then go back outside... it's very tedious. Now, you can put the ABD wherever you want, so you can access your cash without having to rely on the Town Hall. Hooray!
Island Life 101 App
This is a lifesaver for anyone who feels like they missed out on the pandemic ACNH craze, or is joining an island where everything is already set up. The Island Life 101 App on the in-game NookPhone will tell you how everything works in the game, so it won't take too long to get up to speed. It's basically a tutorial, without having to go through the "we just landed on a deserted island" tutorial.
Island Ordinances
A feature that's been often requested, Island Ordinances can let you set up a rule to make your game suit your playstyle. There are four, and based on New Leaf we can guess what they do: Beautiful Island will probably stop weeds growing and plants dying, so you can rest assured that your island stays pretty if you can't visit every day; Early Bird and Night Owl will change the times that villagers and shops stay open; Bell Boom will likely make things sell for more, or make it so that it's easier to make money somehow, like increasing the Bells you find in rocks.
More House Exteriors
Make your house match the aesthetic of your island with the new options for house exteriors!
Three New Storage Expansions
The home storage will now be able to hold up to 5,000 items.
Ceiling Furniture
Just like in Happy Home Designer, you will be able to put certain furniture — lights, security cameras, dangly things — on the ceiling. That'll free up some room on your walls for more stuff!
Accent Walls
If you want wallpaper on just one (or two, or three) of your walls, then now you can do exactly that — just select "set as accent wall".
Patterns For Furniture Can Be Worn Or Used As Wallpaper
This will make it much easier to design cute houses!
Bridges & Inclines Increased To 10 Each
Previously, it was 8 each, which was an irritating artificial limit. With this and the permanent ladder, there will now be plenty more ways to navigate the island!
If you want to find out more about the Happy Home Paradise features, we'll have a separate article up for that, too — including the Series 5 amiibo cards.
What's your favourite new feature? Let us know in the comments below!
This article is part of our Animal Crossing: New Horizons walkthrough, which includes a Complete Fish List, Complete Bug List and Complete Sea Creatures List. If you're looking for specific fish or bug, we can tell you how to catch the elusive Coelacanth, Mahi-Mahi, Giant Trevally, Stringfish, Golden Trout and all the Sharks and Beetles, along with a full list of Critters leaving at the end of the month. We've also compiled a Complete Villager List and a Complete List of K.K. Slider Songs, as well as the Best Custom Design Codes and Islands we've found so far, and the best islands to visit using Dream Address Codes.
We can also help with How to Spot Redd's Fake Paintings and Statues, How to Make Bells Fast, How to Breed Flowers, How to Get more DIY Recipes, How to Upgrade Nook's Cranny, where and when to find special characters like Gulliver, Sable, Label, Wisp, Celeste, Pirate Gulliver and Jack, plus tips on using the Star Wand, Tool Ring, Rock Trick, Cutting Down and Moving Trees, using amiibo on Harv's Island, How to Back Up Your Island Data, How to Time Travel, How to Get a 5-Star Island Rating and a whole lot more.
And finally Where to Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch if for some reason you haven't yet picked up the game.
Comments 44
Been gone from ACNH for some times wonder if they remember me???
I've barely played my Animal Crossing save for 6 month. Prior to that I was a regular.
This DLC makes me want to get back into it. It's a bit like Animal Crossing New Horizons × 1.5 or something.
Cheers for the article.
This update has done the impossible - It made me want Gyroids. I used to hate them. Now they're adorable.
I have played almost every day since launch. I am happy with the game play loop on my island. This DLC is almost too much. 😊 Thanks for this article putting it all together. What a game!
@dugan,
Same here, great to love the game and have all this new stuff to go with it.
Welp, time to become addicted to this game again. I might even completely reset my island just so that I can start fresh.
Man it's a good thing Nintendo listened to the people asking for more instead of the people saying we had more than enough already! It will finally feel like a new game all over again, I've really missed playing it and November 5th can't come soon enough.
I wish we could help design villagers' homes and expand those too. Otherwise, I can't think of anything else I'd want!
"Just like in Happy Home Designer (and later, New Leaf), you will be able to put certain furniture — lights, security cameras, dangly things — on the ceiling. That'll free up some room on your walls for more stuff!"
New Leaf never got the ceiling items from HHD, it got pretty much everything else but not the ceiling items
I always wished there was a storage shed right before the airport dock so I could unload everything before traveling. My house was really far from the airport.
Harv's island looks worth the trip again, haven't been there since June 2020 for the wedding.
Cappan looks cool but all those islands just look like the ones we already go to.
Gyroids look like a fun time killing collectible.
Yup, may be enough to get me back for a bit, will have to wait and see how much. Probably not paying for the DLC or expansion pack though, but there is quite the amount of free stuff. Would have really liked some minigames for multi-player but I guess Super Mario Party got all of those, as my kids Mario Party game goes unplayed.
Edit: Forgot the permanent ladders, always wanted a couple of those. Any idea if we can put them behind hills out of site? I made a path along the entire back of my island with only 1 path up the middle. Would be nice to be able to get up and down back thee to the middle.
@rjejr I would think you can put the ladders behind cliffs out of view all it does is sticks to the cliff like a wall item in your house
Now it's New Leaf, but with HD, farming, & crafting... a little disappointed, not in the contents of this update, but that it'll be the last one that's not just items.
Halloween & Toy Day are still snoozefests though, which is sad because I enjoyed them before they were made for people who only play once a week.
@SwitchForce You'll get to meet many new roaches in your home! They've been keeping things tidy during your prolonged sleep 😎
@ObeseChihuahua2 I’m honestly going to do the same. Now that we have stuff to actually work towards in the game, I can enjoy it much more than I previously did at launch.
@shoeses I honestly wish they’d do updates to make the holidays more interesting. Add more stakes to them, like New Leaf had. More prep work too would be nice.
@CodyMKW good catch, cheers! I never played NL after the update, but I did play HHD
i can't wait to finaly play turn my house into a gothic castle, cook a pizza/chocolate cake and expand my storage to 5.000, this update seen to be the equivalent of Welcome Amiibo of New Horizon.
@VoidofLight I still have some gripes with the game, but my biggest complaint, the lack of content, has been almost completely solved. I'm not sure if I'll get the expansion pack alone or with NSO, but I'm definitely going to play it.
It’s a really neat progression if you think about it. The first year was turning your deserted island into a city and now this and the DLC allows you to maintain that city.
@ObeseChihuahua2 I have a couple of gripes with the holidays, and lack of shop upgrades, but same here pretty much. The way the pack works with NSO is weird, since if your online expires, you’ll have to resubscribe before being able to access the DLC again.
@VoidofLight Yeah, it is kind of dumb. I might just buy the expansion outright and then separately buy a 1 year subscription for NSO.
Might have to come back to my island
@PickledKong About now it has like 2-3 things missing between the two.
It's a good free update. I like how they are adding features from New Leaf in here like the island (even if it does seem stripped down) and ordinances.
I do wish they had simple minigames to play with visitors. Any one remember the minigames on old DS mario games? Those kind of multiplayer games to play with villagers and other players visiting would be so much fun.
@PickledKong I'm well aware that they were cut from the game to generate hype. For me, however, this update is enough to bring me back. It's offering enough content to actually have the game mean something, despite it still missing tons of things. I agree that not having a fully upgraded Nook shop is kind of sad, and that they're quitting before even giving us that. The online is still pitiful, but I wasn't expecting tours anyways, given that they were pretty much something only for New Leaf.
I've already begun rearranging my island and clearing out some old stuff to make proper room for the new. The new DLC seems to be a workaround to let players interact with and house additional islanders not from their home island, which is welcome as well; I'll probably look into some "targeted" clients via Amiibo.
There’s stuff on my wishlist that I didn’t get and that will be the case with all directs but this is a really, really good update which will get me back in to the game which I haven’t touched for 5 months. Exceeded my expectations so well done Nintendo
I think this was a step in the right direction, and it's enough to make me want to fire the game back up. That being said, I'm disappointed this is the last major free update because there are still plenty of things I'd like to see added (more diversity in villager dialogue, actual multiplayer content, more returning old characters, etc.). It looks more appealing overall now, but still not as much as New Leaf is.
Too bad it's the final update (apparently) but at least it's impressive. Gyroids is awesome, an island is awesome, coffee shop is awesome. Only thing I think they really missed is shop upgrades...
Awesome dlc. Hopefully one of the next free non major updates will allow us to have Nookway and Nookingtons. That store needs to upgrade desperately.
There's a lot of content, but there are still some things missing like more fruits and minigames. It would be cool if there was a Wii U item and you could play a demo of amiibo festival on it.
I hope all the Nintendo items are back too.
The first-person camera mode looks interesting, but even more would have been a free camera mode.
My kids got back into it last week, without even knowing about this update. So my villager decided it was also time to head back. I got bored of it a while back but it's proven to be fun again.
Stop saying it's the final free update. Nintendo said it was the final major free update. If it was the last free update, that would have been their wording.
Love seeing all the miserable toads calling this update "too little too late" weeks ago, now eating crow. Then again we all know they'll time skip their way through this content in a few days and then will be back to bitching about a lack of "content" in a year and a half old game.
Regardless, New Horizons is fantastic and this is just the cherry on top.
Though I'm not a huge AC fan, this game would have been a huge hit in my house if the local multiplayer didn't COMPLETELY blow. Would have loved to play with my kids if it wasn't laughably restricted. Did they fix any of that stuff?
(Genuinely) nice to see New Horizons finally get back most of the cut content from New Leaf. I haven't played New Horizons for over a year (it got so mindnumbingly boring I couldn't even be bothered catching the last couple of bugs), but it looks like this update will suck me back in for a little longer. Nook's Cranny incomprehensibly remains a shadow of its former self, though. It made sense to start from scratch when you build an island from scratch, but it looks so out of place once you've put some time into developing your island.
This update really got me interested in AC: New Horizons again! Can't wait!
@CodyMKW Thanks, I'm actually looking forward to this despite not playing the past 6 months. 👍
I'm super thankful and excited to jump back in the game. I was so disappointed on release, and I was so disappointed by how little the updates added to the game. but with this one the game finally has a decent amount of content. I hope they still add a few things here and there bc it still doesn't feel as content rich as New Leaf to me honestly... I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to just come back to New Leaf instead of playing this game.
@Mando44646 The Direct itself said something about being able to do this after you've designed enough homes on the DLC island, I'm pretty sure.
@Maximumbeans really? I hope so! I always wanted Happy Home Designer integrated into New Leaf back on 3DS
@Mando44646 Found the moment from the Direct!
https://youtu.be/g6LdBAbT1Xw?t=1249
@Maximumbeans oh wow awesome, thanks!
IT DOESN’T HAVE EVERYTHING, WHERE ARE BOOKER AND COPPER???
Police puppers update surely???
I guess I'm the only one that wants an ATM in Nook's Cranny. Always made no sense to me to have to leave the store to go get money, and then return. Sure we can place a machine outside the store now, but still, it would be nice to have one in the store itself. Also, was hoping to have a new island added where friends could cooperatively build together, or play mini games or something.
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