
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is here and is slowly but surely taking over our lives – but if you're at a loss of what to do next in the game, then you should check out the tips and hints we've outlined below.
If you are completely new to the series, you might want to give our Animal Crossing: New Horizons review a read, where we concluded that the game is an "Accessible And Addictive Masterpiece - 10/10".
If you don't currently own the game check out Where To Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons On Nintendo Switch.
Assuming you do have the game, sit back and relax as we'll take away the stress of your new island, let's begin.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Walkthrough
Getting started in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Given how much there is to do in New Horizons, just knowing where to begin is quite intimidating. Not only do you have to deal with a seemingly deep question right at the beginning, but you also have to pick a spot to place your tent, acquire essential tools like the axe, shovel and ladder and unlock vital amenities like the Museum and upgraded Resident Services. Then there's the process of bringing villagers to your island and attracting key talent, like the one and only K.K. Slider.
- The 'If You Could Only Bring One Thing' Question
- How to Get More Villagers Living on your Island
- How to Choose your Villagers
- How to Unlock K.K Slider and the Island Designer Terraforming App
- Party Play, Local Play, Online Play and more Explained
- How to Visit Other Islands
- How to Expand your Item Storage
- How to Make Bells Fast in Animal Crossing: Nook Miles and Money Explained
- Can You Move Your Tent in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
- Villager List - Personalities and Gift Guide
- How to Get more DIY Recipes and DIY Workbenches
- How to Cure Wasp Stings
- How to Back Up Your Island Data
Best Tools and Best Gear
You're not going to get very far in New Horizons unless you have the best gear and tools. You can buy tools from various sellers in the game using Bells but you can also craft them yourself using components scattered around the island. Make sure you unlock the tool ring early on as it makes switching between tools a little bit easier, and be sure to upgrade your axe and shovel as soon as possible – the more advanced the tool, the longer you'll be able to use it before it breaks.
- How to Get the Tool Ring
- How to Get the Ladder
- How to Cut Down and Move Trees
- How to Upgrade your Axe
- How to Upgrade your Shovel
- How to Get the Vaulting Pole and Cross Rivers
- How to Get the Star Wand
- How to Get Golden Tools
Unlock And Upgrade Buildings And Amenities
There are several 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 deserted island.
- How to Unlock the Museum and Blathers
- How to Unlock Isabelle and the Town Hall
- How to Upgrade Nook's Cranny
- How to Unlock The Able Sisters' Clothing Shop
Manage Your Resources
Resources are essential in Animal Crossing: New Horizons when it comes to crafting and upgrading items, and pretty much anything you can pick up on the island can be sold for Bells. However, items like wood, rocks, nuggets (both iron and gold) and clay are used in the construction of important items and structures. Make sure you have plenty of them in your pockets at all times!
- Tips for Farming Iron Nuggets, Gold Nuggets and Ore
- How to get 8 Things From Rocks - Iron Nuggets, Clay, Stones, Bells and Rock Respawns
- Collecting Hardwood, Softwood and Wood Explained
- Growing and Breeding Flowers, Hybrid Flowers and Gold Roses Explained
- How to Wish on a Shooting Star and Get Star Fragments
- Balloon Spawn Rate, Hunting and Colour Guide
- Cherry Blossom Item List - What Do You Use Cherry Blossom Petals For?
- Shell Prices - How Much Do Shells Sell For?
- How to Get More Pearls
- How to Get the Mermaid Furniture Set
- Robot Hero - How to Farm Rusted Parts and Build the Gundam Robot Fast
- How to Get Pumpkins - DIY Pumpkin Patch Recipes Crafting Guide for Spooky Furniture
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fishing, Bugs and Fossils
There's a whole ecosystem of critters living inside New Horizons, and you'll want to collect as many as possible to donate to Blathers in the island's museum (which also accepts artwork donations, too). Some of these can only be acquired at certain times of the year, so you'll need to keep checking back constantly!
- Complete Fish List
- Complete Bug List
- Complete Fossil List
- Complete Sea Creatures List and Price Guide
- Bugs, Fish, and Sea Creatures Leaving Animal Crossing at the End of the Month
- How to Catch the Rare Stringfish
- How to Catch the Rare Golden Trout
- How to Catch the Rare Coelacanth
- How to Catch the Rare Mahi-Mahi
- How to Catch the Rare Giant Trevally
- How to Catch Every Shark
- How to Catch Every Beetle
- How to Catch a Fly
- How to Catch an Ant
Special Days and Events
Throughout the year special holidays and events take place in Animal Crossing: New Horizons to coincide with real-world festivals and holidays.
- Bunny Day Date, Start Time, Egg Collecting and Crafting Explained
- Nature Day Event - Leif the Sloth, Bushes, 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's Island
- Bug-Off - Event Date, Start Time, Flick and Rewards Explained
- Fishing Tourney - Event Date, Start Time, C.J. and Rewards Explained
- Fireworks Show - Event Date, Start Time, Redd's Raffle Items List and Custom Fireworks Explained
- Fall Update - Complete Autumn Events Guide
- Halloween Event Guide - How to Get Candy, Lollipops and Prizes from Jack
- Turkey Day - Franklin, Thanksgiving DIY Recipes, Secret Ingredients and Rewards
- Why You Can't Time Travel to Toy Day in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Christmas Toy Day Event Guide - Jingle's Magic Bag and Toy Day Set
- New Year's Eve Guide - Tom Nook New Year's Items List
- Festivale - Pavé, Rainbow Feathers, Reactions, Clothing and Valentine's Day Gifts
Special Characters
Special characters - many recognisable to series fans from previous Animal Crossing games - periodically pop up around your island or even set up shop. These beloved characters invariably bring opportunities to expand your catalog with special items, so it's well worth chatting with them when they turn up.
- Redd - How to Spot Fake Paintings and Statues and Unlock Crazy Redd
- How to Wake Gulliver and Gulliver Souvenir List
- How to Find Pirate Gulliver (Gullivarrr) and Complete List Of Rewards
- How to Befriend Sable and get New Custom Patterns from the Able Sisters
- Wisp - How to Catch Spirit Pieces and Wisp's New or Expensive Reward Explained
- How to Complete Label's Fashion Challenge and Label Reward List
- K.K. Slider Songs - Concert Guide and Complete K.K. Song List
- Pascal - Spawn Times, Locations and Mermaid Clothing Rewards
- Celeste Times & Zodiac Furniture Recipes Complete List
- How to Find Pirate Gulliver - Gullivarrr Rewards Complete List
- Snowman - How to Make a Perfect Snowboy with Snowballs & Snowflake DIY Recipes List
General Help, Tips and Advice
Here are some general tips and tricks to make your life in New Horizons that little bit easier. From earning Bells quickly to making use of amiibo cards and figures, we've got you covered!
- Custom Designs - How to Customize Furniture in New Horizons and Import Designs
- Dream Address Codes - Luna, Dreaming, and the Best Dream Island Codes
- Fruit Power, Upset Villagers and the Money Tree Explained
- How to Make Millions of Bells with Turnips
- How to Get Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Items in New Horizons
- Can you Swim in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
- Why Can't you Rename your Animal Crossing Island?
- Hairstyle and Hair Colour Guide
- How to Use Amiibo in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Every Animal Crossing Amiibo Card for New Horizons and New Leaf
- Custom Designs to Download - Zelda, Pokémon, Mario and more
- The most inspiring Animal Crossing Islands we've Seen Online
- How to Create your own Tarantula Island
- How to Find and Craft Pitfall Seeds
- Friends, Best Friends and how to Stay Safe Online and Avoid Scams
- Diagonal Rivers and Cliffs - How to Build Bridges at an Angle
- How to Get a 5-Star Island Rating
- How to Time Travel - What Happens when you Time Travel
- Photos - How to Befriend Villagers and Get their Framed Photos
- What to Do with Lost Items
- Robot Hero - How to Farm Rusted Parts and Build the Gundam Robot Fast
- TV Guide and Show Schedule - Get In-Game Weather Forecasts
- Fall DIY Recipe List - Acorn, Pine Cone, Mushroom and Maple Leaf Furniture
- King Tut Mask DIY Recipe and Guide to Tripping
Thanks for reading! That concludes our walkthrough guide for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we'll continue to update this page and all our other articles on the game over the coming months - yes, months! What a game!
Comments (3)
Awesome, can’t wait to try this out!
Why do these Animal Crossing guides get so few comments lol?
@App,
Everybody is far too busy trying to read the guide, while playing with their Switch.
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