Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the best games on Switch (and Switch 2!). Excitingly, the game rewards you for connecting with other players in several ways. For example, non-native fruit collected on friends’ islands will earn you more Bells when you sell it relative to native fruit harvested from your own island.
But how can you connect with other players in order to reap such rewards?
Below, we’ll take you through the various ways in which you can play with friends, as well as outlining some of the benefits and pitfalls of each multiplayer mode. So, grab some extra Joy-Con because it’s Animal Crossing multiplayer time!
You might think that every player needs their own Switch and copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons to utilise multiplayer, but there is actually a way to play with your family and friends on one console. You can do it via a mode called Party Play.
Firstly, the basics. Up to eight people can live on one island (only one island is allowed per Switch, remember), and up to four of these cohabitants can take part in Party Play sessions at once.
Here’s how to set it up.
Load the game and, using the Nook Phone, select the Call Resident app. You'll only have this when you have multiple islanders on the island on your Switch. (That means loading up the game with a second player profile once the island has been established.)
You’ll be able to summon any of the other villagers living on that Switch’s island to your gameplay session.
A quick controller recalibration and you’re all set to start playing together on one screen.
During Party Play, one resident is designated the 'leader' with the other players 'followers'.
Leaders can play as normal; select tools, open their inventory and collect fallen fruit or wood
Followers are limited; eg. cycling through their tool sets one at a time and are unable to interact with items on the ground
However, swapping between leaders and followers requires only the flick of the leader's controller. A simple prompt will then appear allowing a new player to take on the role of leader.
It’s a good idea to utilise leader switching so you can access your inventories in turn, or if you want to drop items to give as gifts to each other. It’s also worth noting that when followers catch any fish or bugs, they’ll be sent to the recycle bin at Resident Services.
How do I unlock local co-op and online multiplayer?
Your first port of call for all multiplayer sessions is Dodo Airlines located at the base of your island in the airport (where you first arrived on day one). Online and local multiplayer is locked until Day Two, and both modes allow up to eight players to play at once. That’s four more than Party Play!
Note. This number is extended to 12 people if you're playing the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game.
