Animal Crossing New Horizons First Year Update

In just a few days' time, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is turning one year old. We could never have imagined the success the title would go on to have way back then, yet here we are talking about arguably the most important game of 2020. What a ride it's been so far!

There's more to come, though. With that first anniversary just around the corner, Nintendo has detailed plans for the game's next update. The update drops on 18th March, and it's a big one:


  • 1st Anniversary Cake – Nook Inc. made a 1st Anniversary Cake to commemorate the occasion. It will be sent to your in-game mailbox after the update is installed.
  • Sanrio Sweetness – Add some Sanrio sweetness to your island. Starting March 26, the Animal Crossing Sanrio Collaboration Pack will be available for purchase at Target stores across the U.S. at a suggested retail price of $5.99. You’ll be able to use these six vibrantly designed amiibo cards to invite cute and colorful Animal Crossing residents inspired by popular Sanrio characters to your island, including Rita, Chai and Toby. These amiibo cards let you exchange bells for special Sanrio-themed furniture and fashion items in-game, too. You can even invite these characters to Harv’s Island for a fun photo session in Photopia.
  • Custom Design Pro Editor + – The Custom Design app on your NookPhone is getting an upgrade! Use your Nook Miles at the Nook Stop in Resident Services to unlock the feature. It’ll provide a more robust set of features, allowing for the customization of umbrellas, small flags, uchiwa and photo stands. And with a new expansion of 50 slots added to both the Normal Custom Design mode and Pro Custom Design mode, you can truly let your imagination run wild!
  • Custom Design Portal – You can now add the Custom Design Portal found in the Able Sisters store directly to your in-game NookPhone app. You’ll be able to use it any time inspiration strikes.
  • Seasonal Items – Spring is in the air, and with the changing of the seasons comes a range of new seasonal items! Just in time for April Fool’s Day, a variety of colors of whoopee cushions can be ordered between March 26 and April 1 from the in-game Nook Shopping service. For something a little more elegant, you can prep for prom season with themed fashion items at the Able Sisters shop from April 1 to April 30. You can also order prom-themed items from Nook Shopping during this period, such as a prom night wall, prom night flooring and a prom stash. Never miss a chance to dance!

And also...

  • Build-A-Bear Collaboration Coming Soon Build-A-Bear Workshop will soon launch an Animal Crossing: New Horizons collection, exclusively online at buildabear.com. More details will be forthcoming.

  • Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary-Themed Items – You may have noticed new items have been dispatched to Nook Shopping terminals in Animal Crossing: New Horizons this month. You’re now able to order clothing themed after familiar faces such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Wario. The Super Mushroom and the ? Block can also be ordered in-game as furniture items to spruce up your island with some Mario mirth. You can even use the new Warp Pipe items to travel between locations on your island. Why not try re-creating the Mushroom Kingdom?

Nintendo has also announced an Island Tour Creator service that will launch for the game later this month. First details on that can be found here.

Excited for all these new additions? Are you still playing the game regularly to this day? Let us know with a comment below.