Animal Crossing: New Horizons invites you to escape to a deserted island, where you can build your dream home, cultivate a thriving community, and create a paradise of your own. But with so much to do and discover, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions and expert tips to help you master every aspect of island life, from building your home and collecting resources to befriending villagers and decorating your surroundings.
1. Setting Up Your Island: Creating a Foundation for Paradise
The first step in your island adventure is to create a foundation for your dream paradise. This involves choosing the right location for your home, customizing your island’s layout, and establishing essential resources.
- Choosing Your Island: When you first start the game, you’ll be presented with a selection of islands. Consider factors like the initial layout, the location of the river and beach, and the overall aesthetic when choosing your island.
- Home Placement: Consider the location of your home carefully, as it will be your central hub for all your activities. Choose a spot that offers a good view, easy access to the beach and river, and ample space for future expansions.
- Island Layout: Plan the layout of your island, considering the placement of your home, shops, and other amenities. You can customize the terrain by terraforming, adding bridges, inclines, and cliffs to create a unique and visually appealing landscape.
2. Gathering Resources: The Building Blocks of Island Life
To build your home, craft furniture, and create a thriving island community, you’ll need to gather resources. These resources are scattered throughout your island and can be obtained through various activities.
- Essential Resources: Essential resources include wood, stone, iron, and clay. These resources are used for crafting tools, furniture, and other essential items. You can obtain them by chopping down trees, mining rocks, and digging up clay deposits.
- Advanced Resources: Advanced resources include gold, silver, and rare fossils. These resources are used for crafting high-quality furniture, tools, and other valuable items. You can obtain them by digging up glowing spots on the ground, fishing, and exploring the island’s various locations.
- Resource Gathering Tips: To maximize your resource gathering efficiency, focus on specific areas for each resource type. For example, look for large clusters of trees for wood, rocky cliffs for stone, and sandy beaches for iron and clay.
3. Building Your Home: Creating a Comfortable Haven
Your home is your sanctuary on the island, a place to relax, store your belongings, and display your collections. You can customize your home’s interior and exterior to reflect your personal style and create a comfortable haven.
- Home Expansion: As you progress through the game, you can expand your home to accommodate more furniture, rooms, and storage space. This allows you to create a more spacious and personalized living environment.
- Interior Design: Decorate your home with a wide variety of furniture, wallpaper, and flooring. Experiment with different themes and styles to create a space that reflects your personality and interests.
- Exterior Design: Customize your home’s exterior with paint colors, roof styles, and landscaping. You can also add outdoor furniture, decorations, and lighting to create a welcoming and inviting space.
4. Befriending Villagers: Building a Thriving Community
One of the most rewarding aspects of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is building relationships with the adorable villagers who inhabit your island. Befriending these characters will enrich your island life and unlock unique rewards.
- Villager Interactions: Talk to your villagers regularly, give them gifts, and participate in their daily activities to build relationships. As your friendship grows, they will share more of their personalities and stories.
- Villager Personalities: Each villager has a unique personality, such as lazy, peppy, or cranky. Understanding their personalities will help you interact with them more effectively and build stronger relationships.
- Gift Giving: Giving villagers gifts is a great way to improve your relationship with them. They have preferences for certain types of gifts, so pay attention to their likes and dislikes.
5. Crafting and DIY: Creating Your Own Furniture
Animal Crossing: New Horizons allows you to craft your own furniture and other items using DIY recipes. These recipes can be found scattered throughout the island, obtained from villagers, or purchased from Nook’s Cranny.
- DIY Recipes: Use DIY recipes to craft furniture, tools, and other items. You can find recipes by exploring the island, talking to villagers, or purchasing them from Nook’s Cranny.
- Crafting Materials: Gather the necessary materials to craft items, such as wood, stone, iron, and clay. You can also use advanced materials like gold, silver, and rare fossils to craft high-quality items.
- Crafting Station: You’ll need a crafting station to create items using DIY recipes. You can build a workbench using a DIY recipe, and you can also obtain other crafting stations, such as a cooking pot and a sewing machine, as you progress through the game.
6. Island Exploration: Discovering Hidden Treasures
Your island is full of hidden treasures and secrets waiting to be discovered. Explore every nook and cranny to find new resources, rare items, and valuable collectibles.
- Hidden Spots: Look for glowing spots on the ground, which often contain buried resources like gold, silver, and rare fossils. You can also find hidden items by digging up glowing spots on the beach.
- Island Events: Attend island events, such as fishing tournaments, bug-catching contests, and seasonal celebrations, to earn rewards, unlock new items, and meet new characters.
- Museum: Donate your fossils, fish, and bugs to the museum to contribute to its collection and learn more about the island’s natural history.
7. Fishing and Bug Catching: Adding Variety to Your Island Life
Fishing and bug catching are two of the most enjoyable activities in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. These activities allow you to collect rare fish and bugs, which can be sold for bells, donated to the museum, or displayed in your home.
- Fishing Techniques: Use a fishing rod to catch fish in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Learn different fishing techniques, such as casting at specific locations and using bait, to catch rare and valuable fish.
- Bug Catching Techniques: Use a net to catch bugs in forests, gardens, and other areas. Learn different bug-catching techniques, such as shaking trees and using bait, to catch rare and valuable bugs.
- Seasonal Availability: Certain fish and bugs are only available during specific seasons, so keep an eye on the calendar to maximize your collection.
8. Decorating Your Island: Creating a Visual Paradise
One of the most rewarding aspects of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is decorating your island to create a visually appealing paradise. You can customize your island’s landscape, plant flowers and trees, and place furniture and other decorative items.
- Terraforming: Use terraforming tools to reshape your island’s terrain, adding bridges, inclines, cliffs, and other features to create a unique and visually appealing landscape.
- Island Design: Plan the layout of your island, considering the placement of your home, shops, and other amenities. You can also create themed areas, such as a garden, a beach, or a forest, to add variety and interest to your island.
- Decorative Items: Use a wide variety of furniture, decorations, and landscaping items to create a visually appealing and personalized island. Experiment with different themes and styles to create a space that reflects your personality and interests.
9. Island Economy: Managing Your Bells
Bells are the currency in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, used to purchase items, pay off loans, and expand your home. Managing your bells effectively is crucial for progressing through the game and achieving your island goals.
- Bell-Making Activities: Engage in activities that generate bells, such as selling fish, bugs, and fossils, completing tasks for villagers, and participating in island events.
- Bell-Saving Strategies: Save your bells for important purchases, such as home expansions, furniture, and other valuable items. You can also invest your bells in turnips, which can fluctuate in price and potentially earn you a profit.
- Bell-Spending Tips: Prioritize spending your bells on items that will benefit your island in the long run, such as tools, furniture, and home expansions. Avoid spending bells on items that are only available for a limited time or that you may not use often.
10. Animal Crossing: A Journey of Discovery and Relaxation
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game that encourages exploration, creativity, and relaxation. By following these tips and guides, you can create a thriving island paradise, build strong relationships with your villagers, and enjoy the endless possibilities of island life. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to play Animal Crossing. Embrace your creativity, experiment with different activities, and enjoy the journey of discovering your own unique island paradise.
