Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the biggest games of the year. LOTS of families are picking it up and it can be hard to figure out what to do next sometimes. The EFG staff has pooled our collective knowledge and put together a list of tips for new players. Take a look below (and comment if you think we should include something)!
You can also check out our multiplayer explanation and a story about sharing an island.
The Basics
- Weeds grow on your island every morning. It can be tedious, but make sure that you pick them every day. They can be used for lots of useful things like:
- Hay beds. 20 Clumps of weeds = one Hay bed that you can sell for 400 bells.
- Medicine (Weeds and a Wasp Nest)
- Various crafting recipes
- You can shake trees and gather the fruit that drops. You can then sell that fruit to Timmy and Tommy. Be aware that sometimes shaking trees will drop a beehive or a wasp nest. Be ready to run away (or catch them with a new!)
- Make sure to go to the beach every day to gather shells and bottles. You can sell the shells to Timmy and Tommy. The bottles contain DIY recipes.
- More resource gathering becomes available after you craft your tools. You can use your net to catch bugs, your fishing pole to catch fish, and your shovel to hit rocks and to dig up fossils.
- Make sure you are grabbing branches when you see them. They are very important for making simple tools (and replacing broken ones). All of your simple tools aside from the vaulting pole and ladder will break over time.
- Make sure you are grabbing branches when you see them. They are very important for making simple tools (and replacing broken ones). All of your simple tools aside from the vaulting pole and ladder will break over time.
- Try to make one of every recipe you have access to. This will help complete Nook Miles tickets.
- The first thing to spend your Nook Miles on is your initial home/tent loan. After that you should target increased inventory space. Having more room in your bags will make almost every part of Animal Crossing better/easier.
- You can hit rocks with an axe or a shovel. Hitting rocks will give you clay, iron nuggets, and sometimes gold. There is even a rock on the island every day that will give you bells. If you dig holes behind you when you hit the rocks, then you won’t be knocked back and it will help you get the resources faster. Nuggets and clay are important to craft DIY items and advanced tools.
Advanced Tips
- Visit your friends and have them visit you! This is a great way to share resources and earn Nook Miles and bells.
- The first “loan” you have to pay off in Animal Crossing is paid back in Nook Miles. This forces you to participate in a wide range of different activities. You need to earn 5000 Nook Miles to pay it off the first time. After that the loans will be paid in bells (like in previous games).
- You unlock “Nook Miles+” after you pay off your first loan. These are relatively small tasks/challengers compared to regular Nook Miles challenges. They are replaced upon completion so you can grind them for rewards if you need to. They also give you some sense of direction when you are overwhelmed with different activities.
- Talk to EVERYONE. Talking to your villagers every day will help you earn NOOK miles over time. They may even give you items like DIY recipes, clothing, or decorations.
- Visit the NOOK ATM every day. Visiting the NOOK ATM every day will help you earn NOOK miles over time.
Tips for Remote Island Tours
- Prepare yourself before you go to a remote island using a Nook Ticket. Be sure to empty your inventory except for:
- Vaulting pole
- Shovel
- Net
- Fishing pole
- Axe
- Remote islands don’t belong to other players so it is alright to take all of the resources. So make sure you take everything that you can to make the most of your Nook Ticket (They’re expensive). You will also NEVER return to the same island twice.
- Keep in mind that you can craft replacement items for flimsy tools you break.
- If the remote island has trees that you do not have, then eat the fruit you have found on the island and use your shovel to dig the tree up. You can then plant that tree on your island. This will help you earn bells and Nook Miles.
What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know if we missed anything!
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Michael Duetzmann