Message bottle

A Note-in-a-bottle will sometimes wash up on the beach. They are glass bottles which contain a letter and may sometimes contain a present.

They were originally introduced in but have since appeared in  and in, though under the name Message bottle.

In
Note-in-a-bottle may be found in, but can be obtained in if a player moved from their Wild World town and had one in their catalog. They will all say something different. The player can also buy bottles in Tom Nook's store for 200 bells each and, unlike most items, the store will have unlimited stock. If the player writes something inside a bottle and releases it and a friend has done the same, when the two connect through Contact Mode/Tag Mode, they will each find their friend's Note-in-a-bottle washed up on their beach. They can be saved in the Town Hall like letters. Presents can also be sent along with the notes, but it is unknown if they reach the other end. The player may also find various random notes in a bottle on the beach with a random message enclosed.

Mail differs depending on whether it is from a real person or Nintendo, as a note from a real player will always start with "Dear Some Stranger," unlike a Nintendo note-in-a-bottle.

In
In, the Message bottle item fulfills a similar function as Note-in-a-bottle in previous games. They now contain DIY recipes. During special events, themed message bottles may be found on the beach. Similarly, they contain a themed note and DIY recipe.