Difference between revisions of "Animal Crossing: New Horizons"

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Animal Crossing: New Horizons''}}
 
{{Infobox VGinfo
 
{{Infobox VGinfo
|title          = [[File:AnimalCrossingNewHorizonsLogo.png|200px]]
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|title          = [[File:AnimalCrossingNewHorizonsLogo.png|200px|English game logo]]
|image          = [[File:New Horizons NA boxart.png|200px]]
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|image          = [[File:New Horizons NA boxart.png|200px|North American game cover]]
 
|caption        =  
 
|caption        =  
 
|theme          = [[File:Main Theme NH.mp3|Main theme]]
 
|theme          = [[File:Main Theme NH.mp3|Main theme]]
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|designer      =  
 
|designer      =  
 
|series        = ''[[Animal Crossing (series)|Animal Crossing]]''
 
|series        = ''[[Animal Crossing (series)|Animal Crossing]]''
|engine        =
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|picture_format = 1920x1080 <small>(TV mode)</small> <br> 1280x720 <small>(handheld mode)</small>
|picture_format =  
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|released      = {{Flag|WWW}} March 20, 2020<ref name= "eShop description">[https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/animal-crossing-new-horizons-switch/ Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Game Details], Nintendo</ref>
|released      = {{Flag|WWW}} March 20, 2020
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|genre          = Simulation
|genre          = Life simulation
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|modes          = Single player <br> Multiplayer <small>(1-4 player co-op; 1-8 player local wireless/online)</small>
|modes          =  
 
 
|ratings        = {{Rating|ESRB=E|PEGI=3|CERO=A|USK=0|ACB=G|ClassInd=L|RARS=0+|GRAC=All|GSRR=P(6+)|FPB=PG|GCAM=3|NMC=3}}
 
|ratings        = {{Rating|ESRB=E|PEGI=3|CERO=A|USK=0|ACB=G|ClassInd=L|RARS=0+|GRAC=All|GSRR=P(6+)|FPB=PG|GCAM=3|NMC=3}}
|platform       = [[Nintendo Switch]]
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|platforms       = [[Nintendo Switch]]
|media          = Nintendo Switch Game Card and eShop download
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|media          = Nintendo Switch Game Card <br> Nintendo eShop digital download
|requirements  =  
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|requirements  = 6.2 GB<ref name= "eShop description"/> <small>(digital download only)</small>
|input          = Joy-Con, Pro Controller, USB keyboard
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|input          = Joy-Con <br> Nintendo Switch Pro Controller <br> USB keyboard <small>(typing only)</small>
 
|strategywiki  = Animal Crossing: New Horizons
 
|strategywiki  = Animal Crossing: New Horizons
 
}}
 
}}
'''''Animal Crossing: New Horizons'''''{{Note|{{Nihongo foot|あつまれ どうぶつの森|Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori|Animal Forest: Gather}}}} is a main installment in the {{SER}} for the [[Nintendo Switch]] that released on March 20, 2020. It's the first new installment in the main {{SER}} since 2012's {{NL}}, and the first for a home console since 2008's {{CF}}.
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'''''Animal Crossing: New Horizons'''''{{Note|{{Nihongo foot|あつまれ どうぶつの森|Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori|Animal Forest: Gather}}}} is a simulation game for the [[Nintendo Switch]] released on March 20, 2020. It is the fifth main installment in the {{SER}} outside of Japan, and it is the first new installment in the main {{SER}} since {{NL}} in 2012 as well as the first for a home console since {{CF}} in 2008.
  
In a departure from previous titles in the series, the player lives on a deserted island rather than in a [[town]] (referred to as the "Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package").<ref>https://www.polygon.com/e3/2019/6/11/18661310/nintendo-direct-e3-2019-animal-crossing-new-horizons-trailer-release-date</ref> [[Crafting]] from {{PC}} has also returned in this installment, in the form of the [[DIY]] system.
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In a departure from previous titles in the series, the player lives on a deserted island rather than in a [[town]] (referred to as the "Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package").<ref>{{Cite web|author=Chris Plante|url=https://www.polygon.com/e3/2019/6/11/18661310/nintendo-direct-e3-2019-animal-crossing-new-horizons-trailer-release-date Animal Crossing: New Horizons looks magical, but is delayed to March 2020|site=Polygon.}}</ref> [[Crafting]] from {{PC}} has also returned in this installment, in the form of the [[DIY]] system.
  
 
==Development and unveiling==
 
==Development and unveiling==
Development on the game began shortly after the Japanese release of ''[[Animal Crossing: New Leaf]]'' prior to the development team being aware of the [[Nintendo Switch]].<ref name= "philosophy">{{cite web|author=Elise Favis|published=Mar 23, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/03/23/nintendo-explains-philosophy-behind-animal-crossings-big-changes-like-gender-expression-terraforming/|title=Nintendo explains philosophy behind Animal Crossing’s big changes, such as gender expression and terraforming|site=Washington Post.}}</ref> As with the previous title, [[Aya Kyogoku]] was chosen as the director of the game, with [[Hisashi Nogami]] in charge as producer.  
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Development on the game began shortly after the Japanese release of ''[[Animal Crossing: New Leaf]]'' prior to the development team being aware of the [[Nintendo Switch]].<ref name= "philosophy">{{cite web|author=Elise Favis|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/03/23/nintendo-explains-philosophy-behind-animal-crossings-big-changes-like-gender-expression-terraforming/|title=Nintendo explains philosophy behind Animal Crossing’s big changes, such as gender expression and terraforming|site=Washington Post.}}</ref> As with the previous title, [[Aya Kyogoku]] was chosen as the director of the game, with [[Hisashi Nogami]] in charge as producer.  
  
Kyogoku notes in an interview that the team chose to be ambitious even despite not knowing anything about the hardware that they would eventually release the game on. The team intended for the game to be welcoming for veteran players and accessible for new players by keeping much of the core gameplay from previous titles while still adding in many new elements.<ref name= "philosophy"/> The theme of developing a town on a deserted island was chosen because the developers believed that breaking away from the tradition of players moving into a village would be a fresh and interesting concept for old players. Kyogoku noted that some players of previous entries would have difficulty finding goals or objectives. As a response to this feedback, a sense of purpose was purposely developed by having players develop the village from scratch. The developers felt that as players constructed their village from the ground up, they would grow a more personal relationship with their town.<ref name= "crazy">{{Cite web|author=Scott Stein|published=Mar 21, 2020|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/youre-not-crazy-tom-nook-is-nicer-in-animal-crossing-new-horizons/|title=You're not crazy: Tom Nook is nicer in Animal Crossing: New Horizons|site=cnet.}}</ref>
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Kyogoku notes in an interview that the team chose to be ambitious even despite not knowing anything about the hardware that they would eventually release the game on. The team intended for the game to be welcoming for veteran players and accessible for new players by keeping much of the core gameplay from previous titles while still adding in many new elements.<ref name= "philosophy"/> The theme of developing a town on a deserted island was chosen because the developers believed that breaking away from the tradition of players moving into a village would be a fresh and interesting concept for old players. Kyogoku noted that some players of previous entries would have difficulty finding goals or objectives. As a response to this feedback, a sense of purpose was purposely developed by having players develop the village from scratch. The developers felt that as players constructed their village from the ground up, they would grow a more personal relationship with their town.<ref name= "crazy">{{Cite web|author=Scott Stein|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/youre-not-crazy-tom-nook-is-nicer-in-animal-crossing-new-horizons/|title=You're not crazy: Tom Nook is nicer in Animal Crossing: New Horizons|site=CNET.}}</ref>
  
As a result of choosing a deserted island theme, [[DIY|crafting]] was added into the game. This was done so that players would have a higher level of interactivity with the deserted island. This would give players a different perspective of the environment that used to be just a visual aspect.<ref name= "crazy"/> Crafting was also developed with the intention of keeping players from running out of things to do during the hours that their shops are closed.<ref name= "philosophy"/> Another of these new features, terraforming, was added in response to unexpected behavior from players in previous games such as resetting towns in order to receive a desirable town layout. With the introduction of crafting and terraforming, players are able to be more in control of their island.<ref name= "philosophy"/> This flexibility in design extends further onto player design. Unlike previous games which involved players having to answer a series of questions to determine their appearance, players are now able to freely change their appearance whenever they'd like to through the use of mirrors or vanities. In addition to this, several new hair and facial features were added that were not present in previous entries. A gender option is still present, but does not impact the game or the player's appearance in any way other than certain dialogue differences. Kyogoku states in an interview that this level of player customization is not just about gender, but rather more about individuality, which the development team believed was a growing belief within society. Players aren't forced into thinking too much about gender, but the option is still there should they decide to.<ref name= "philosophy"/>  
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As a result of choosing a deserted island theme, [[DIY|crafting]] was added into the game. This was done so that players would have a higher level of interactivity with the deserted island. This would give players a different perspective of the environment that used to be just a visual aspect.<ref name= "crazy"/> Crafting was also developed with the intention of keeping players from running out of things to do during the hours that their shops are closed.<ref name= "philosophy"/> Another of these new features, terraforming, was added in response to unexpected behavior from players in previous games such as resetting towns in order to receive a desirable town layout. With the introduction of crafting and terraforming, players are able to be more in control of their island.<ref name= "philosophy"/> This flexibility in design extends further onto player design. Unlike previous games which involved players having to answer a series of questions to determine their appearance, players are now able to freely change their appearance whenever they'd like to through the use of mirrors or vanities. In addition to this, several new hair and facial features were added that were not present in previous entries. A gender option is still present, but does not impact the game or the player's appearance in any way other than certain dialog differences. Kyogoku states in an interview that this level of player customization is not just about gender, but rather more about individuality, which the development team believed was a growing belief within society. Players aren't forced into thinking too much about gender, but the option is still there should they decide to.<ref name= "philosophy"/>  
  
 
The addition of the [[NookPhone]] was inspired by the belief that phones are essential tools in everyday life. Kyogoku has stated that the NookPhone serves as a source of familiarity between the real world and the game.<ref name= "crazy"/>
 
The addition of the [[NookPhone]] was inspired by the belief that phones are essential tools in everyday life. Kyogoku has stated that the NookPhone serves as a source of familiarity between the real world and the game.<ref name= "crazy"/>
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===Unveiling and release===
 
===Unveiling and release===
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The game was teased during a Nintendo Direct on September 13, 2018, and was originally slated to be released in 2019.<ref>Nintendo, [https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/09-13-2018/ Nintendo Direct 09-13-2018], YouTube.</ref>
  
The game was teased during a Nintendo Direct on September 13, 2018, and was originally slated to be released in 2019.<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/09-13-2018/ Nintendo Direct 09-13-2018]</ref>  
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During E3 2019 on June 11, 2019, the gameplay (from trailer and Treehouse interview) and title were shown. It was revealed that the game had been delayed to March 20, 2020; it was stated that "to ensure the game is the best it can be, we must ask that you wait a little longer than we thought."<ref>Nintendo, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9eAtwcYlo Nintendo Direct for E3 2019], YouTube.</ref> Later, President of Nintendo of America, [[Doug Bowser]], said the following: "The crunch point is an interesting one, for us, one of our key tenets is that we bring smiles to people's faces, and we talk about that all the time. It's our vision. Or our mission, I should say. For us, that applies to our own employees. We need to make sure that our employees have good work-life balance. One of those examples is, we will not bring a game to market before it's ready. We just talked about one example. It's really important that we have that balance in our world. It's actually something we're proud of."<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/11/nintendo-comments-on-crunch-and-game-delays-a-e3-2019 Nintendo Comments on Crunch and Game Delays], IGN.</ref>
  
During E3 2019 on June 11, 2019, the gameplay (from trailer and Treehouse interview) and title were shown. It was revealed that the game had been delayed to March 20, 2020; it was stated that "to ensure the game is the best it can be, we must ask that you wait a little longer than we thought."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9eAtwcYlo Nintendo Direct for E3 2019], YouTube.</ref> Later, President of Nintendo of America, [[Doug Bowser]], said the following: "The crunch point is an interesting one, for us, one of our key tenets is that we bring smiles to people's faces, and we talk about that all the time. It's our vision. Or our mission, I should say. For us, that applies to our own employees. We need to make sure that our employees have good work-life balance. One of those examples is, we will not bring a game to market before it's ready. We just talked about one example. It's really important that we have that balance in our world. It's actually something we're proud of."<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/11/nintendo-comments-on-crunch-and-game-delays-a-e3-2019 Nintendo Comments on Crunch and Game Delays], IGN.</ref>
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An Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct took place on February 20, 2020, announcing the final release date of March 20th, 2020. <ref>Nintendo, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie4WZCLbtVs Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct 2.20.2020], YouTube.</ref>  It showcased multiple new features of the game, such as terrain editing, additional house customization, and more.
 
 
An Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct took place on February 20, 2020, announcing the final release date of March 20th, 2020. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie4WZCLbtVs Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct 2.20.2020], Nintendo.</ref>  It showcased multiple new features of the game, such as terrain editing, additional house customization, and more.
 
  
 
This title supports more languages than all previous entries in the series, being the first to support the Chinese language since {{DnM}},<ref>[https://nintendosoup.com/luigis-mansion-3-animal-crossing-and-new-super-mario-bros-u-deluxe-playable-in-chinese/ Luigi&#8217;s Mansion 3, Animal Crossing, And New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Playable In Chinese], NintendoSoup.</ref> which was ported to the [[wikipedia:iQue Player|iQue Player]] with simplified Chinese support exclusively for mainland China in 2006. This is also the first main series title since {{CF}} to have two separate localizations for Spanish and French; one for Europe and the other for the Americas, although it has been erroneously reported to be the first title, in general, to do so in the case of Spanish<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqUicmDQKuA Animal Crossing: City Folk - Comparing Spanish localizations (LATAM & EU)], YouTube.</ref><ref>[https://www.3djuegos.com/mx/noticias-amp/199649/animal-crossing-new-horizons-vendr-localizado-al-espaol/ Animal Crossing: New Horizons vendrá localizado al español latinoamericano], 3DJuegos (in Spanish)</ref>. It is the first title to include all localizations collectively regardless of regional release, and the first main series title to ever include Dutch and Russian languages.
 
This title supports more languages than all previous entries in the series, being the first to support the Chinese language since {{DnM}},<ref>[https://nintendosoup.com/luigis-mansion-3-animal-crossing-and-new-super-mario-bros-u-deluxe-playable-in-chinese/ Luigi&#8217;s Mansion 3, Animal Crossing, And New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Playable In Chinese], NintendoSoup.</ref> which was ported to the [[wikipedia:iQue Player|iQue Player]] with simplified Chinese support exclusively for mainland China in 2006. This is also the first main series title since {{CF}} to have two separate localizations for Spanish and French; one for Europe and the other for the Americas, although it has been erroneously reported to be the first title, in general, to do so in the case of Spanish<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqUicmDQKuA Animal Crossing: City Folk - Comparing Spanish localizations (LATAM & EU)], YouTube.</ref><ref>[https://www.3djuegos.com/mx/noticias-amp/199649/animal-crossing-new-horizons-vendr-localizado-al-espaol/ Animal Crossing: New Horizons vendrá localizado al español latinoamericano], 3DJuegos (in Spanish)</ref>. It is the first title to include all localizations collectively regardless of regional release, and the first main series title to ever include Dutch and Russian languages.
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{{:Animal Crossing: New Horizons/Update History}}
 
{{:Animal Crossing: New Horizons/Update History}}
  
== Gameplay ==
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====Major updates====
[[Tom Nook]] has a new business venture: selling the [[Nook Inc.]] Deserted Island Getaway Package, which is sold to the [[player]]. The game begins on a nearly deserted island where the player can explore, collect resources, and craft various items (including tools and furniture). The only starting buildings on the island are the player’s tent, two villager tents (after the [[player]] places them), and the [[Resident Services]] tent. The [[Plaza]] in front of Resident Services will feature events and visitors. These visitors will have items and services to offer to the [[player]].
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*The first major update for the game, released simultaneously with the game, added multiple items as part of a cross-promotion with {{PC}}. It also added [[Zipper T. Bunny]], the Bunny Day event, and a matching series of furniture and clothing.
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*The game's second major update, the April Free Update, added [[Leif]], [[Redd]], [[Rover]], [[Cyrus]] and [[Reese]] to the game, as well as an [[art]] gallery expansion for the [[Museum]] and four new events: [[Nature Day]], [[May Day]], [[International Museum Day]], and [[Wedding Season]].
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*The third major update to {{NH|short|nolink}}, the Free Summer Update, was released in two waves. The first wave added swimming, diving, and [[sea creatures]] to the game, along with [[Pascal]] and [[Gulliver#Gullivarrr|Gullivarrr]]. The second wave is set to release in August 2020.
 +
 
 +
==Gameplay==
 +
[[Tom Nook]] has a new business venture: selling the [[Nook Inc.]] Deserted Island Getaway Package, which is sold to the [[player]]. The game begins on a nearly deserted island where the player can explore, collect resources, and craft various items (including tools and furniture). The only starting buildings on the island are the player's tent, two villager tents (after the [[player]] places them), and the [[Resident Services]] tent. The [[Plaza]] in front of Resident Services will feature events and visitors. These visitors will have items and services to offer to the [[player]].
  
 
Donating 5 unique fish and insects to [[Tom Nook]] will unlock the ability to place [[Blathers]]’ tent. Once Blathers’ tent is unlocked, he will give the player a [[Vaulting Pole]] to find more creatures and a [[Shovel]] to excavate [[Fossils]]. Donating 15 more unique creatures and appraised fossils to Blathers will unlock the ability to place his museum, at which the player can donate and assess multiple things at a time. To unlock more tools, the [[player]] will need to pay off their tent, help [[Tom Nook]] build [[Nook's Cranny]], build one bridge, and start three additional housing plots for animal villagers.
 
Donating 5 unique fish and insects to [[Tom Nook]] will unlock the ability to place [[Blathers]]’ tent. Once Blathers’ tent is unlocked, he will give the player a [[Vaulting Pole]] to find more creatures and a [[Shovel]] to excavate [[Fossils]]. Donating 15 more unique creatures and appraised fossils to Blathers will unlock the ability to place his museum, at which the player can donate and assess multiple things at a time. To unlock more tools, the [[player]] will need to pay off their tent, help [[Tom Nook]] build [[Nook's Cranny]], build one bridge, and start three additional housing plots for animal villagers.
  
Once the Resident Services tent is upgraded into a building, Isabelle returns as Nook’s assistant and the player is tasked with improving the island's popularity to draw the attention of [[K.K. Slider]]. Nook instructs the player to pick a location for a [[Campsite (facility)|Campsite]], then to furnish additional housing plots and increase the island's population, and finally to develop the island to a three-star rating.
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Once the Resident Services tent is upgraded into a building, Isabelle returns as Nook's assistant and the player is tasked with improving the island's popularity to draw the attention of [[K.K. Slider]]. Nook instructs the player to pick a location for a [[Campsite (facility)|Campsite]], then to furnish additional housing plots and increase the island's population, and finally to develop the island to a three-star rating.
  
In addition to earning bells, the player can also earn [[Nook Miles]], which is a new form of currency that can be exchanged for furniture, Nook-branded apparel, plane tickets to mystery islands, upgrades, and recipes.  
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In addition to earning Bells, the player can also earn [[Nook Miles]], which is a new form of currency that can be exchanged for furniture, Nook-branded apparel, plane tickets to mystery islands, upgrades, and recipes.  
  
 
As in {{HHD}}, the game features the ability to place furniture outside. A new [[Vaulting Pole]] tool can be created, giving the ability to vault over rivers, as well as a [[Ladder]], allowing the player to climb up [[cliff]]s.  
 
As in {{HHD}}, the game features the ability to place furniture outside. A new [[Vaulting Pole]] tool can be created, giving the ability to vault over rivers, as well as a [[Ladder]], allowing the player to climb up [[cliff]]s.  
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Up to eight players can live on a single island, but only one island can be made per Nintendo Switch.<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/12/nintendo-confirms-new-details-about-multiplayer-in-animal-crossing-new-horizons-e3-2019 Nintendo Confirms New Details About Multiplayer in Animal Crossing: New Horizons], IGN.</ref> The first player is named the "Resident Representative", which occupies a similar role to the [[mayor]] in {{NL}}; this player controls the pace of the storyline, and is the only player that can initiate placement of villager housing plots and infrastructure such as stores, bridges, and inclines (though all players will have access to the Island Designer app once K.K. performs). Additionally, there is a maximum of 10 animal villagers on the island.
 
Up to eight players can live on a single island, but only one island can be made per Nintendo Switch.<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/12/nintendo-confirms-new-details-about-multiplayer-in-animal-crossing-new-horizons-e3-2019 Nintendo Confirms New Details About Multiplayer in Animal Crossing: New Horizons], IGN.</ref> The first player is named the "Resident Representative", which occupies a similar role to the [[mayor]] in {{NL}}; this player controls the pace of the storyline, and is the only player that can initiate placement of villager housing plots and infrastructure such as stores, bridges, and inclines (though all players will have access to the Island Designer app once K.K. performs). Additionally, there is a maximum of 10 animal villagers on the island.
  
== Resources ==
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===Resources===
 
Resources can be collected through various methods, such as chopping at trees with an axe for several types of wood (including wood, softwood and hardwood), or hitting rocks with a shovel for clay, stone, and [[ore]]s. Several different types of [[weed]]s appear, which can also be used as materials once plucked. Crafting is done through either Tom Nook's workbench, or a bench crafted by the player. With these mechanics, the player is able to build and develop the island over time. Players are also able to dig up clams in the sand, which can then be used as fishing bait or as crafting materials. Additionally, trees and flowers can be shoveled up to be stored in the [[pocket]], flowers can be used as crafting material, and picking them will also leave the stems in the ground.
 
Resources can be collected through various methods, such as chopping at trees with an axe for several types of wood (including wood, softwood and hardwood), or hitting rocks with a shovel for clay, stone, and [[ore]]s. Several different types of [[weed]]s appear, which can also be used as materials once plucked. Crafting is done through either Tom Nook's workbench, or a bench crafted by the player. With these mechanics, the player is able to build and develop the island over time. Players are also able to dig up clams in the sand, which can then be used as fishing bait or as crafting materials. Additionally, trees and flowers can be shoveled up to be stored in the [[pocket]], flowers can be used as crafting material, and picking them will also leave the stems in the ground.
  
=== Player ===
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===Player===
 
Players can fully customize their characters at the beginning and during the game without having to answer questions, similar to {{HHD}} and {{PC|short}}. This includes skin tones, gender-neutral hairstyles, and nose shapes.<ref>[https://www.polygon.com/e3/2019/6/12/18662401/animal-crossing-new-horizons-e3-2019-character-customization-skin-tone-nintendo-switch Animal Crossing: New Horizons will have skin tone customization, gender-neutral hairstyles for Villagers], Polygon.</ref> The player characters' overall design is slightly more detailed than in previous titles, featuring a more subdued color scheme and clear hair physics and shaders. The players also appear more expressive, showing a thoughtful expression when selecting items in their pocket, and moving their eyes around to look at nearby villagers and bugs.
 
Players can fully customize their characters at the beginning and during the game without having to answer questions, similar to {{HHD}} and {{PC|short}}. This includes skin tones, gender-neutral hairstyles, and nose shapes.<ref>[https://www.polygon.com/e3/2019/6/12/18662401/animal-crossing-new-horizons-e3-2019-character-customization-skin-tone-nintendo-switch Animal Crossing: New Horizons will have skin tone customization, gender-neutral hairstyles for Villagers], Polygon.</ref> The player characters' overall design is slightly more detailed than in previous titles, featuring a more subdued color scheme and clear hair physics and shaders. The players also appear more expressive, showing a thoughtful expression when selecting items in their pocket, and moving their eyes around to look at nearby villagers and bugs.
  
 
The player also possesses a new item called the [[NookPhone]], which features multiple different applications that the player can use such as [[Nook Miles]], [[Rescue Service]], Local Play, and more.
 
The player also possesses a new item called the [[NookPhone]], which features multiple different applications that the player can use such as [[Nook Miles]], [[Rescue Service]], Local Play, and more.
  
The player can purchase a variety of clothes from the [[Able Sisters]] shop and presumably other shops that will appear after doing certain tasks. The Able sisters will set up their shop after to buy a fair amount in bells from them. Able Sisters now includes a fitting room, allowing the player to try on clothes before purchasing.
+
The player can purchase a variety of clothes from the [[Able Sisters]] shop and presumably other shops that will appear after doing certain tasks. The Able sisters will set up their shop after to buy a fair amount in Bells from them. Able Sisters now includes a fitting room, allowing the player to try on clothes before purchasing.
  
=== Multiplayer ===
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===Multiplayer===
 +
{{Main|Multiplayer#In Animal Crossing: New Horizons}}
 
An island can support up to eight players. For the first time in the series, four players can play at the same time on a single system, and up to eight can play together through online multiplayer or local wireless.<ref>Animal Crossing: New Horizons E3 2019 Factsheet</ref> Online play requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
 
An island can support up to eight players. For the first time in the series, four players can play at the same time on a single system, and up to eight can play together through online multiplayer or local wireless.<ref>Animal Crossing: New Horizons E3 2019 Factsheet</ref> Online play requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
  
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This marks the first game where a player's friend cannot modify the island with their shovel or axe unless they are marked as a best friend.
 
This marks the first game where a player's friend cannot modify the island with their shovel or axe unless they are marked as a best friend.
 +
 +
===Nintendo eShop description===
 +
<big>Escape to Your Personal Island Paradise</big>
 +
:''Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. You can hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.''
 +
 +
:''Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online or with others beside you, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.''<ref name= "eShop description"/>
  
 
==Characters==
 
==Characters==
 
{{Main|Animal Crossing: New Horizons/Characters}}
 
{{Main|Animal Crossing: New Horizons/Characters}}
 +
[[Tom Nook]] and [[Isabelle]] are the main special characters in {{NH|nolink}}, with the former being responsible for moving the player and villagers to the deserted island, and the latter hosting the morning announcements and running the Civic Consultation Center at [[Resident Services]]. Many other special characters return in {{NH|short|nolink}}, reprising their roles in previous games, such as [[Timmy and Tommy]], [[Mabel]] and [[Sable]], and [[Blathers]] running the [[Nook's Cranny|shop]], [[Able Sisters|tailor]], and [[museum]] respectively. However, several characters who appeared in previous games, such as [[Joan]] and [[Harriet]], were removed from {{NH|short|nolink}} due to their function being either no longer needed or relegated to another character or the player.
  
{{NH|nolink|short}} includes 29 special characters, 5 of which are new to the series:
+
{{NH|nolink|short}} includes 29 special characters, 5 of which are new to the series. The new special characters include:
* [[C.J.]], who runs the [[Fishing Tourney]] (replacing the role of [[Chip]]) and can purchase [[fish]] from the player for 1.5x their normal selling price
+
* [[File:C.J. NH.png|32px|C.J.]] [[C.J.]], who runs the [[Fishing Tourney]] (replacing the role of [[Chip]]) and can purchase [[fish]] from the player for 1.5x their normal selling price
* [[Daisy Mae]], who sells turnips on Sunday mornings (replacing the role of her grandmother, [[Joan]])
+
* [[File:Daisy Mae NH.png|32px|Daisy Mae]] [[Daisy Mae]], who sells turnips on Sunday mornings (replacing the role of her grandmother, [[Joan]])
* [[Flick]], who runs the [[Bug-Off]] (replacing the role of [[Nat]]) and can purchase [[bugs]] from the player for 1.5x their normal selling price
+
* [[File:Flick NH.png|32px|Flick]] [[Flick]], who runs the [[Bug-Off]] (replacing the role of [[Nat]]) and can purchase [[bugs]] from the player for 1.5x their normal selling price
* [[Orville]], the ground control for Dodo Airlines who works at the [[Airport]]
+
* [[File:Orville NH Character Icon.png|32px|Orville]] [[Orville]], the ground control for Dodo Airlines who works at the [[Airport]]
* [[Wilbur]], the pilot for Dodo Airlines
+
* [[File:Wilbur NH Character Icon.png|32px|Wilbur]] [[Wilbur]], the pilot for Dodo Airlines
  
This game has 391 villagers, which includes 8 that are new to the series (one for each personality):
+
This game has 391 villagers, 8 of which are new to the series (one for each personality). The new villagers include:
* [[Audie]], a peppy wolf
+
* [[File:Audie NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Audie]] [[Audie]], a peppy wolf
* [[Cyd]], a cranky elephant
+
* [[File:Cyd NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Cyd]] [[Cyd]], a cranky elephant
* [[Dom]], a jock sheep
+
* [[File:Dom NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Dom]] [[Dom]], a jock sheep
* [[Judy]], a snooty cub
+
* [[File:Judy NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Judy]] [[Judy]], a snooty cub
* [[Megan]], normal bear
+
* [[File:Megan NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Megan]] [[Megan]], normal bear
* [[Raymond]], a smug cat
+
* [[File:Raymond NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Raymond]] [[Raymond]], a smug cat
* [[Reneigh]], a sisterly horse
+
* [[File:Reneigh NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Reneigh]] [[Reneigh]], a sisterly horse
* [[Sherb]], a lazy goat
+
* [[File:Sherb NH Villager Icon.png|32px|Sherb]] [[Sherb]], a lazy goat
  
 
==Connectivity==
 
==Connectivity==
 
Players that have {{NH|nolink}} and {{PC}} linked on the same My Nintendo account can redeem rewards via the My Nintendo screen in the mobile app. The rewards are 50 [[Leaf Ticket|Leaf Tickets]] to use in {{PC|short}} and a 16-digit download code for Nintendo eShop used to access special furniture and clothing items orders in {{NH|short|nolink}}.
 
Players that have {{NH|nolink}} and {{PC}} linked on the same My Nintendo account can redeem rewards via the My Nintendo screen in the mobile app. The rewards are 50 [[Leaf Ticket|Leaf Tickets]] to use in {{PC|short}} and a 16-digit download code for Nintendo eShop used to access special furniture and clothing items orders in {{NH|short|nolink}}.
  
==Differences between ''Animal Crossing'' games==
+
==Differences from previous ''Animal Crossing'' games==
'''''Please note:''' this list is a work in progress. It only reflects the current version of the game and may change as updates release.''
+
'''''Please note:''' this list is a work in progress. It only reflects the current version of the game and things may change as updates are released.''
  
 
*Daily activities now reset at 5 AM instead of 6 AM.
 
*Daily activities now reset at 5 AM instead of 6 AM.
Line 134: Line 148:
 
:*The shark is renamed to the [[Great White Shark]].
 
:*The shark is renamed to the [[Great White Shark]].
  
*Some fish and bugs have their seasonal appearances changed. Most notably, the [[Tarantula]] and [[Scorpion]], previously only available during summer, have their months changed to each be active during a different half of the year depending on the hemisphere.
+
*Eleven new sea creatures have been added: the [[Sea Pig]], [[Slate Pencil Urchin]], [[Moon Jellyfish]], [[Mussel]], [[Gigas Giant Clam]], [[Umbrella Octopus]], [[Vampire Squid]], [[Firefly Squid]], [[Dungeness Crab]], [[Sea Pineapple]] and [[Venus Flower Basket]] have made their debut as of Version 1.3.0.
 +
 
 +
:*The [[Ear Shell]], [[Clam]], and [[Red King Crab]] are absent in this game despite appearing in {{NL|short}}.
 +
 
 +
:*The location of donating sea creatures now shares the same area where fishes are located.
 +
 
 +
*The camera angle when the player dives underwater to catch sea creatures now faces flat to see where the shadow of a sea creature is.
 +
 
 +
:*Jellyfish no longer appears in water while the player swims.
 +
 
 +
*The player can now check their inventory while in water without getting out.
 +
:*Additionally, they can hold the A button to swim automatically without having to manually press A, but slightly slower.
 +
 
 +
*Some fish and bugs have their seasonal appearances changed. Most notably, the [[Tarantula]] and [[Scorpion]], previously only available during summer, have their months changed to each be active during a different half of the year depending on the hemisphere.
  
 
*Player's swollen left eye from Wasp stings now stays after saving and quitting. In previous titles, saving and quitting and reloading cures them without the need for [[Medicine]].
 
*Player's swollen left eye from Wasp stings now stays after saving and quitting. In previous titles, saving and quitting and reloading cures them without the need for [[Medicine]].
Line 140: Line 167:
 
*[[Bridge]]s (along with [[Incline]]s) have increased the maximum limit from three to eight.
 
*[[Bridge]]s (along with [[Incline]]s) have increased the maximum limit from three to eight.
  
*The [[wet suit]], swimming, and [[deep sea creature]] mechanics introduced in {{NL|short|nolink}} no longer appear.
+
*The [[glowing spot]] from the first ''[[Animal Crossing (GCN)|Animal Crossing]]'' returns and is another way to grow money trees (the other being the golden [[shovel]]).
 
 
*The [[glowing spot]] from the first [[Animal Crossing]] returns and is another way to grow money trees (the other being the golden [[shovel]]).
 
  
 
*[[Flower|Violets]], which were introduced in {{NL|short|nolink}} and also appeared in {{HHD|short|nolink}}, are absent from this game.
 
*[[Flower|Violets]], which were introduced in {{NL|short|nolink}} and also appeared in {{HHD|short|nolink}}, are absent from this game.
Line 148: Line 173:
 
*The message in a bottle returns, allowing players to learn new DIY recipes from random villagers that do not live on their island.
 
*The message in a bottle returns, allowing players to learn new DIY recipes from random villagers that do not live on their island.
  
*As in when Crafting was introduced in ''[[Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp|Pocket Camp]]'', [[Tools]] are now required to be crafted. With the exceptions of the [[vaulting pole]] and [[ladder]], all tools (including golden ones) will break after a certain amount of uses.
+
*As in when Crafting was introduced in ''[[Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp|Pocket Camp]]'', [[Tools]] are now required to be crafted. With the exceptions of the [[vaulting pole]], [[ladder]] and [[wand]], all tools (including golden ones) will break after a certain amount of uses.
  
 
:*Consequently, this is the first game in which the golden [[axe]] has limited durability.
 
:*Consequently, this is the first game in which the golden [[axe]] has limited durability.
Line 158: Line 183:
 
:*While Bell rocks remain, gemstones have been removed from rocks.
 
:*While Bell rocks remain, gemstones have been removed from rocks.
  
*Players can now hop over holes and over bodies of water within a 1 or 2-tile space.
+
*Players can now hop over holes and over bodies of water within a 1 or 2-tile space. Including cliffs but only 1-tile space.
  
 
*Eating fruit now fills up a portion of the player's stomach, and upon filling it they will no longer be able to eat. Sitting on a [[toilet]] furniture item allows the player to empty their stomach, presumably through defecation.
 
*Eating fruit now fills up a portion of the player's stomach, and upon filling it they will no longer be able to eat. Sitting on a [[toilet]] furniture item allows the player to empty their stomach, presumably through defecation.
  
:*Players can now break large rocks and move entire trees after eating fruit.
+
:*Players can now break large rocks and move entire trees and Bamboo in their growing stage of 4 and 5 after eating fruit. Trees and Bamboo that are in stage 1 to 3 doesn't require fruit to be moved.
  
:*Lemons, Mangos, Lychees, Bananas, Durians, Persimmons, and perfect fruit are absent in this game.
+
:*Lemons, Mangos, Lychees, Bananas, Durians, Persimmons, and perfect fruit are absent in this game despite appearing in {{NL|short|nolink}}.
  
 
*Items like fruit, shells, and medicine now stack up to 10.
 
*Items like fruit, shells, and medicine now stack up to 10.
Line 170: Line 195:
 
:*Most stacking now occurs immediately upon the player picking up stackable items.
 
:*Most stacking now occurs immediately upon the player picking up stackable items.
  
:*Most bells picked up from the ground are now immediately added to the player's wallet rather than their inventory.
+
:*Most Bells picked up from the ground are now immediately added to the player's wallet rather than their inventory.
  
 
*Holes that been made by the player will now automatically cover up upon reloading the game.
 
*Holes that been made by the player will now automatically cover up upon reloading the game.
  
*[[Pitfall Seed]]s no longer appear daily as buried items, though they can still be made by learning a DIY recipe from Villagers, Message Bottles, Balloon gifts, or digging up a Pitfall Seed from the ground if buried.
+
*[[Pitfall Seed]]s no longer appear daily as buried items, instead they can be made by learning a DIY recipe from Villagers, Message Bottles, Balloon gifts, or digging up a Pitfall Seed from the ground if buried.
  
 
*Flowers can only be uprooted by using a [[Shovel]]. With the exception of [[Lily of the Valley]], attempting to pick up flowers without a shovel will remove its petals.
 
*Flowers can only be uprooted by using a [[Shovel]]. With the exception of [[Lily of the Valley]], attempting to pick up flowers without a shovel will remove its petals.
Line 184: Line 209:
 
*[[Redd]] now commandeers a black market ship rather than a tent or alleyway store, and allows customers to examine [[art|artwork]] up close to determine its legitimacy.
 
*[[Redd]] now commandeers a black market ship rather than a tent or alleyway store, and allows customers to examine [[art|artwork]] up close to determine its legitimacy.
  
:*As was the case prior to {{NL}}, Redd sells [[furniture]] in addition to artwork; this time however, he is able to sell furniture in variations not purchasable from the [[Nook's Cranny]] on the player's own island.
+
:*As was the case prior to [[Animal Crossing: New Leaf|New Leaf]], Redd sells [[furniture]] in addition to artwork; this time however, he is able to sell furniture in variations not purchasable from the [[Nook's Cranny]] on the player's own island.
  
*Multiple new paintings and sculptures are added to the game, each with distinctive differences between legitimate pieces and forgeries; paintings that had previously appeared in {{NL}} feature newly-designed forgeries.
+
*Multiple new paintings and sculptures are added to the game, each with distinctive differences between legitimate pieces and forgeries; paintings that had previously appeared in {{NL|short}} feature newly designed forgeries.
  
 
*Players and Villagers can no longer sit on rocks, but the latter can sit on any solid ground.
 
*Players and Villagers can no longer sit on rocks, but the latter can sit on any solid ground.
  
*Players now start with twenty pocket slots, compared to previous games' fifteen and sixteen in {{NL}}. There are also two upgrades for the pockets, each increasing the holding capacity by ten and ultimately doubling the player's available pocket space after the second upgrade. These upgrades can be purchased with Nook Miles and are unlocked at the Resident Services terminal over time.
+
*Players now start with twenty pocket slots, compared to previous games' fifteen and sixteen in {{NL|short}}. There are also two upgrades for the pockets, each increasing the holding capacity by ten and ultimately doubling the player's available pocket space after the second upgrade. These upgrades can be purchased with Nook Miles and are unlocked at the Resident Services terminal over time.
  
 
:*Tools no longer free up space when held by the player.
 
:*Tools no longer free up space when held by the player.
Line 196: Line 221:
 
*If a player has not played for a while or has time traveled, their character's hair will appear with bed hair. Unlike previous installments, they will quickly fix the hairstyle back to how it was when last played, and bed hair will be unlocked as an optional hairstyle upon the first instance.
 
*If a player has not played for a while or has time traveled, their character's hair will appear with bed hair. Unlike previous installments, they will quickly fix the hairstyle back to how it was when last played, and bed hair will be unlocked as an optional hairstyle upon the first instance.
  
*Villagers can now get sick again, a feature that was previously in {{NL}} but was removed in {{NLa}} update due to a bug.
+
*Villagers can now get sick again, a feature that was previously in {{NL|short}} but was removed in the {{NLa|short}} update due to a bug.
  
 
:*Unlike in previous titles, Villagers who receive [[Medicine]] from players will recover instantly.
 
:*Unlike in previous titles, Villagers who receive [[Medicine]] from players will recover instantly.
Line 203: Line 228:
  
 
:*Additionally, sometimes villagers can be in a thinking pose and ask the player for help to find their lost item.
 
:*Additionally, sometimes villagers can be in a thinking pose and ask the player for help to find their lost item.
 +
 +
*When villagers ask the player if they want to move away and they agree, they will now move out within two days instead of five days in {{NLa|short|nolink}}.
 +
:*While in previous titles, players have the option to convince them to stay days before moving out, the player will now have to make another character and ask the villager they plan to move out to stay the day before they pack up their belongings.
  
 
*House Loans can now be paid by the players' savings in the [[ABD]]; in previous titles all loan payments had to come from the player's wallet.
 
*House Loans can now be paid by the players' savings in the [[ABD]]; in previous titles all loan payments had to come from the player's wallet.
  
*[[Gyroid]]s (other than [[Lloid]]) are not currently present in the game, but are referenced within the game's files.
+
*Players houses can have a maximum of 7 upgrades in their house. While the main room remains the same, the left, right, and back rooms are small, second floor and basement rooms are twice as wide as a normal room.
 +
:*This is possibly due to being able to place furniture items outside like in {{HHD|short|nolink}} and {{PC|short|nolink}}.
 +
:*Despite this change, all the rooms are large in the Photopia studio on [[Harv's Island]]  
 +
 
 +
*Closets are now used to change the players clothes instead of using it as storage from previous titles.
 +
 
 +
*[[Gyroid]]s (as furniture) are not currently present in the game, but are referenced within the game's files.
  
 
*[[Balloon (floating)#In New Horizons|Balloon]] presents now yield random furniture from the start rather than initially offering only [[Balloon Series]] furniture. They can also contain Bells, DIY recipes, or crafting materials.
 
*[[Balloon (floating)#In New Horizons|Balloon]] presents now yield random furniture from the start rather than initially offering only [[Balloon Series]] furniture. They can also contain Bells, DIY recipes, or crafting materials.
  
*[[Saharah]] now sells [[flooring|carpet]]s in small, medium, and large. She also now sells [[wallpaper]] and [[flooring]] individually for 3,000 Bells.
+
*[[Saharah]] now sells [[rug]]s in addition to [[wallpaper]] and [[flooring]].
  
 
:*After a carpet purchase, players now receive [[Exchange Ticket]]s to redeem for a free wallpaper or flooring.
 
:*After a carpet purchase, players now receive [[Exchange Ticket]]s to redeem for a free wallpaper or flooring.
Line 219: Line 253:
  
 
*[[Nook's Cranny]] can only be upgraded once; prior games allowed it to be upgraded up to three times.
 
*[[Nook's Cranny]] can only be upgraded once; prior games allowed it to be upgraded up to three times.
 +
 +
*The [[Fishing Tourney]] and [[Bug-Off]] rules are heavily changed. The player is now tasked with catching as many fish or bugs as they can within three minutes. Previously, the objective was to catch the largest fish or highest-scoring bug.
 +
 +
:*[[C.J.]] and [[Flick]] are the new hosts of the Fishing Tourney and the Bug-Off respectively, replacing [[Chip]] and [[Nat]].
 +
 +
:*The Fishing Tourney now only occurs four times per year (on the 2nd Saturday of January, April, July, and October). In {{WW|short}}, {{CF|short}}, and {{NL|short}}, it was held every month from October to May.
  
 
==Reception==
 
==Reception==
Line 225: Line 265:
 
Ratings include:
 
Ratings include:
 
* [[Wikipedia:Famitsu|Famitsu]]: 38/40
 
* [[Wikipedia:Famitsu|Famitsu]]: 38/40
* [[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN]]: 9/10<ref>https://www.ign.com/articles/animal-crossing-new-horizons-review-for-switch</ref>
+
* [[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN]]: 9/10<ref>Samuel Claiborn, [https://www.ign.com/articles/animal-crossing-new-horizons-review-for-switch Animal Crossing: New Horizons Review], IGN</ref>
* [[Wikipedia:Metacritic|Metacritic]] (an average of 110 reviews): 90% <ref>https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/animal-crossing-new-horizons</ref>
+
* [[Wikipedia:Metacritic|Metacritic]] (an average of 110 reviews): 90% <ref>[https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/animal-crossing-new-horizons ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS], Metacritic</ref>
 
* [[Wikipedia:Forbes|Forbes]]: 100%
 
* [[Wikipedia:Forbes|Forbes]]: 100%
 
* [[Wikipedia:The Daily Telegraph|Telegraph]]: 100%
 
* [[Wikipedia:The Daily Telegraph|Telegraph]]: 100%
Line 249: Line 289:
 
{{Youtube|hO21KLsk-Uk|250|left|Bunny Day Event presentation (Nintendo Direct Mini, March 2020)|height=230px}}
 
{{Youtube|hO21KLsk-Uk|250|left|Bunny Day Event presentation (Nintendo Direct Mini, March 2020)|height=230px}}
 
{{Youtube|KpZyexo-ziA|250|left|April 2020 Free Update|height=230px}}
 
{{Youtube|KpZyexo-ziA|250|left|April 2020 Free Update|height=230px}}
 +
{{Youtube|jO0luDEHesc|250|left|July 2020 Free Update|height=230px}}
 
{{clear}}
 
{{clear}}
  
Line 254: Line 295:
 
{{Youtube|dEh3MPy4GAU|250|left|E3 Nintendo Treehouse gameplay featuring [[Aya Kyogoku]] and [[Hisashi Nogami]]|height=230px}}
 
{{Youtube|dEh3MPy4GAU|250|left|E3 Nintendo Treehouse gameplay featuring [[Aya Kyogoku]] and [[Hisashi Nogami]]|height=230px}}
 
{{clear}}
 
{{clear}}
 +
 
===Commercials===
 
===Commercials===
 
{{Youtube|nCwVTCxm29c|250|left|Deserted Island Getaway Package Primer|height=230px}}
 
{{Youtube|nCwVTCxm29c|250|left|Deserted Island Getaway Package Primer|height=230px}}
Line 269: Line 311:
  
 
==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
*{{NH|nolink}} is the second mainline game in the {{SER}} not to feature [[K.K. Slider]] on its boxart, the first being the international release of {{PG}}.
+
*{{NH|nolink}} marks the longest time between the release of two main {{SER}} games, at 7 years, 4 months, and 12 days from {{NL}}'s release in Japan on November 8, 2012.
 +
*{{NH|nolink}} is the second mainline game in the {{SER|nolink}} not to feature [[K.K. Slider]] on its boxart, the first being the international release of {{PG}}.
  
 
==Names in other languages==
 
==Names in other languages==
Line 293: Line 336:
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
{{Reflist}}
 
{{Reflist}}
 +
<br clear=all>
  
{{Update}}
 
 
{{Animal Crossing}}
 
{{Animal Crossing}}
 
[[Category:Video Games]]
 
[[Category:Video Games]]
 
[[Category:Animal Crossing series]]
 
[[Category:Animal Crossing series]]

Revision as of 01:31, July 5, 2020


English game logo
North American game cover
Main theme
Main theme
Developer(s) Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Platform(s) Nintendo Switch
Release date(s) March 20, 2020[1]
Genre(s) Simulation
Modes Single player
Multiplayer (1-4 player co-op; 1-8 player local wireless/online)
Ratings ACB:  G
CERO:  A
ClassInd:  L
ESRB:  E
FPB:  PG
GCAM:  3
GRAC:  All
GSRR: P(6+) P(6+)
NMC:  3
PEGI:  3
RARS:  0+
USK:  0
Media Nintendo Switch Game Card
Nintendo eShop digital download
File size 6.2 GB[1] (digital download only)
Input
methods
Joy-Con
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
USB keyboard (typing only)

Guide at StrategyWiki

Animal Crossing: New Horizons[nb 1] is a simulation game for the Nintendo Switch released on March 20, 2020. It is the fifth main installment in the Animal Crossing series outside of Japan, and it is the first new installment in the main Animal Crossing series since Animal Crossing: New Leaf in 2012 as well as the first for a home console since Animal Crossing: City Folk in 2008.

In a departure from previous titles in the series, the player lives on a deserted island rather than in a town (referred to as the "Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package").[2] Crafting from Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has also returned in this installment, in the form of the DIY system.

Development and unveiling

Development on the game began shortly after the Japanese release of Animal Crossing: New Leaf prior to the development team being aware of the Nintendo Switch.[3] As with the previous title, Aya Kyogoku was chosen as the director of the game, with Hisashi Nogami in charge as producer.

Kyogoku notes in an interview that the team chose to be ambitious even despite not knowing anything about the hardware that they would eventually release the game on. The team intended for the game to be welcoming for veteran players and accessible for new players by keeping much of the core gameplay from previous titles while still adding in many new elements.[3] The theme of developing a town on a deserted island was chosen because the developers believed that breaking away from the tradition of players moving into a village would be a fresh and interesting concept for old players. Kyogoku noted that some players of previous entries would have difficulty finding goals or objectives. As a response to this feedback, a sense of purpose was purposely developed by having players develop the village from scratch. The developers felt that as players constructed their village from the ground up, they would grow a more personal relationship with their town.[4]

As a result of choosing a deserted island theme, crafting was added into the game. This was done so that players would have a higher level of interactivity with the deserted island. This would give players a different perspective of the environment that used to be just a visual aspect.[4] Crafting was also developed with the intention of keeping players from running out of things to do during the hours that their shops are closed.[3] Another of these new features, terraforming, was added in response to unexpected behavior from players in previous games such as resetting towns in order to receive a desirable town layout. With the introduction of crafting and terraforming, players are able to be more in control of their island.[3] This flexibility in design extends further onto player design. Unlike previous games which involved players having to answer a series of questions to determine their appearance, players are now able to freely change their appearance whenever they'd like to through the use of mirrors or vanities. In addition to this, several new hair and facial features were added that were not present in previous entries. A gender option is still present, but does not impact the game or the player's appearance in any way other than certain dialog differences. Kyogoku states in an interview that this level of player customization is not just about gender, but rather more about individuality, which the development team believed was a growing belief within society. Players aren't forced into thinking too much about gender, but the option is still there should they decide to.[3]

The addition of the NookPhone was inspired by the belief that phones are essential tools in everyday life. Kyogoku has stated that the NookPhone serves as a source of familiarity between the real world and the game.[4]

In another shift, the effects of time traveling were made less impactful. This is in part due to the fact that seasonal events and holidays are not coded into the game from launch and are instead going to be added through future updates. Kyogoku notes that this method of adding events was not intended to shun time traveling, but rather as a form of creating unity amongst players. Nevertheless, time traveling is still discouraged, though Kyogoku and Nogami do not consider it to be a form of cheating.[3]

Development for future updates is still going steady, though shifts may have to be made due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4] The development team hopes that updates will continue even two or three years after launch.[4]

Unveiling and release

The game was teased during a Nintendo Direct on September 13, 2018, and was originally slated to be released in 2019.[5]

During E3 2019 on June 11, 2019, the gameplay (from trailer and Treehouse interview) and title were shown. It was revealed that the game had been delayed to March 20, 2020; it was stated that "to ensure the game is the best it can be, we must ask that you wait a little longer than we thought."[6] Later, President of Nintendo of America, Doug Bowser, said the following: "The crunch point is an interesting one, for us, one of our key tenets is that we bring smiles to people's faces, and we talk about that all the time. It's our vision. Or our mission, I should say. For us, that applies to our own employees. We need to make sure that our employees have good work-life balance. One of those examples is, we will not bring a game to market before it's ready. We just talked about one example. It's really important that we have that balance in our world. It's actually something we're proud of."[7]

An Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct took place on February 20, 2020, announcing the final release date of March 20th, 2020. [8] It showcased multiple new features of the game, such as terrain editing, additional house customization, and more.

This title supports more languages than all previous entries in the series, being the first to support the Chinese language since Doubutsu no Mori,[9] which was ported to the iQue Player with simplified Chinese support exclusively for mainland China in 2006. This is also the first main series title since Animal Crossing: City Folk to have two separate localizations for Spanish and French; one for Europe and the other for the Americas, although it has been erroneously reported to be the first title, in general, to do so in the case of Spanish[10][11]. It is the first title to include all localizations collectively regardless of regional release, and the first main series title to ever include Dutch and Russian languages.

New Horizons is also the first title in the series to launch worldwide on the same date.

Update history

For detailed changelogs see Animal Crossing: New Horizons/Update History
Pete NH Character Icon.png
This article or section contains information about game updates.
The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current or accurate information about the game.
Pete NH Character Icon.png
This article or section contains information about game updates.
The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current or accurate information about the game.
Current version:
2.0.6 (released November 14, 2022)

From its release in March 2020 to November 2021, Animal Crossing: New Horizons received twelve free content updates and one paid DLC expansion. The free updates included content such as new events, gameplay elements, characters, and items. Each update was released at 10 AM JST (1 AM UTC), causing them to be released the night before their scheduled release date in some regions, such as the Americas. The Happy Home Paradise expansion, however, was unlocked at 12 AM local time in all regions.

Online multiplayer can only be participated in if the most recent update is installed. The version number is displayed on the title screen and when talking to Orville about multiplayer functions.

Below is a timeline of updates. For more information, refer to the respective articles on each major update.


Major updates

  • The first major update for the game, released simultaneously with the game, added multiple items as part of a cross-promotion with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. It also added Zipper T. Bunny, the Bunny Day event, and a matching series of furniture and clothing.
  • The third major update to New Horizons, the Free Summer Update, was released in two waves. The first wave added swimming, diving, and sea creatures to the game, along with Pascal and Gullivarrr. The second wave is set to release in August 2020.

Gameplay

Tom Nook has a new business venture: selling the Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package, which is sold to the player. The game begins on a nearly deserted island where the player can explore, collect resources, and craft various items (including tools and furniture). The only starting buildings on the island are the player's tent, two villager tents (after the player places them), and the Resident Services tent. The Plaza in front of Resident Services will feature events and visitors. These visitors will have items and services to offer to the player.

Donating 5 unique fish and insects to Tom Nook will unlock the ability to place Blathers’ tent. Once Blathers’ tent is unlocked, he will give the player a Vaulting Pole to find more creatures and a Shovel to excavate Fossils. Donating 15 more unique creatures and appraised fossils to Blathers will unlock the ability to place his museum, at which the player can donate and assess multiple things at a time. To unlock more tools, the player will need to pay off their tent, help Tom Nook build Nook's Cranny, build one bridge, and start three additional housing plots for animal villagers.

Once the Resident Services tent is upgraded into a building, Isabelle returns as Nook's assistant and the player is tasked with improving the island's popularity to draw the attention of K.K. Slider. Nook instructs the player to pick a location for a Campsite, then to furnish additional housing plots and increase the island's population, and finally to develop the island to a three-star rating.

In addition to earning Bells, the player can also earn Nook Miles, which is a new form of currency that can be exchanged for furniture, Nook-branded apparel, plane tickets to mystery islands, upgrades, and recipes.

As in Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, the game features the ability to place furniture outside. A new Vaulting Pole tool can be created, giving the ability to vault over rivers, as well as a Ladder, allowing the player to climb up cliffs.

The player can earn the Island Designer app if K.K. performs a song on their island. Once the proper terraforming tools are unlocked with Nook Miles, it allows them to pave roads (instead of having to place patterns on the ground), as well as modify or add rivers and cliffs.

Up to eight players can live on a single island, but only one island can be made per Nintendo Switch.[12] The first player is named the "Resident Representative", which occupies a similar role to the mayor in Animal Crossing: New Leaf; this player controls the pace of the storyline, and is the only player that can initiate placement of villager housing plots and infrastructure such as stores, bridges, and inclines (though all players will have access to the Island Designer app once K.K. performs). Additionally, there is a maximum of 10 animal villagers on the island.

Resources

Resources can be collected through various methods, such as chopping at trees with an axe for several types of wood (including wood, softwood and hardwood), or hitting rocks with a shovel for clay, stone, and ores. Several different types of weeds appear, which can also be used as materials once plucked. Crafting is done through either Tom Nook's workbench, or a bench crafted by the player. With these mechanics, the player is able to build and develop the island over time. Players are also able to dig up clams in the sand, which can then be used as fishing bait or as crafting materials. Additionally, trees and flowers can be shoveled up to be stored in the pocket, flowers can be used as crafting material, and picking them will also leave the stems in the ground.

Player

Players can fully customize their characters at the beginning and during the game without having to answer questions, similar to Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer and Pocket Camp. This includes skin tones, gender-neutral hairstyles, and nose shapes.[13] The player characters' overall design is slightly more detailed than in previous titles, featuring a more subdued color scheme and clear hair physics and shaders. The players also appear more expressive, showing a thoughtful expression when selecting items in their pocket, and moving their eyes around to look at nearby villagers and bugs.

The player also possesses a new item called the NookPhone, which features multiple different applications that the player can use such as Nook Miles, Rescue Service, Local Play, and more.

The player can purchase a variety of clothes from the Able Sisters shop and presumably other shops that will appear after doing certain tasks. The Able sisters will set up their shop after to buy a fair amount in Bells from them. Able Sisters now includes a fitting room, allowing the player to try on clothes before purchasing.

Multiplayer

Main article: Multiplayer#In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

An island can support up to eight players. For the first time in the series, four players can play at the same time on a single system, and up to eight can play together through online multiplayer or local wireless.[14] Online play requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

In local multiplayer, the screen boundaries will follow player 1; however, they may transfer their "leadership" to another player at any time. The lead player is the only player able to see notifications after catching bugs or fish. In online play, all players have equal abilities, as in previous games.

This marks the first game where a player's friend cannot modify the island with their shovel or axe unless they are marked as a best friend.

Nintendo eShop description

Escape to Your Personal Island Paradise

Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. You can hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.
Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online or with others beside you, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.[1]

Characters

Main article: Animal Crossing: New Horizons/Characters

Tom Nook and Isabelle are the main special characters in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with the former being responsible for moving the player and villagers to the deserted island, and the latter hosting the morning announcements and running the Civic Consultation Center at Resident Services. Many other special characters return in New Horizons, reprising their roles in previous games, such as Timmy and Tommy, Mabel and Sable, and Blathers running the shop, tailor, and museum respectively. However, several characters who appeared in previous games, such as Joan and Harriet, were removed from New Horizons due to their function being either no longer needed or relegated to another character or the player.

New Horizons includes 29 special characters, 5 of which are new to the series. The new special characters include:

  • C.J. C.J., who runs the Fishing Tourney (replacing the role of Chip) and can purchase fish from the player for 1.5x their normal selling price
  • Daisy Mae Daisy Mae, who sells turnips on Sunday mornings (replacing the role of her grandmother, Joan)
  • Flick Flick, who runs the Bug-Off (replacing the role of Nat) and can purchase bugs from the player for 1.5x their normal selling price
  • Orville Orville, the ground control for Dodo Airlines who works at the Airport
  • Wilbur Wilbur, the pilot for Dodo Airlines

This game has 391 villagers, 8 of which are new to the series (one for each personality). The new villagers include:

Connectivity

Players that have Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp linked on the same My Nintendo account can redeem rewards via the My Nintendo screen in the mobile app. The rewards are 50 Leaf Tickets to use in Pocket Camp and a 16-digit download code for Nintendo eShop used to access special furniture and clothing items orders in New Horizons.

Differences from previous Animal Crossing games

Please note: this list is a work in progress. It only reflects the current version of the game and things may change as updates are released.

  • Daily activities now reset at 5 AM instead of 6 AM.
  • The properties of the Wharf Roach are changed: instead of scurrying around on the beach, it now congregates in one-square swarms on the beach's rock platforms. Catching one Wharf Roach will cause the rest of the swarm to dissipate, similarly to the wasp and ant.
  • The location of donating sea creatures now shares the same area where fishes are located.
  • The camera angle when the player dives underwater to catch sea creatures now faces flat to see where the shadow of a sea creature is.
  • Jellyfish no longer appears in water while the player swims.
  • The player can now check their inventory while in water without getting out.
  • Additionally, they can hold the A button to swim automatically without having to manually press A, but slightly slower.
  • Some fish and bugs have their seasonal appearances changed. Most notably, the Tarantula and Scorpion, previously only available during summer, have their months changed to each be active during a different half of the year depending on the hemisphere.
  • Player's swollen left eye from Wasp stings now stays after saving and quitting. In previous titles, saving and quitting and reloading cures them without the need for Medicine.
  • Bridges (along with Inclines) have increased the maximum limit from three to eight.
  • Violets, which were introduced in New Leaf and also appeared in Happy Home Designer, are absent from this game.
  • The message in a bottle returns, allowing players to learn new DIY recipes from random villagers that do not live on their island.
  • As in when Crafting was introduced in Pocket Camp, Tools are now required to be crafted. With the exceptions of the vaulting pole, ladder and wand, all tools (including golden ones) will break after a certain amount of uses.
  • Consequently, this is the first game in which the golden axe has limited durability.
  • The golden slingshot now shoots one pellet instead of three.
  • Stone, clay, iron nuggets and (rarely) gold nuggets can now be randomly extracted daily from each of the island's material rocks.
  • While Bell rocks remain, gemstones have been removed from rocks.
  • Players can now hop over holes and over bodies of water within a 1 or 2-tile space. Including cliffs but only 1-tile space.
  • Eating fruit now fills up a portion of the player's stomach, and upon filling it they will no longer be able to eat. Sitting on a toilet furniture item allows the player to empty their stomach, presumably through defecation.
  • Players can now break large rocks and move entire trees and Bamboo in their growing stage of 4 and 5 after eating fruit. Trees and Bamboo that are in stage 1 to 3 doesn't require fruit to be moved.
  • Lemons, Mangos, Lychees, Bananas, Durians, Persimmons, and perfect fruit are absent in this game despite appearing in New Leaf.
  • Items like fruit, shells, and medicine now stack up to 10.
  • Most stacking now occurs immediately upon the player picking up stackable items.
  • Most Bells picked up from the ground are now immediately added to the player's wallet rather than their inventory.
  • Holes that been made by the player will now automatically cover up upon reloading the game.
  • Pitfall Seeds no longer appear daily as buried items, instead they can be made by learning a DIY recipe from Villagers, Message Bottles, Balloon gifts, or digging up a Pitfall Seed from the ground if buried.
  • Flowers can only be uprooted by using a Shovel. With the exception of Lily of the Valley, attempting to pick up flowers without a shovel will remove its petals.
  • Additionally; running over flowers will no longer disappear as the petals will fall off.
  • Blathers once again gives lectures on donated fish, bugs, and fossils, a feature previously dropped in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, though unlike previous instances, players have the option to opt out of them per donation. Consequently, the informative blurbs found on museum plaques in New Leaf are no longer present, returning to the pre-New Leaf standard of simply listing the item and donor. The New Leaf standard is retained solely for art.
  • Redd now commandeers a black market ship rather than a tent or alleyway store, and allows customers to examine artwork up close to determine its legitimacy.
  • As was the case prior to New Leaf, Redd sells furniture in addition to artwork; this time however, he is able to sell furniture in variations not purchasable from the Nook's Cranny on the player's own island.
  • Multiple new paintings and sculptures are added to the game, each with distinctive differences between legitimate pieces and forgeries; paintings that had previously appeared in New Leaf feature newly designed forgeries.
  • Players and Villagers can no longer sit on rocks, but the latter can sit on any solid ground.
  • Players now start with twenty pocket slots, compared to previous games' fifteen and sixteen in New Leaf. There are also two upgrades for the pockets, each increasing the holding capacity by ten and ultimately doubling the player's available pocket space after the second upgrade. These upgrades can be purchased with Nook Miles and are unlocked at the Resident Services terminal over time.
  • Tools no longer free up space when held by the player.
  • If a player has not played for a while or has time traveled, their character's hair will appear with bed hair. Unlike previous installments, they will quickly fix the hairstyle back to how it was when last played, and bed hair will be unlocked as an optional hairstyle upon the first instance.
  • Villagers can now get sick again, a feature that was previously in New Leaf but was removed in the Welcome amiibo update due to a bug.
  • Unlike in previous titles, Villagers who receive Medicine from players will recover instantly.
  • Lost items can now be identified by a villager who it belongs to and the player can also investigate the lost item.
  • Additionally, sometimes villagers can be in a thinking pose and ask the player for help to find their lost item.
  • When villagers ask the player if they want to move away and they agree, they will now move out within two days instead of five days in Welcome amiibo.
  • While in previous titles, players have the option to convince them to stay days before moving out, the player will now have to make another character and ask the villager they plan to move out to stay the day before they pack up their belongings.
  • House Loans can now be paid by the players' savings in the ABD; in previous titles all loan payments had to come from the player's wallet.
  • Players houses can have a maximum of 7 upgrades in their house. While the main room remains the same, the left, right, and back rooms are small, second floor and basement rooms are twice as wide as a normal room.
  • This is possibly due to being able to place furniture items outside like in Happy Home Designer and Pocket Camp.
  • Despite this change, all the rooms are large in the Photopia studio on Harv's Island
  • Closets are now used to change the players clothes instead of using it as storage from previous titles.
  • Gyroids (as furniture) are not currently present in the game, but are referenced within the game's files.
  • Balloon presents now yield random furniture from the start rather than initially offering only Balloon Series furniture. They can also contain Bells, DIY recipes, or crafting materials.
  • After a carpet purchase, players now receive Exchange Tickets to redeem for a free wallpaper or flooring.
  • She also no longer asks players to take her to their house in order to place wallpaper and flooring.
  • Nook's Cranny can only be upgraded once; prior games allowed it to be upgraded up to three times.
  • The Fishing Tourney and Bug-Off rules are heavily changed. The player is now tasked with catching as many fish or bugs as they can within three minutes. Previously, the objective was to catch the largest fish or highest-scoring bug.
  • C.J. and Flick are the new hosts of the Fishing Tourney and the Bug-Off respectively, replacing Chip and Nat.
  • The Fishing Tourney now only occurs four times per year (on the 2nd Saturday of January, April, July, and October). In Wild World, City Folk, and New Leaf, it was held every month from October to May.

Reception

New Horizons received positive reviews from critics, with many praising the new entry for retaining the soul of other titles in the series while also providing enhanced visuals and new mechanics.

Ratings include:

In Japan, the game sold over 2.60 million physical copies in the first ten days of the release.[17]

In the United States, the game became the best-selling in March 2020 and second best-selling in 2020 overall. It was achieved the third highest month physical dollar and unit sales of any Nintendo game and exceeded the lifetime sales of all games in the series.[18]

This game has sold 13.41 million units in the first 6 weeks and surpasses all other Animal Crossing series titles.[19]

Gallery

Videos

Trailers

Teaser from Nintendo Direct on September 13, 2018
E3 Nintendo Direct 2019
Nintendo Direct (September 05, 2019)
Nintendo Direct (February 20, 2020)
Bunny Day Event presentation (Nintendo Direct Mini, March 2020)
April 2020 Free Update
July 2020 Free Update

Gameplay

E3 Nintendo Treehouse gameplay featuring Aya Kyogoku and Hisashi Nogami

Commercials

Deserted Island Getaway Package Primer
Nintendo Switch My Way commercial
Your Island Escape, Your Way
Island Life Awaits!
Island Decorating
Your Personal Island Paradise
Your style, your way!
Create your own paradise!
Your island, your life!
So many new friends!
Accolades

Trivia

  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons marks the longest time between the release of two main Animal Crossing series games, at 7 years, 4 months, and 12 days from Animal Crossing: New Leaf's release in Japan on November 8, 2012.
  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the second mainline game in the Animal Crossing series not to feature K.K. Slider on its boxart, the first being the international release of Animal Crossing.

Names in other languages

Japanese あつまれ どうぶつの森
Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori
Animal Forest: Gather

Korean 모여봐요 동물의 숲
Moyeobwayo Dongmul-Ui Sup
Animal Forest: Gather Together

Simplified Chinese 集合啦!动物森友会
Jíhé la! Dòngwù sēnyǒu huì
Let's gather! Animal Forest Friend Hub

Traditional Chinese 集合啦!動物森友會
Unknown

External links

Notes

  1. Japanese: あつまれ どうぶつの森 Hepburn: Atsumare Dōbutsu no MoriAnimal Forest: Gather

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Game Details, Nintendo
  2. Chris Plante. Animal Crossing: New Horizons looks magical, but is delayed to March 2020 . Polygon..
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Elise Favis. "Nintendo explains philosophy behind Animal Crossing’s big changes, such as gender expression and terraforming". Washington Post..
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Scott Stein. "You're not crazy: Tom Nook is nicer in Animal Crossing: New Horizons". CNET..
  5. Nintendo, Nintendo Direct 09-13-2018, YouTube.
  6. Nintendo, Nintendo Direct for E3 2019, YouTube.
  7. Nintendo Comments on Crunch and Game Delays, IGN.
  8. Nintendo, Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct 2.20.2020, YouTube.
  9. Luigi’s Mansion 3, Animal Crossing, And New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Playable In Chinese, NintendoSoup.
  10. Animal Crossing: City Folk - Comparing Spanish localizations (LATAM & EU), YouTube.
  11. Animal Crossing: New Horizons vendrá localizado al español latinoamericano, 3DJuegos (in Spanish)
  12. Nintendo Confirms New Details About Multiplayer in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, IGN.
  13. Animal Crossing: New Horizons will have skin tone customization, gender-neutral hairstyles for Villagers, Polygon.
  14. Animal Crossing: New Horizons E3 2019 Factsheet
  15. Samuel Claiborn, Animal Crossing: New Horizons Review, IGN
  16. ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS, Metacritic
  17. "2020年3月ゲームソフト・ハード売上ランキング速報『あつまれ どうぶつの森』が10日間で260万本を販売。スイッチが国内累計1300万台を突破". Famitsu.
  18. Mat Piscatella. "MAR 2020 US NPD THREAD - Nintendo Switch sets a new March hardware sales record, while Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of Nintendo's fastest selling games in history. Here are all the U.S. Video Game market highlights from The NPD Group!". Twitter.
  19. "Financial Results Explanatory Material". Nintendo.