Animal Crossing: New Horizons beginner guide
Also known as: Animal Crossing, ACNH
Start Animal Crossing: New Horizons with confidence: how island life works, Bells and Nook Miles, crafting, the museum, visitors and gentle daily routines.
- Type
- Video game
- Players
- 1–8
- Age
- Ages 3+
- First released
- 2020
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a life simulation game released by Nintendo for Nintendo Switch in 2020. You arrive on a deserted island as part of a getaway package and slowly turn it into a small village with friendly animal neighbours. The game runs on the real clock and calendar, so seasons change, holidays arrive and shops close at night just as they would in daily life. There is no fail state and no rush. You fish, catch insects, collect fossils, decorate your home and design the whole island at your own pace. It became one of the best-selling Switch games and a calm, shared hobby for many players around the world.
Our verdict
New Horizons is one of the most relaxing games available. Short daily visits feel rewarding, and long sessions are just as pleasant. It encourages creativity through decoration and island design, and it gently teaches about real fish, insects and fossils through museum descriptions. Visiting friends' islands and exchanging items creates a friendly social space that suits children and adults alike.
What works
- Calm, stress-free daily play.
- Deep decoration and island design tools.
- Real-time seasons keep the island changing all year.
What does not
- Progress is slow by design, which can frustrate impatient players.
- Local multiplayer gives most control to the first player.
How to play Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Each day you walk around your island, shake trees, dig up fossils, pick fruit and catch fish and insects. You can sell items for Bells, the main money, or donate creatures and fossils to a museum run by an owl named Blathers. Tom Nook, a tanuki, organises the island; he offers a home loan that you repay in Bells to make your house bigger, with no deadline or penalty. A second currency, Nook Miles, is earned by completing small tasks and pays for things like trips to other islands. Crafting is central: you collect DIY recipes and turn wood, stone and other materials into tools and furniture. Over time you unlock shops, new residents and an island designer that lets you move rivers and cliffs. Up to four people can play on one console, and up to eight can visit an island online.
Tips for new players
- Shake trees and hit rocks every day for wood, materials and Bells.
- Check the bulletin board and the island service desk daily for new tasks.
- Donate one of each new fish, insect and fossil to fill the museum.
- Play a little each day rather than racing ahead with the system clock.
Good for
Animal Crossing: New Horizons: common questions
Does Animal Crossing: New Horizons have an ending?
There is a credits sequence after certain island milestones, but the game continues with seasonal events and decoration for as long as you like.
How many people can play on one island?
Up to eight players can live on one island on a single console, and up to four can play together locally at the same time.
Is Animal Crossing good for young children?
Yes. There is no combat or danger, and reading support from an adult helps with the many conversations.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
