After what seems like an eternity, Nintendo finally gave fans a glimpse of what’s to come in the upcoming Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Switch. Though the gameplay trailer shown in the Nintendo Direct was a little bit light on confirmed gameplay details, a bunch more have since been shared in the Treehouse Live segment for the game, as well as interviews.
As such, we’ve compiled seven sweet facts about Animal Crossing: New Horizons you may have missed that are sure to get you suitably hyped for your life of island living.
You Can Choose Your Character’s Skin Tone
A nice and simple one to get us started off, but one that’s sure to make plenty of Animal Crossing fans rejoice. Players can now choose their character’s skin tone, allowing you to fine-tune your character’s look within the game just the way you want it. This was confirmed by Kotaku who reached out to Nintendo following the Treehouse livestream.
There’s been no further word on exactly what other (if any) customization options players will have for their character, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
There’s a Camera Mode That Allows You to Snap Photos of the Island and Your Friends
With Animal Crossing’s more chilled out take on the life sim, it only seems fitting that we’re able to snap photos of the island and our cutesy animal friends as we go about our daily lives. New Horizons includes a camera app that players can use to take selfies, as well standard photos through the Nook Phone.
This feature will also include a feature system, allowing you to get your pics looking Instagram-worthy.
Nook Miles Is a Challenge-Based System That Offers Rewards
Another feature of the Nook Phone in New Horizons is the Nook Miles system. This essentially works the same as real-life air miles schemes where players will be rewarded ‘Nook Miles’ for completing various activities in the game, such as pulling weeds or selling some of their crafted goods.
Any Nook Miles accrued by the player can then be saved up and/or spent on other various rewards, though details on these haven’t been shared just yet.
Everything Can Be Built or Crafted From Scratch
Arguably the core component of the Nook Phone in New Horizons, however, is the ability to craft everything you see within the game from scratch via DIY Recipes. You’ll need to forage around the island for the correct materials to craft items, and then use the DIY Recipes and the in-game phone to create your goods.
These can then also be sold at the Resident Service Area if you no longer want them. This building will also be a place players can go if they need a hand getting to grips with the crafting system.
There’s a Hemisphere System That Enables You to Experience All Seasons In-Game
For the past three entries, Animal Crossing has always been based on the northern hemisphere. This means that if it’s summery hot weather outside, your in-game town was summery and hot, too.
In New Horizons, players can choose and change which hemisphere their island is situated in, meaning if you’re playing during the summer but have your island in the southern hemisphere, it’ll be all wintery on your island. It’s a neat little feature and one to keep fans down under feeling more at home when enjoying their relaxing island lifestyle.
New Horizons Will Have Local and Online Co-Op Multiplayer Experiences
As you might have expected, New Horizons will have multiplayer, enabling players to visit each other’s towns and partake in various activities. Two players can play locally, with the second player using a single Joy-Con, or an alternate control scheme to player one.
Online multiplayer will allow up to eight players to enjoy the various activities island life offers at any one time. They can help you collect materials, craft new items, and of course, take selfies together. This is all done through the “Call an Islander” app on the Nook Phone, because of course it is.
Isabelle Will Return!
For those of you who were panicking that Isabelle had left Tom Nook all on his lonesome, fear not, she will seemingly make a return in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
“If Tom Nook is a great recruiter, and if he succeeds with the Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package PR, then she may come back,” Aya Kyogoku and Hisashi Nogami of the development team said in an interview with IGN.
However, there may also be other factors that may play into Isabelle’s return, with the pair noting the amount of debt a player has racked up “may” determine whether or not the lovable dog returns, and whether or not you choose to live the tent life on your island, or whether you decide to upgrade to a house.
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