Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing:New Horizons
North American box art
Developer	Nintendo EAD
Publisher	Nintendo
Platforms	Nintendo Switch
Release date	March 20, 2020
Genre	Life simulation
Website	https://www.animal-crossing.com/new-horizons/

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (あつまれ どうぶつの森 Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori ?, Animal Forest: Gather) is a real-time social simulation video game developed by Nintendo. It was released on March 20, 2020 and is the next mainline game in the Animal Crossing series after New Leaf. The story starts with the player living on a deserted island as part of the Nook Inc. Getaway Package.

Compared to previous installments, New Horizons' aesthetics are even more realistic, with more human-proportioned characters and more realistic flora and weather patterns.

New Horizons also introduces new features and mechanics, such as pole-vaulting over the river, buried creatures, and the introduction of crafting materials into the main series games, which had previously only been seen in Pocket Camp.

Announcement History

Animal Crossing: New Horizons was first announced on September 13^th, 2018, during a Nintendo Direct with a 2019 release date.

The first gameplay was shown at the Nintendo E3 2019 Direct (June 11^th, 2019) and it showcased the new story and game mechanics. A Nintendo Treehouse live stream followed later that day with more gameplay and additional features. More gameplay was shown during the Nintendo Direct on September 4^th, 2019 where we received a new trailer with more information on the game and what it will bring. During the E3 it was also announced that the game is delayed until March 20, 2020.

On February 20^th, 2020, in an Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct, we got an in-depth look in the game.

The game was finally released on March 20^th, 2020 as announced during the E3.

New features

NookPhone

In Nintendo's E3 Presentation we were shown that the NookPhone can be used to Call Islanders, look up DIY recipes, collect Nook Miles and to take photos. It has been confirmed that the NookPhone will have more apps than what was originally shown off in the direct.

The story starts with the player living on a deserted island where they can craft furniture and items, gather supplies found across the island, and slowly upgrade the island making it their own little paradise. It's part of Tom Nook's Nook Inc. Getaway Package. Alongside being able to use Tom Nook's crafting bench, the player can also create their own DIY Recipes using their NookPhone. Islanders will be able to teach the player new DIY Recipes.

Nook Miles are a form of currency that the player can earn by completing tasks around the town. Nook Miles can also be used to pay of the player's first initial loan from Tom Nook (it is not possible to use Nook Miles to pay off future loans after the first). They can be used to buy special items like a Nook Inc. uniform, DIY Recipes, alongside other services and products. They also have the ability to create Custom Designs (these can be upgraded to PRO after redeeming Nook Miles).

The game will have multiplayer capabilities with up to 7 other local or online players. It will also offer a single-console local co-op play, where up to 3 other island residents can join the game using the NookPhone's "Call Islander " option. In order to interact with other people online, you will have to obtain a Nintendo Switch Online Membership, and to not have parental controls restricting online interaction.

You will presumably be able to buy and/or craft new phone cases, as seen in the September 4th, 2019 Nintendo direct with different colored phones.

Customization

One major feature added to the game allows the player to place furniture items both indoors and outdoors. When eating food such as apples, you gain energy, which gives you the ability to uproot whole Trees, which can be planted elsewhere, still at their current height. Players will also be able to use the workbench to craft furniture from materials gathered on the island. Custom roads will also be added in this incarnation of the series using clay that can be retrieved from rocks that are paved onto the ground.

In the start of New Horizons, you are asked to customize your character's eyes, skin, hair, nose, and mouth. These settings can only be changed through a vanity or mirror after creating your island. Hairstyles and colors can only be obtained by redeeming Nook Miles at a Nook Stop. A new addition to custom designs is face paint, which can be done by clicking on a custom design, selecting "Wear", and then selecting "Face Paint" once more.

If the player's Nintendo Switch is in the Southern Hemisphere, the game will accommodate the seasons and the night sky to that part of the world.

The player will be able to upgrade their shops as in previous games, including the Resident Services building.

Like in New Leaf, player characters are taller than previous installments. New to the series is the players ability to change their characters' hairstyles, facial features and skin tone at any time.

It has been confirmed by Nintendo that there will not be any new personality types in New Horizons.

Clothing will be more characterized with many more realistic types of clothes including sweatshirts around the waist, backpacks, and phone cases.

Tom Nook, Timmy, and Tommy also change their clothes in different seasons.

Town Customization

New Buildings and Locations

• Resident Services is where the player could craft, buy or sell items. It can be upgraded.
• Dodo Airlines is where the player could visit other player's islands or have them visit their own. It is also where the player go on island tours. To go on an island tour, the player will have to redeem their Nook Miles for a Nook Miles Ticket, which costs 2,000 Nook Miles. While on an island tour, the player will be unable to bring items that will not fit in their pockets. The player will be able to bring additional tools to obtain materials such as bugs, insects, fish, fruit, et cetera. You can also borrow tools from Wilbur for Nook Miles. It is also possible to meet other animals through the island tour and convince them to move into your island.

Island

Similar to choosing a layout for a town in the previous installment, the player has the option of choosing an island layout when applying. This also includes a choice in either living in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.

Choosing either of Northern or Southern Hemisphere differ in seasonal change (e.g., spring in the Northern, fall in the Southern).

The location of the Town Plaza, Airport, Dock, and northern 'secret' beach seem to change along with the rest of the map layout. The airport and plane (which match) have at least blue, yellow, orange/red(?), or green for color possibilities.

As of right now, there is only one island per Nintendo Switch console. After progression in the game, you will be able to change the landscape itself. A key difference from the previous installment of New Leaf, there are no bridges built when the player initially visits the island. The only way to navigate at first. around the rivers is to create a vaulting pole in a DIY workbench. After three villagers decide to move in, Tom Nook will be able to create bridges for the island.

Party Play

The player is allowed to invite up to four other residents on the same island. During this simultaneous play, the main player is the "leader" as the joined players take the roles as "followers". In addition, leaders and followers can redirect making one another leader and follower.

Follower obtained items will automatically be stored in the Resident Services building's recycling box. Said follower may claim the item later.

Gallery

Animal Crossing Switch 2019 Teaser Trailer (Nintendo Direct)

Animal Crossing New Horizons - Nintendo Switch Trailer - Nintendo E3 2019

E3 2019 Trailer

Pole Vaulting

Crafting bench

Wood chopping

Sunset/Sunrise

Path creation

Autumn

Winter

Fuchsia

Nook Phone Screen

DIY Recipes Screen

A player putting on a wreath

A player catching a pond smelt

New Horizons EShop picture (Europe)

NewHorizonsJP.png

Japanese box art

Title screen BGM

Trivia

• In the teaser trailer, Tom Nook is sitting at his desk in Nook's Homes as it appears in Happy Home Designer.
  • On Tom Nook's desk there is a Nintendo Switch in Handheld mode.
• Alongside the initial announcement of the game, Isabelle was revealed as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with moves based on Animal Crossing actions.
• This is the first game in the Animal Crossing series to have the same international release date.

New Horizons was the first game several special characters did not appear in a main series title despite being included in all other main series games, including Blanca, Booker, Chip, Copper, Don, Gracie, Joan, Kapp'n, Katrina, Redd, Rover, Pelly, Pete, Phyllis, Tortimer, and Wendell. This is the largest exodus of special characters in the series' history given it also includes the absence of special characters introduced in other games, including Brewster, Dr. Shrunk, Franklin, Harriet, Lyle, Nat, Pascal, Phineas, and Porter who had appeared in at least two other games and the most recent game, New Leaf.

• It is, however, speculated some of these characters may be added in future updates, though several of their services have been replaced by other mechanics or other characters, e.g. the player controls character creation, including, thereby rendering Harriet and Rover redundant and mail can be sent via Orville in the Airport thereby making Pelly, Pete, and Phyllis likewise unnecessary.  

New Horizons is the first game to feature an extinct species with Orville and Wilbur being dodo birds.

In other languages

In other languages Japanese あつまれ どうぶつの森 Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori French Animal Crossing: New Horizons German Animal Crossing: New Horizons Spanish Animal Crossing: New Horizons Italian Animal Crossing: New Horizons Dutch Animal Crossing: New Horizons Portuguese Animal Crossing: New Horizons Russian Animal Crossing: New Horizons Chinese 集合啦！动物森友会 Jíhé la! Dòngwù sēnyǒu huì Korean 모여봐요 동물의 숲 Moyeobwayo Dongmul-ui Sup