The New Animal Crossing New Horizons Update is Here
And it’s a BIG one!
I was incredibly grateful but certainly surprised to find that my Animal Crossing: New Horizons game was being updated this morning when I booted it up to check turnip prices at my Nook’s Cranny. After seeing coverage of Nintendo Direct a few weeks back, I knew primarily what to expect from this massive (and final!) update to ACNH. However, I was very surprised by a few extra things that were added unbeknownst to me.
Kapp’n
A serenading turtle on a boat to take me off to faraway lands? Yes please! Kapp’n accepts Nook Miles as payment. For just 1,000 Miles, he’ll whisk you away to a far-off land that is allegedly only accessible by boat. He’ll sing you his sea shanties and you can clap along with him for the whole ride there and back.
The first island I was brought to was amazing. Not only was it full of resources like stone and wood, but all of the trees were MONEY TREES. I think I got pretty lucky with my first Kapp’n ride because I made nearly 30k bells from that trip from the trees. Not only that, but I also managed to find a gyroid fragment, which is a piece of a gyroid that can be planted and grown into a decorative figurine. I buried them back on my home island and watered them; now it’s just a waiting game!
Something to note on Kapp’n: He will only take you on ONE trip per day. So be sure to allot enough time to be able to fully enjoy your mystery island and your serenade.
Cooking
Alert! Alert! There’s a new crafting category in ACNH and it’s COOKING! Players will now be able to grow various crops (like wheat, potatoes, carrots, and sugarcane) to cook different recipes at their kitchen stoves. When my character caught a few different types of fish (like sea bass and horse mackerel), she also discovered some new recipes with those fish.
The recipes can be made and eaten, but can also be given as gifts to villagers and set out as decoration around the island. The recipes include sweets, savory dishes, as well as different ingredients like flour and brown sugar.
Vegetable and crop starts will be available for purchase through Leif, just like pumpkins and shrubs, so be on the lookout for your favorite sloth soon!
Harv’s Island updates
Harv’s Island used to be just a cute little photo studio where I would take pictures of me and my favorite villagers when I was bored with the game. I would dress my character up in cute outfits and set each scene.
Today when I went to check out the new updates to Harv’s, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was not only expanded, but with room to grow!
Lloid, a little gyroid figure, is there to ask for donations to help Harv’s Island grow into a cumulative shopping district, soon to be the home of Kicks, Leif, Saharah, and more. Rather than being an easy set-up, players have to raise money (100,000 bells each) to get the NPCs to set up shop.
This is surely going to take some time (there are 700k bells needed to complete Harv’s Island) which will keep my interest in the game even longer.
Villagers come to visit
As soon as I walked into my house on my island, there was a knock on my door. Who’s there? It’s Croque! He came by to say hello and hang out with me, and admire all my cool furniture that decorates my front room. It was so sweet to have these characters drop in on me just like I do for them. The dialogue is super cute too, and I’m excited for my favorite villager (Cranston!) to hopefully come visit me soon.
Not only that, but if a villager has a little thought bubble above their heads, they may invite you over to their own home for a playdate! They’ll show off their stuff, play games, and get sad if you try to leave too soon. It’s too sweet.
New crafting and NookPhone items
There seem to be a bunch of new craft recipes with the newest update. I found a few new recipes today for kitchen items (including a stone kitchen set which has gorgeous customization options).
As well, there are a TON of new things to purchase and download at the NookStop in Resident Services. There’s a separate ABD machine that you can buy to put outside of Resident Services, there are topiaries to decorate with, new fences, benches, and even a volleyball net for the beach.
I was quite pleased to have saved up so many Nook Miles over the last few weeks to have been able to purchase all the new things, including new hairstyles and an updated Custom Design Portal.
Brewster and his cafe
Animal Crossing lovers have been begging Nintendo to add Brewster the pigeon into ACNH pretty much since its release date in early 2020. Finally players can drink their cup of joe with a cooing barista as soon as they convince him to come to their islands!
Nintendo wasn’t going to make it THAT easy to have Brewster, so players must inquire about new things at the museum with Blathers. He will give you a photo of the bird as a reference. Then the hunt is on! But apparently Brewster may put up a slight fight, so be prepared to win him over with your cute face.
There’s so much more to this update like new house customizations, new carnival-style furniture, and new NPCs, as well as some that I haven’t had the chance to experience yet but I’m greatly looking forward to getting hours upon hours of more fun in this game.
