Nintendo's latest huge success, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, is a game notorious for keeping players hooked. Even those who weren't bubbling with excitement for the release have become attached to it, picking up their Switch constantly to keep their flowers watered, their bugs caught, and their weeds plucked.
But the game can be rather overwhelming initially for a person who's never picked up another game in the series, simply because it's so hyped but most of the terms and concepts are still strange to them. It's easy to get the hang of, but if you're one of the people who's still struggling to just get it, here's how to quickly integrate yourself in the mechanics.
10 You Can Prioritize Whatever You Want
Tom Nook will be constantly giving you tasks, but especially as the game starts to go on, your priorities can shift — if you want them to. If you'd rather spend weeks decorating your house than preparing for the K.K. Slider concert that has Nook running around in excitement, that's completely fine. There's no time limit on his tasks, and the order of priorities is up to you. There's no 'main quest', so to speak. Your main quest is what you choose!
9 You Always Need Materials
If you're not sure what to do on any given day, collect materials. Large stones will give out small stones, clay, and iron nuggets, as well as the occasional gold nugget that can be sold for a high price. Trees will give branches, fruit, wood, hardwood, softwood... And even the occasional item of furniture will drop from the leaves.
You always need materials, or will soon.
8 You Can Choose Who Lives On Your Island
If you'd like to have a say in who lives on your island, buy and use Nook Miles tickets. You can buy them in Residential Services and take them to the airport to be transported to a new island and if you have space for a new villager to move in, you'll find one there.
You can either leave without speaking to them and try another ticket and island, or you can invite them to move in if you like the look of them. Talk to them twice and watch them squeal with excitement.
7 Extend Your Pockets ASAP
One of your pet peeves in this game will quickly become the dreaded message that you can't carry anything else.
A pocket 'organizer' can be bought from Residential Services in exchange for Nook Miles. This organizer will actually let you carry more, extending your pockets to three rows and then eventually to four. No more dreaded messages that you have to release the fish you caught.
6 You Will Be Able To Customize Furniture — Sit Tight
Early in the game, it might be frustrating that the furniture you craft isn't matching your favorite wallpaper or flooring.
Shortly into the game, Nook will give you customization kits that you can use on your DIY bench — and more can be bought from Nook's Cranny. You can then alter the color of furniture and other items.
5 You Can Have All The Fruit On Your Island
You'll start out with a native fruit on your island. There's no difference except for the aesthetics, but you can get the other fruit easily enough.
Nook Miles tickets will lead you to islands that have coconuts on the beaches, and you can take some and plant them back home. You will also have a 'sister fruit' you can sometimes find on these ventures (for example, pear's sister fruit is cherry).
As for the others, time to socialize and get friends to send you fruit to plant!
4 Don't Panic If You Picked A Bad Spot For Your House
It's hard to tell where you want your house at the beginning of the game, but don't panic and restart if you change your mind. Later, Nook will let you move the house if you pay him some bells. It's an annoying charge, but it does mean you can move around if you have to.
3 ...But Try To Place Things Closer Together
Don't place everything at opposite corners of the island, at first. It's going to get really annoying when you have to dash from your side of the island every time you sign on over to the faraway spot you placed Nook's Cranny in, or where Residential Services is located.
When in doubt, place everything close together and you can move things later.
2 Plant Lots Of Flowers
Plant lots of flowers and water them every day to make your island look lovely. As well as this, flowers will sprout more flowers, and can even create rare hybrids! For example, red and white flowers in a 'checkers' position can end up creating yellow flowers.
1 Talk To Villagers Constantly
Talk to the villagers on your island all the time and keep them happy. They'll give you gifts and give you 'reactions', which you can use in the game to express emotions to others. You want to keep the people living on your island feeling wanted, so keep chatting!