Now that the Wave 1 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons is live, players are wondering how they can get their feet wet and take a swim with Pascal.
Just a few hours ago, the first summer update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons went live, meaning players will have all sorts of new activities to keep them busy. Along with swimming and diving, lots of new sea critters can be added to the Critterpedia, and they even get their own section. Mermaid-themed furniture can be crafted, and later this summer, fans should look out for the Tanabata festival and its seasonal furniture.
To start, players who want to go swimming will need to make sure they have the newest version of the game installed (1.3.0). If the game hasn't automatically updated by itself, go to the Switch main menu and hit the '+' button while hovering over Animal Crossing, then click 'Software Update' and it will download and install.
Once in-game, players will need to purchase a wet suit, which can be done either by going to the cabinet inside Nook's Cranny or even the Nook Stop, which is selling a Nook-branded wet suit. But if players choose to spend Nook Miles over bells on the clothing item, they'll have to wait until the next morning to get it in the mail. Upon downloading the update and loading up the game, players may notice they've received a snorkel mask in the mail, but it isn't needed to go swimming. A wet suit at Nook's Cranny will run players 3,000 bells, or 800 Nook Miles at the Nook Stop, so they'll have to make a small purchase before diving in.
Next, get to the ocean. The beach, the pier, or even a small peninsula of land will work. Some Twitter users have even been able to jump off cliffsides. The player needs to make sure their hands are empty, otherwise, they won't be able to get in the water. But after that, players should be good to take a dip in the ocean, but unfortunately, rivers and ponds are a no-go.
Keep in mind: fish can not be caught via swimming and will get scared away if players swim too close. But lots of new sea creatures can be found in the depths of the ocean, and they each have their own timetables and seasons like regular fish. Players might even find special goodies like pearls at the bottom of the ocean floor if they're lucky.
For players who've already mastered the art of swimming and need more summer fun activities: keep a lookout for lots of massive beetles through July, including the Horned Atlas, which has very specific spawn requirements.