Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct

Earlier this morning at 9:00 am EST, Nintendo held a 27 minute Nintendo Direct. This event was for the ridiculously anticipated next installment of their Animal Crossing franchise.  Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be launching on March 20th, 2020. The direct was lead by Animal Crossing’s very own Tom Nook head of Nook Inc.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Getaway Refresher

Before we really begin to dive into the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Direct. We should get something out of the way for all AC fans. Yes, Isabelle is in the game.

Now, on to the rest of the show. Animal Crossing: New Horizons starts off by being able to choose where you want to live. New residents can pick from several maps of islands and even choose which hemisphere you want to move into.

One thing making a comeback is the different seasons in the game. Which of course means brand new activities as the world around you begins to change. Something that seems to be new, is the ability to help residents pick where to set up their tents as well as setting yourself up.

Facilities

Not only do you have neighbors, but your island is supported by the many facilities available by Nook Inc. and others. All the old favorites are back. A bigger more beautiful Museum, Able Sisters, Nooks Cranny and more. Places like Resident services where you can sell your wares and take crafting workshops. There is also an airport which is like the old train station that many Animal Crossing fans are used to. In the Airport, you can invite up to 7 other players, use their mail service, and even collect Nook Miles to transport you to other desert islands. In these deserted islands, you can find creatures, materials, or encounter new characters. Those new characters can even be invited to live on your island.

Nook Phone

In the game, you now get the privilege to carry around your very own smartphone device dubbed the NookPhone. So far, Nintendo is showing off the following apps:

• Camera
• Map
• Nook Miles
• DIY Recipes
• Passports
• Custom designs
• Rescue
• Island Designer

Some apps are available at the very start but others you can obtain after certain parameters have been met. For example, getting a construction permit to be able to use the island designer.

NookLink

Nintendo also announced a NookLink service directly built inside the Nintendo Switch Online app which connects to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It contains options like using chatting and the ability to use QR codes to access past designs. Designs imported can come from Animal Crossing New Leaf and Happy Home Designer. Both games can be found on the Nintendo 3DS.

Some Answers Our Questions

Can I play the game together with my family on a single Switch System?

Up to 8 people can share one island per game and console. Each user can generate only one resident. Each resident can, of course, build their own house and collect their own things.

Does it support amiibo?

Yes, Animal Crossing: New Horizons supports amiibo figures and cards.

More info on inviting friends to your island

Inviting friends should be simple enough using your friends’ list or using a temporary Dodo code. One huge piece of news is that you can have a best friend list. Those lucky enough to be labeled as a best friend are the only ones that can use some tools on your island like axes or shovels to minimize the damage someone can make.

What if I lose my save data?

It does NOT support Nintendo’s cloud save backup feature. However, in the situation where your console is lost or damaged, service will be available to recover backed up data from the server.

Updates and More

Nintendo also spoke about their new Animal Crossing: New Horizons themed Switch console. The direct also touched on free updates available after launch with seasonal events and more. On the same day the game launches, the first update will be available to ready the festivities for Easter.

We still have 29 days left for the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. We will try to keep you updated on all things AC. For now, enjoy the video and all the screenshots below.

Source: Nintendo