Announced in 2018, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was revealed for the first time at E3 2019 during Nintendo's Direct presentation. Fans and series newcomers got a glimpse at some of the new features and gameplay elements that will be coming to the Nintendo Switch debut of the franchise.
A Nintendo Treehouse stream that followed the Direct gave additional looks at the game as well as developer insight from the team. Though the game won't release until 2020, let's look at 10 exciting gameplay details about Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
10 Auto-Save Featured
Remember when your mom, dad, sister, or brother accidentally turned off your Gamecube or the power in general? If you were playing Animal Crossing, then the next time you booted up you were introduced to the infamous and cold-hearted Mr. Resetti. He would yell at you for not saving your game and in an effort to make sure it never happened again.
In Animal Crossing: New Horizon, you'll have an auto-save which makes Mr. Resetti useless. Thankfully the developers aren't as mean as he is and they gave him a new job on the island. Here's hoping he's happier now.
9 No Interaction With Pocket Camp
When the mobile game version of Animal Crossing released in 2018 fans were worried that it signaled the future of the series. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp introduced a neat camping theme for the franchise, but featured unfavorable microtransactions and has since struggled to retain an interest or a sizeable audience in a very crowded mobile market.
During E3 19, much to the joy of the Animal Crossing community, it was confirmed that Animal Crossing: New Horizons would have no direct interaction with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
8 Furniture Outside
Have you ever wondered what your nice set of couches would look like out on your front lawn? Well, in Animal Crossing: New Horizons you'll have the chance to see exactly how that looks. Players will have the ability to display furniture outside for the world to see.
You'll be able to show off all of your new expensive purchases without people barging into your private space. There's no information as to what effects the weather or creatures could have on the furniture you put outside. So be careful with what you decide to take a chance with.
7 Landscaping
Now that you can put a television or set of couches outside, shouldn't it be on a front or backyard that's landscaped properly and visually appealing? Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers the ability to not only landscape around your property but build walkways and paths to other people.
Since you're building up this island from nothing it will be up to you to make it a place where people want to live. Creating walkways will help build a better sense of community and allow visitors to make their way over to your house for a nice barbecue or celebration.
6 NookPhone & Nook Miles
The NookPhone is a new modern addition to Tom Nook's debt-building arsenal that he gives the player at the beginning of the game. The phone will be home to various helpful apps and will give players additional options for taking and customizing photos in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Along with the Nookphone players can earn Nook Miles. These miles are earned passively by accomplishing tasks and exploring the world around you. It's unclear what they can be redeemed for, but given Tom Nook's history, be cautiously optimistic.
5 Pop-Up Map
At E3 2019 Nintendo decided to show much more of Animal Crossing: New Horizons via a Treehouse Livestream where hosts and developers showed off the game and answered questions. During the stream, fans got the first glimpse at the in-game map that pops up during moments of inactivity.
On the map, players saw key geographical indicators and got the first glimpse at the local airport. Instead of a train, it seems this airport will be the way new townsfolk and real-life friends make their way onto the island.
4 River Hopping
Pole-vaulting may have briefly been featured in the gameplay reveal trailer Nintendo showed during their E3 2019 Direct, but it shouldn't be overlooked. People who fall in love with a specific franchise tend to obtain minor inconveniences and gripes simply due to how much experience they have with it.
In Animal Crossing it's always been a small nuisance that you've had to find a bridge to get to the other side of a river in a timely manner. The inclusion of pole-vaulting will alleviate agitation and could maximize efficiency over time as you play.
3 Refined Object Placement
This will likely sound overblown and hyperbolic for those new to the franchise, but having the ability to place objects at half-block increments is game-changing. Animal Crossing has never relied on being a difficult or complicated gaming experience. It wants you to enjoy the journey and take it easy while you cultivate both your crops and the community around you.
The only stress that would occur is when you failed at catching an insect or when you were decorating your house. Being able to arrange things by half-blocks is the addition that franchise fans may be most excited for.
2 Starting From Scratch
Unlike many other previous Animal Crossing games, in New Horizons players will start from scratch on an empty island. You'll start with a tent and basic survival tools and work your way towards a more traditional Animal Crossing experience.
Starting at a point like this makes the acquisition of a house and the building up of a community hit as much more of an accomplishment. Not much is known about how long it will take to progress towards a home, but considering the game's focus on crafted it may be based on the amount of work you're willing to put in.
1 Crafting
Though it won't have any direct interaction with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, New Horizons will be inspired by the crafting in the mobile game. During the reveal, fans were treated to a first-hand look at how integral crafting was to this new Animal Crossing adventure.
It seems that gathering materials and crafting new furniture, tools, and objects will be a big emphasis on the overall experience. It's not confirmed how the durability will work for items, but one of Nook's kids will purchase unwanted inventory for bells, so there may be a way to game the system and get out of debt.