Story and photos by Colby Turner | Contributing Writer
It has officially been about two weeks since Nintendo released the game-changing update and downloadable content for “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” which has many people flocking to their Switch consoles.
The big update brings many new and returning game features to fix some existing problems and fill players with nostalgia. One of the most remarkable additions has been adding in the calm, lovable coffee-brewing pigeon named Brewster.
Players can now enjoy a fresh cup of coffee brewed by non-playable character (NPC) Brewster in his café, The Roost, a new addition to the museum if you have it fully upgraded.
Brewster is not the only NPC to return to the franchise. Thanks to Harv’s island, a separate island you could previously travel to only to have fun photo shoots, you can visit any vendor NPC that would visit your island on a random day of the week, now with the addition of furniture-customizing couple Cyrus and Reese, fortune-telling Katrina, and acorn-distributing Tortimer (if you know, you know.)
You can also go on a new type of island tour with family-man Kapp’n, who will serenade you the entire duration of your roundtrip boat ride.
Many features have been added for easier daily life, especially when it comes to getting around your island and getting the most out of your day. Ladders are now an item that you can craft and set up permanently on your island so that you can climb cliffs easily. Island ordinances have also been added, in which you can make shops open earlier or close later and even declare a “bell boom” that makes items sell for more bells.
One of the biggest lifestyle additions has been cooking and farming. That’s right, you can now grow a selection of vegetables and craft ingredients and recipes using kitchen furniture pieces! The food can be displayed and consumed by your character or given to villagers as gifts.
Speaking of villagers, 16 new and returning villagers have been added to the game. There are some new faces becoming fan favorites, while others are excited to see their long-time favorites finally be added to the game. Players can now see their favorite villagers in completely new ways with the new downloadable content pack.
The downloadable content pack, “Animal Crossing: Happy Home Paradise,” adds an entirely new layer to the game, where the player is able to use the airport to “go to work” on an archipelago with returning NPC Lottie and her team, Wardell and Niko. While working under Lottie, the player can completely customize and decorate villagers’ vacation homes. As the player progresses, even more decoration abilities and venues become available.
These decoration abilities transfer over to your main island as well, where you can now use things like partition walls, soundscapes, and much more.
“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” has been a hit since its initial release in March 2020, with many using the scenic island setting as a getaway during lockdowns and quarantines. The update makes the game feel completely new, and it refreshed many peoples’ love for it. If you have the game and have not played in a while, you should dust it off and give it a shot with all of these new additions! The possibilities are truly endless!
To contact Lifestyles Editor Ethan Pickering, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
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