When I first got my Nintendo Switch back in 2020, I knew I had to get Animal Crossing: New Horizons as my first game. A friend had convinced me to get the Switch just to play it, and I instantly jumped on the idea. After all, who wouldn’t want to design their very own cozy island? I spent countless hours chopping down trees, collecting bells, and dreaming up new ideas for my island. But getting started wasn’t as easy as I’d thought. I found myself running around, unsure of what to do next, trying to figure things out on my own. If you’re newer to the game like I was, instead of wasting time stumbling through all the secrets and tips, we’ve compiled ten useful hacks to help make your ACNH journey a little smoother!
GET EIGHT RESOURCES FROM ROCKS
Hitting rocks on your island or mystery islands is one of the best ways to gather materials for your DIY projects. But here’s a little hack: you can actually get eight items per rock instead of the usual seven. To do this, dig holes behind the rock to prevent yourself from getting knocked back while you hit it. This ensures you can collect all the resources without interruption!
HOARD EVERYTHING YOU FIND
My top tip for anyone starting out in Animal Crossing is to hoard everything! Don’t hesitate to buy that random tissue box or bottle from Nook’s Cranny—you’ll probably find a use for it later. Store things in your house or a designated area on your island for when you’re ready to place them. You can even stockpile fish and bugs, so when C.J. or Flick shows up, you can sell them in bulk for big profits.
CHECK BEACHES FOR DIY CARDS
As you go about your daily tasks on your island, make sure to check your beaches for DIY recipe cards! Each day, you’ll find a new recipe in a bottle washed up along the shore, which could be the key to crafting unique furniture or decorative items for your island.
PLANT MONEY TREES
To grow a money tree, look for the shiny spot that appears on your island every day. Dig up the buried bells, but instead of pocketing them, plant them back in the glowing spot. This is crucial—if you plant the bells anywhere else, no tree will grow. If done right, you’ll have a money tree that will give you even more bells!
FISHING ON RAINY DAYS
Next time it rains on your island, take advantage of the weather and go fishing! Rainy days increase the chances of encountering rare fish that can be added to your museum. Some very rare fish only appear when it rains or snows, so don’t miss the opportunity!
TIME TRAVELING
In Animal Crossing, the game follows real-time, which means you have to wait for things to be built or completed. If you’re impatient and want to speed things up, you can use time travel on your Switch. This allows you to change the date and time on your system, letting you skip forward without losing any progress. To do this:
- Open System Settings
- Go to System > Date and Time
- Disable “Synchronize Clock via Internet” if it’s enabled
- Change the date and time to whatever you prefer
- Return to your game, and the new date and time will be applied!
Time travel isn’t for everyone, but it’s a great way to knock out multiple projects in one go.
TERRAFORM BRIDGES
Once you achieve a 3-star island rating, you unlock terraforming, which allows you to shape your island by building cliffs, rivers, waterfalls, and paths. Instead of paying Tom Nook for bridges, use terraforming to create your own! You can now jump onto a created path to cross rivers without spending extra bells.
STUNT YOUR TREES
If you want trees of varying sizes on your island, there’s a trick to stunt their growth. Here’s how:
- Plant a sapling and let it grow to your desired height.
- When it reaches that height, plant a fruit tree next to it.
- Make sure the fruit tree is planted directly behind the tree you want to stunt.
The fruit tree needs room for the fruit to fall when shaken, which keeps your main tree from growing taller. This creates a more natural, varied forest!
GETTING VILLAGERS TO LEAVE
Sometimes you want to evict a villager, but you don’t always get to pick who stays. Luckily, there are a couple of methods to encourage a villager to leave:
- Time Traveling: Speak to two villagers, including the one you want to leave, and then time travel forward 15 days. Make sure it’s not a Saturday or the villager’s birthday. If you see a thought bubble above the unwanted villager, you can ask them to leave.
- Non-Time Traveling: If you’re not into time traveling, you can try a slower method. Speak to the villager you want to leave once and then ignore them. Eventually, they’ll want to leave, and when they ask, close the game before you can tell them to stay. This will transfer the thought bubble to another villager, ultimately landing on the one you want to evict.
CUSTOM PATHS
Want to add beautiful custom paths to your island? You’ll need to unlock both Able Sisters and terraforming first. Once you’ve done that, head to the custom designs kiosk in Able Sisters to either search for existing path designs or create your own. A great way to find inspiring paths is by searching on Pinterest or TikTok for design codes!
These little hacks can make your Animal Crossing experience a lot smoother and more fun. Happy island living!
