Table of Contents

Can You Date Skip in Animal Crossing: New Horizons? A Comprehensive Guide

Quick answer

This page answers Can you date skip in Animal Crossing New Horizons? quickly.

Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.

Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.

Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.

▶

Yes, you absolutely can date skip in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This practice, often referred to as time travel, allows you to manipulate the in-game clock by altering your Nintendo Switch’s system date and time. This can be used to advance or rewind time, effectively bypassing the game’s real-time progression. It’s a popular mechanic, but it also comes with its own set of advantages and potential drawbacks, as we’ll explore in detail.

How to Time Travel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The process for time traveling in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is straightforward:

Close Animal Crossing: Ensure the game is completely closed and not running in the background.
Access System Settings: From the Nintendo Switch home screen, navigate to “System Settings.”
Select Date and Time: In the system settings menu, scroll down and select “System,” then choose “Date and Time.”
Disable Synchronization: Turn off the “Synchronize Clock via Internet” option.
Set Your Desired Date and Time: You are now free to manually set the date and time to whatever you desire.
Launch Animal Crossing: Start Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and the game will reflect the new date and time you’ve set.

By manipulating your Switch’s clock, you can jump ahead to tomorrow, a week from now, or even months into the future. You can also travel back in time.

Benefits of Time Traveling

There are several reasons why players choose to time travel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons:

Speeding Up Construction: If you’re eagerly awaiting the completion of a new building, bridge, or incline, time traveling can bypass the wait times.
Acquiring Special Items: You might need to jump to a specific date to access limited-time events or purchase seasonal items.
Villager Management: Some players use time travel to quickly cycle through villagers to find their favorites or to get rid of those they don’t like.
Farming Resources: Time traveling can allow you to quickly farm for resources or materials that might not appear every day.
Advancing Game Goals: Whether you’re looking to get your final home upgrades or complete museum collections, time travel can accelerate your progress.

Potential Drawbacks and Considerations

While time travel offers many benefits, it’s important to be aware of its potential downsides:

Spoiled Turnips: If you time travel backwards at all, or ahead past the following Sunday, all of your turnips will instantly spoil and become worthless. This is a key concern for players who actively participate in the “stalk market.”
Weeds and Cockroaches: Traveling significant periods into the future can result in an island overrun with weeds and a home infested with cockroaches. These can be time-consuming to remove.
Missed Events: Some players argue that time traveling takes away from the natural pacing and enjoyment of the game and they prefer to be surprised by new additions each real world day. Also, specific seasonal events will not activate if you jump forward without downloading the game updates containing the events.
Reduced Enjoyment: Some players feel that time travel can reduce the sense of accomplishment and that patience is part of the game’s intended design.

Time Travel’s Impact on Game Mechanics

Daily Reset: The game’s daily reset occurs at 5:00 AM, regardless of how you’ve manipulated the date and time. This reset governs many aspects of the game, from what is available in shops to the appearance of new resources.
Villager Move-Outs: While villager move-out requests are triggered by days of absence from the game, these can still occur even when traveling through time.

Is Time Traveling Considered Cheating?

This is a matter of personal opinion. Nintendo doesn’t penalize players for time traveling in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. However, some within the player community consider it a form of “cheating” as it circumvents the intended daily progression of the game. Ultimately, how you choose to play is up to you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Will I Get Banned for Time Traveling?

No, there is no risk of being banned for time traveling in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Nintendo allows players to manipulate the game’s clock as they see fit.

2. Can I Use Time Travel to Get Specific Villagers?

Yes, you can use time travel in conjunction with other methods to cycle through potential villagers faster. However, this is not a guaranteed method and can be very time-consuming.

3. What Happens if I Skip a Year?

Skipping a year will result in an abundance of weeds, the potential for wilting flowers, and cockroaches in your home. However, these are easily dealt with and are not overly detrimental. If you are carrying turnips they will rot and become unsellable.

4. How Long Do I Have to Wait Before I Can Use Time Travel Again?

You can change the time as many times as you want. There is no restriction on how often you manipulate the date and time on your Switch. You are also able to travel backwards in time.

5. What Happens if I Don’t Play for a Day or a Few Weeks?

If you miss a day, nothing much happens, but if you skip a few weeks, you will find your island overgrown with weeds, villagers might want to move out, and you may find cockroaches in your home.

6. Will Time Traveling Affect My Saved Data?

Time traveling will not affect your saved game data negatively. However, you should understand all the mechanics of time traveling before doing so.

7. Does Time Travel Affect the Nook’s Cranny Shop Stock?

Yes, the stock in Nook’s Cranny changes on a daily basis. Time travel will allow you to manipulate the days and allow access to items you might be searching for faster.

8. Does Time Travel Affect Seasonal Events?

Specific seasonal events will not occur automatically when time traveling. You will need to download any game updates that contain the seasonal event you wish to access.

9. What’s the Limit of the Game’s Year?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons will not be playable after the year 2060.

10. Can I Time Travel During a Multiplayer Session?

No, the date and time are saved to each console, and other players will not see the changes on your island. You can travel in time on your own island, regardless of the settings of other islands you have visited, or other players that visit yours.

11. What Should I Do After Time Traveling?

After time traveling, take some time to clean up your island, remove weeds, and catch bugs, this will make the game more enjoyable. Remember to make sure that your turnips have been sold before you time travel!

12. Is There a Penalty for Time Travel?

There is no game penalty for time traveling. However, the community is divided on whether it is considered cheating or not.

13. What Happens if I Play for 24 Hours Straight?

Playing for 24 hours will not trigger any special events or rewards in game.

14. What Happens at 5:00 AM in Animal Crossing?

At 5:00 AM each day, the game resets. This includes new resources, and shops opening for the day.

15. What Happens on My Birthday in Animal Crossing?

On your birthday, you will receive a letter and cake from “Mom,” and villager visits with gifts. The birthday villager will wish you a happy birthday and gift you a unique present.

Conclusion

Time travel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a powerful tool that can significantly alter your gameplay experience. It can provide benefits like speeding up development and acquiring specific items, but there are some risks and drawbacks. It is up to the player to decide if time travel enhances or detracts from their personal enjoyment of the game. Ultimately, the choice to time travel is a personal one, and Nintendo has made it a part of the game experience without any penalties or restrictions.