Life After the Basement: What Comes Next in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

So, you’ve finally dug deep (literally!) and added that sweet, subterranean basement to your humble abode in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Congratulations! You’ve reached a significant milestone in your island life. But what happens now? Is this the end of the road for home expansions? Fear not, aspiring interior designer, because while the structural changes to your house might be complete, your journey is far from over. After the basement, the game shifts its focus to refinement, customization, and maximizing your island experience.

The immediate aftermath of basement completion involves a new wave of possibilities centered around: interior design, exterior customization, storage management, and generally, creating the island paradise of your dreams. While you won’t be adding any more rooms per se, you unlock new avenues for self-expression and gameplay progression. Let’s break it down:

Unlimited Exterior Renovations & Interior Delights

The Power of Free Exterior Design

The most significant benefit that immediately follows basement completion is unlocking the ability to perform unlimited exterior renovations for free. This means you can alter the look of your roof, walls, door, and even your mailbox without spending a single Bell. This newfound freedom allows you to experiment with different styles, seasonal themes, and create a truly unique home that reflects your personal taste. Before this, each exterior change came with a price tag, discouraging frequent experimentation. Now, you can redesign your house as often as you like!

Maximizing Your Storage Space

With a fully expanded home, including the coveted basement, you’ll likely find that your storage space is starting to feel cramped. Don’t worry; the game offers a solution! After the basement, you can invest in storage upgrades. These are upfront, one-time payments to Tom Nook that increase the number of items you can store in your home inventory. This process can be repeated to accommodate the ever-growing collection of furniture, clothing, fish, bugs, and other treasures you accumulate on your island. You can expand the amount of storage up to 5,000 items.

Island Development and Personalization

Beyond your home itself, reaching the basement stage allows you to fully dedicate your time and resources to developing and personalizing your island. Now that the significant financial burden of home loans is behind you (hopefully!), you can focus on:

• Landscaping: Terraforming, creating rivers, cliffs, and pathways to shape the island to your liking.
• Villager Interactions: Building relationships with your villagers, helping them, and decorating their yards.
• Museum Completion: Filling the museum with all the available fish, bugs, fossils, and art.
• DIY Projects: Crafting furniture, tools, and decorations to customize your island’s aesthetic.
• Events and Seasons: Participating in seasonal events and adapting your island’s design to reflect the changing seasons.
• Achieving a 5-Star Island Rating: Striving for the coveted 5-star island rating and enjoying the rewards that come with it.

The overarching “goal” shifts from home expansion to island perfection and self-expression. It becomes about curating an environment you love and sharing it with friends and other players.

Beyond the End Game: Continuous Enjoyment

It’s important to remember that Animal Crossing: New Horizons doesn’t have a true “endgame”. There is no final boss or ultimate objective. The game is designed for continuous enjoyment and ongoing discovery. Even after you’ve maxed out your house, achieved a 5-star island rating, and collected every item, there’s always something new to do, whether that’s redesigning your island, creating intricate custom designs, or simply relaxing and enjoying the company of your virtual neighbors. Games like Animal Crossing support creative and personal expression, an area that GamesLearningSociety.org encourages and recognizes the value of.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is the basement the last room I can add to my house?

Yes, the basement is the final room expansion you can add to your house in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. After that, there are no further room additions.

2. Do I need to pay off my final loan after getting the basement?

While not strictly necessary, paying off the final loan unlocks free unlimited exterior renovations. If you don’t care about changing the outside of your house, you can theoretically leave the loan unpaid. However, most players find the free renovations highly desirable.

3. How do I unlock exterior renovations?

Exterior renovations are unlocked by completing the final house upgrade, which includes adding the basement. After that, simply speak to Tom Nook at Resident Services to discuss exterior options.

4. How many items can I store in my house after getting the basement?

Initially, storage is limited. However, after expanding your storage to the max, you can store up to 5,000 items in your house. This requires making additional upfront payments to Tom Nook.

5. Can I move my house after it’s fully upgraded?

Yes, you can still move your house even after it’s fully upgraded. Talk to Tom Nook at Resident Services, and he will offer you the option to relocate your home for a fee.

6. What is a 5-star island rating, and how do I get it?

A 5-star island rating is the highest rating you can achieve for your island. It’s determined by factors such as the amount of furniture placed, the diversity of plants and trees, the cleanliness of the island, and the overall aesthetic appeal. You can check your current rating by speaking to Isabelle at Resident Services, who will provide advice on how to improve your island.

7. What happens when I get a 5-star island rating?

When you achieve a 5-star island rating, you’ll receive the golden watering can DIY recipe from Isabelle, which is required to breed golden roses. You’ll also find that lilies of the valley begin to grow on your island, indicating your high rating.

8. How do I terraform my island?

Terraforming is unlocked after K.K. Slider performs his first concert on your island. This requires achieving a 3-star island rating. Once unlocked, you can purchase the Island Designer app for your NookPhone, which allows you to modify the land and water features of your island.

9. What is the “end goal” of Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons doesn’t have a definitive end goal. The game is designed to be a relaxing and open-ended experience. The main objective for many players is to create their dream island and enjoy the process of collecting, decorating, and interacting with villagers.

10. What happens if I skip years in Animal Crossing?

Time traveling in Animal Crossing: New Horizons can have several effects. Villagers may move out, weeds will grow, and your relationships with your villagers might be affected. However, these effects are generally minor and can be easily rectified.

11. Can I make my island bigger?

No, you cannot increase the overall size of your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The island’s dimensions are fixed. However, you can create the illusion of a larger island by using terraforming and landscaping techniques.

12. How many villagers can live on my island?

The maximum number of villagers that can live on your island is 10. This does not include player characters.

13. What happens if I ignore my island for a long time?

If you don’t play Animal Crossing: New Horizons for an extended period, your island may become overgrown with weeds, villagers might move out, and your house may have cockroaches. However, these are easily addressed upon your return.

14. Is there a downside to time travel in Animal Crossing?

The primary downsides to time travel include the potential for weed overgrowth, strained villager relationships, and missing out on real-time events. However, many players find that the benefits of time travel outweigh these drawbacks.

15. What are Nook Miles, and how do I earn them?

Nook Miles are a currency earned by completing various tasks and challenges in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You can earn them by catching fish, talking to villagers, crafting items, and participating in other activities. Nook Miles can be redeemed for various rewards, such as customization options, recipes, and travel tickets.

Reaching the basement is just the beginning! With unlimited exterior renovations, expanded storage, and a world of customization options at your fingertips, the possibilities for creating your dream island are endless. Enjoy the journey!