What Happens If You Go Back a Day in Animal Crossing?

Time travel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a controversial yet commonly used mechanic that allows players to manipulate the game’s internal clock. The question of what happens when you go back a day is one many players ponder, and the answer is multifaceted. In short, going back a day resets certain daily triggers and progress markers while leaving most of your island untouched. This means daily bonuses, like your Nook Miles login bonus, will refresh, and if you have a villager moving in, they will arrive, however, most of your island’s state remains the same. Your rocks, shop inventory, and the growth of flowers and trees will not regress. Let’s delve into the specifics of how this time manipulation affects your gameplay.

The Impact of Backwards Time Travel

What Resets When You Go Back a Day?

• Daily Login Bonuses: Your Nook Miles bonus for the day will reset. You can collect another set of daily bonuses if you travel back and play again.
• Villager Move-ins: If you had a villager with land staked out, they will move in when you return to the previous day. This does not mean they will disappear from the game if they were moving in. Rather, they will have simply moved in.
• Other Daily Events: Some daily events or interactions will also be reset, giving you another opportunity to complete them.

What Does Not Change When You Go Back a Day?

• Island Scenery: Your flowers, trees, and rocks will not change. They will remain in the same state they were before you time-traveled.
• Shop Inventories: Nook’s Cranny and the Able Sisters will retain their inventories from before the time change. This means that you will not be able to buy new items or shop stock.
• Building Projects: Ongoing construction or relocation projects will not be undone.
• Villager Relationships: Your relationship levels with villagers will not be negatively impacted by travelling back a day, this includes their potential to want to move out.
• Overall Progress: Your island’s overall progress, such as infrastructure upgrades or museum collections, will not be lost.

The Crucial Turnip Exception

There’s one glaring exception to the “most things stay the same” rule: turnips. If you’ve purchased turnips from Daisy Mae, going back even one day will instantly spoil them. This makes time travel a risky business for those involved in the Stalk Market.

Additional Considerations

While going back one day might seem inconsequential, remember that each day you time travel backwards still counts as a day. If you do this multiple times, you will have advanced the game as far forward as you travelled back. For instance, if you travel back three days and then travel to the “present day,” that will be three days further than it was before you started time travelling, meaning new in-game days are still passing. The primary benefit is the ability to re-acquire daily bonuses and move in villagers, however, the risk is still present of losing turnips if you happen to have any on hand.

15 FAQs About Going Back a Day in Animal Crossing

1. Does going back a day in Animal Crossing reset my villager’s move-out status?

No. If a villager was already packed up and ready to move, they will still be in the process of moving when you travel back a day and then back to the present day, meaning that they will still leave. The move-out system won’t be affected by such a small backwards jump.

2. If I go back a day, will the bugs and fish I caught disappear?

No. Once you’ve caught bugs and fish, they will remain in your inventory or museum and will not be affected by time travel.

3. Can I use backwards time travel to get more fossils?

No, fossils that have already spawned will not reset by travelling backwards. You will need to wait for the next day in order for more fossils to spawn.

4. Will going back a day remove weeds from my island?

No. If you’ve been neglecting your island, time travel to a day in the past will not remove any weeds. You’ll have to pull them yourself.

5. If I had a villager in boxes, can I time travel back to find them again?

No, once a villager has left, time travelling back will not make them reappear on your island, even if they were in boxes previously.

6. Can I get new villagers to move in by going back a day?

No, time travelling back will not trigger a new villager to appear in a plot. However, if a villager was moving in they will still complete that action and be on your island when you revert to the correct time.

7. Is it considered cheating to go back a day in Animal Crossing?

That’s a matter of opinion. While it’s not how the game is naturally meant to be played, Nintendo doesn’t punish players for time travel. It’s a personal decision on how you enjoy the game.

8. What happens if I have a villager in boxes and go back a day?

They will remain in boxes. If you then revert to the correct time, they will have moved out. The main benefit of this is if you are aiming to get a specific villager out of your village.

9. Do my friend’s islands change if I go back a day?

No. Your time travel only affects your island. Other players’ islands remain unchanged even if you visit them.

10. Will I lose any items if I go back a day?

No. You will not lose items in your inventory or storage by going back a day. However, you may lose turnips.

11. Are there any benefits to going back a day?

Apart from resetting daily bonuses and potentially moving villagers in, the main benefit is to avoid the negative consequences of travelling too far forward (such as weeds or villagers moving out) and to allow for a second chance at those daily bonuses.

12. What is the furthest you can go back in time in Animal Crossing?

The game allows you to set the date as far back as January 1st, 2000.

13. Will my villagers be angry at me for going back a day?

No. Villagers do not remember you time travelling and they will not get mad at you for doing so.

14. Can I use backwards time travel to avoid villager move-outs?

No, if a villager has already decided to move out, going back a day will not change this. However, if you do not agree to them moving out, they will stay.

15. If I travelled back a day and then came back to my current date, would the current date be impacted?

Yes, the current date would progress. If you travel back one day and then back to the correct day, that day would be the “next” day and not where you left off before you time travelled.

In conclusion, while there are some consequences, like spoiled turnips, going back a day in Animal Crossing is relatively safe. It can be used to a players advantage if they are aware of how it works. Understanding its specific mechanics can help you navigate your gameplay effectively.