What is the Best Time to Start Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
The absolute best time to start Animal Crossing: New Horizons is… whenever you feel like it! Seriously. Unlike many games that benefit from a strategic launch time to maximize limited-time events or seasonal perks, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is designed to be enjoyed at your own pace, at any time of the year. The game adapts to your real-world clock and calendar, meaning that spring, summer, fall, and winter will unfold on your island as they do in your own life. The beauty of Animal Crossing lies in its relaxed, non-competitive nature.
However, there are a few factors to consider that might make one time slightly more appealing than another, depending on your personal preferences.
Considerations for Choosing Your Start Date
1. Seasonal Events
Animal Crossing is famous for its delightful seasonal events. Starting in spring will immediately immerse you in the Cherry Blossom Festival or the Bunny Day event (Easter). Summer brings with it bug-catching contests and fireworks shows. Fall boasts the Halloween event and the changing of the leaves, while winter delivers the Festive Season and snow-covered landscapes.
If you have a particular fondness for a specific season, starting your game shortly before or during that season will allow you to experience its associated events in real-time. This adds an extra layer of immersion and excitement.
2. Island Aesthetics
Each season offers unique aesthetic appeal. If you adore the vibrant colors of autumn or the pristine beauty of a snow-covered landscape, timing your start to coincide with these seasons can enhance your initial experience. It’s purely a matter of personal preference.
3. Availability
Real-life commitments play a significant role. The optimal time to start Animal Crossing is when you know you’ll have enough free time to dedicate to it. The game is designed for short, frequent play sessions, but you’ll likely want to spend a decent chunk of time establishing your island in the beginning. Starting when you’re on vacation or have more free weekends is ideal.
4. Northern vs. Southern Hemisphere
When you start your game, you’ll be asked to choose whether your island is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. This choice determines the seasons that occur on your island, aligning with the respective hemispheres. This can play a significant role in what your island will look like depending on the time of year.
5. The Joy of Discovery
Ultimately, the best time to start Animal Crossing: New Horizons is when you’re most excited to dive in and discover everything the game has to offer. Don’t overthink it! The game is designed to be enjoyed regardless of the season or time of year. The core gameplay loop of collecting, crafting, and building relationships with your villagers remains consistently engaging.
Maximizing Your Initial Playthrough
No matter when you choose to start, here are some tips to make the most of your initial days on your deserted island:
- Gather Resources: Wood, stone, iron nuggets, and clay are essential for crafting tools and building structures. Chop trees, hit rocks, and dig in the ground to collect these vital resources.
- Complete Nook Miles Tasks: The Nook Miles program offers a variety of tasks that reward you with miles, which can be used to purchase valuable items and upgrades. Focus on completing these tasks to quickly expand your capabilities.
- Befriend Your Villagers: Talking to your villagers daily increases your friendship level, unlocking new dialogue options and eventually leading to them giving you gifts.
- Expand Your Inventory: Purchase the Pocket Organization Guide and the Ultimate Pocket Stuffing guide from the Nook Stop to increase your inventory space. This is crucial for efficiently gathering resources.
- Build Nook’s Cranny: This shop is essential for selling items and purchasing essential tools and furniture. Work towards gathering the necessary resources to build it as soon as possible.
- Donate to the Museum: Blathers the owl will eventually set up a museum on your island. Donate fish, bugs, fossils, and artwork to contribute to the museum’s collection.
- Visit Mystery Islands: Use Nook Miles Tickets to visit randomly generated mystery islands, which offer unique resources, villagers, and opportunities for exploration.
- Pay Off Your Initial Loan: Paying off your loan to Tom Nook unlocks the ability to expand your house and customize your island further.
- Have Fun! Animal Crossing: New Horizons is designed to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Don’t feel pressured to optimize everything perfectly. Just explore, create, and have fun!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is it too late to start Animal Crossing: New Horizons now?
Absolutely not! It’s never too late to start Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The game is designed to be timeless, and you can jump in at any point and experience all it has to offer. You might miss some limited-time items from past events, but these events often recur annually, so you’ll have another chance to obtain them.
2. Does the time of day I start the game affect anything?
Not really. The game starts at your Switch’s current time, so you’ll simply be experiencing either daytime or nighttime on your island initially. This won’t have a significant impact on your overall gameplay experience. As the article stated previously, 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM is one of the best times to play each day.
3. Should I start my island over?
Restarting your island is a big decision! If you’re truly unhappy with the layout, villager selection, or overall direction of your island, restarting can offer a fresh start. However, remember that you’ll lose all your progress, including items, villagers, and island progress. If you’re just looking for a change, consider terraforming your island or inviting new villagers instead.
4. What happens at 5 AM in Animal Crossing?
5 AM is the start of a new day in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. New daily tasks become available, shops restock their inventory, and villagers start their daily routines. Also, any construction projects will be finished and ready for you to see them.
5. What should I do at night in Animal Crossing?
Nighttime in Animal Crossing offers unique opportunities. You can catch different bugs and fish that only appear at night, observe meteor showers, encounter Wisp the ghost, and visit Celeste the owl to obtain unique DIY recipes. It’s also a great time to explore your island and appreciate its nighttime ambiance.
6. Is time traveling in Animal Crossing bad?
Time traveling, or changing your Switch’s date and time to advance or rewind time in the game, is a controversial topic in the Animal Crossing community. Some players consider it cheating, while others see it as a way to control their gameplay experience. Time traveling can cause weeds to grow, villagers to move out, and other minor inconveniences, but it ultimately comes down to personal preference. There is no punishment for doing so.
7. How long will Animal Crossing: New Horizons last?
The game is designed to be played indefinitely. As the article states, the game will seemingly last until 2060. Nintendo has no officially announced the game being sunset. The game adapts to your real-world clock and calendar, providing a continuous stream of seasonal events, holidays, and activities. The only limit is how long you want to keep playing!
8. What are the hardest villagers to get in Animal Crossing?
Octopus villagers are considered the rarest in the game, with only a handful of them available. Finding a specific villager that you want can be challenging and require patience, luck, or the use of Amiibo cards.
9. How often do villagers want to leave my island?
Villagers will occasionally ask to move off your island. You can either encourage them to leave or convince them to stay. A villager will not ask to move again for 15 days after one leaves, or for 5 days after asking to leave but then staying.
10. Should I play Animal Crossing every day?
Playing Animal Crossing every day can help you maintain your island and build relationships with your villagers. However, the game is designed to be flexible. The more you don’t play, the more weeds will grow, villagers may move out, and you may find cockroaches in your home.
11. Is there an end to Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
There is no defined ending to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The game is designed to be an ongoing, open-ended experience that you can enjoy at your own pace for as long as you like.
12. What is the point of sleeping in ACNH?
Sleeping in Animal Crossing: New Horizons allows you to visit other islands while dreaming. This lets you explore other players’ creations even if they’re not online, offering inspiration and a sense of community.
13. What is the hardest thing to get in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Rarities are subjective, but some of the most difficult items to acquire in Animal Crossing: New Horizons include the Royal Crown (expensive), certain Zodiac items, the Wedding Pipe Organ, and specific villager photos.
14. What age group is ACNH for?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and has a PEGI rating of 3, making it suitable for players of all ages. Its gentle gameplay and positive themes make it a popular choice for children and adults alike.
15. Where can I learn more about the educational aspects of games like Animal Crossing?
You can explore the fascinating world of game-based learning at the Games Learning Society website. You can check them out at GamesLearningSociety.org!