What Are the Limits in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
The world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a seemingly endless array of possibilities, from designing your dream island to befriending a colorful cast of villagers. However, like any game, it has its limitations. In a nutshell, the core limit within Animal Crossing is related to the number of villagers you can have on your island: 10. This is a hard cap; while you can interact with hundreds of villagers, only 10 can permanently reside on your island at any given time. This article delves into this central limitation and explores numerous other limits within the game, alongside answering some frequently asked questions to provide a comprehensive understanding of the constraints you’ll encounter on your island adventure.
Core Limitations in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The most prominent limit in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the cap on resident villagers. You can have a maximum of 10 villagers living on your island simultaneously. This number does not include player characters, special villagers like Tom Nook, Isabelle, or Blathers, or any non-resident characters that visit your island occasionally. This limit is deliberately designed to manage the island’s social dynamic and to encourage players to carefully curate their island community. When a villager moves out, a vacant plot is created, allowing you to invite another villager to take their place. This mechanic drives the ongoing interaction and relationship building with the game’s many potential residents.
Understanding the Resident Cap
The 10-villager limit serves several purposes within the game’s structure. It forces players to make choices about which personalities and species they want on their island, making each island a unique experience. It also allows the developers to design gameplay around this number, with features such as villager houses, gifting, and special events built with this number in mind. There’s also an underlying limitation in how your island’s infrastructure and economy scale. You won’t be able to construct unlimited houses or create unlimited stores. The game is designed to have a sense of growth while still retaining a cozy, intimate feel.
Frequently Asked Questions About Limits in Animal Crossing
To fully understand the limitations within Animal Crossing: New Horizons, here are some frequently asked questions with detailed answers:
1. Can you have more than 10 residents on Animal Crossing?
No, you cannot have more than 10 villagers living on your island at the same time. The game will always maintain a maximum of 10 resident villagers excluding player characters and special NPCs. When your island reaches its full capacity, you’ll need a villager to move out before inviting a new one.
2. Is there a limit to how many player characters can live on one island?
You can have up to 8 player characters living on one island, all sharing the same island map and environment. However, only one player character can be the Island Representative, and they are the only one who can advance the main story. Other players live under the banner of the Island Rep and don’t have the same permissions.
3. How many villagers are there in total?
As of the latest updates, there are a total of 412 unique villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (excluding special NPCs). This massive pool of characters means that you have a vast range of options when inviting residents to your island.
4. What happens when you reach the 10 villager limit?
Once you have 10 villagers, you will be unable to invite new residents until a current resident decides to move away. To do so, you might need to encourage a villager to leave using various methods (or simply wait for them to make their decision on their own). After you have a free spot, you can start inviting new villagers.
5. Can you have two Animal Crossing towns on the same Switch?
No, you can only have one island per Nintendo Switch system. The save data is tied to the console itself, not the game cartridge or download. If you wish to have another island, you must have another Nintendo Switch console.
6. What is the maximum friendship level in Animal Crossing?
Friendship with villagers is measured on a scale from 0 to 255. As you increase your friendship level, villagers will interact more closely with you, send you letters, give you gifts, and even change their dialogue.
7. What happens if you skip years in Animal Crossing?
Time traveling by changing your Switch’s date and time settings can cause weeds to grow on your island and villagers to move out if you are away for extended periods. This is a consequence of manipulating the game’s real-time mechanics. However, it also allows you to get access to certain events and other seasonal game content early, so it’s a balancing act.
8. Can you get kicked out of Animal Crossing?
You cannot be kicked out of your own island. Even if you disrupt the gameplay or upset your villagers, you will always be able to access your island. The game will simply affect your island rating and potentially the villagers’ dispositions toward you.
9. What is the end goal of Animal Crossing?
While there’s no formal “end” to Animal Crossing, the main goal is to develop your island and gain a 5-star rating, which you’ll receive after you develop your island to a certain degree. There is a credit roll after you complete a certain point, but the game does not end, and you can still continue playing.
10. How do you get rid of an unwanted villager?
While there is no instant method to force a villager to move out, you can use strategies like ignoring them, pushing them around, or hitting them with a bug net. It’s important to note that there are no guaranteed methods and it is essentially a chance game of probability.
11. Is there a limit to the size of your island?
Yes, each island has a fixed size and layout that you cannot alter. However, you can terraform the land, reshape rivers, and build inclines and bridges to change the landscape to your liking. Your building options are limited by what is available to you at certain phases of the game.
12. Can you max out your museum?
Yes, you can complete your museum by donating every fish, bug, fossil, and artwork. Once all sections are complete, it will be considered “maxed out.” It’s a goal many players pursue to have a full museum.
13. Are there any limits to customization options?
The game offers an incredible array of customization options, but there are limits. For example, you cannot have unlimited storage for items in your home and eventually need to consider storage options such as placing some items outside. Additionally, the patterns you create have limited color options and there is a limit to how many custom design slots you can have.
14. What are the rarest villager types?
Octopus villagers are the rarest, with only five of them in the game. Other rarer villager types include cows, bulls, rhinos, and alligators, having a smaller number of representatives.
15. What is the rarest item in Animal Crossing?
The Royal Crown is generally considered the rarest and most expensive item in Animal Crossing, selling for a high bell price and often only available for a limited time. However, many other rare items such as Gold Armor, and certain types of limited furniture can be difficult to get.
Conclusion: Embracing the Limits
The limitations in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, while seemingly restrictive, are actually integral to its charm. The 10-villager limit compels players to make strategic decisions, fostering a sense of community and personalized play. Instead of seeing the limits as a hindrance, they encourage creativity, engagement, and unique experiences. The game’s restrictions enhance its overall appeal, reminding us that it’s not about limitless possibilities, but about the creative choices and memorable moments within the boundaries that truly matter. Understanding the limitations is key to fully enjoying the serene world and endless possibilities that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has to offer.