Any tips for a new AC:NH player?

[Millz_97]

Hi everyone,

I’ve just bought a Switch 2 and will start New Horizons later today.

Haven’t owned a Nintendo console since the Wii but played City Folk and Wild world religiously back in the day, so I am very familiar with the series but know very little about NH specifically.

Does anyone have any tips for a new player that you wish you’d known when you started?

Thanks

 

[UpFalls]

I watched several videos before I got my copy.

Otherwise, here are a couple of things:
#1. The green grass is always triangles. In my first save I kept trying to restart for circle grass then found out the only circle grass is the snow in winter.
#2. Your first two villagers will be, without fail, a jock and a big sister.
#3. There is an entire week of basically tutorials, and some of it's pretty great but otherwise it can be fairly mundane, but the game does a fairly good job of holding the player's hand and getting through it.
#4. Tools break so you have to get used to the idea of making new ones, a lot.

There's so much more to discover but I would not want to spoil it all.

 

[Rykertimee]

Hold B to sprint while walking.

 

[LambdaDelta]

#4. Tools break so you have to get used to the idea of making new ones, a lot.

or learn the durability limits for customization (which resets the durability every time you customize)

note, axes can never be customized. so those you'll just have to deal with breakage for, no matter what

 

[UpFalls]

or learn the durability limits for customization (which resets the durability every time you customize)

note, axes can never be customized. so those you'll just have to deal with breakage for, no matter what

True that, unless you want the Nook miles thing for breaking however many tools it takes.

When it comes to axes I hardly even use them, mostly to chop down the money tree to plop the new one into my little money tree plot area. Native fruit is only worth 100 bells, so don't cut the tree, dig it up and save it in your house inventory in case you want one somewhere else, and if not eventually load them up and sell to Nook.

I also don't use the shovel to fill in holes, as kicking the dirt in helps extend its life. I think it would drive me nuts to try to count how many times I'd used each tool in order to customize them all the time.

 

[MayorYuki]

I would say as a beginner, take your time with the game! Explore, sell your native fruit to make money, explore the islands & other friend’s islands!

Don’t worry about having a set way on how to build your island; go with what feels right at the moment.

Hope this helped!

 

[Grishiu]

You'll notice your starter villagers will have really basic houses (I can't remember if it's the first 2 or first 4), and afaik the only way to get their original housing is if you have the DLC. So I wouldn't fret about trying to get a dream villager right away especially if you want their original house designs c:

 

[X2k5a7y]

There are no perfect fruit, and there are no island fruit. I was trying so hard to get them at first, as someone coming from New Leaf, I assumed they were there somewhere.
Also, comparison is the thief of joy. Comparing my island to other people's islands have ruined a few islands for me.
The first five villagers will not have their OG houses, BUT at some point you can redecorate their house interior and exterior. I am not sure, but I think that's if you have the paid DLC or have it for "free" through the upgraded membership available on the switch.
You will always start with an uchi villager and a jock. You can use the nook mile tickets for the 3 plots after the 2 starters.
The first villager in the campsite, from what I have noticed is always a smug villager.
The dialogue is a bit more bland than the older games, but I'm sure you've already seen people complain about that.
Treasure islands are a thing to look into, if you want to max out your money or get harder to get items free and easy. That's a personal decision.
ETA: You can customize your tools to reset the durability on them, and the golden tools do break.
Most of all have fun and "remember that bad times are just times that are bad."

 

[UpFalls]

<snip>
Also, comparison is the thief of joy. Comparing my island to other people's islands have ruined a few islands for me.
<snip>

Oh, so much this! I'm just not that clever when it comes to designing all those custom paths and such so if I look too closely on some of the videos I've enjoyed I can get very discouraged. So I just do my little thing knowing full well it would never live up to a design contest but the important thing is that I like it. And the great thing is, you can pretty much do something sort of basic like earlier games with the added oomph of furniture and fences, or you can design intricate patterns and varying tree heights, etc. and either way enjoy it. One thing I do so love is that if I decide to do something then don't like it, I can undo it.

 

[Rykertimee]

Treasure islands are a thing to look into, if you want to max out your money or get harder to get items free and easy. That's a personal decision.

This is what I do lol

 

[Millz_97]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your responses!

I’ve been having a blast so far getting the shop and museum up and running. I have also just finished preparing the first three housing plot.

The main goal now is to make sure I catch the rest of the fish/bugs I need that will disappear next month.

I’m a fan of the DIY system and I think the Nook miles system gives a decent incentive to play even if there isn’t much to be done that day.

 

[Charcolor]

small tip for when you encounter scorpions or tarantulas (idk if this is how it is in previous games): approach them slowly by holding A when walking with your net, but stop when the tarantula/scorpion rears up and hisses, then continue when they go back down. keep doing that until you're close enough to release the A button to catch it, and you'll avoid getting stung.
hope that makes sense!

 

[Millz_97]

small tip for when you encounter scorpions or tarantulas (idk if this is how it is in previous games): approach them slowly by holding A when walking with your net, but stop when the tarantula/scorpion rears up and hisses, then continue when they go back down. keep doing that until you're close enough to release the A button to catch it, and you'll avoid getting stung.
hope that makes sense!

Thank you this is really helpful! The first time I encountered a tarantula I got lucky and caught it but have been bitten every time since.

I seem to remember in previous games they would just immediately run at you as soon as they saw you with a net

 

[BalloonFight]

I didn't see this mentioned, and possibly you already know this, but when you have a vacant plot for a house, you can go to Nook Miles islands and villager hunt for whoever you want, as long as you have enough Nook Miles Tickets. One of my personal favorite things in the game as you can run into any villager and potentially pick up someone you either really like, or haven't ever had in a previous game who can become your new favorite.

 

[UpFalls]

small tip for when you encounter scorpions or tarantulas (idk if this is how it is in previous games): approach them slowly by holding A when walking with your net, but stop when the tarantula/scorpion rears up and hisses, then continue when they go back down. keep doing that until you're close enough to release the A button to catch it, and you'll avoid getting stung.
hope that makes sense!

Can confirm. This is exactly how I managed to catch the one and only tarantula I've met so far.

Also, in that regard when you come across a sea creature that you can't catch up with, just use the stick to push yourself forward, slowly (don't try swimming) until you're over the top of their bubble then dive. It can take a try or two to get in the right position but it's how I get hold of all the speedy creatures.

P.S. Those Nook Mile islands can have some very unique features. There's one with a bunch of money rocks. Another has a lot of trash and goldfish. Then there are the ones with your 'sister fruit' and the bamboo islands. Any of them with regular trees will have one piece of furniture and one wasp. To catch those wasps hold your net, face the tree, then shake the tree. As soon as the hive drops you'll face the them, then just swing your net ASAP. Boom! Then make sure to take the nest too as you can make medicine and other things from them. Getting stung does lead to a few things, including a Nook Miles reward.

 

[SandiMacD]

Can confirm. This is exactly how I managed to catch the one and only tarantula I've met so far.

Also, in that regard when you come across a sea creature that you can't catch up with, just use the stick to push yourself forward, slowly (don't try swimming) until you're over the top of their bubble then dive. It can take a try or two to get in the right position but it's how I get hold of all the speedy creatures.

P.S. Those Nook Mile islands can have some very unique features. There's one with a bunch of money rocks. Another has a lot of trash and goldfish. Then there are the ones with your 'sister fruit' and the bamboo islands. Any of them with regular trees will have one piece of furniture and one wasp. To catch those wasps hold your net, face the tree, then shake the tree. As soon as the hive drops you'll face the them, then just swing your net ASAP. Boom! Then make sure to take the nest too as you can make medicine and other things from them. Getting stung does lead to a few things, including a Nook Miles reward.

Great tips! TY

 

[Millz_97]

I didn't see this mentioned, and possibly you already know this, but when you have a vacant plot for a house, you can go to Nook Miles islands and villager hunt for whoever you want, as long as you have enough Nook Miles Tickets. One of my personal favorite things in the game as you can run into any villager and potentially pick up someone you either really like, or haven't ever had in a previous game who can become your new favorite.

P.S. Those Nook Mile islands can have some very unique features. There's one with a bunch of money rocks. Another has a lot of trash and goldfish. Then there are the ones with your 'sister fruit' and the bamboo islands. Any of them with regular trees will have one piece of furniture and one wasp. To catch those wasps hold your net, face the tree, then shake the tree. As soon as the hive drops you'll face the them, then just swing your net ASAP. Boom! Then make sure to take the nest too as you can make medicine and other things from them. Getting stung does lead to a few things, including a Nook Miles reward.

Great tips about the Nook Mile Islands thank you!

Spent about 2 hours on one last night trying to catch a string fish. 3 golden trout and 5 sturgeon later I was about to give up and got the string fish on my last cast

 

[maxxy]

Hi everyone,

I’ve just bought a Switch 2 and will start New Horizons later today.

Haven’t owned a Nintendo console since the Wii but played City Folk and Wild world religiously back in the day, so I am very familiar with the series but know very little about NH specifically.

Does anyone have any tips for a new player that you wish you’d known when you started?

Thanks

definitely try to talk to Tom Nook a TON to get more things done on ur island to unlock more!! typically he asks you to do tons of things because he's lazy haha

 

[UpFalls]

Oh yeah, was there the whole thing about how you can eat fruit (or other foods) and be able to dig up whole trees, and break rocks? That's a pretty cool feature, especially the rock breaking--if you're on one of those islands with the money rock circle you'll have to do that. If you use that on your home island the rock will respawn the next day in a different place. You can eventually get your rocks put exactly where you want them by having the ground covered except where you want the rocks to go. I've seen really neat mazes in YT videos with the rocks and shrubs set up for easily smacking the rocks. Granted, that can be a long process so I won't have that done in my town until a little farther down the line.

 

[SandiMacD]

I didn't see this mentioned, and possibly you already know this, but when you have a vacant plot for a house, you can go to Nook Miles islands and villager hunt for whoever you want, as long as you have enough Nook Miles Tickets. One of my personal favorite things in the game as you can run into any villager and potentially pick up someone you either really like, or haven't ever had in a previous game who can become your new favorite.

definitely try to talk to Tom Nook a TON to get more things done on ur island to unlock more!! typically he asks you to do tons of things because he's lazy haha

I have been playing only 2 months and the NS2 I got in Jan is my first Nintendo experience.

I played for about a week and realized I wish I had set up my island differently. So I reset the entire game and started over fresh.

It really helped me better understand the game. I really like the way my second island is laid out. So much better than my first island. I also took advantage of what I learned the first time so I was able to progress quite a bit faster.

So don't be hesitate to restart with a different island in the first week or so if you want.