I just got the game - any advice??

[rezberri]

i would recommend fitting as many buildings as u can on the beach, like ur house, museum, shops, villager houses. when u actually start getting into island development (terraforming, bridge building, etc.) u may end up having to move a villager's house 1 spot to the left, but u have to move their house TWICE which costs 100,000 bells!! which is a lot at the beginning. so it's easier to just put everything on the beach (bc u cant terraform there) and then move everything once uve planned out spots.

 

[Mary]

In addition to resident services, which the above posters mentioned, there are a few other things you can’t change that may affect you later, like:
-the size and shape of your peninsula (strip of land on the beach). It can range from super skinny to big enough for a house, so make sure you get the size you want if that matters to you!
-the size of your pier, it can be short or long. This doesn’t affect anything, but I’m listing it in case you have a preference aesthetically.
- the location of your river mouths (where your rivers meet the ocean.You can reshape your rivers, but you can’t move the river mouths, so they’ll determine the shape of your rivers to a degree.
- the color of your airport (linked to the color of your nook miles items). There are guides on this online, so be sure to get the airport color you really want.
Also, you start with two villagers - an uchi (sisterly) and a jock. Although you’ll be tempted to get ones you love, their homes are “starter” homes, and won’t ever upgrade to their normal furniture. If you care about the interior of their houses, you should wait to get them later. The same is true of the first three villagers you invite to your island when you have to build plots.

that’s all I’ve got right now, hope it helps!!

 

[Cethosia]

Also, you start with two villagers - an uchi (sisterly) and a jock. Although you’ll be tempted to get ones you love, their homes are “starter” homes, and won’t ever upgrade to their normal furniture. If you care about the interior of their houses, you should wait to get them later. The same is true of the first three villagers you invite to your island when you have to build plots.

that’s all I’ve got right now, hope it helps!!

I will add into this. I personally feel the starter houses are better than some of the original houses. So if this matters, it is better to look up the interiors. I know I would personally prefer Billy (jock) in the starter house for example

 

[Corrie]

At the beginning of the game, materials are your most needed thing. Don't sell any. I did and then I had to grind for them later.

 

[Mary]

At the beginning of the game, materials are your most needed thing. Don't sell any. I did and then I had to grind for them later.

^^ this. Also, you’ll experience a shift in what you need more of as time goes on, so don’t assume just because you have a lot of wood now that you won’t need it later. I think what happens to most is that they need iron at the beginning (for the shop construction and tools). Later on, wood and stone become more precious because decorating your island takes a lot of those materials, and there aren’t as many iron-heavy projects. Of course, that’s based on my own town - if yours is more industrial, I’d suspect you’d go through more iron as you build a bunch of metal stuff.

 

[Magus]

One another recommandation would be : Don't worry too much about finding your dreamies for the first 5 villagers since those villagers will have basic houses and not their final ones.