![\"Animal](\"https:\/\/nfornerds.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Animal-Crossing-New-Horizons-Boy-Girl-Mask-N-For-Nerds.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n(“6ft away at all times Frank…that’s what the judge said!”)\u00a0<\/address>\n<\/p>\n
When the world has all but stopped functioning as we know it and many of us are isolating ourselves in our homes, there really is nothing more appealing than hopping on a plane to a remote island, collecting fish and butterflies with tools made of tree branches, and digging for fossils for a friendly owl \u2013 actually, he\u2019s a bit of a know-it-all \u2013 to display in his museum. <\/p>\n You create your big-eyed islander from scratch \u2013 a new feature for the series and all options are gender neutral \u2013 and are flown to a deserted paradise for you to call your own (or Spice World, if you\u2019re anything like me and our town motto is to \u201cSpice Up Your Life\u201d). You can play Animal Crossing: New Horizons at whatever pace you like, which is how it started for me, slowly collecting fruit, leisurely waiting for that big catch. Two weeks in and I was angrily groaning when I couldn\u2019t find one last damn piece of clay to make a vase for one of my neighbours. You start with an introduction to the townsfolk. First, there\u2019s Tom Nook who\u2019s running the show yet doesn\u2019t seem to do much other than stand at the town square sipping coffee and getting you to do all the legwork. Then there\u2019s Timmy and Tommy who look after the buying and selling of items to populate your village. You\u2019re first tasked with finding spots for your new home, and those of two other villagers. Once settled, Tom starts assigning you with tasks and the small matter of paying off your loan for your humble abode. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The town functions on \u2018Bells\u2019 and \u2018Nook Miles\u2019 (imagine real-life airline miles), which can be earned by selling items discovered around the island and completing milestones, like selling shells or chopping wood. Sometimes, the money even grows on trees. <\/p>\n When you arrive, the only landmark on the island is a \u2018Resident Services\u2019 building, and it\u2019s up to you to flesh out the rest of the town with a museum, shop, and new neighbours to populate it. While you\u2019re reminded that there\u2019s no sense of urgency in this paradise, you\u2019ll soon learn there are some milestones you need to achieve in order to access new levels or open up possibilities and many of these are timed-gated. <\/p>\n As the game functions in real-time, handy tools like ladders and bridges are not available to you upon arrival and you\u2019ll have to spend a few days on the island, talk to the right townsfolk and tick off a few things on your to-do list to get them. It can be frustrating having to have to wait for new items to appear or to upgrade but it\u2019s only a minor hindrance and I appreciated that these things couldn\u2019t be skipped or sped up with monetary transactions. Meanwhile, I was genuinely excited about checking in on my island every day, shaking trees to find new items (there are two pieces of furniture hiding here every day), chatting to my fellow islanders just to appreciate the sweet dialogue told in sped up gibberish, and hoping to find some rarities. Although there are no clear goals set, I never found myself bored or just wandering around with nothing to occupy myself with. The day to day collecting and crafting keeps your islander busy and those miles and bells topped up. There\u2019s also mini tasks to seek out like helping someone with a lost item or a giving a hand to a startled ghost to find all the pieces of their spirit. Told you it was cute. Failing that, you can always hop to another island should you fancy a change of scenery. This can be done by visiting friends via online or local play, or by purchasing a Nook Miles ticket to an unknown location. Initial character customisation is pretty limited but as you\u2019ll later discover, collecting Miles will allow you to open up new upgrades like cool hairstyles and funky bellbottoms. In fact, customisation is one of the most fun things about Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You can makeover your home with crafted furniture or special items which change daily in the store or switch up your colour scheme with easy customisation kits. There\u2019s also a design tool which allows you to make your own patterns to wear or display. Want to make yourself a replica of your favourite t shirt? With a steady hand, you can. <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n(“I hope the next thing that opens is a cloning facility!”)<\/address>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n(“It’s a family racket!”)<\/address>\n<\/a><\/p>\n(Money, money, money,moneeeey…MONEY!)<\/address>\n<\/a><\/p>\n(“The pubs don’t open until tomorrow!”)<\/address>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n(“Yaaass Queen!”)<\/address>\n