The beautiful thing about Tom Nook’s “Deserted Island Getaway Package” is thatAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsplayers get to completely shape their island at every point in the game. From the first moment players boot up the game, they are given almost complete control over where every building, home, and structure goes.
It’s easily the most control players have had in anyAnimal Crossingtitle to date, and it can be a bit overwhelming. With that in mind, here are some tips and tricks to help players construct the perfectAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsisland that Tom Nook himself would be proud of.
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Picking the Perfect Island
Right from the get-go,Animal Crossingplayers are faced with an incredibly important decision: which map to pick. This decision has a lot of weight to it, as once players have picked their island, they are stuck with that (general) layout for good - andonly one island per Switch consoleat that.While terraforming allows players to change most of their island’s layout, some things on the map are permament. Players will not be able to change the Town Square’s location, the river mouths, and the beaches.
It’s also worth noting that it takes some time before players will be able to cross the river or climb ledges, so players will be confined to the central landmass for at least a few days. Players should really take some time to consider each island’s benefits and start getting a rough idea as to where they may want to build structures before locking in their choice.
Planning Ahead
Once players make landfall on their desired island, they are faced with another handful of choices: where to put their home, and where to put their first villagers' homes. These decisions are less important - unless players want to get a head start on their future island layout. Every building and home (save for Resident Services) can me moved, though it’ll cost 50,000 bells a pop to do so later on. While Terraforming and house moving is a fair bit away from the beginning of the game, players may want to plan ahead and start envisioning where things are going to go to save some bells for the future - especially since playersnever know how the Stalk Market will turn for them.
If players want to have a great neighborhood where all the villagers live close together, it may be a good idea to start plotting for that sooner rather than later. If players want to move 10 houses into a neighborhood through Nook, it’ll cost 500,000 bells - assuming players line them up in the exact spot they want them. Ultimately the design of the island is up to the player, as every villager who moves in will be placed where the player dictates, and the same is true for every shop and building. Getting a head start on the design process will save a lot of time and money.
The Trouble with Bridges (And Inclines)
Bridges and Inclines can be a blessing, as they make it so players no longer need their vaulting pole or ladder on their own island to get to certain areas. However, both structures come at a cost. The first bridge players build will actually be crafted, but every bridge after that will have to be done as apublic works projectwhere the entire island comes together to pay for the work. As with everyAnimal Crossinggame, that means the player will be fronting the vast majority of the bill - which is thousands of bells every time. Inclines are the same way - though players don’t get the first one free.
Both of these works projects cost a pretty penny and are a big investment early game. That’s why it is better to wait and save these projects until players have a good idea as to where everything is going to be laid out. Why is that? Well if a bridge or incline is build (including the first initial bridge) it will cost 10,000 bells to destroy and the player won’t get their initial investment back. Take it from someone who’s built and demolished a few inclines and bridges at this point, wait until you have a good idea as to where the higher elevation points on your island are going to be, and where the river is going to be, before starting these work projects.
Terraforming for Beginners
The Island Designer Tool is a fantastic app on the Nook Phone that allows players to essentially reconstruct their island from the ground up. After completing Project K for Tom Nook, players will have the Island Designer app installed on their phone. However, at first the tool will only allow players to place Dirt and Stone paths. Once players purchase all of the necessary permits from the Nook Terminal, players will be able to add and remove water, cliffs, and construct many different types of paths anywhere on the island (except the beach and Town Square). Purchasing these upgrades is a bit pricey. Each path costs 2,000 Nook Miles to unlock, and each permit costs 6,000 Miles to unlock - so to unlock every feature of the app it will cost 28,300 Miles, so players should get tofarming for those Nook Miles.
With all the necessary features unlocked, players can launch the Island Designer Tool from their phone and select which type of work they want to do, whether it be landscaping, waterscaping, or pathing. There are certain limitations to the tools, like not being able to build cliffs and water too close to homes, or not being able to work on a tile occupied by an object, but generally players will have free reign over their island while in the Island Designer Tool. When destroying land, either to shape cliffs or add water, it’s worth noting that when players hit a space it will turn into a half-block and if players hit it again then it will be removed. Using these tools, players can shape the island’s land into any sort of shape they would like. Combine that with thenew hedges and shrubsadded to the game and players can create an absolutely beautiful island with enough time and effort.
Advanced Tips and Tricks
Whether players are looking todesign a perfect 5-star island, or just to have something aesthetically pleasing, there are a few tips and tricks that may make the process a little easier:
First, when planning out where things are going to be early on, players can use the Custom Designs App on their Nook Phone to help visualize future improvements. This is especially helpful before players unlock the Island Designer Tool. Players can use the Design Tool to create designs that can help plot roads, visualize spacing, and more. Players have even created someamazing custom pathsthat can be used before the Island Designer Tool is unlocked (though it will be a little bit slower to lay out this way). Using these quick designs can help players get a head start on laying out villager neighborhoods, shopping plazas, and more.
Rivers can be a bit tedious to plan around as players need either the vaulting pole or a bridge to cross them. However, if players use the Island Designer Tool to made stepping stones across the water, players can jump the river without needing either the pole or a bridge. So long as the water is less than three tiles wide, players will be able to jump across with no other tools needed.
Hitting rocks is a daily activity inAnimal Crossing, and that means players may need to run all around their island to find the randomly spawned rocks. However, players have discovered a way to ensurerocks spawn in specific locations. This is perfect if players want to work a “quarry” into their island design - though even if it’s not a big design point it will at least be convenient.
Ultimately, there is no one way to design an island inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons. Every player will want to make their island unique and special to them. Perhaps they want to go for a more natural look to really maintain that deserted island vibe, or maybeuse terraforming to create some wild creations. Regardless,Animal Crossing: New Horizonshas a ton of great tools for players to use to really make their deserted island their new home.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis available now for Nintendo Switch.
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