Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 – First Impressions of the Switch 2 Version

For the Animal Crossing fans looking for caller dialog oregon large overhauls to what exists successful Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you whitethorn not privation to clasp your enactment for the 3.0 Update oregon the Nintendo Switch 2 version. The announcement for thing caller for the five-year-old crippled was already a delightful astonishment (especially aft Nintendo antecedently said they were done with large updates years ago), but determination don't look to beryllium galore secrets oregon surprises beyond what was shown successful the uncover trailer. IGN was invited by Nintendo to get a hands-off look astatine what's coming to ACNH connected January 15, 2026, and the astir 25-minute demo confirmed definite ACNH instrumentality factions' excitement and disappointment: namely, this 1 is for the decorators. That being said, arsenic idiosyncratic who does emotion decorating successful Animal Crossing, this update is an breathtaking crushed for maine to play much regularly again.

The Switch 2 version's 3 main features aren't each that interesting, though the velocity and graphical updates are pleasing. In the demo, I saw and had it confirmed that the Switch 2 exclusive Megaphone instrumentality is constricted to calling residents who tin really hear. So, it won't interaction anyone wrong a building, which makes it little utile for tracking down a peculiar character. Then, the last large payment to playing connected Switch 2 is being capable to play with up to 12 radical full successful multiplayer, though that hinges connected everyone successful the league playing connected a Switch 2. I consciousness fortunate I cognize adjacent 3 radical inactive playing, leaving this update arsenic the slightest impactful.

The edifice is by acold the biggest alteration retired of everything. It was explained that, similar different facilities successful ACNH, the edifice is thing you'll unlock. Since it's tied to the pier, it cannot beryllium moved and getting it is not optional. I didn't spot what's progressive successful gathering the hotel, but erstwhile it's there, it'll person season-appropriate decor similar different facilities. Inside is the welcoming tract of Kapp'n's family. The main enactment you'll bash successful the edifice is decorating rooms akin to the Happy Home Paradise DLC, with the cardinal quality being that you person a database of country themes to take from (such arsenic Ranch Room, Skyscraper Room, and plentifulness more) and are escaped to bash what you volition with it… oregon skip utilizing a taxable wholly and freestyle the design.

If you usage a theme, you're provided a enactment of items that match. Though dissimilar HHP, you're not required to usage immoderate circumstantial items adjacent if you bash opt to usage a theme. Then, erstwhile you're done, you'll person a reward of the caller edifice currency, tickets, erstwhile per day. You tin support decorating the 8 impermanent rooms, but you won't person immoderate other currency. Tickets tin past beryllium spent astatine the edifice acquisition store that has hotel-related items on with caller furniture, astir of which I did not get to see. The different mode to gain tickets is by crafting requested items for Kapp'n. The caller bulk crafting diagnostic wasn't shown successful my demo either.

Tourists who enactment successful the edifice tin roam your land successful the customizable outfits displayed successful the hotel, which helps to intelligibly place them. Unfortunately, determination wasn't overmuch enactment with tourists successful my demo. The 1 speech with a tourer didn't marque it wide whether oregon not they tin beryllium invited to enactment connected the island, though it was mentioned successful the demo that if the visitant is convinced, they could perchance go a resident.

The 4 caller characters coming to ACNH with 3.0 (two from Splatoon, 2 from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) weren't contiguous successful the demo, though the items that get added to ACNH aft scanning 1 of their respective bid amiibo were. It was clarified that to get 1 of the caller Splatoon oregon Legends of Zelda characters and the associated peculiar items, each you request to bash is scan immoderate 1 amiibo from their respective franchise, alternatively than immoderate circumstantial amiibo. The items looked large peppered astir the item, and it seems astir of the items are interactive.

For those looking for adjacent much decorating, Slumber Islands await. We unluckily again didn't spot overmuch of the peculiar Slumber Island abstraction beyond what was shown successful the uncover trailer. This diagnostic requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. With that, you'll get entree to 3 land prevention spots and tin make a small, medium, oregon ample island, with the ample size being adjacent to being the size of the mean island. The Animal Crossing assemblage has travel up with immoderate astonishing land designs implicit the years, and the Slumber Islands diagnostic is primed to promote adjacent much of that. Whatever you've collected volition beryllium disposable connected the Slumber Islands, and thing you bash oregon usage successful the dreams won't interaction your main island. It was confirmed during the demo that determination won't beryllium immoderate caller further customized plan prevention slots, though, truthful players volition request to get originative with what's already disposable if customized designs are a cardinal portion of their land plan process.

Our demo didn't amusement Resetti's caller suite of cleanup services, each the caller items coming with the hotel, oregon however overmuch it costs to upgrade storage. There wasn't a accidental to inquire the developers questions either, truthful it's inactive unclear whether we should expect immoderate different ACNH updates beyond this. I'm anxious to spot the spot notes whenever Nintendo releases them to spot if determination are immoderate concealed tiny prime of beingness updates oregon point updates for holidays (will we get a 2026 balloon arch for the New Year's event?), but, arsenic I mentioned earlier, I'm skeptical we'll spot immoderate large changes different than what's been announced. Even still, I'm enjoying having a crushed to instrumentality to my land and get it cleaned up for aboriginal tourists.

Miranda Sanchez is the enforcement exertion of guides astatine IGN and a subordinate of Unlocked. She's a large instrumentality of stationery, reading, and bouncing betwixt everlastingly games. You tin sometimes find her connected Bluesky.