How to Prepare for the 2.0 Update

Remember, remember the 5th November

Unless you’ve been living on a Mystery Island, you’ll know that we are a week away from the major final free update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Familiar faces are set to return and exciting new features and activities are being introduced. Now, some of us may have barely touched our islands in the past year, so you probably have work to do before the new content drops on 5th November.

Before you get started, you’ll want to reacquaint yourself with both your island and your villagers. Weeds and Flowers growing out of control will need to be cleared and don’t be surprised by your villager’s shock as you finally speak to them again after all these months.

The upcoming update is set to expand the farming feature, adding Tomatoes, Carrots, Potatoes, Wheat and Sugar Cane to Pumpkins, which were added to the game before Halloween in 2020. You will be able to use these ingredients to cook delicious new dishes, so you will want to make sure you have a space ready to grow your crops. We recommend combining the Barbed-Wire Fencing with dirt paths to create this area!

Don’t forget to also leave some land free for the returning Gyroids to spawn. Just like Fossils, they can be unearthed from the ground, with a star marking the spot.

Now, do you have an Al Fresco restaurant or surfboard shop on your dock? Clear it up or move it to a different area of your island, as this is where you’ll find Kapp’n, ready to sail you away to new and far off lands. Consider making a cosy boarding area ready for his arrival on the 5th.

Chances are, you have unused Nook Miles. If not you’ll want to get to work and start saving up. Nook Miles have always been useful - they can currently be redeemed for cool items and those all important Nook Mile Tickets. But, you’re going to need them to buy the DIY Recipes+ in order to start cooking and Kapp’n’s boat tours are also going to cost you 1,000 Miles per trip. The easiest way to earn Nook Miles is by completing tasks on your Nook Miles app, such as catching critters, hitting rocks and planting trees. At this time you’ll also want to stockpile materials, ready to craft all the new DIY recipes that are on the way!

Not to be left out, Harv’s Island will also be getting an upgrade, with a plaza full of unique stalls setting up shop. One of these will be run by the cutest couple there ever was, Reese and Cyrus, who just like in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, will be on hand to customise furniture that you may not have been able to before. So pack up your favourite items, ready to be given a new lease of life by these two talented alpacas.

The projects on Harv’s Island won’t come for free though, as with any Island building, ramp or bridge, you’ll need to save up some bells to fund construction. Do this by selling rare fish and bugs and crafting Hot Items. Speaking of ramps and bridges, don’t forget that you will now be permitted to build two more on your Island!

Clear up space on your Switch as the camera is getting an update. You will be able to switch to first-person when taking photos, so you can see your villager friends up close and they may even react and strike a pose. There will also be the option to use a tripod mode and freeze the camera angle so you can jump into the shot too! So make sure you have the space to save all your lovely Animal Crossing selfies and memories.

Finally, head over to your Switch store on the 5th and purchase the new Happy Home Paradise expansion, adding a wealth of new content, mechanics and character to the game. Similar to Happy Home Designer, the spin-off 3DS game, you will be required to design a home. But not just any home, this time it’s a villager’s vacation home as they get away from it all on an Island Paradise. Each villager will have specific requests for furniture or the general theme they would like to see. You will also need to choose from a number of different plots from sunny beaches to snowy forests!

How are you preparing for this exciting new update? Let us know on our socials!