Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct 2020 Rundown
As March 20th moves closer, Nintendo has been giving players a closer look at their ultimate chill out game Animal Crossing: New Horizons using a number of different methods. One of the methods that has shown the most game-play is the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct that was held early this morning. If you want to know more about this upcoming island-living title from Nintendo you’ve come to the right place. Check out everything Nintendo showed off during the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct 2020 below.
What Was Shown During the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct?
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct took place on February 20th at 6 AM PST. The Direct livestream lasted roughly 25 minutes and showed off a number of new game-play elements for the newest entry in the Animal Crossing series. I’ve listed the most interesting aspects of the reveal shown during the livestream in the list below.
- Part 1: Getaway Package:
- You can select different islands in the northern or southern hemispheres. This impacts when weather happens during your play-through.
- Each season offers you a number of new activities to experience.
- When you arrive on the island for the first time you will start an orientation from Nook, Inc. This orientation includes a tent you can place for yourself and other residents.
- Resident Services: place to sell items, craft items, and get help from Nook, Inc.
- Crafting allows you to create a number of different items that can be placed across the island.
- Airport is available year-round, 24 hours a day. You can use the internet in the airport to invite other players to visit your island or head off to other player’s islands. In total eight players can be on one island together.
- The Airport also allows players to send messages to each other using the postal service.
- When you start out Nook, Inc. will give you a Nookphone that features apps like a map.
- Tom Nook addresses the island on the start of each day.
- Nook Miles give you hints on activities you can complete to unlock Nook Miles which can be used to pay off the Getaway Package and earn in-game rewards.
- The island is deserted, this means you will encounter dangerous insects like wasps or scorpions. Getting stung by any of these creatures means you need to use medicine.
- Castaways and ghosts are all part of living on the island.
- Rescue Service will transport you back to your camp should you get lost.
- Building a house is an extra you can purchase using a loan from Tom Nook (showed cost of 97,000 Bells).
- Like previous Animal Crossings, you can redecorate your house. This system has been redesigned to allow for more customization.
- The house can be upgraded in size.
- Nook Miles can be used to tour new islands that features items to take back with you and NPCs to meet.
- Party Play allows you to call up other residents to play on an island. The person that calls is the Leader while those that answer the call are Followers.
- Web service is being developed for the Nintendo Online app to allow for QR scanning from previous Animal Crossing games. This allows you to import designs from those games.
- Part 2: Planned Development
- Start with only a few neighbors at the start of the game. More animal residents will be invited to the island as you progress. You will control
- Additional facilities planned to be built on the island like Shops, Museum, Tailor, and Campground. Each new facility offers some type of benefit to the player.
- Resident Services tent will expand into a large building as you progress.
- Isabelle will offer you renovation services for your island.
- Tourists will visit the island from time to time.
- Travelling merchants will visit the island with items you can’t craft.
- Events will occur like fishing competitions, bug offs, and more.
- Seasonal events are planned that will feature new characters.
- The island can be planned out better with things like staircases and bridges.
- Path making is now a thing.
- Terra-forming is a available on the island. This means you can change a wide range of island designs like where rivers and cliffs are.
- Part 3: FAQ
- Up to eight players can be on one island. This means one Nintendo Switch supports eight people.
- The game supports Amiibos.
- Anti-griefing measures are in place to avoid players from destroying your
- Does not support cloud-save feature, but there will be a system in place to salvage some lost saves.
- There are a number of themed consoles and controllers coming before launch.
- Free updates will be coming. First free update is March 20 which featured Bunny Day.
- Special earnable items tied into Pocket Camp app.
That’s everything of major importance shown during the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct. As you can see Nintendo offered a nice look at this upcoming title. Fans wanting to get their hands on the game can do so March 20th on Nintendo Switch.
