Animal Crossing: New Horizons – How to Unlock Everything — Transcript

Learn how to unlock all key features, tools, buildings, and upgrades fast in Animal Crossing: New Horizons with IGN's step-by-step guide.

Key Takeaways

Progression in Animal Crossing: New Horizons requires completing specific tasks and paying off debts to unlock features.
Crafting and resource gathering are essential for unlocking tools, buildings, and island expansion.
Interacting with characters like Tom Nook, Blathers, Timmy, and Mabel is key to unlocking shops and services.
Upgrading Resident Services unlocks advanced customization and new gameplay features.
Town rating improvement leads to major events and further unlocks.

Summary

Start by accepting Tom Nook's DIY workshop to learn crafting essential tools like bug net and fishing rod.
Collect bugs and fish to unlock recipes for axe, watering can, shovel, and vaulting pole.
Invite Blathers to set up the museum by donating specimens and build his tent plot.
Pay off your deserted island package with 5,000 Nook Miles to unlock Nook Miles Plus and new items.
Build and customize your first house, then set up Nook's Cranny shop by gathering materials.
Meet Mabel and establish the Able Sisters' clothing shop by purchasing items and placing their lot.
Expand the island by building bridges and furnishing houses for new residents.
Unlock the ladder recipe to explore the entire island and gather native flowers.
Upgrade Resident Services to an official building to access new features like town tune changes and building relocation.
Increase your town rating to trigger a special event and unlock further content.

Chapters

Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

Speaker A

When you first land on your deserted island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you won't have anything to your name, and it may take longer than you'd think to gain access to things like tools, buildings, and features you may have taken for granted in previous games. Luckily, we've got a fast track to unlocking all the important stuff. There's a lot to unpack, so let's run down the list.

Speaker A

taken for granted in previous games luckily we've got a fast track to unlocking all the important stuff there's a lot to unpack so let's run down the list on your first real day on the island take of Tom nooks offer for a

Speaker A

On your first real day on the island, take up Tom Nook's offer for a DIY workshop class to learn how to craft recipes, including the bug net and fishing rod. Be sure to bring him five bugs and/or fish, and you'll gain access to recipes for how to make an axe for chopping wood and a watering can for flowers.

Speaker A

flowers once you've given him enough bugs at fish blathers will call and ask to join you on the island so put down a nice plot for his tent and wait for the next day once blathers is settled in

Speaker A

Once you've given him enough bugs and fish, Blathers will call and ask to join you on the island. So, put down a nice plot for his tent and wait for the next day. Once Blathers is settled in, talk to him, and he'll give you recipes for the shovel to dig up fossils and strike rocks, plus a recipe for the vaulting pole to get across the river that's been blocking your exploration.

Speaker A

send blathers 15 more specimens bugs of fish or fossils your next task is to pay off your deserted island package with 5,000 up miles so keep doing activities to score more points paying off your initial bill will unlock nook miles plus

Speaker A

If you want to get a real museum, be sure to send Blathers 15 more specimens—bugs, fish, or fossils. Your next task is to pay off your deserted island package with 5,000 Nook Miles, so keep doing activities to score more points. Paying off your initial bill will unlock Nook Miles Plus, which are endless daily tasks to keep the Nook Miles rolling in, and you can buy new items with Nook Miles like better tools and recipes.

Speaker A

one-room house you can customize to your liking and you'll end up with another bill go to resident services after getting your house set up then talk to Timmy about setting up a real shop on the island you'll have to gather 30 of

Speaker A

With your bill paid off, tell Tom Nook you want a house, and you'll wake up the next day with a one-room house you can customize to your liking, and you'll end up with another bill. Go to Resident Services after getting your house set up, then talk to Timmy about setting up a real shop on the island.

Speaker A

takes a day to build with the shop bill you'll run into Mable at nook's cranny who will start appearing by the resident services ten on a random weekday and weekends to sell clothing items if you wanted to set up shop for good buy at

Speaker A

You'll have to gather 30 of each type of wood plus 30 iron nuggets, so this might take a while. Remember, you can also use Nook Miles Tickets to fly to uncharted islands. Once you have all the materials, hand them in and place down the lot for Nook's Cranny, which takes a day to build.

Speaker A

continue his plan to expand the island he'll first want you to build a bridge to another part of the island which requires building several logs stakes as well as gathering for clays and stones after you connect the island with a

Speaker A

With the shop built, you'll run into Mabel at Nook's Cranny, who will start appearing by Resident Services on a random weekday and weekends to sell clothing items. If you want to set up shop for good, buy at least 5,000 bells worth of clothing items and talk to her the next day. She's around, and she'll have you put down a lot for the Able Sisters' shop, which will be ready the next day.

Speaker A

you'll get access to a ton of new recipes and Tom Nook will also give you the recipe for a ladder to finally explore the rest of the island and gather native flowers start amassing resources to build the six furniture

Speaker A

Meanwhile, return to Tom Nook to continue his plan to expand the island. He'll first want you to build a bridge to another part of the island, which requires building several log stakes as well as gathering four clays and stones. After you connect the island with a bridge, agree to help Nook furnish three new houses for incoming residents.

Speaker A

Tom Nook will announce he's upgrading resident services to an official building this will unlock a ton of new features everything from changing your town tune to adding bridges and ramps or even moving existing buildings around Tom Nook will have one last big plan to

Speaker A

You'll need to find some space to set their lots down, as they'll have increased space where they want exterior items to be furnished. As you place the lots down, you'll get access to a ton of new recipes, and Tom Nook will also give you the recipe for a ladder to finally explore the rest of the island and gather native flowers.

Speaker A

it's built someone will come to visit and you'll be able to invite them to stay and after this you can reserve Lots in the island for future residents to move into finally Tom Nook will want to up your town rating for his big plan

Speaker A

Start amassing resources to build the six furniture pieces each of the three houses needs. Place three in the box and place the other three around the lot. The villagers should start appearing in your town one by one over the next several days.

Speaker A

asking about the rating and take any advice you were given until that rating goes up once your town rating hits three stars a big event will take place we won't spoil what and after its conclusion Tom Nook will give you the

Speaker A

Once they've all arrived, Tom Nook will announce he's upgrading Resident Services to an official building. This will unlock a ton of new features, everything from changing your town tune to adding bridges and ramps or even moving existing buildings around.

Speaker A

find from DIY recipes to special visitors and much much more so be sure to check out our new horizons wiki guide for everything else stick with IGN [Music]

Topics:Animal Crossing New Horizonshow to unlockTom NookBlathersNook MilesDIY craftingNook's CrannyAble Sistersisland expansionResident Services upgrade

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start crafting tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

On your first real day, accept Tom Nook's offer for a DIY workshop class and bring him five bugs and/or fish to learn recipes for basic tools like the bug net, fishing rod, axe, and watering can.

What is required to build Nook's Cranny shop?

You need to gather 30 of each type of wood and 30 iron nuggets, then hand them in and place the lot for Nook's Cranny, which takes one day to build.

How can I unlock the Able Sisters' clothing shop?

After building Nook's Cranny, buy at least 5,000 bells worth of clothing items from Mabel, then talk to her the next day to place the lot for the Able Sisters' shop.

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