The Beginner's Guide to Animal Crossing

Welcome to Animal Crossing! I assume you've just been dropped off on a deserted island loaded with weeds, a couple of cherry trees, and a boring tent as the town hall. The entire island landscape is ready to be transformed.

Just one thing, where do you begin?

There are so many possibilities and hidden hacks to creating a successful dreamy island! Putting up decorations, earning bells, using your resources and crafting are going to be very handy throughout your journey of the game.

Knowing what tips and tricks to use can completely change the way you play the game!

Lets get down to business! Here's a helpful list that I created:

1. Grow Money Trees

Plant a bag of bells in the ground when you dig up a brightly glowing spot. These glowing spots only appear once (in a random area of the island) per day. If you add 1000 bells into the ground, harvesting will triple your initial amount!

2. Earn Nook Miles

When youre first starting out, the best way to save on nook miles is to continuously do your daily activities and interact with the villagers. By doing simple tasks, such as taking a photo or catching a few fish, you can earn nook miles! Be sure to save these as much as you can in the beginning for more advanced use later on. Dont forget to visit the Nook Stop each day to get added miles.

3. Improve Island Ratings and Reviews

Clean up your weeds and save them for future projects! Crafting may require weeds, so dont throw those bags out just yet. Having a scenic walkway for your villagers with an organized layout throughout the island will greatly spruce up the scenery. Add flowers and fruit trees according to your desired island theme, and label them with custom designs if you wish!

4. Check for Redd

Every island has a private beach, so make sure to check for a small ship parked on the norther end of the islands or by looking at the map for a hint!

5. Wasp Nests

When shaking trees, always carry around a butterfly net or party poppers found in the shop! You can catch them immediately with your net once they fall from the tree. If you are not able to do this, have a party popper around to let loose when a swarm is near. This will prevent a swollen eye and a trip to the shop for medicine!

6. Check in on your Villagers

Not only is it easy to earn nook miles for interactions at times, but you can grab a DIY recipe from them if they are working at their bench! If I remember correctly, around 3 DIY recipes are handed out from villagers per day!

7. Striking Rocks

Dig a hole behind the rocks on your island. While striking, it will keep your character stable and allow you to consistenly hit them with the axe tool. This will make things easier and youll get more necessary clay, iron, stone, etc. in the end!

8. Just some Decorating

Once the Able Sisters are open, you can freely use their kiosk to look up creator ID's and other designs. This feature allows for a more unique touch when designing your island! You can use this option to build intricate roads using the island designer tool, save new signs, and find stylish clothes.

9. Dont be Stingy...Give Gifts!

Not only is it the nice thing to do, but interacting with your villagers by talking and giving them gifts increases the friendship rating between you two! They can send you gifts in the mail or give you something on the spot in return for your kindness. Remember to love your little community!

10. Create a DIY Workspace

If you have an abundance of materials, consider making a space on your island strictly for crafting! Use some panels or fencing to make a closed off area, add a workbench, and put your items on some shelving! That way, when youre ready to create, you have everything you need all in one place.

Happy Building!