Get ready for an exciting journey with Animal Crossing: New Horizons' upcoming 3.0 update! But wait, there's a catch: you might not be fully prepared to dive into this new world just yet. Especially if you've been away from the game for a while, there are some crucial steps you need to take to ensure your island is ready for the big changes. So, let's dive in and explore 11 essential tasks to get your island in tip-top shape before the update hits!
Transfer Your Save Data to Switch 2
The first and most important step is to ensure your saved data is transferred to Switch 2 if you plan to play on that platform. Even if you're just switching to a different Switch console, this step is crucial. Use the island transfer tool to move your island to its new home, as Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the exceptions when transferring Switch saves.
Save Up Those Bells!
While bells might not be the main currency for the new hotel gift shop, you'll want to stock up on them. The 3.0 update allows you to increase your storage space to a whopping 9,000 items, and the final storage upgrade cost a fortune! To make some quick bells, turnips are your best bet. Buy them cheap from Daisy Mae on Sunday mornings and sell them back to the Nooklings for a profit. If you need bells now, catch bugs, fish, and sea creatures, and sell them to Flick or CJ for a 50% markup. Farming can also be lucrative, but it requires regular crop maintenance.
Stock Up on Nook Miles
Nook Miles are almost as important as bells, so it's a good idea to save up some miles too. While no new Nook Shopping items requiring Nook Miles have been announced, it's always good to be prepared. You might need those extra miles to travel to Mystery Islands anyway!
Unlock Kapp'n
One of the premier features of the 3.0 update is the dockside hotel, and to unlock this facility, you might need Kapp'n. To unlock Kapp'n, you must unlock Resident Services, get a three-star island rating, and attend K.K. Slider's first show. The next day, Kapp'n should be at your pier. Unlocking Kapp'n is a multi-day process, so if you're thinking of restarting your island, now is the time!
Gather Materials
To make your hotel a success, you'll need to craft items for Kapp'n to ship. Stock up on all three types of wood, sticks, rocks, iron, gold, weeds, and clay. These materials will help you get started, and as you fulfill more requests, the recipes might become more complex. If it's been a while since you played, remember that wood can be obtained by chopping trees with an axe, and clay, stones, and iron can be found by hitting rocks.
Create Your Island Uniform
With the new hotel, you can also set an island uniform. Inside the hotel, there are two mannequins where you can display outfits for other players and NPCs to quickly change into. If your island has a specific theme or style, consider creating a uniform for your guests to match the atmosphere.
Fill Your Island Catalog
The 3.0 update introduces Slumber Islands, where you can quickly customize an island with all the furniture you've collected. To make the most of this feature, collect as many items as possible. Check Nook's Cranny daily, shake trees, and if you have the Happy Home Paradise DLC, check the store there too.
Kick Out Some Villagers
The 3.0 update brings four new villagers from Zelda and Splatoon, but to have them live on your island, you'll need vacant houses. There's no guaranteed way to kick out villagers, so you'll have to wait or timeskip. When a villager has a thought bubble, they'll ask if they can move out, but remember, the last villager to move in can't move out.
Wait to Redesign and Clean Your Island
If your island needs some tidying, it's best to wait for the 3.0 update before doing any manual reorganizing. The update introduces Resetti's Reset Service, a new tool that allows you to clear flowers, furniture, and more in bulk. This beautification tool will make your island-cleaning process much easier and more efficient.
Get a Switch Online Subscription
While not necessary for playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a Nintendo Switch Online subscription is highly recommended if you want to play with friends on the new Slumber Islands. Slumber Islands allow you and up to 11 friends to customize and build islands together, but everyone will need a Switch Online subscription to join in on the fun.
Bring Amiibo Features to Your Island
If you want to add some special characters to your island, consider buying Amiibos. With Update 3.0, you can invite Mineru and Tulin from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Cece and Viché, inspired by Callie and Marie from Splatoon.
So, are you ready to tackle these tasks and prepare your island for the 3.0 update? Remember, it's all about being prepared and making the most of the new features. Now, go forth and explore the exciting world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons!
