Tomorrow is the day of the much anticipated Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct, but thanks to an early look at the game's official strategy guide, you won't have to wait that long to discover a bunch of new gameplay details about Nintendo's quaint life sim. The guide has gone live for pre-orders on various retailer websites and includes never before seen information on New Horizons.
One major reveal is the return of the museum. It's been a staple of the series for nearly its entire history, but until now, we hadn't seen evidence that you'd be chasing fossils and other exhibit fare for Blathers on your new island home. Other references are made to the game's expanded crafting abilities, photo shoots, and how to best spend your hard-earned bells. It even reveals the transition of power within the Nook retail dynasty, as longtime capitalist supreme Tom Nook has handed management of his general store over to his sons, Timmy and Tommy.
Here are the full details from the guide's webstore listings:
"Get Acclimatized
We’ll get you settled in on your new island home as quickly as possible. Our useful primers will get you oriented and informed on everything a new resident needs to know.
Create Your Paradise
The sea’s the limit when it comes to customizing your island— you just need the right tools and a little guidance (…and maybe a bit of insider information for playing the stalk market). You’ll find all of this here, and more: every tool and app is explained and our tips for design and money making are not to be missed!
Discover and Explore
Museum lovers will be in for a treat—as long as you’re willing to be the one providing the exhibits! It’s a hands-on approach to preservation, and every budding naturalist or palaeontologist needs a solid reference book to consult. You won’t find a single specimen that’s not covered here.
Shop Till You Drop
Your island wouldn’t be much of a paradise without decent shopping facilities. Luckily, Timmy and Tommy’s retail experience brings a wealth of desirable goods for purchase. Every last option for the fashionista or interior decorator is lavishly catalogued.
Stunning Photography
Want to see some of the hottest island destinations that have already found their feet, built a community and began attracting high-volume tourism? We’ve discovered some true gems and arranged photo shoots that are sure to provide plenty of inspiration for building the island of your dreams.
Special Bonuses
Fans of Animal Crossing will be delighted with the high quality bookmarks we’ve included—one side features beautiful character artwork, and the other is filled with useful info. We’ve also created an online calendar for keeping track of events on the island and making sure you never miss a resident’s birthday!"
It's safe to expect we'll find out more on these aspects of the game and more when Nintendo's livestream hits the internet at 6 am PT / 9 am ET / 2 pm GMT tomorrow, February 20.
This page will soon need an update, but for now, here's everything we know about Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
