The game supports one island per Switch system. However, more options for island customization are given to the player for further community growth, such as the ability to construct and destroy cliffs, bodies of water and paths, colloquially referred to as terraforming. Slider, a popular musician, will visit and perform a concert at the island, marking the "end" of the game as the credits roll. When a three-star rating is achieved, K.K. As the island is further developed, the island's star rating will increase. From there, the island will be given a star rating out of five, usually starting off at a one-star rating. Eventually, the main area will expand to a Town Hall, run by Tom Nook with the help of Isabelle other buildings and villagers will populate the community, and old tents and shops will grow into a more permanent structure that can still be moved if the player chooses. Other shopowners will visit and settle on the island museum-owner Blathers, who will display fish, bugs, sea creatures, fossils, and art captured by the player sisters Mable and Sable, who sell clothing and other player-created accessories and Timmy and Tommy, who run a store that specializes in selling furniture and other quality-of-life items, eventually expanding to sell more items per day. When the player has made sufficient progress in the game, Tom Nook gives more freedom of expanding as a village. The player starts with two other random anthropomorphic villagers that also purchase the getaway package these villagers will live alongside the player and can be interacted with, building relationships. The player can invite other villagers they meet to their island if they choose. Another feature offered early on is the "Dodo Airlines", an airport through Dodo Airlines, and tickets purchased through Nook Miles, the player can visit other vacant islands to harvest resources, and meet other villagers. The other currency "Bells", a staple in the Animal Crossing franchise, can be used to purchase other goods and services. Doing simple tasks rewards the player with "Nook Miles", which in return can purchase premium rewards in Resident Services. Certain content available, such as organisms, are season-dependant and only appear for a limited time of the year. The island gives open space for placing items and decorating as the player chooses. Alongside this, they can catch bugs and fish, plant and grow trees and flowers, extract natural resources such as rocks, and swim in the ocean. The player is given open access to natural resources such as fruit and wood, which can be collected and crafted into a variety of items and furniture known as D.I.Y.
The player to the right is harvesting wood from a tree using an axe. Two players on one island via multiplayer.
The game also spawned fan creations, such as a trading website, a talk show, and other comics and merchandise. The game was used often for social interactions such as weddings and graduation ceremonies, alongside political campaigning and virtual protests. Its commercial success has been attributed in part to its release amid global stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the best-selling game in the Animal Crossing series, the second best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch, the second-best-selling game of all time in Japan, and the 15th best-selling video game in history. It was a major commercial success, selling over 34.85 million copies worldwide and breaking the console game record for most digital units sold in a single month.
Being nominated for over a dozen awards, the game was often a contender for Game of the Year. New Horizons received acclaim from critics, with many praising its gameplay and customization options and calling it the best game in the series. With art and graphics, they used the concept of "trigger of play" and the "imagination gap", where the former kept the gameplay simplistic and easy to pick up while the latter kept the art style simple for the player to imagine the rest. The game director, Aya Kyogoku, had the philosophy of retaining old content from previous games to keep fans happy while also making the game simple enough to appeal to newcomers. New Horizons began its development in 2012. They can gather and craft items, customize the island, and develop it into a community of anthropomorphic animals. In New Horizons, the player controls a character who moves to a deserted island after purchasing a getaway package from Tom Nook, playing the game in a nonlinear fashion and developing the island as they choose. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a 2020 social simulation game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch it is the fifth main entry in the Animal Crossing series.