If you feel you are missing out on certain experiences in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, here are some things to keep in mind.

Every player’s island experience will be different

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you explore and experience your own personal island getaway. Some events and activities may only be available on certain days on your island while they are available on different days on other players’ islands. How you interact with other characters and the activities you engage in will also affect the experiences available in the game. Each day will bring different surprises to each player.

Visiting a mystery island through Dodo Airlines will also be a surprise each time. You will never visit the same island twice and items left behind cannot be recovered, but you may find mystery islands that have similar features. If you're searching for unique islands, keep taking mystery tours to see where you end up next!

Some system and game settings can have an impact on your game

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons follows the real-time date and time set for your Nintendo Switch console. Frequently changing these settings will have an effect on your island. Make sure your date and time are set accurately on your Nintendo Switch console.
• Install the most recent software update for the game to access any new or improved features.
• Install the most recent system version for your Nintendo Switch console.
• Make sure your Nintendo Account is set to your correct country.
• When playing the game with others online, ensure you have a stable internet connection and follow our troubleshooting steps if you are unable to connect with others on the internet.

Some features are only available at specific times or after completing certain tasks

• If you are the Resident Representative, speak to Tom Nook in Resident Services to ask what you should do. Some animals may only visit your island after completing certain tasks.
• After Isabelle joins Resident Services, ask her for your island’s rating. Some events are dependent on your rating.
• Holidays and special events are available on set calendar days. Make sure the date and time are set accurately on your Nintendo Switch console and that you have installed the most recent software update in order to participate in these events.
• Many events and visitors are not tied to a set schedule. For example, you never know when Gulliver might wash ashore or when you might encounter a meteor shower. Play the game each day to see what surprises await on your island—some visitors and events may not be encountered for weeks or longer.
• Some events, insects and fish are limited to certain times of the day, certain times of the year and under specific conditions. For example, you can only see a shooting star on a clear night. Be sure to explore your island at different times to see how it changes throughout the day.

The Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC is required to travel to an archipelago of islands where you can design vacation homes and island facilities

With the Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC, you'll get to:

• Design room interiors
• Cultivate gardens and exteriors
• Earn and redeem Poki on new furniture
• Make remodeling and other suggestions, including sharing a vacation home
• Bring your techniques and redeemed items back to the main island.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise can be purchased from Nintendo eShop or downloaded at no additional cost with an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. For more information, see How to Access Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise.