Animal Crossing: New Horizons villagers can return to their islands for a fresh wave of content. Nintendo released its long-awaited 3.0 free update one day ahead of schedule, packing new characters, storage upgrades and a buildable boutique hotel.
At a Glance
- The 3.0 update landed on January 14, a day before the promised January 15 release
- Kapp’n’s family opens an island hotel where players can decorate guest rooms
- Home storage expands to 9,000 items, including plants and flowers for the first time
- Why it matters: The free drop adds hours of decorating and cooperative play after Nintendo previously called the 2021 update the last major one
New Resort Brings Decorating Frenzy
The headline feature is a family-run resort hotel headed by Kapp’n’s relatives. Players meet the sea turtle’s kin at the pier, where Tom Nook explains how to furnish guest rooms, stock new furniture and clothing racks, and pose mannequins throughout the property.
Guests can browse shops for fresh items, including:
- Classic Nintendo game consoles
- Lego-themed décor
- Characters and gear from The Legend of Zelda
- Splatoon crossover pieces
Nintendo Switch Online members score an extra perk: interacting with the retro consoles unlocks the ability to play select classic Nintendo games online inside Animal Crossing.
Quality-of-Life Upgrades
Resetti, the famously irritable mole, reappears with Reset Service, letting players tidy island layouts. Home storage doubles its previous cap to 9,000 slots and now accepts plants and flowers, solving a long-standing inventory headache.
Returning players who haven’t loaded their save in months will face some chores:
- Shake cockroaches out of furniture
- Answer villagers asking where they’ve been
- Clean up overgrown weeds
Slumber Island: Build-and-Play With Friends
Anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online membership gains access to Slumber Island, a separate creation mode. Users can draft up to three custom islands, invite friends online, and collaborate on terrain, buildings and décor. Residents from a player’s main island can travel to visit these new creations.
Surprise Early Launch
Nintendo revealed the update in October but did not ship it until this week. The company originally labeled the November 2021 version 2.0 release as the final major free content patch for New Horizons. Reversing course, the 3.0 build arrived on January 14, one day earlier than advertised.
Installation is automatic: power on the Switch and accept the prompt. No additional purchase is required.
Key Takeaways
- The 3.0 update revives interest in New Horizons with buildable hotels, 9,000-item storage and online mini-games
- Nintendo Switch Online subscribers get the most extras, including Slumber Island and playable retro consoles
- The free drop lands years after Nintendo claimed major content support had ended, hinting the franchise future remains active even as fans await a possible next-generation sequel
A Nintendo representative did not immediately respond to News Of Losangeles‘s request for further comment.
