After over four years without updates, Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 and the Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition are finally here, and with the new release comes a wealth of new content. While we have already covered Animal Crossing: New Horizons in great detail with an updated 2025 review, we wanted to take a moment to look specifically at what is new in the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, as well as the features added in the included 3.0 update.
That being said, if you are new to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we strongly recommend reading our previous review. In the review, we discuss all of the gameplay mechanics and features, including the 2.0 update and the Happy Home Paradise expansion. The review has also been updated to include the 3.0 update, which is available for both the original Nintendo Switch release and the new Switch 2 Edition.
If you are a seasoned player, however, the following review will focus exclusively on what is new.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0
The Switch 2 Edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons launches alongside Version 3.0, which introduces multiple upgrades and new features. While this isn’t as large as the 2.0 update—which is understandable considering 2.0 launched with a full expansion—3.0 remains significant. Instead of a separate DLC, 3.0 focuses on integrating new features into the core game while bringing over several popular mechanics from Happy Home Paradise.
New Collaboration Items and Amiibo Support -
Before jumping into the main content, the first addition is support for The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon Amiibo. By scanning one of these Amiibo into the game, collaboration items for the respective series will be unlocked, along with new animal villagers based on those franchises.
The original version of New Horizons was notably lacking crossover items outside of Super Mario, and the 3.0 update attempts to correct this. While Star Fox and Metroid are absent from 3.0, that doesn’t necessarily mean they won't be included in a future version.
In addition to the Nintendo content, LEGO crossover items have been included as both a furniture set and wearable shirts. Unlike the Nintendo items, the LEGO set doesn't require any special steps; players can simply order them from Nook Shopping.
Changes to Crafting -
The crafting system has been upgraded in version 3.0 to allow resources to be pulled directly from your storage. This means players no longer need to carry materials with them; even customization kits can now be bought in bulk packs of 50 and placed in storage for easy access. This is a massive improvement over the original version of the game and is a very welcome quality-of-life upgrade.
The Ability to Position Yourself -
Another quality-of-life upgrade is one that fans of farming simulators may already find very familiar. By holding the L button, the player character will now snap into place on the nearest square; from there, they can be shifted left, right, backward, or forward by one tile.
This allows players to not only aim their tools (such as the shovel) more accurately, but it can also be used with the Island Designer tools to better place landscape features. While fans may have already grown accustomed to running in circles until their characters face the correct way, having a faster and easier method is a major plus.
The Hotel -
The Hotel is the major addition in version 3.0, and it brings a multitude of changes. Located where the original dock used to be, the Hotel introduces the gameplay mechanics of the Happy Home Paradise expansion to the main game—without requiring players to purchase the DLC.
Upon entering the Hotel, players are introduced to the family running the establishment and are given the option to decorate two rooms per day. Each room features a specific theme to guide design choices; however, following the theme is not strictly required. By opening the room customization screen, players can increase the room size (up to 10 x 10) and place unlimited copies of any item they have encountered in the game. There is also a special window featuring items tailored to the room's theme, though using these is completely optional.
There are nine rooms in total to decorate. Once all nine are finished, the limit is reduced to one room per day for follow-up visits. Decorating rewards players with Hotel Tickets—a new currency that can be spent at the Hotel Shop—providing a strong incentive to return daily. Additionally, "craft requests" are available for extra tickets; each day, the Hotel will request specific crafted items. While these requests don't pay as much as decorating a room, they offer a way to accumulate tickets more quickly.
The Hotel Shop features exclusive items, including new Nintendo Console items. Each console features a fully playable game, though a Nintendo Switch Online membership is unfortunately required to play them. While this makes sense given that these games are offered through the service, it remains an odd choice considering their age and the lack of other modern ways to purchase them. It feels as though they should be included as part of the overall Animal Crossing bundle, but that is not the case.
Finally, the daily Hotel guests will explore your island and remember you after an introduction. This means players will have multiple new animals to meet and talk to every day, helping the island feel even more alive. While random villagers previously visited the campsite, they rarely felt like they had an impact on the island; with Hotel Guests, they do, making this a very welcome change.
Dream Islands -
Finally, we have the Dream Islands. Every player is allowed to save up to three Dream Islands, which serve as completely blank canvases for customization. Players can invite their friends online to join the fun, where everyone has unlimited access to every item and resource they have ever obtained. This allows groups to create a literal "dream" island that can be saved and visited at any time.
While animal villagers will not move onto these islands as they do in the "real world," any villagers you have encountered during your time with the game can be summoned to populate the space instead. This includes your current ten neighbors as well as villagers who have moved out in the past. It is a feature players could easily sink hundreds—if not thousands—of hours into.
The only downside is that this mode cannot be played via local co-op—an issue that continues to plague the game.
Switch 2 Edition:
When it comes to playing New Horizons on the Nintendo Switch 2, one thing should be clear: playing the original Switch version via backward compatibility is not the same as upgrading to the Switch 2 Edition.
The Switch 2 Edition is available as a paid upgrade for owners of the original game, or it can be purchased outright. While playing the original release on the Switch 2 does offer improved loading times, a more stable frame rate, and other general performance boosts, the following features are exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition itself.
Enhanced Visuals -
The most immediate change in the Switch 2 Edition of New Horizons is the visuals. The game is now displayed at 4K resolution with anti-aliasing applied. While the game looks significantly sharper overall, there are some noticeable "issues" that carry over from the original version.
For one, the way background objects are rendered while inside buildings causes them to appear slightly blurry. Additionally, objects with straight edges can appear jagged when viewed from the side. This is likely due to how anti-aliasing was implemented in the engine, though it isn't something typically noticed unless you are inspecting objects in the store catalog. Aside from these minor points, the game features improved lighting and a brighter palette; it simply looks great.
Frame Rate and Loading Times -
When it comes to the frame rate and loading times of the Switch 2 Edition, some may be disappointed to learn it isn't a major upgrade—or rather, we already received that upgrade simply by playing the original version on the new hardware.
While the game does load slightly faster after upgrading to the Switch 2 Edition, we are only talking about shaving seconds off the initial startup and major transitions, such as traveling to other islands. Regarding daily loading screens—like entering or exiting buildings—there isn't a noticeable change. The game already saw a significant bump in loading speeds just by running on a Switch 2, which was a massive improvement in its own right. It would have been nice if things were faster still, but one cannot complain considering what we dealt with for the last five years.
The frame rate tells a similar story. The Switch 2 Edition is still locked at 30 FPS, with no plans for a 60 FPS patch. This is due to how the game’s logic utilizes the internal clock; changing it would have required Nintendo to rework core systems. One could argue that it is doable (because it is), but the simple fact is that they didn't prioritize it.
On the other hand, playing New Horizons on a Switch 2 greatly reduces frame drops and improves general performance, and the Switch 2 Edition follows suit. Islands that previously suffered from pop-in and slowdown due to being fully developed should no longer face these issues. This is great news considering the inclusion of Dream Islands in the 3.0 Update; players and their friends can go all out on their designs without worry, keeping everything running at a solid 30 FPS. While it may still be possible to cause a slowdown, our testing was unable to trigger any—despite loading the world with objects and custom textures.
The Mega Phone -
The Megaphone is a new object that utilizes the Switch 2's built-in microphone. It allows players to call out animal villagers' names to track down their locations if they are outside. Because this feature requires a microphone, original Joy-Cons and the original Pro Controller cannot be used to access it.
From our testing, the feature seems to work well, though certain animals occasionally refused to respond to their names. This could be a fault of our own—perhaps the game simply has a hard time understanding a Midwestern accent?
Mouse Controls -
Mouse controls have also been incorporated, and they work remarkably well. These are reserved for design creation, drawing messages, and room customization, and they speed up both processes considerably. While the sensitivity may take a minute to get used to, it feels great to simply click and drag objects as needed. Artists will also appreciate the ability to physically draw rather than having to rely on the Joy-Con analog sticks or the touchscreen.
More Players Online -
And finally, the main change: the Switch 2 Edition of New Horizons now allows up to 12 players to play together online. When opening your island for online play, a new "12-Player" option is available; however, those wanting to play with owners of the original New Horizons can still open their island as a classic 8-player room.
Aside from the increased player count, the core mechanics of online play remain unchanged, but the ability to host larger groups is a significant improvement. This also applies to Dream Islands, allowing a full group to collaborate and create something truly special together.
Should you play it?
In our original review, we gave Animal Crossing: New Horizons our "Essential" rating, and honestly, nothing has changed with the Switch 2 Edition. The real question is, is the $5 upgrade price worth it to you? The vast majority of the new content does in fact come from the free 3.0 update, and simply playing the Switch version on a Switch 2 already increases performance. The only real differences from the Switch 2 release come from the mouse controls and the ability to play online with 12 players. Outside of this, there isn't much of a difference.
Either way...
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is simply the game at its best. The 3.0 update added a surprising amount of new content and quality-of-life improvements that are truly game-changing. From streamlined crafting to improved controls and more, it would be difficult to return to the original version. While the Switch 2 upgrade itself doesn't offer much beyond 12-player multiplayer and visual boosts, it remains the definitive way to experience the game. Whether you are a returning fan or a new player, there has never been a better time to jump into the world of Animal Crossing.
VERDICT: Essential
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2
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