It's been almost five months since the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, during which time the game has received a slew of updates. As well as new and returning content from previous titles, Nintendo have made sure to keep New Horizons stocked with seasonal events. The best way to celebrate these events is with friends, and the game's multiplayer systems are a great way for players to hang out together.
The option to visit other friend's islands has been in since launch, and now with the addition of Dream Addresses, it's easier than ever to see what other people have been up to. However, one thing the game lacks is ways to interact with other players once meeting up. Fortunately, the creativity of the Animal Crossing community has come to the rescue once again, devising all kinds of inventive party games that players can participate in together. Here's our run-down of some of the best.
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are a classic Animal Crossing activity, and a perfect way to show other players around an island. They're also relatively easy to set up, as all a hosting player needs to do is scatter a few specific items across their island, preferably in hidden or hard-to-reach spots, and note down what they are.
Once the players have arrived, simply give them the list and off they go. To add a fun twist include one or two high-value items in the hunt, then allow the player who finds them first to keep them.
Obstacle Course
While they can require a lot of set-up and island space, obstacle courses are one of the most exciting games to play with friends in New Horizons. Simply mark out a section of the island to be the course, and fill it with all kinds of different obstacles.
These obstacles can be as complicated as a pole-vaulting or ladder maze, or as simple as a pit-trap or a tree-trunk for players to climb over. Just make sure there's lots of variety to keep things interesting, and that all players know where the course begins and ends. Then it's simply a case of getting everyone lined up, counting down the start, and finding out who has the most nimble islander.
Dream Puzzle
A new game that has only become available after the introduction of Dreaming, competing to complete Dream puzzles is a great way for players to explore new islands together. As we highlighted in our recent feature on the best interactive Dream Addresses in New Horizons, players have created many interesting Dreams to investigate.
Some of these contain puzzles, scavenger hunts, and obstacles courses that can be completed competitively. All players need to do is enter the specific Dream at the same time, and see who can solve the puzzle first. With the sheer number and variety of Dream Addresses available, this is an activity that players can keep coming back to.
Treasure Hunt
A variant of the scavenger hunt, a treasure hunt requires a little more set-up, but keeps the fun centered on a small area of the island. To prepare a treasure hunt, players should pick out a plot of their island and bury all kinds of different items in it. It's best if these treasures range from simple resources, or joke prizes, all the way up to expensive furniture.
To play, simply take turns digging up one item each, and see what everyone gets. It's also possible to use a custom-designed spinning wheel to decide X and Y coordinates rather than have players pick their spot. Finally, generous hosts can add an extra excitement by allowing their players to keep the items they discover.
Fashion Show
A less active, but no less fun, activity, fashion shows allow players to show off the depth of both their imagination and their wardrobe. As a bonus, this is one of the easiest events to host in Animal Crossing, and has practically zero set-up. All players need to run a fashion show is a relatively full wardrobe, and a healthy dollop of imagination.
To begin the game, players first need to come up with a theme. This can be anything from a period of history, to a genre, to a specific game or movie title. Once the theme is decided, everyone should go through their wardrobe and try to come up with an outfit to suit it. Once all the players are ready, gather together on a single island and judge as a group who has done the best job of capturing the theme.
While these have been our favorite games to player with friends in New Horizons so far, this list is certainly not exhaustive. As long as the seemingly-bottomless creativity of the Animal Crossing community continues to throw out new ideas, players will never be short of games and activities to play with their friends.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is out now for Nintendo Switch.