Nintendo has delivered a significant update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch, marking the most substantial content addition since the game's original release in March 2020.
This new update—available through the Nintendo Switch eShop—enhances the cozy life simulation title with an array of new features, crossover items, and improvements requested by long-time players.
While the update has been well-received, the recurring issue of tool durability, especially for the coveted golden tools, continues to spark debate within the Animal Crossing community. The latest Animal Crossing: New Horizons update introduces a wealth of content, including themed items inspired by Nintendo's iconic Splatoon and The Legend of Zelda series.
Players can now decorate their islands with these fan-favorite collaborations, and for the first time, a resort hotel has been added, expanding on the already robust customization and social features.
Additionally, classic mini-games are now accessible within the player's town, further enriching the overall experience. On the quality-of-life front, Nintendo has made substantial strides.
Players can now access crafting materials from their storage no matter where they are on their island, a feature that significantly streamlines the creation process.
The ability to craft multiple items at once and the option to use storage sheds for easy access to supplies are game-changing updates that empower players to decorate and manage their islands more efficiently than ever before. Despite these welcome changes, Animal Crossing: New Horizons still faces criticism for its persistent tool durability system.
This mechanic—first popularized in titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and also seen in Paper Mario: The Origami King—requires players to repeatedly craft or purchase replacements for worn-out tools.
While this system adds an element of resource management and extends gameplay, many devoted fans consider it more tedious than rewarding, especially after meeting the extensive criteria needed to obtain golden tools in New Horizons. Earning golden tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is no small feat.
Players must achieve demanding objectives, such as breaking 100 axes, catching every fish and bug, and earning a five-star island rating.
The golden shovel stands out as particularly challenging—it requires rescuing Gulliver, a wayward seagull NPC, no fewer than 30 times, a task that may take several months given his sporadic appearances.
Once the required criteria are met, golden tools are crafted with rare gold nuggets.
However, even after all this effort, these prized tools remain subject to breaking, a point of frustration that resonates across the player base. Industry feedback and community sentiment reflect the desire for golden tools to become unbreakable, especially considering the dedication required to acquire them.
As it stands, many players opt to purchase standard or deluxe tools from the in-game shop rather than expend valuable resources on golden tools, knowing the latter will inevitably break.
This situation has prompted players to question whether the system truly enhances longevity or if it simply undermines the sense of achievement associated with high-level rewards. Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to be a remarkable success for Nintendo, having sold over 40 million copies worldwide and remaining a staple of the Nintendo Switch library.
With continued post-launch support like this major update, the title’s popularity endures, but the tool durability debate highlights how player feedback shapes the future direction of beloved franchises.
For now, the community eagerly awaits whether Nintendo will address the golden tools issue in future patches or continue to stand by its controversial design choice.
This new update—available through the Nintendo Switch eShop—enhances the cozy life simulation title with an array of new features, crossover items, and improvements requested by long-time players.
While the update has been well-received, the recurring issue of tool durability, especially for the coveted golden tools, continues to spark debate within the Animal Crossing community. The latest Animal Crossing: New Horizons update introduces a wealth of content, including themed items inspired by Nintendo's iconic Splatoon and The Legend of Zelda series.
Players can now decorate their islands with these fan-favorite collaborations, and for the first time, a resort hotel has been added, expanding on the already robust customization and social features.
Additionally, classic mini-games are now accessible within the player's town, further enriching the overall experience. On the quality-of-life front, Nintendo has made substantial strides.
Players can now access crafting materials from their storage no matter where they are on their island, a feature that significantly streamlines the creation process.
The ability to craft multiple items at once and the option to use storage sheds for easy access to supplies are game-changing updates that empower players to decorate and manage their islands more efficiently than ever before. Despite these welcome changes, Animal Crossing: New Horizons still faces criticism for its persistent tool durability system.
This mechanic—first popularized in titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and also seen in Paper Mario: The Origami King—requires players to repeatedly craft or purchase replacements for worn-out tools.
While this system adds an element of resource management and extends gameplay, many devoted fans consider it more tedious than rewarding, especially after meeting the extensive criteria needed to obtain golden tools in New Horizons. Earning golden tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is no small feat.
Players must achieve demanding objectives, such as breaking 100 axes, catching every fish and bug, and earning a five-star island rating.
The golden shovel stands out as particularly challenging—it requires rescuing Gulliver, a wayward seagull NPC, no fewer than 30 times, a task that may take several months given his sporadic appearances.
Once the required criteria are met, golden tools are crafted with rare gold nuggets.
However, even after all this effort, these prized tools remain subject to breaking, a point of frustration that resonates across the player base. Industry feedback and community sentiment reflect the desire for golden tools to become unbreakable, especially considering the dedication required to acquire them.
As it stands, many players opt to purchase standard or deluxe tools from the in-game shop rather than expend valuable resources on golden tools, knowing the latter will inevitably break.
This situation has prompted players to question whether the system truly enhances longevity or if it simply undermines the sense of achievement associated with high-level rewards. Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to be a remarkable success for Nintendo, having sold over 40 million copies worldwide and remaining a staple of the Nintendo Switch library.
With continued post-launch support like this major update, the title’s popularity endures, but the tool durability debate highlights how player feedback shapes the future direction of beloved franchises.
For now, the community eagerly awaits whether Nintendo will address the golden tools issue in future patches or continue to stand by its controversial design choice.
