On the Radar with Animal Crossing: New Horizons – relaxing with the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Update 3.0, and soaking in the vibes

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On the Radar | Revisiting Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Update 3.0 have us obsessed all over again

Tom Nook from Animal Crossing New Horizons on the GamesRadar+ On the Radar hub branding
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is both six years old and also brand new. The iconic cozy life-sim we all became obsessed with back in 2020 has accumulated several refreshes that have added in new content, with the huge Update 3.0 joining a whole new Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. It's still the same game, with your same town (should you choose to keep it), but with all-new activities to tackle.

What better way to start the year than relaxing in your very own island paradise, making it your own, and hanging out with friends both real and animal-shaped alike? We've taken a chill pill for January, and have been spending this month revisiting Animal Crossing: New Horizons for a deep dive into a game that's never been far from our hearts.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons - On the Radar

01 | Third update's the charm

An Animal Crossing: New Horizons player standing on the pier in front of a hotel

(Image credit: Nintendo)
The hook

I haven't played Animal Crossing: New Horizons since 2020 – here's why its new 3.0 update has lured me back in: Dropped off playing daily for a while? No problem. In fact, now's the best time return to the island! Update 3.0 brings loads new to the game, stacked on top of heaps of smaller additions across the years.

02 | It's a living

Animal Crossing: New Horizon On the Radar special

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Nine to Five

I spent hours working on the Animal Crossing: New Horizons resort hotel and it was worth every minute: From decorating rooms with unique theming to meeting tourist villagers who drop by your island paradise, the hotel is proving to be a fantastic new addition.

03 | Sleeping it off

Animal Crossing: New Horizon On the Radar special

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Snooze button

I love Animal Crossing: New Horizons Slumber Islands, but it could’ve been so much better: Sort of a sandbox mode, in these new dreams islands you link up with friends to make the island of your, well, dreams. But sometimes the limitations are there for a reason.

04 | New beginnings

A press image of an islander smiling during Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)
The Return

Deleting my Animal Crossing: New Horizons island has changed the way I play, and it feels like returning to 2005's Wild World: Sometimes you just need a fresh start, and for some, Update 3.0 is the perfect time to do just that. But, make sure you remember how to get your paws back on those tools from Tom Nook.

05 | Time together

The New Year's Eve countdown in Animal Crossing: New Horizons finishes, with the villager and residents of the island gathering in the plaza to celebrate - presented with the GamesRadar+ On The Radar frame

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Checking in

Time ticks on in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and I'm both reassured and sometimes overwhelmed that this series never sits still whether I'm obsessed with playing or taking a break: Deleting might not always be the way. Animal Crossing is a space that persists even when you're not playing it yourself, across New Horizons and even the earlier games.

06 | Something new

Some of the village gathers around with Tom Nook and Kapp'n's family in Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Nintendo Switch 2 celebrate the Resort Hotel opening - with the GamesRadar+ On the Radar branding frame

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Feature Rich

Six years later, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 and Update 3.0 have hooked me back into this cozy world thanks to these five fresh features: There's loads new in the cozy life-sim at the moment whether you're playing the new hardware's special upgrade or simply Update 3.0. We count down the best of the bunch.

07 | Neigh-borly spirit

Julian, a light blue horse with a unicorn-like horn, in Animal Crossing: New Horizon poses in front of the mayor's office, with the GamesRadar+ On The Radar frame

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Best List

The best Animal Crossing: New Horizons villagers are highly personal, so we put our cartoon heads together to show our besties some love: How to rank the best villagers when who you even have on your island is so personal? Getting the team together, of course. The Animal Crossing inhabitants across GamesRadar+ spotlight their faves.

08 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons guide

Animal Crossing New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Guide

Full Animal Crossing: New Horizons guide for island life: For a game as open as this one, sometimes a little bit of extra direction can be helpful, from suggestions on how to build the island of your dreams to how the many, limited, somewhat random events actually work.

Oscar Taylor-Kent
Oscar Taylor-Kent
Games Editor

Games Editor Oscar Taylor-Kent brings his years of Official PlayStation Magazine and PLAY knowledge to the fore. A noted PS Vita apologist, he's also written for Edge, PC Gamer, SFX, Official Xbox Magazine, Kotaku, Waypoint, and more. When not dishing out deadly combos in Ninja Gaiden 4, he's a fan of platformers, RPGs, mysteries, and narrative games. A lover of retro games as well, he's always up for a quick evening speed through Sonic 3 & Knuckles or yet another Jakathon through Naughty Dog's PS2 masterpieces.

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