How to Terraform Your Island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
One of the most exciting features in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the ability to terraform your island. This mechanic allows you to shape the landscape to your liking, letting you create custom paths, rivers, cliffs, and more. Whether you want to create a sprawling metropolis or a peaceful, nature-filled paradise, terraforming gives you the tools to make your dream island a reality. If you’re wondering how to unlock and use terraforming, our detailed guide has you covered.
How to Unlock Terraforming in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
When you first start the game, terraforming won’t be available. You’ll need to progress through the main storyline and roll the credits before this feature unlocks. To reach that point, you must complete several important milestones:
- Build the Shop: Construct Nook’s Cranny, which requires gathering materials like wood and iron nuggets.
- Build Three Houses for Villagers: Place three plots for new residents and furnish their homes.
- Complete Project K: Your goal is to make the island appealing enough for K.K. Slider to hold a concert. This involves achieving a three-star island rating by decorating your island, increasing its population, and planting trees and flowers.
Once K.K. Slider performs his concert and the credits roll, Tom Nook will visit you at your house the next day. During this visit, he’ll introduce the Island Designer app, which is your gateway to terraforming.
How to Terraform Your Island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
With the Island Designer app in hand, you can start transforming your island. Follow these steps to get started:
- Open the Island Designer App: Head outside, open your NookPhone, and launch the Island Designer app to begin construction.
- Purchase Permits: Visit the Nook Stop terminal at Resident Services to buy terraforming permits with Nook Miles. Each permit costs 6,000 Nook Miles and unlocks a specific feature:
- Waterscaping Permit: Allows you to create and remove rivers and ponds.
- Cliff Construction Permit: Lets you build and demolish cliffs.
- Start Building: With the app and permits, you can:
- Lay down paths to create roads or decorative trails.
- Build cliffs to elevate areas of your island.
- Add or remove water features like rivers and ponds.
- Access the Island Designer Manual: For a deeper understanding of the tool, open the app and read the manual. It provides helpful tips on path creation, terrain modifications, and cleanup services.
Tips for Efficient Terraforming
- Plan Ahead: Sketch out your island’s layout before making changes to avoid unnecessary work.
- Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try different designs. You can always adjust later.
- Use Cleanup Services: If an object or villager is in the way, use the cleanup service in the app to temporarily remove obstacles.
Why Terraforming Matters
Terraforming lets you turn your island into a personalized masterpiece. Whether you’re creating themed areas, optimizing villager placement, or designing scenic routes, the possibilities are endless. Plus, with the ability to purchase additional path styles, you can further customize the look and feel of your island.
That’s everything you need to know about how to unlock and use terraforming in Animal Crossing: New Horizons! With this feature, you can fully shape your island into the paradise you’ve always imagined.
If you’re diving deeper into Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there are plenty of ways to enhance your island and maximize your progress. Looking to catch rare fish? Check out our how to catch the Dorado guide for tips on snagging this valuable river fish. If you’re focused on expanding your island’s shopping options, learn everything you need to know in our how to unlock the Able Sisters Store guide. And for a fun way to boost your Bells, don’t miss our how to grow Money Trees guide to create your very own cash-yielding trees. These guides will help you take your island to the next level!
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