Nintendo Rolls Out Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Upgrade and Free 3.0 Update

On January 14, 2026, Nintendo allowed fans to enjoy the Animal Crossing New Horizons Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade and 3.0 update a day early!

Nintendo Switch 2 users who buy the upgrade are able to receive enhanced graphics, use mouse controls when designing beautiful homes and custom patterns, and send important messages on the bulletin board. Moreover, up to 12 people, who all have the upgrade, can stay on the same island. Players will also be able to call any villager on their island using the megaphone.

However, are these upgrades actually useful? For instance, the game will still have improved graphics since the Switch 2 has a higher processing unit. Moreover, Mouse controls do not make a significant difference to the overall experience of the game. Finding 12 people who all have the same console and add-on may be very difficult for the average user, thus no drastic change would be made to the game. 

Honestly, I would recommend getting this upgrade if you have leftover Gold Points, otherwise keep the $5. 

Let’s move on to exciting details in the free 3.0 update! First off, Kapp'n and his family return from Animal Crossing New Leaf to run a hotel on the island!

However, to unlock the hotel players must reach a three-star island by building nooks, crannys, Blather’s museum, The Able Sisters Boutique, and decorating the island according to Isabell’s wishes. So keep that in mind. 

Once three stars are obtained, players can decorate eight rooms based on specific themes that Leilani gives them. For instance, using recommended or personal items, you can create stylish rooms based on prompts such as Seaside, Modern and much more! You can even have villagers wear outfits that match the aesthetic of the hotel! Unfortunately though, as stated by ScreenRant writer Yuliya Geikhman, villagers do not ask to permanently stay on your island. They are simply there for a short vacation. 

Players can also have access to brand new items by talking to Grams and using the hotel tickets! To get more hotel tickets, users can craft and put items into the DIY Donation Box on the dock. Crafting multiple things won’t take too long because players can now craft things in bulk!

As you continue to decorate rooms and craft items, more stuff becomes available, including exclusive Nintendo Switch products that you can actually play on.

That’s not all though! Players can increase their storage by 4,000 items for bells, and can store trees, shrubs, and flowers. If you need some assistance storing anything or run out of space, have no fear because Resetti is here! He can put away or clean up items, greenery, and even custom designs! Now all the flowers on my beach can go somewhere other than the trash. 

Ever wished you could have multiple islands on your console? Well now you can through slumber islands! You can build bridges and inclines for free without having to wait a day for them to be set up. You can also place any items you have, change between size toggles for certain items, terraform, and adjust the time of day and weather to your liking. You don’t have to do all of this decorating on your own though. Villagers and friends can come and join in on the fun too, and you can prank your friends by using pitfalls to trick them into falling through the island. 

There are a few catches though. You cannot take anything back to your regular island once you wake up. So, any fish, bugs, or pitfalls you get stay on the dream island. Moreover,according to Nookipedia, your villagers' houses do not come to the dream island, so you can’t decorate their houses. 

This free update provides a lot of new content that all players can explore and enjoy! I can’t wait to decorate all the hotel rooms and see which guests come on my island. I’m also excited to see the creative rooms and slumber islands other players like you will make! Enjoy the update!

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