In a game as self-paced as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, it can often be difficult for players to figure out what to do with their time, and that's especially true when it comes to the game's multiplayer. Hanging out with friends in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is nice and all, but there's not much to do after the initial "hello." That's why players have come up with a few great games to play with friends within New Horizons' multiplayer.
While New Horizons' local co-op is fairly controversial, its online multiplayer seems to be mostly enjoyed by fans. Up to eight players can be on one island at the same time, allowing for some chaotic hijinx. What players can do on a friend's island is limited to whether they're classified as the island owner's "Best Friends." Normally, Animal Crossing's multiplayer doesn't allow visitors to do much beyond walking around and picking up items, but setting a player as a Best Friend allows them to use tools like shovels and axes, as well.
Tool use is vital for many of the multiplayer games New Horizons players have come up with. Sportsfriends and Mutazione developer Douglas Wilson recently rounded up a few of these "emergent folk games" on Twitter. Below is a collection of some of the most fun things to do with friends online in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
What To Do With Friends In Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Multiplayer
Play Musical Chairs
Kicking off Wilson's tweet thread is a classic, real-world folk game: musical chairs. To play, simply provide one less chair than the number of players visiting an island, then play an instrument (such as the ocarina or pan flute) and have the players walk around the chairs, hopping on as soon as the music stops. A particularly appealing example of how to play musical chairs in New Horizons was posted by Reddit tetratera, who created different, themed arenas for each number of chairs rather than just removing a chair from the initial set.
Play Competitive Net-Bonking
YouTuber Animal Crossing's net tools in a predefined arena. One player sits in the middle as referee, ready to signal when they see a successful hit and let everyone know who won the round. Players can decide the exact parameters of the game for themselves, but Alpharad went with a best of seven win condition and a specially shaped arena (seen below).
Create An Obstacle Course
Players looking to force their friends to take advantage of unlocked terraforming permits, as they allow players to shape the course exactly to their liking. Ideally, the course would be constructed in a number of lanes equal to the number of visitors, with obstacles like holes to jump over, rivers to vault over, cliffs to climb with the ladder, and more. Players might even consider incorporating the next entry on this list into the course...
Play Hole-Vaulting
Twitter and game designer Antonio Asis shared a video of an unnamed game involving holes and the vaulting pole. One player stands north of a river, with the camera angled straight down so that they can't see the river's southern bank. Another player on the other side then digs holes along the bank at random, and the northern player tries to guess where it's safe to vault.
Play Sardines
For those unfamiliar, sardines is a relatively simple twist on hide-and-seek. One player gets a few minutes to pick a hiding spot on the hosting player's New Horizons island, and the rest of the players spread out to find them. Once a seeker finds the hider, they silently them in the hiding spot. This game works best with more players, since cramming a bunch of people into one spot adds challenge and comedy (as demonstrated by Twitter plantmom).
Create A Scavenger Hunt
Another simple activity players can arrange is a scavenger hunt, like Twitter Konathan Jendall-Kackson did. Players can decide on a set of items for each participant to collect, such as a specific number of weeds, fruit, branches, and bugs, before returning to the hunt organizer. Players could even hide special, non-material items throughout the island, requiring each player to collect a specific piece of furniture or the like.
Play "Lucky Digger"
To play Twitter scan the New Horizons QR code to bring Reddit buttfartsauce's fake hole texture into their game, placing it around the buried prizes.
Other possible games include capture the flag, hide-and-seek, tag, Ghost in the Graveyard, a fishing contest, or even a murder mystery with self-designed props. Keep in mind that adding a reward for the winners of these Animal Crossing games - such as a collection of bells sent from player to player or an interesting piece of furniture or clothing - adds stakes and fun.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons released on March 20, 2020, for the Nintendo Switch.
Image Source: tetratara/Reddit