This comprehensive multiplayer guide for Animal Crossing: New Horizons explains all available multiplayer options, including local couch co-op (Party Play), local wireless play, and online multiplayer. It covers how to connect with friends, add people to your best-friends list, and communicate with other players. The guide also provides details on the Call Islander and Best-Friends List NookPhone apps, along with information about the real-life Nintendo Switch Online App (NookLink).

Frequently Asked Questions

• Online Multiplayer unlocks on Day 2 when Dodo Airlines is built
• The Best-Friends List feature becomes available once you attempt to play online

Multiplayer Options Overview

Couch Co-Op Local Multiplayer (Party Play)

Up to 8 players can live on one island, with 4 players from the same island able to play simultaneously on a single system (couch co-op style). This option is exclusively for players sharing an island.

Local Wireless and Online Multiplayer

Up to 8 players can gather on one player’s island through online multiplayer or local wireless connections.

Important: Only one island can exist per Nintendo Switch console, regardless of how many user accounts are registered to that Switch OR how many copies of the game are used on one console. Each unique island requires one Nintendo Switch and one copy of the game. This may create challenges for those sharing a Nintendo Switch, as players can create individual characters but must share the island.

Couch Co-Op Local Multiplayer (Party Play) Instructions

To set up couch co-op play:

1. Have one player establish life on the island (completing the welcome party and going to sleep), becoming the Resident Representative. This player cannot transfer to another island as their account is permanently linked.
2. Additional Switch accounts can launch the game and join the established island.
3. Each person living on the island can have their own house.
4. New players joining the island receive a NookPhone with a “Call Islander” app.
5. This app is automatically added to the original Islander’s (Resident Representative’s) phone.
6. The app can be used anytime to invite other residents from the same island to play together. While up to 8 people can live on an island, only 4 can participate in couch co-op simultaneously.

The player who initiates the call automatically becomes the leader, with others joining as followers. Since the game doesn’t use split-screen, followers automatically trail the leader, appearing on screen if they fall behind. Only the leader has complete access to their inventory, can enter buildings, shop, and collect fruit and wood. Followers can still catch fish and bugs, but these items are automatically stored in the recycle bin at Resident Services for later retrieval.

Players can easily change the leader at any time during a session by shaking their Joy-Con or making the change through the Call an Islander app.

Note: When sharing an island, only the Resident Representative can advance the island’s development regarding buildings and facilities.

How to Remove Someone From Your Island

If sharing an island no longer works for you, removal is possible. Remember that the Resident Representative (who named the island) cannot leave, but others can:

1. The departing player must launch the game
2. When the home screen appears, press the (-) button to access Settings
3. Select save data settings
4. From there, the player can remove themselves from the island

This action permanently erases the player, their money, items, property, and even villagers’ memories of them.

How to Unlock Online Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer becomes available on Day 2 when Dodo Airlines opens for business.

Local Wireless and Online Multiplayer

Up to 8 players can interact on one player’s island via online multiplayer or local wireless connection.

Local Wireless Play

If friends are nearby with their own Nintendo Switch and copy of Animal Crossing, you can visit each other’s islands through local wireless play without requiring an internet connection.

Tip: Players should stay within a few feet of each other to maintain a stable connection.

To host visitors locally:

1. The island host visits Dodo Airlines and tells Orville they “want visitors” via “local play,” or simply waits to accept friend requests.

To visit another player’s island locally:

1. Go to Dodo Airlines
2. Select “I wanna fly!”
3. Choose “I wanna visit someone”
4. Select “local play”

Orville will search for nearby islands. When your friend’s island appears, you can fly over. It’s recommended to do this one player at a time, as multiple simultaneous flight attempts may result in cancellations.

How to Invite Friends Online and Visit Friends’ Islands

You cannot add Best Friends until you’ve played with them at least once. There’s no direct invite system for Nintendo Switch friends. Instead, you “open the gates” to your island. While friends don’t receive notifications about this, in-game messaging options are available.

Inviting friends online:

1. Go to Dodo Airlines (available from day 2)
2. Select “I want visitors”
3. Choose “via online play” (for friends in the same room with their own Switches and ACNH copies, select “local”)
4. After connecting to the internet, you can open your island to “All my friends,” “Only my Best Friends,” or “Invite via Dodo Code”

To end a session, press the (-) button. To stop new arrivals while allowing current visitors to stay, return to Dodo Airlines and ask Orville to “close the gate.”

Visiting a friend’s island:

1. Go to Dodo Airlines (available from day 2)
2. Select “I wanna fly!”
3. Choose “I wanna visit someone”
4. Select “via online play” (for friends in the same room with their own Switches and ACNH copies, select “local”)
5. After connecting to the internet, you can “search for a friend” or “Search via Dodo code”

When ready to leave, press the (-) button to return home or visit Dodo Airlines to depart.

Dodo Airlines Online Invites and Visits Options

When selecting “I want visitors” (inviting others):

• All my friends: Any Nintendo Switch friend can visit your island
• Only my Best Friends!: Only designated Best Friends can visit your island
• Invite via Dodo Code:
  • Only my friends: Only friends who enter the Dodo Code can visit
  • Only my Best Friends: Only Best Friends who enter the Dodo Code can visit
  • The more the merrier!: Anyone with the Dodo Code can visit (the only way to “invite” non-friends)

When selecting “I wanna fly” (visiting others):

• Search for friend: Orville checks if any Switch friends have open islands. If multiple are available, you select which to visit. You can even see how many people are already on each island.
• Search via Dodo Code: Enter a Dodo Code received from a friend or found on social media.

How to Add People as Best-Friends

The Best-Friends List App becomes available after attempting to play online. When visiting Dodo Airlines and requesting to visit someone “far-away, Online” or inviting visitors “far-away, Online,” Orville adds both the Best-Friends List App and Chat Log app to your phone.

During online play, certain tools like axes and shovels are restricted unless you’re on a Best Friend’s island.

To add Best Friends:

1. Become friends on the Nintendo Switch
2. Play together online once (the Airport unlocks on day 2, not counting the tutorial day)
3. Use the Best-Friends List app to send a Best-Friend request
4. They must accept your request to establish the Best Friend connection

You can manage or remove best friends and message them all at once from this app.

Playing with Friends vs Playing with Best Friends

Here’s how interactions differ between regular friends and Best Friends. Everything collected on another island goes into your inventory and can be brought back to your island.

Only Best Friends have access to axes and shovels.

Gameplay Options:

For All Friends:

• Pick Fruit and Flowers / Plant Flowers
• Catch Bugs and Fish
• Pick up resources already on the ground
• Shop and Sell
• Talk to animal residents
• Enter homes

For Best Friends Only:

• Strike stones (for clay, iron, money, etc.)
• Strike Trees for Wood
• Dig for Fossils, clams, etc.
• Plant Trees

Other limitations: While visitors are present, no one can decorate or terraform. Items can be dropped but not placed.

How to Message Friends

ACNH offers various messaging features. Orville provides both the Best Friends App and Chat Log app when you request to play Online.

These apps integrate with the real-life Nintendo Switch app’s Animal Crossing New Horizons feature (NookLink). For easier typing, you can use your phone for messages. The app also allows importing designs from New Leaf and Happy Home Designer.

While on an island with others, the Chat Log app enables sending messages to everyone present. Messages appear as speech bubbles above characters’ heads.

When alone, you can still message Best Friends using the Best Friends App, but ONLY when the recipient is online. Enable communication by opening the Best Friends List app and pressing the (-) button.

How to Send Mail to Friends

For traditional communication, use the mail system! Visit Dodo Airlines and interact with the card stand to the right of Orville. From there, you can send letters to:

• Another resident (human or animal)
• Your future self
• Any friend

Recipients receive letters shortly after sending.

Note: You must play with someone online at least once to send them letters. While there’s no limit to total letters sent, you can only send an individual player 2 letters per day.

Nintendo Switch Online App (NookLink)

The Nintendo Switch Online App connects to Animal Crossing: New Horizons through NookLink. This feature allows scanning QR codes of custom designs from previous Animal Crossing games and provides additional multiplayer functionality.

Similar to the in-game Chat Log app, you can use your smartphone to type messages:

1. Open the Nintendo Switch Online App
2. Select Animal Crossing New Horizons (NookLink)
3. Choose Chat Keyboard

When connected online, you can message other Animal Crossing: New Horizons players using your smartphone keyboard for faster typing.