With the recent release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the franchise is seeing fantastic sales numbers, and the new entry will likely shatter every sales record in the series. The game offers a nice blend of classic Animal Crossing elements while still introducing enough new elements that longtime fans feel entertained.
The most prominent new addition is the Nook Mileage Program, meant to incentivize continual play. For series veterans and newbies alike, let’s look at 10 tips for getting the most out of Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Nook Mileage Program.
10 It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint
The moment you see people with all of the specialty items unlocked via the Nook Mileage Program, a large feeling of F.O.M.O., otherwise known as the fear of missing out, starts to set in. You should know that it’s all about playing the game at a pace that feels right for you. Whether you’re time traveling or not, the process of earning a good amount of miles in the game takes time and effort. You should understand that Animal Crossing is a series in which the games are meant to be enjoyed for months.
9 Know What Rotates
There are certain items, like fences, that rotate in and out of the Nook Miles shop which can be found in the Resident Services building. Knowing what items remain the same and which rotate out every day can give you an idea of what you should prioritize. There’s no need to rush into buying an item that will always be there when you can concentrate on getting the complete set of items that are only purchasable on a given day. Unless, of course, you want that giant Gundam model craft recipe as soon as possible. That’s completely understandable.
8 Make Goals
Animal Crossing is a series that sets up a nice journey for players to go on in the early weeks of the game’s release, but, after that, it takes away the training wheels and just lets you exist. The Nook Mileage Program was introduced for this exact reason as they wanted the player to have something to always be working towards.
If you want to rack up the miles, maybe set a goal for yourself of completing a certain amount of Nook Miles tasks. By committing to it you’ll see great returns in return for your dedication and consistency.
7 Understand Delivery
The Nook Mileage Program provides as much information as you’re willing to take in. When it comes to shopping in its specific portal, it lets you know which items are given automatically and which will be mailed to your house. A good rule of thumb is that almost all of the crafting recipes are printed out for you on the spot, whereas the finished products are often the ones relegated to mail delivery.
This is important because humans love immediate gratification, and it’s always a bummer when you spend your only miles on something you can’t enjoy until tomorrow.
6 Clear And Refresh
The Nook Miles+ tasks are the ones at the top of the application that are usually smaller goals players can accomplish in minutes. When trying to build up miles, the best habit to build is one in which you clear the tasks you finish and collect your miles as soon as possible.
Doing this not only gets you the miles as soon as possible but allows for a new task to be placed among the rest. By leaving these as completed notifications you’re robbing yourself of more miles you could obtain simply by playing the game as you normally would.
5 Communicate With Friends
One thing Animal Crossing: New Horizons doesn’t tell players is that everyone has the same items in their Nook Mileage Program shopping portal. The difference is that the colors of the items are completely different from person to person.
This means that you could have the option to buy black streetlights and pink vending machines, whereas your friend has gold streetlights and blue vending machines. Talk to your friends and figure out who has the color you’re looking for and simply get to trading.
4 Save For Island Decorator
Animal Crossing: New Horizons gives players the option to fully terraform and path their island as they see fit. Unlocking the toolkit is quite an accomplishment, as it’s only gifted by Tom Nook after K.K. Slider has performed on your island. It turns out that, in typical Tom Nook fashion, he only provides you with the bare minimum of pathing. If you want to edit waterways, cliffs, or are looking for more pathing options, you’re going to have to fork out well over 20,000 miles in total. Looks like you should get to grinding and save them up early and often.
3 Harvest Everything
You may be bummed after realizing Dodo Airlines dropped you off on a bogus island that looks like it has little to offer you. Nook Miles Tickets aren’t cheap, and using one is the Animal Crossing equivalent of scratching a lottery ticket.
Even if the island features the fruit that’s native to your island, do yourself a favor and harvest everything. Each island has one item that can be obtained by shaking trees, and those with rocks provide an extra source of iron—and possibly gold—if you’re lucky. You spent 2,000 miles on the ticket, might as well make the most of it!
2 Make Orville Happy
Once you have a solid amount of miles accumulated, chances are you’re going to buy a Nook Miles Ticket or two to travel to other islands. Before you tell Orville you’re good to go, you’ll want to heighten your odds of landing on a rare or exotic location.
By simply using the joy emote and making Orville blush before talking to him, it seems that this highers the chances of landing on a valuable and/or interesting island. Players have been testing this theory and it seems to hold after plenty of experimentation on their part.
1 Get Customization ASAP
Animal Crossing: New Horizons does a good job at clarifying certain things and making sure the player understands the systems in front of them. One thing you should know though is that there are several customization options tied behind purchases you must make in the Nook Mileage Program’s shopping portal.
The machine in the Resident Services building has both hairstyles and colors players must acquire via an exchange of their miles. This is also the only place where you can purchase a customization kit for your Nook Phone.
NEXT: Animal Crossing New Horizons: 10 Beginner Tips For Animal Crossing Newcomers
