Animal Crossing: New Horizonshas released to glowing reviews, and fans have been eager to get their hands on some tools and start working on their towns. Of course, one of those tools is the shovel: a staple ofAnimal Crossing. For years, players have been planting new trees and finding hidden fossils with their trusty shovel by their side. So, it stands to reason that fans would want to get their shovel as soon as possible — the game simply isn’t whole without one.
Even thoughAnimal Crossinghas added many new features and items to the series over the years, there’s nothing like something familiar; after all, that’s whyNintendo brought the top-down camera back toAnimal Crossing.The shovel has been in everyAnimal Crossinggame ever since the original came out for the GameCube. So, unsurprisingly, this tool reappears inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons. However, fans who picked up the newAnimal Crossinggame will find that receiving their shovel is a little more complicated than it has been in previous games.
For fans who want to start on their fossil collection as soon as possible, here’s how to get the shovel.
RELATED:Amazon is Delaying Animal Crossing: New Horizons Pre-Order Shipments
Getting A Shovel In Animal Crossing: New Horizons
There’s a whole new island for players to explore inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, andnow players are able to terraform their island paradise.But, it’s imperative to get simple tools such as the shovel before exploring the ways to transform the island—after all, the player can’t get the Island Designer app until they unlock Blathers as well as both the museum and the shovel along with him. The first step to getting a shovel inAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsis spending a night on the island. When that’s done players will unlock a new feature to the franchise, the DIY station, which allows players to craft tools if they have the right recipe. The player doesn’t have a recipe for the shovel right off the bat, however, which is where the problem lies.
Once the players unlocksBlathers, who is returning as the museum’s manager,they’ll gain access to the shovel’s recipe. Fortunately, unlocking Blathers is a pretty simple task. First, the player needs to give Tom Nook a combination of five fish or bugs. Afterwards, Tom Nook will invite Blathers to the player’s island where he’ll want to open a museum. When that has been done, the player will be able to choose where to place Blathers' tent with a tent kit they receive from Tom Nook. Place his tent, wait a full day, and Blathers should arrive on the island, eager to begin work on the museum. If a player doesn’t want to wait a full day in order to unlock the shovel, it has been confirmed thatthe player can still time travel inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons.
Once Blathers comes to the island, the player should talk to him at his tent. There, Blathers will give the player two recipes: one for the vaulting pole and, of course, one for the shovel. After getting these recipes, the player will be able to craft both items whenever they’d like. In order to actually craft a shovel, the player must go to their DIY station and craft one. The recipe calls for five pieces of hardwood, so make sure to find some before going to craft a shovel.
These alterations with how you receive certain items like the shovel show howAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsis able to even shake up older game mechanics. While there are a lot ofnew features to love inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, it’s nice to see older ones get attention as well. With the game having just released, it will be exciting to see how gameplay mechanics both new and old will manifest themselves. After all, ifAnimal Crossingcan make simple things like getting the shovel feel fresh, it’s impossible to tell how elseAnimal Crossing’s gameplay loop has been improved.
