How to get animal crossing for free on switch

How to get animal crossing for free on switch
Photo: Nintendo

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is the free mobile game app to get your Tom Nook fix

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

The thing we enjoy most while staying home during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic is escaping into another world. Whether it’s binge-watching Netflix, travelling the world via virtual tours or playing video games, we’re all doing our best to stay sane and optimistic. 

The ever-popular Animal Crossing has blown up over the past couple of months and everyone with a Nintendo Switch is busy building their islands and making new friends in New Horizons. Since there’s no real end point to the game, Animal Crossing serves as a wholesome substitute for real life, the perfect escape from these stressful times. 

Unfortunately, you do need a Nintendo Switch to play New Horizons. However, if you’re interested in dipping your toes into the Animal Crossing world before taking the plunge and purchasing a Switch, try playing the mini-version of the game on your phone. 

The free official app Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is a stakes-free introduction to the world of Tom Nook and company. In Pocket Camp, you set up your own campsite with bells and leaf tickets earned from running errands for other Animal campers. Of course, these errands are delightful and fun – you’ll be gardening, picking fruit and fishing for giant tuna. 

The more bells and tickets earned, the more items you can buy for your character and campsite, from the necessities to extravagant additions such as cherry blossom forests and kimono. Much like in New Horizons, there’s no real end point or goal in the game, you’re just living your daily life: inviting animal friends to your campsite, attending seasonal events such as cherry blossom harvesting, and designing your own clothing and site layout. It’s good, wholesome fun without the commitment of buying a Switch. 

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is available on iOS and Android. If you find yourself hooked, consider yourself lucky – Nintendo Switch has resumed its domestic shipments. 

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Find furniture you like and design a campsite that suits your style!

Tents, hammocks, fireplaces, a stuffed-animal sofa...mix and match to your heart's content! Make a trendy open-air café, or line up some microphones and guitars to create an outdoor music festival! In the mood for a little extra fun? Set up a merry-go-round and open a theme park. You can even make a pool, or fill the sky with fireworks!

◆ Design your campsite, camper, and cabin however you want

◆ Collect themed items from Fishing Tourneys and Garden Events that happen throughout the year

◆ More than 1,000 pieces of furniture and 300 pieces of clothing and accessories are available to choose from, with more being added all the time

◆ Features more than 100 animals with quirky personalities

Fulfill animal requests and watch your friendship with them grow! Once you become close enough friends, you can invite them to your campsite. The more the merrier!

Design a show-stopping campsite, invite your favorite animals, and take an in-game photo to show your friends. If your friends like what you've done, they may even give you kudos!

The great outdoors has so much to offer!

Notes: This game is free to start, with in-app purchases available. Internet connectivity is required to play Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Data charges may apply. May include advertising.

Note: With the Pocket Camp Club: Merry Memories Plan, data will be collected from your Google Fit app after receiving your permission to do so in order to have the number of steps you have taken display on corresponding stickers.

How to Get Nintendo Switch Lite & Nook Inc. Silk Rug With Nintendo Switch Online

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

A special pair of Nintendo Switch Lite and Nook Inc. Silk Rug items are available exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online members in Animal Crossing: New Horizons! Learn how to get unlock and purchase them yourself in this guide.

Become a Nintendo Switch Online Subscriber

The first thing you’ll need to do to get the Nintendo Switch Lite and Nook Inc. Silk Rug items is to make sure that you are a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber. If you’re not already familiar, Nintendo Switch Online service is a paid subscriptions service that allows you to play Nintendo Switch games online, use cloud saves, and get special offers like this one.

If you’re playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons though, then there’s a good chance you’re already a subscriber because it’s required to visit other players islands online and access the Custom Design Portal. In case you’re not, a 12-month membership can be purchased for $19.99 USD.

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

Note that a Nintendo Switch Online subscription is not the same as a free Nintendo Account.

Trial Memberships Don’t Work

In order to download the Nook Inc. Silk Rug item special offer from the Nintendo eShop, you will need to be have a proper paid membership to Nintendo Switch Online. Trial memberships to the service, including the one included with a digital copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, do not qualify for the offer sadly.

Download DLC Package From Nintendo eShop

After confirming that you are currently subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online, you need to head over to the Nintendo eShop and actually download a piece of DLC content to unlock the exclusive items in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

There are three ways you can find the Nintendo Switch Lite & Nook Inc. Silk Rug DLC item in the Nintendo eShop:

  • Navigate to Nintendo Switch Online in the eShop sidebar and scroll down to the bottom of the Special Offers section.
  • Search for ‘animal crossing’ in the eShop and select the Member Exclusive Items listing.
  • Navigate to Animal Crossing: New Horizons and scroll down to the Downloadable Content section.

When you’ve made your way to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Switch Online listing on the Nintendo eShop, simply select Free Download on the right sidebar to download the DLC package and unlock the Nintendo Switch Lite & Nook Inc. Silk Rug DLC items in your game.

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

After downloading and installing the unlock DLC though, the exclusive items need to be ordered from specific locations in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. They won’t automatically arrive in your mailbox or inventory — follow the directions below to get your hands on both items.

Order Nintendo Switch Lite From Nook Shopping

After the DLC content has been downloaded from the Nintendo eShop, head to Nook Shopping inside of Animal Crossing: New Horizons to purchases the unlocked Nintendo Switch Lite item.

You can access Nook Shopping either from the Nook Stop Terminal at Resident Services, or at any time from your NookPhone if you have unlocked the Nook Shopping app.

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

Inside of Nook Shopping, the exclusive Nintendo Switch Lite item can be purchased under the Special Goods section for 19,980 Bells. There are four different color variations of the Nintendo Switch Lite to collect, but only one will be available to order at a time, so check back daily to get them all.

Here’s all four variations of the Nintendo Switch Lite item you can buy:

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

Nintendo Switch Lite

Turquoise

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

Nintendo Switch Lite

Gray

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

Nintendo Switch Lite

Coral

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

Nintendo Switch Lite

Yellow

Order Nook Inc. Silk Rug From Nook Stop Terminal

After the DLC content has been downloaded from the Nintendo eShop, head to the Nook Stop Terminal inside of Animal Crossing: New Horizons to purchases the unlocked Nook Inc. Silk Rug item. You can access the terminal at Resident Services.

After downloading the DLC from the Nintendo eShop, launch up your Animal Crossing: New Horizons game and head over to Resident Services. Inside the building, interact with the Nook Stop terminal that looks like an ATM and access the Redeem Nook Miles menu.

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

With the Nook Stop Terminal, access the Redeem Nook Miles menu, and scroll down until you find the Nook Inc. Silk Rug available to purchase for 600 Nook Miles! Exchange 600 of your precious Nook Miles and you’ll receive the exclusive Nook Inc. Silk Rug right in your mailbox later in the day or the next morning.

How to get animal crossing for free on switch

Getting Nook Inc. Silk Rug & Nintendo Switch Lite Without Membership

If you don’t have a full Nintendo Switch Online membership yourself, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for you to get your hands on the Nintendo Switch Lite and Nook Inc. Silk Rug. Notably, these items can be ordered from the Nook Stop terminal by anyone who is a resident on the island after the DLC is downloaded from the eShop and the game is loaded up.

Even if you’re not a resident of such an island, these item can be ordered with Nook Miles multiple times, so it can be easily traded with others too in local wireless multiplayer. You could also use a trial membership to visit a friend with a full membership and get the item traded from them!

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Can you download Animal Crossing for free?

Members can download Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise for free and play while they maintain an active membership. An Individual Membership will cost $49.99 for 12 months, while a Family Membership will cost $79.99 for 12 months.

Is Animal Crossing free with membership?

If you have an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, you have access to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC at no additional cost. If you do not have a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, learn how to sign up.

Are Animal Crossing codes free?

You don't have to pay for Animal Crossing QR codes directly, but like any online or multiplayer aspect of Nintendo Switch games, you will need to purchase a Nintendo Online subscription to use QR codes in New Horizons.