Animal Crossing: New Horizons players have a lot of creative design options, but some of them can get very expensive very quickly, especially with all the furniture available at Nook's Cranny. Luckily, there are also plenty of options for those on a budget Bell. Here are some design ideas for gamers looking for affordable ways to get creative in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

New Horizons probably has more potential than any other game in the series when it comes to city customization. From the beginning of the game, players can choose the overall layout of their island, which can then be modified throughout the game to create new rivers, coves, and mountains throughout the island. They can then collect design inspiration from other players thanks to the game's active online presence.

There may be more opportunities in the future as a leak was revealed earlier this year that seems to indicate a possible expansion of the island to New Horizons. This could provide even more room for customization, but so far nothing has been officially released about the rumors. However, according to September's Nintendo Direct, a lot of new content will be revealed in October. It remains to be seen what new and affordable design ideas will be added in the coming months.

Create custom Animal Crossing designs

Even finding new outfit options in Animal Crossing: New Horizons doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor. Through the Able Sisters tailor shop, players can unlock the ability to create custom fabrics that they can use in their outfits as well as some DIY projects. These designs can also be uploaded and imported from other online players, creating basically a large library with almost endless possibilities.

One way to use these custom designs is to place unique buildings or shop windows on outdoor signs and stands without having to hand out bells to customize the area. Animal Crossing player abie22 uses one such method to create an outdoor cafe, adding custom paths to give it a cute square look, all without using a lot of bubbles or even taking up a lot of island space.

Collect DIY recipes for New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons features several gameplay mechanics that are new to the series, including DIY recipes, crafting furniture that uses the island's natural resources such as shells, rocks, and wood. Players can collect them without spending bells, and even travel to other items with Nook Miles in case their home island runs out of supplies. There are dozens of recipes to collect and build, many of which can be further customized with unique colors or even custom fabrics for a more unique look.

Both indoor and outdoor furniture are available, ranging from the popular iron wood kitchen set to hammocks and beach chairs. It's also possible to exchange most DIY recipes with friends and other Animal Crossing fans on the New Horizons online community, allowing for a more comprehensive collection without having to spend a lot of money - if any - Bells have to give away. The New Horizons player notes on Reddit that bamboo DIY recipes in particular are used to create a tranquil grove, all without breaking the Bell bank.

Use New Horizons Island Terraforming for additional effects

Island Terraforming is another new feature introduced with the release of New Horizons, allowing players to create waterfalls, mountains, lakes and more using just their own two hands. Terraforming is unlocked after completing the early stages of the game and reaching the three-star island. While the more extensive options, including different tracks, can be unlocked and purchased gradually, there is much to do without spending a lot of Animal Crossing Bells.

Reddit user syzygy14 presents an impressive demonstration of terraforming techniques, creating multi-tiered waterfalls accented with DIY items such as giant mushrooms, wooden furniture and signposts. This is an effective way to demonstrate that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has plenty of customization options, even for players who don't have too many Bells to spend on large-scale projects.

Oct-08-2021