From the offset, players found that this latest installment of Animal Crossing allowed for the most creativity, such as creating custom designs that can be used for clothing, pathways and other decorations. However, as more updates have been introduced, it has become increasingly more difficult to obtain specific items and others that players may not even know exist in-game.
This is where Treasure Islands come into play.
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The popularity of Treasure Islands has been increasing over the last year. These are islands that hackers and modders have taken to creating by using hacked Nintendo Switch consoles and turning their islands into open marketplaces. Other players can visit treasure Islands to take as many items as they like, ranging from high-value items, furniture, seasonal DIY recipes, and more. The benefit of these islands is that it allows players to skip the grind that is required to obtain certain items and even provide a means for players to earn more Bells on their own islands.
There are two things that a player will need to travel to Treasure Islands: a Nintendo Switch Online membership and the Dodo Code for the island they’re intending to visit. Treasure Island Dodo Codes can be found on a host’s social media channels such as Discord and Twitter, and are particularly popular with streamers on Twitch.
In most cases, players will be able to travel to Treasure Islands for free and peruse the wares on the islands for as long as they want. However, there are a number of hosts that are asking for real-life payments through their Etsy or Instagram shop pages - it is up to players to do their own research before committing to any payments.
Once a Dodo code has been acquired, players will simply need to visit their respective Dodo Airlines airport and speak to Orville. The player will need to let him know that they want to play online and input the code when prompted after selecting “Search via Dodo Code”. When players arrive, they must follow certain rules to ensure that everyone on the island has a good experience and to prevent game-breaking glitches. Rules may vary across different Treasure Islands, but generally speaking players should always adhere to the following:
Do not drop items from the pocket menu. Any unwanted items should be disposed of using the provided trashcans that are placed across the island. Try not to keep the Nook Phone or pockets menus open for prolonged periods of time as it prevents other visitors from visiting or leaving. Be patient. There will be many people coming and going, so there is a lot of stop and starting. Only leave via the airport. Using the minus ( - ) button to leave will kick every visitor from the island.
Treasure Islands are often well organized and items are separated into categories, a bit like departments in supermarkets. Some hosts provide maps of their islands to display the layout, which will allow players to go directly where they need to be or players can browse at their leisure.
There is a debate within the Animal Crossing community about whether players who utilize Treasure Islands are cheating, but the sluggish and tedious nature of how online play works in-game is almost enough to outweigh the moral dichotomy. Patience is truly a virtue when exploring the hoards contained in the Treasure Islands.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on Nintendo Switch.
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