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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Animal Crossing: New Horizons’s free Ver. 3.0 update brings new activities and quality-of-life features to the existing game on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It is separate from the paid Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, which adds hardware-specific enhancements.
What’s in the free Animal Crossing: New Horizons update?
Ver. 3.0 adds a resort hotel run by Kapp’n’s family. Players can decorate guest rooms and earn hotel tickets, with additional in-game progression or access conditions applying to some activities. Nintendo’s Ver. 3.0 overview also highlights several other additions:
- Slumber Island: A new island destination to explore.
- Resetti’s Reset Service: A new service for resetting parts of the island.
- Island specialities and collaborations: Additional activities and themed content.
The update also improves everyday crafting and item management. With enough materials, players can craft up to 10 items at once, use items in home storage as DIY materials, and track hotel DIY requests in the DIY Recipes app. Players can also order items previously obtained by linking the game with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, according to Nintendo’s update history.
Is the Switch 2 update free?
The free Ver. 3.0 content is available to players on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. You do not need to buy a Switch 2 to get the resort hotel or the other free-update content, and existing owners do not need to repurchase the game.
#1 Best Overall
- Build your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game.
- Switch 2 Edition: This game is the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. It includes the Nintendo Switch game plus upgrade pack, which includes enhancements for play on Nintendo Switch 2 system.
- Upgrade: You can purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade pack for this game (full version of game required to use this content; sold separately).
- If you and your friends all have the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, you can share your island in 12-player sessions online*—and with CameraPlay and GameChat** support, you can see and hear their reactions in real time!
The paid Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a separate option. Nintendo’s U.S. announcement and store listing showed an upgrade pack price of $4.99; prices and availability can differ by region and may change. The store listing requires the full game. Check Nintendo’s Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack listing for current local terms.
| What you get | Free Ver. 3.0 update | Nintendo Switch 2 Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free for players who own the game | Paid edition or upgrade; Nintendo’s U.S. listing showed $4.99 for the upgrade pack |
| System | Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Content | Resort hotel and additional island activities | Includes the free content, plus Switch 2-specific enhancements |
| Requirements | Base game | Full game required; online features have additional service requirements |
What does the Switch 2 Edition add?
The Switch 2 Edition retains Ver. 3.0’s free content and adds features tied to Nintendo Switch 2 hardware. Nintendo lists:
Rank #2
![Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - Nintendo Switch 2 [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rX1kI2JnL._SL160_.jpg)
- Build your community from scratch on a deserted island brimming with possibility; Create your personal getaway and customize your character, home, decorations, and even the landscape itself
- Collect materials to construct everything from furniture to tools. Then, use what you create to give your island a personal touch
- Watch as the time of day and seasons match real life—even your hemisphere. Each day holds potential for surprises and discoveries
- Get to know the island residents, garden, fish, decorate, hunt for fossils, and more.
- Show off your paradise – Play on the same system with a total of 4 people, or play together online or over local wireless for fun with up to 8 players
- Improved resolution: Up to 4K in TV mode with a compatible display.
- Mouse controls: Use Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for activities such as decorating and design.
- Megaphone: Use the console’s built-in microphone to call for characters in-game.
- CameraPlay: A camera feature for seeing players in the game.
- Larger online sessions: Up to 12 players can join an online session when everyone is using the Switch 2 Edition.
Nintendo’s store listing says online play requires a Nintendo Account, internet access, and a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Check the listing for the service terms that apply in your region.
Do you need amiibo or physical LEGO sets?
No special amiibo or physical LEGO set is listed as a requirement for Ver. 3.0. Nintendo’s amiibo compatibility FAQ describes a narrower optional use: Animal Crossing amiibo cards from Series 1–5, Sanrio amiibo cards, and current Animal Crossing amiibo figures can bring visitors to The Roost.
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Rank #3
- Build your community from scratch on a deserted island brimming with possibility; Create your personal getaway and customize your character, home, decorations, and even the landscape itself
- Collect materials to construct everything from furniture to tools. Then, use what you create to give your island a personal touch
- Watch as the time of day and seasons match real life—even your hemisphere. Each day holds potential for surprises and discoveries
- Get to know the island residents, garden, fish, decorate, hunt for fossils, and more.
- Show off your paradise – Play on the same system with a total of 4 people, or play together online or over local wireless for fun with up to 8 players
LEGO-themed in-game items are part of the free update and can be purchased with Bells through Nook Shopping, according to Nintendo’s LEGO crossover announcement. The announcement does not say that owning a physical LEGO set unlocks them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the latest Animal Crossing: New Horizons patch?
Nintendo’s support page currently lists Ver. 3.0.3, released April 29, 2026, as the latest update. Its notes say the 25th Anniversary leaf statue became available in the Nook Shopping furniture catalog, its price was adjusted, and an issue that prevented some images from displaying in storage or catalog screens was fixed. The page also lists Ver. 3.0.2, released April 13, 2026, and Ver. 3.0.0, released January 14, 2026. See Nintendo’s update history for the current entry and full notes.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Included is the following: Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Nintendo Switch 2, 8 pack of PremGear Thumb Grips: 2 different heights (3mm, 7mm) 3 different colors. (Joystick Cap Covers Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 only), PremGear 24 Slot Game card Case/Holder with 2 Slot MicroSD Memory Card Adapter and PremGear Quality Cleaning Cloth
- Escape to a deserted island…now enhanced for the Nintendo Switch 2 system! Build your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game
- NEW FEATURES: Enhanced resolution, faster load times, mouse control support for faster and easier decorating, a megaphone for calling your animal residents that uses the system microphone, and more
- Show your island to family and friends—or create together on Slumber Island (with membership) Host friends on your island utopia or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online* or with others beside you***, island living is even better when you can share it—and with a Nintendo Switch Online membership, you can also visit Slumber Island to terraform, build, and decorate with friends and family in a shared dreamscape
- Your island, clearer than ever With the enhanced 4K resolution of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, you’ll be able to see your island and its residents even clearer than before! Get creative with mouse controls Use the intuitive mouse controls of the Joy-Con 2 controller to redecorate your home, organise your furniture, create Custom Designs and even draw posts for the bulletin board
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
