‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ gets last big free update

Most notably, the update saw the return of Brewster, a high-demand character from previous “Animal Crossing” games. Brewster runs a café that can be added to the museum upon meeting him on a mysterious island and speaking to Blathers, the museum curator. Players can call other “Animal Crossing” characters to come to drink coffee via the amiibo feature or bring their friends to enjoy a cup together.

Brewster was not the only old character to return in New Horizons. Katrina and Tortimer can set up shop on Harv’s island among several other vendors, each bringing services to improve your island, fashion or relationship with your villagers. Harv’s island now has a use beyond being for photos.

The update also brings back Kapp’n, who can transport players to a random mysterious island in return for 1,000 Nook Miles. He’ll sing a sea shanty on the ship ride to and from the island. The islands can have special features, but all hold gyroid fragments, which can be buried underground and watered to create gyroids.

Gyroids are small creatures that will do some sort of dance and emit noises. When a song is playing within the game, the gyroids will dance along. There are over 30 different gyroid types that can have different color combinations.

The update also introduces a new cooking feature. Various food dishes have been added to the game’s repertoire of DIY recipes. Along with the recipes, 5 additional food crops have come to the game so a player can fulfill their farming and cooking needs.

Hundreds of new items, group stretching, new hairstyles, island tips, new interior design abilities and much more have also been added to “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.” Additionally, Nintendo released Happy Home Paradise, downloadable content that can be added to the game for $24.99 or through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

This is the final major free content update for “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” over a year and a half following its initial release.