Fry up some chimichangas and knock down that fourth wall, because Deadpool is coming to Fortnite. The Merc with a Mouth is the latest Marvel character to come to the game, though he will probably not be as devastating as Thanos.

Deadpool was revealed in the game’s Fortnite Chapter 2 – Season 2 Battle Pass trailer, popping onto the screen in his usual goofy fashion. He’s also seen bathing in a pile of V-bucks, though the Battle Pass remains 950 or about $9.50.

The latest update also added weekly challenges from Deadpool, including one to find a letter he sent to Epic Games. It’s fitting with the character’s self-aware persona, as he has routinely referenced when he was in a comic book or movie before.

Deadpool is a skin rather than a special character event like with Thanos, so it’s entirely cosmetic. However, it definitely makes us a little more likely to crack stupid jokes and get a little more bold in battle royale mode. You can’t unlock the skin yet, as it requires completely weekly challenges over the course of the Battle Pass, but the wait should come with more themed challenges that have Deadpool inserting himself further into the game.

In January, Ryan Reynolds confirmed that Deadpool 3 is in the works at Marvel Studios. The previous two movies were produced before Disney acquired 20^th Century Fox, which had been responsible for Deadpool and X-Men films previously.

The GameCube was discontinued in 2007, but that hasn’t stopped fans from obsessively searching for the best games in the system, whether to warm their sense of nostalgia or find a library to play on emulators.

So, here you have it – the best GameCube games of all time, as voted by IGN’s staff.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=top-25-nintendo-gamecube-games&captions=true”]

Click through the gallery above or scroll down for the full list!

25. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem

Told over the span of over 2000 years, Eternal Darkness features a woman named Alex trying to uncover the truth about her grandfather’s mysterious murder. What follows is a series of flashbacks, that each explores different events that have occurred in the house over the last couple of centuries. It’s incredible to relive these moments and see the house evolve over time; Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem was an inspiration to games like What Remains of Edith Finch.

24. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games!

If you haven’t played a WarioWare game before, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games! is a great place to start. The basic premise is that Wario, in his newly-defined role as cheeseball game-making antagonist, has created over 200 “microgames” that you have to learn and master in just a few seconds each. They are thrown at you in quick, randomized succession, and range from cool NES Zelda and Mario-inspired challenges to goofy anime jokes — and there’s a *lot* of nose-picking. Sometimes dismissed as a port of WarioWare from the Game Boy Advance to the GameCube, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games! added one very important element: fun multiplayer. It’s the best multiplayer the WarioWare series has to offer to-date, with the Wii version, WarioWare: Smooth Moves, a clear runner up.

23. Luigi’s Mansion

The original Luigi’s Mansion managed to evoke a genuinely spooky aesthetic while never losing the humor and charm that comes with such a scared protagonist as Luigi. Add in a great loop of Luigi’s ghost hunting gameplay, and it’s no surprise Luigi’s time in the spooky spotlight has led to an enduring franchise.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/14/luigis-mansion-speedrun-finished-in-1-hour-12-minutes-by-firedragon”]

22. Beyond Good & Evil

Beyond Good & Evil has so much going for it. Blending sci-fi with a sort of anti-corporate political vibe, Beyond Good & Evil also had remarkably layered stakes. It was visually stylish, and the gameplay was always fun whether you were in combat, traveling in your hovercraft, sorting out a puzzle or photographing wildlife. The latter mechanic has been in a plethora of games since then, but it still hasn’t been beaten in terms of how satisfying it felt to “get the shot”.

21. Skies of Arcadia: Legends

Skies of Arcadia Legends was somewhat derided at the time of release for not being enough of a graphical improvement over the Dreamcast original, but the GameCube version improves upon the original in meaningful ways by replacing some of the more grindy elements with new features and things to discover. What really stands out about Skies of Arcadia is the sense of exploration and discovery you feel when traversing the world in your airship. Skies may not have ranked among the best-selling RPGs of all time, but it most certainly made in impact on anyone lucky enough to have experienced it.

20. Killer7

In an era where spacious 3D platformers packed with collectibles and sprawling open-world action games were really hitting their stride, Suda51’s narrow, on-rails, and completely bonkers Killer7 was an anomaly. A game where seven serial killers (all of which were different personalities inside of the mind of one man) traversed a stylish, haunting world in search of assassination targets seemed wildly out of place on the upbeat and saccharine GameCube library.

But despite being bloody, violent, and full of filthy words you’d never hear Mario, Zelda, or a bunch of Pikmin say, Killer7 is so unique and special that it was instantly loved by tons of Nintendo fans at the time, many of which are still begging for a modern port or remake of the game on Nintendo Switch.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/12/31/killer7-2005-vs-2018-comparison-trailer”]

19. Resident Evil

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=every-ign-resident-evil-game-review-ever&captions=true”]

REmake is so good that Capcom has re-released it on seven different platforms and likely inspired Capcom to continue revisiting early entries in the series series, like the incredible 2019 Resident Evil 2 and the upcoming Resident Evil 3 Remake. The improvements over RE’s original release are remarkable, while still capturing the original’s fun puzzles, interesting environments, and ever-present sense of dread that the early Resident Evil games really mastered.

18. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes

While they might have added a few too many flips for its own good, the GameCube remake of the original Metal Gear Solid, now called Twin Snakes, remains – much like the remake of the original Resident Evil – a great example of why it’s worth revisiting an old game on new hardware. New gameplay elements from the MGS sequels, including improved enemy AI and first-person aiming, breathed new life into Snake’s trek through Shadow Moses, and brought the Metal Gear series to a whole new fanbase – flips and all.

17. Metroid Prime 2 Echoes

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes built upon the eerie 3D worlds introduced in the first Metroid Prime, continuing Samus’ story in first person on a brand new planet torn apart by light and shadow – giving off some serious Link to the Past vibes. More than anything else, Echoes gave us Samus’ most formidable opponent – a mirror version of herself that would come to be known as Dark Samus. The Metroid Prime sequel also gave us a better look at the universe of the series, letting players finally see the Federation, and pitting her against alien threats besides just metroids and space pirates in a radically diverse planet full of wonder.

16. Ikaruga

In 2003, a two-year old port of a Japanese-only arcade game probably seemed like a strange release for the GameCube. But IGN famously declared “our frothing demand for this game increases” when we played it pre-release, and with good reason. Ikaruga’s polarity mechanic made it an elegant, elevated shoot ‘em up that required some thinking along with the usual fast reflexes. While every other arcade shooter required you to dodge bullets, Ikaruga invited you to embrace them (half of them anyway) and felt revelatory for it. Almost twenty years later, our frothing demand for Ikaruga’s smart arcade thrills persists.

15. Pikmin

Pikmin had that unquantifiable Nintendo magic from its first entry. Captain Olimar’s timed adventure to escape a planet home to the adorable Pikmin and also many terrifying, hungry monsters is a fantastic blend of art design, unique RTS gameplay mechanics, and charming characters in its sweet, powerful hordes of Pikmin. What makes the original entry truly a joy to master is its 30-day time limit to succeed. There’s an inherent replayability to trying to master Pikmin’s objectives in as quick a cadence as possible, but even only taking a crack at Olimar’s journey one time leads to a beautiful blend of exploration, strategy, and giant Duracell batteries.

14. Viewtiful Joe

While the 3D action genre had thrived on other consoles with games like Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, and God of War leading the charge, the pinnacle of the 2D action genre could be found right on the GameCube. Its clever implementation of movie-inspired powers gifted Viewtiful Joe with a one-of-a-kind feel, as you would alternate between slow-mo, to slow down and reflect bullets; fast-mo, to punch so fast that you would ignite flammable objects; and a zoom-in effect, to increase the damage you would deliver for each punch. The interplay between these three special VFX powers, in addition to the many purchasable and upgradeable skills that Joe could acquire, made for an unforgettable experience that to this day is still unlike anything else out there.

13. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Mario has had several RPG iterations in his many years out in the field, but the Paper Mario franchise may be one of its most inventive. The consistently funny, punny, and smart writing of The Thousand Year Door elevates what began in Nintendo 64’s Paper Mario to an all-time classic RPG experience. The great turn-based combat returns alongside a fantastic ensemble, beautifully imagined and designed worlds, and self-aware storytelling that stands apart from Mario’s many other adventures.

12. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance was the series’ first foray onto a home console in the west, allowing it to mix complex 3D maps with sublime 2D artwork and character portraits. Missions were tactically diverse and challenging – from stealthy prison breaks to castle sieges. Unlike most other entries in the franchise that centered around noble lords, Path of Radiance allowed players to view a complicated war between countries through the eyes of Ike, a brash and no-nonsense mercenary. Its unique story presentation deftly explored themes of prejudice between humans and the shape-shifting beast-folk known as laguz, as well as political subterfuge, war-time propaganda, and even slavery. As an added bonus, you could also transfer your data to the sequel on the Wii – Radiant Dawn – to further boost your army in their next adventure.

11. Soulcalibur 2

When Soulcalibur 2 appeared on both the Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox, players on each console got their own guest fighter. PlayStation had Tekken’s Heihachi, and Xbox had comic book anti-hero Spawn… but really, it was no contest, because Nintendo had the hero of Hyrule, Link. Even without such an awesome guest fighter, Soulcalibur 2 is an excellent fighting game, and even included a robust single-player experience featuring tons of customized battles to test player’s adaptability to crazy win conditions.

10. Mario Kart Double Dash

Mario Kart: Double Dash has forever cemented itself as the king of the couch, introducing an entirely new way for players to race both with and against to each other, thanks to the unique ability to have two racers man a single kart.

By letting one person in the backseat focus entirely on using items offensively and defensively, the driver was free to put the pedal to the medal and toss back newly gained items – or find the right times to swap positions and make use of each character’s unique item. Beyond its new doubles mechanic, Double Dash was chock-full of instantly memorable tracks to race again and again (and again, if you were racing on Baby Park).

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=igns-top-25-nintendo-switch-games&captions=true”]

9. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

Rogue Squadron II was undoubtedly the graphical showcase for the Gamecube at launch, and remains one of the best-looking games on the system. It takes everything we loved about the original N64 game and ups the intensity and fidelity. Replaying that first Death Star level is about the closest thing there is to actually being in a Star Wars movie.

8. Pikmin 2

As great as the original Pikmin is, the franchise continued to improve with Pikmin 2. While it abandoned some of the engrossing stress that came with the original’s time limit, opening things up really allows players to navigate Pikmin 2’s mysterious world to their own whims. Adding in new Pikmin types with new abilities and Olimar’s partner Louie allows for plenty more variety on the hunt of Pikmin 2’s fantastic continuation of the series.

7. Super Mario Sunshine

A much-needed vacation away from the Mushroom Kingdom led to a fun, tropical setting filled with unique takes on old enemies (hello goopy Piranha plants) and fresh new mechanics thanks to F.L.U.D.D. While F.L.U.D.D is a character in its own right, it’s also a backpack Mario wears that’s part water gun, part jetpack, and completely game changing. F.L.U.D.D creates new opportunities for creative combat and platforming making Super Mario Sunshine the perfect balance between the old and the hasn’t-been-seen-since. And getting used to F.L.U.D.D makes the handful of levels without it feel especially challenging, and refreshing if you’re a platforming purist. From Blooper surfing to traversing theme parks, Sunshine is a memorable joy from start to finish.

6. Animal Crossing

This laid back, low-stress town simulator decked out with talking animal townsfolk, arrangeable furniture, and customizable clothing instantly connected with fans of all ages on the Nintendo GameCube and sparked the start of Animal Crossing becoming one of the biggest and most recognizable video game franchises on earth. Meanwhile, dissenters who were accustomed to much more engaging video game experiences constantly shouted: “but what do you actually DO in Animal Crossing?” As it turns out, not much, but that’s entirely the charm of it all. Animal Crossing never really tries to hurt you or punish you (outside of Mr. Resetti, who is way too irate for that world) and instead nudges you to go fishing, beautify your house and town, and mostly just relax and take it easy. It’s a wonderful experience, even when it’s 2AM in the game and everyone is asleep but your character is still up and shaking trees looking for money like some kind of psychopath.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Twilight Princess was a darker approach to Zelda- both in visuals and in its story. Brimming with cinematic flair, it featured some of the most inventive dungeons and bosses in the series, and the unique ability to fight and traverse in wolf-form was only bolstered by Link’s mischievous companion, Midna, who easily ranks among one of the best sidekicks of all time.

Resident Evil 4

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/10/resident-evil-4-speedrun-finished-in-1-hour-25-minutes-by-mikewave”]

Sure, Resident Evil 4 reinvented the core Resident Evil franchise just as it was starting to get a bit stagnant, but it also redefined the third-person action game genre as a whole and created a new benchmark for years to come. Resident Evil 4 expertly blended the horror and ammo conservation elements the franchise was known for and threw in copious amounts of action, ridiculous movie-style set-pieces, and one of the first-ever legitimately fun video game escort mission sequences. It’s tense, thrilling, campy, and infinitely replayable (and quotable) even today.

3. Super Smash Bros. Melee

For many, Super Smash Bros. Melee is the pinnacle of Super Smash Brothers, and it’s not hard to see why. Melee has a unique feel to it not present in any other Smash Bros. game. Characters feel weightier, there are a ton of high-level techniques that completely alter how the game is played, and some character’s melee counterparts are just simply more fun to play. Regardless of how it’s viewed among other Smash Bros. games though, it’s indisputable that Melee was one of the most important games ever released on the system.

2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Despite its many detractors ahead of launch before its launch, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has endured as one of the most unique entries in the Zelda franchise. Yes, its sailing speeds were improved in the Wii U remaster, but even still the chance to explore the high seas as Link, sailing from island to island while discovering new characters, awesome new dungeons, treasure, and talking fish is one of the Game Cube’s finest adventures. It’s a Zelda adventure that really plays on the passage of time, the recurrence of the hero’s story throughout generations, adding a deep level of storytelling to the series while simultaneously delivering one of its most vibrant adventures to date.

1. Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime is one of the most sublime video game experiences of all time, and a no-brainer choice for the top GameCube game ever created. When news first broke of a first-person, 3D Metroid game, expectations were… low, to say the least. The previous game in the series, Super Metroid, is widely regarded as the best 16-bit game of all time. Why would Nintendo dare to mess with perfection? However, after just a few minutes of play, it becomes clear Nintendo didn’t mess with perfection, but instead allowed it to branch off in a new direction, and the fruits it bore would become the Prime trilogy. For all intents and purposes, it sticks to the Metroid formula, but never before had it been so personal and immersive. The sense of mystery and loneliness was amplified by its new, first-person setting, with Kenji Yamamoto’s haunting score working perfectly to give Prime a feel like no other game before or since. It seems almost quaint now, but the transition to 3D was a monumental decision, one that could easily have gone disastrously wrong. Yet not only is Prime exactly the right game for Metroid’s 3D debut, its undeniable quality would have shown through had it not built on the existing fiction of the Metroid universe. It’s without question the best GameCube game, and one of the best games ever made for any system.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/09/12/metroid-1991-vs-metroid-2017″]

Leave your fondest Gamecube memories in the comments below!

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Fortnite is back with a new season, the first since Chapter 2 began last October. The new Chapter 2 Season 2 (C2S2) update has rolled out on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and mobile devices, offering a new spy theme, map changes, and more. It includes a new Battle Pass as well for 950 V-Bucks (roughly $10 USD), complete with 100 levels of rewards to unlock. Those include weapon skins, emotes, back bling, and character skins.

On the whole, you can collect almost 100 pieces of new gear, and while you’re at it, earn up to 1,500 V-Bucks–plenty to buy your way into the next season’s Battle Pass. Some standout skins include a musclebound cat named Meowscles, a shape-shifting Maya variation, golden-armed Midas, and others. A trailer for the battle pass also revealed that we can expect to see Deadpool join the lineup this season, though it’s unclear exactly when.

With the spy theme, players are able to pick sides between the Ghost and Shadow factions. Those choices will result in different challenge missions and rewards. The map has also changed to add a luxury yacht, volcano hideout, and mansion.

Browse all the new cosmetics below for some extra motivation to earn all the new cosmetic items.

ViacomCBS has announced plans to launch a new House of Brands-style streaming service that will build upon CBS All Access by providing content from both sides of the recent merger.

During a Q4 earnings conference call on Thursday, ViacomCBS revealed their plans to expand their digital inventory and tailor offerings to meet customers needs, as the company looks to “accelerate momentum in streaming.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/20/a-look-at-the-world-of-star-trek-picard”]

What Content Will Be Available on the New Service?

The service will expand on the CBS All Access library to introduce fresh content from Viacom brands, including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, and Paramount Network, as part of a new product, which ViacomCBS is referring to as “House of Brands.”

The expanded platform will boast a variety of content for subscribers, as it looks to add “the company’s scaled assets in film and TV” to reaffirm and expand “the value of entertainment, news and sports – through on-demand and live experiences – for audiences around the world.”

The House of Brands-style service is expected to launch with 30,000 episodes of television and 1,000 movies on the platform.

When Will the Service Launch and How Much Will It Cost?

Speaking on the call, ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish confirmed that the new offering will have a soft launch later this year.

While he didn’t reveal the pricing structure for the evolved service, Bakish explained that the company wanted to introduce a “broad pay” service built on the foundation of CBS All Access to complement Pluto TV, their free ad-supported streaming service, and Showtime, which is considered to be their premium product.

As a reference point, CBS All Access currently costs $5.99/month with ads and $9.99/month without ads.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/20/best-streaming-shows-you-probably-never-heard-of”]

Are you interested in subscribing to the new service? Let us know in the comments below. Then head on over to IGN’s State of Streaming hub for more on what to expect in 2020, including a review of Disney Plus, a look at NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service, and a breakdown of which companies are currently winning the streaming wars.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Tiger Electronics has been defunct for years, but the brand is being revived by Hasbro for a new line of LCD video game systems. For ’90s kids with fond experiences with the original systems, it should bring back a rush of memories.

Coming this fall for $15 each, the Tiger Electronics LCD Video Games line will consist of four titles: Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Transformers Generation 2, and Marvel X-Men Project X.

As with the original versions, the games feature screens with pre-drawn backgrounds and elements like heroes and bosses that light up to simulate movement. It’s not the most advanced system today, but the colorful shells and charming sound effects have a retro appeal.

“Each game will bring gamers and die-hard retro fans back to the ’90s with the design and technology created with the original game unit in mind,” Hasbro added in a press release.

All of the games require two AA batteries to play, and they feature multiple stages filled with obstacles and enemies. With the recent release of Sonic the Hedgehog in theaters, the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 game is sure to be popular, and a Little Mermaid live-action remake is currently in the works.

In its heyday, Tiger Electronics produced a ton of LCD games, many of which were simplified versions of console and arcade titles. They included Battletoads, Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest, and Ecco the Dolphin, along with several based on cartoons and movies.

During its Animal Crossing-focused Direct, Nintendo once again confirmed that the upcoming New Horizons will not make use of Nintendo Switch Online’s cloud save backup function, but NSO subscribers will have a way to recover their save data should something unfortunate happen to their system. However, this feature comes with one notable caveat.

In fine print during the presentation, Nintendo specifies that you will only be able to recover your Animal Crossing: New Horizons save data one time should your Switch get lost or damaged. As previously mentioned, this service will only be offered to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, and it won’t be available until sometime after the game launches.

This isn’t the only unusual save data restriction New Horizons imposes on players. Nintendo recently confirmed that only one island can exist per Nintendo Switch console–so if another player who shares your system would like to start their own island, they’ll need their own Switch and game. Additionally, you will not be able to transfer your New Horizons save data from one Switch system to another.

We learned a lot of other details about New Horizons during the Animal Crossing Direct. Nintendo showcased a variety of quality-of-life improvements, as well as some new and returning characters you’ll meet in the game. New Horizons also lets you change your island’s terrain for the first time in the series, and it’ll make use of both the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app and the Animal Crossing Amiibo figures and cards.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases worldwide on March 20. You can see what pre-order bonuses are available for the title in our Animal Crossing: New Horizons pre-order guide. For more on the game, be sure to check out our roundup of everything we know about New Horizons.

All of the Animal Crossing games are filled with a collection of adorable anthropomorphic animals (save for Mr. Resetti–he can go to hell). In the February 2020 Nintendo Direct, we see that Animal Crossing: New Horizons is no different, featuring a motley crew of faces, some old and some brand-new.

Long-time fans will recognize the Museum (traditionally run by Blathers and Celeste), Nook’s Cranny (traditionally run by Tom Nook or his children), and Able Sisters (traditionally run by Mabel, Sable, and Label)–all hallmark stores of the Animal Crossing franchise. Animal Crossing: New Leaf’s Campground (overseen by Harvey) makes a return too.

Isabelle will return from her summons to rumble in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to join your fledgling town as well. Once you upgrade your Resident Services tent into a full-fledged Town Hall, it appears Isabelle will move in to offer you the same services she did in New Leaf.

The Direct also showcased Saharah. Since her role in every game changes, it’s not immediately apparent what services she provides in New Horizons (though she always has something to do with rare carpets and wallpapers). Kicks, who shined shoes in Animal Crossing: City Folk and sold footwear in New Leaf, can be seen as well. The two Dodos that operate the airport and fly the private plane are named Orville and Wilbur, an homage to the Wright Brothers.

The Direct also revealed brand-new characters: Daisy Mae, C.J., and Flick. Daisy Mae is a turnip seller like Joan, while C.J. seems to represent the Fishing Tourney and Flick seems to handle the Bug-Off (Joan is mysteriously absent).

Nintendo revealed a ton of new information about Animal Crossing: New Horizons during the game’s dedicated Direct presentation. On top of showing off a variety of welcome quality-of-life improvements, the company confirmed New Horizons will have Amiibo support. Here’s how it’ll work.

New Horizons will be compatible with both the Animal Crossing Amiibo figures as well as the Amiibo cards. By scanning an Amiibo, you can invite that character to your island’s campground. You can also take photos with them in a new photoshoot mode called Photopia.

There are currently 16 different Animal Crossing Amiibo figures, many of which can still be found for cheaper than their release price. Given that New Horizons is one of the most anticipated Switch games of the year, you’ll probably want to snap up some of these Amiibo while you can, in case their price increases closer to the game’s launch. We’ve rounded up where you can snag each Amiibo figure–as well as some other great Animal Crossing-themed gear–in our Animal Crossing accessory guide.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons arrives on Nintendo Switch on March 20. Many retailers are offering their own unique pre-order bonuses for the title, such as the adorable bell bag at Best Buy. You can learn more in our Animal Crossing: New Horizons pre-order guide. The game is also available to pre-order digitally on the Switch Eshop and is eligible for the Switch voucher program (if you have any game vouchers remaining).

Like all good entrepreneurs, The Nook empire is diversifying in Animal Crossing: New Horizons – by spinning up a new business venture: island getaways. In my time with New Horizons (the first 30 minutes) gameplay doesn’t stray far from what makes Animal Crossing so charmingly addictive a few key updates aim to make it the most customizable entry in the series.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/20/animal-crossing-new-horizons-direct-2202020″]

The Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct showed massive potential for the newfound deserted island to grow into a proper village, and I got to see what it’s like from its meager beginnings. Granted, one half-hour isn’t enough time to get a true sense of New Horizons’ day-to-day gameplay, but I did get to see some of its new systems. If you’d like to keep your character’s island arrival a surprise, stop here and instead go check out the wrap-up article of the Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct and our interview with Animal Crossing developers at E3 2019.

Preparing for Island Living

Move over Rover and Kapp’n, Timmy and Tommy Nook are open for business. These two cute twin tanuki set you up for your new adventure by checking your information at an airline counter. Before you’re able to board your flight, Timmy and Tommy check your name, allow you to customize your character through simple menus rather than have it determined by a quiz (hurray!), and choose your island design from one of four layouts. A representative from Nintendo said additional character customization options unlock as you play too.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=6-new-animal-crossing-new-horizons-screenshots&captions=true”]

With the bulk of the customization done, Timmy and Tommy have one final question: what’s the one thing you’d bring with you to a deserted island? I was asked to choose between a sleeping bag, a lamp, some food, or something to kill time. I like wandering around at night so I chose the lamp. Timmy reassured me that Nook Inc. would provide all essentials despite my choice, and the Nintendo rep said my answer wouldn’t do anything directly but didn’t elaborate on the possibilities. With the profile complete, my character was taken to the deserted island.

This introduction is a mild departure from previous Animal Crossings where you arrive by train, taxi, or bus and set up your profile along the way before arriving in an established but fledgling town. In New Horizons, however, they’re not kidding when they say you’re going to a deserted island – save for Tom Nook’s tent and the tiny airport, nothing else is built. Knowing how I’ll eventually be able to manipulate the terrain, place items outside, and customize even more made this airport scene an exciting introduction.

Once the plane touched down, I was greeted by Tom Nook and made excited introductions with my first two island friends, Hamlet and Hazel – it’s not every day you get to start a new life on a deserted island! Tom walked us through the Resident Services tent that houses a crafting workbench, an item shop, the recycling box, and the latest automatic bell dispenser, and then instructed us to find a spot on the island to claim as our own. I chose to set up my tent in a strategic spot behind Resident Services, though I was told I could move my tent later.

A New Debt to Pay

Sadly, you can’t vote your new neighbors off the island if you’re not pleased with them, but at least you can choose where they’ll set up camp. Once I was all settled I found my neighbors and was able to decide whether or not I liked their pitch for their new home. You’ll have the option to let them settle there, tell them to find another spot, or choose a spot for them yourself. When setting up your tent and theirs, you’ll be able to “imagine,” or preview, what the tent will look like in that location, which was helpful. I appreciate having more of a hand in designing my island right from the start, and it was nice that Hamlet and Hazel appreciated my input.

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=We%20may%20be%20in%20a%20new%20of%20environment%2C%20but%20this%20is%20the%20same%20old%20Tom%20Nook.”]

With our homes settled, Tom Nook requested I gather sticks for a fire, and some peaches, my island’s randomly chosen native fruit. The actual collection process is the same as it’s always been and I wasn’t given access to tools, so my actions during the first day were limited. But eventually, the day came to a close and when my character awoke New Horizons had synced to real-time (it runs on its own time for the first tutorial day) and saddled me with a massive 49,800 bell debt. We may be in a new kind of environment, but this is the same old Tom Nook.

Fortunately, Tom did offer to let me pay off my initial charge for the island getaway package with a new kind of currency called Nook Miles. These miles are earned by completing objectives, like “Angling for Perfection,” a challenge that requires you to catch 10 fish. I didn’t get to explore exactly how much you can earn from each completed objective, but I know I’ll be putting my first 5,000 miles toward paying my debt and save my bells for an eventual house upgrade. And Nintendo confirmed that you can only pay off your debt with Nook Miles the first time, so don’t get used to that convenience.

Quick Crafts

Unfortunately, my time with New Horizons was coming to an end, so I ran straight for the Resident Services tent to test out the new crafting system. Here, Tom Nook hosts DIY classes, and he just so happened to have time to teach me how to craft items through recipes. I downloaded the DIY Recipes app for my NookPhone – a handy smartphone equipped with a camera, a rescue service to get you out of tough spots, a Nook Miles tracker, and other apps – that let me save the recipe for a flimsy fishing rod.

These DIY recipes can be earned in a variety of ways – you might receive one in the mail and islanders can gift them to you. I hunted down the five tree-sticks needed to make the fishing rod, crafted it with the press of a button, and was ready to fish – and I would have if my time hadn’t run out. Crafting seems like a fun way to build items that would otherwise take from my precious bell-debt fund, though items like the flimsy fishing rod and others will be available for purchase.

There are still tons of features I’m excited to fully get my hands on: Customizing crafted items, making paths, exploring truly deserted islands through Nook’s travel service, and pretty much everything announced in the Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct (you can read our summary of the biggest announcements here if you haven’t already!). New Horizons doesn’t seem like it’ll be a major departure from what we know and love about Animal Crossing, but it sure does seem to have plenty of quality-of-life improvements and better customization options that’ll likely keep it as engaging as ever.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Miranda Sanchez is an executive editor at IGN. She hopes Roscoe and Goldie settle on her island sooner than later. You can chat with her about video games and anime on Twitter.

As part of its Animal Crossing-focused Direct, Nintendo has detailed plans for how it intends to support the upcoming Switch entry, New Horizons. As revealed during the Nintendo Direct, Animal Crossing: New Horizons will have multiple free updates post-launch.

The first of these free updates arrives on March 20–the game’s release day–and will introduce Bunny Day. From that point on, holidays and events that aren’t already in the game will be introduced as they come up in the real-life calendar. This gradual rollout means that the system clock and other exploits can’t be manipulated to do some virtual time-travelling and see events before Nintendo intends them to be available.

The Animal Crossing franchise delivers what many treat as lifestyle experiences. Each game invites players to check in day after day to do small tasks, chat with friends in the world, progress in developing their place in the town, and customize their living spaces. As such, events are a big part in keeping the games fresh, and it looks like Nintendo has grand designs on making sure players are always entertained and excited about what’s happening.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons launches on March 20 and, ahead of that, Nintendo is releasing a special Animal Crossing-themed Switch console on March 13. The system features pastel green and blue Joy-Cons and a white dock, which has Tom Nook and his nephews on an island adorned on it.

During the Direct, Nintendo also revealed that New Horizons will let you change your island’s terrain and the game uses the Switch Online app in clever ways.