A fan of Animal Crossing: New Horizons just developed a companion app for the beloved title that threatens to beat Nintendo at its own game. The app, entitled Nookphone Companion, expands upon the foundation laid by the official NookLink application, further assisting players in their exploration and city-building.

The NookLink app was modeled after the in-game NookPhone, a mobile device developed by Animal Crossing's in-universe corporate overlord, Tom Nook. Through the app, players can check their progress and send messages to other players on their friend list. While many players have found the NookLink app to be a useful tool when taking stock of their island and collectibles, it is rather short on features even a year after its launch.

Related: How Animal Crossing: New Horizons Could Make Fishing More Fun

In an effort to improve upon this Animal Crossing peripheral, a novice app developer going by the handle GappsGuy crafted the NookPhone Companion app, which they are currently promoting on Reddit. Unlike other Animal Crossing smartphone add-ons, the utility of this application is much more than skin-deep; the NookPhone Companion interface is almost one-to-one with that of the in-game NookPhone in terms of both aesthetics and features and allows players to engage with the world of Animal Crossing in more profound ways.

Upon downloading this app and linking it with a valid Nintendo Switch, players can make use of its countless features. Just like in the game, users can keep track of all the fish and bugs they've encountered via a recreation of the Critterpedia. This companion app also features a detailed list of all available DIY recipes, making it easy to plan crafting projects on the go. Through the villager list, players can read about the lives and personalities of their charming (or less-than-charming) island residents. Other cool features, like the interactive flower guide, are sure to be a big help to players looking to polish their Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience.

Historically, Nintendo has not been too friendly to independent creators looking to transform or iterate upon its wide catalog of intellectual properties. The NookPhone Companion app is currently available to download for free on iOS and Android devices, but there is an option to pay to remove ads. Since this could be seen as profiting off of Nintendo IP, this fan-made app might not last long in any official capacity. Hopefully, everything is found to be above board so Animal Crossing fans can continue to make use of this practical and fun extension of the game.

Next: Animal Crossing's Best Perspective Design Tricks

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is currently available on Nintendo Switch.

Source: GappsGuy/Reddit