Animal Crossing: New Horizon players are making quick use of the new Super Mario themed items, utilizing the warp pipes to dodge wasps across their island paradises. This new strategy has become the go-to for players who have shaken one too many trees and stirred the wrath of these terrifying bugs.
Wasps are one of the few specimens of wildlife in Animal Crossing that can cause the player any harm, along with tarantula spiders and scorpions. While tarantulas and scorpions also chase down the player’s character, wasps won’t knock the player out, instead causing the character’s face to swell up in reaction to the wasp stings. In order to reverse the effect of the wasp stings, players need to use medicine that can be bought from Nook’s Cranny/Nookling Junction or crafted with some weeds and a wasp nest.
The latest update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons introduced Super Mario themed items that can be purchased and used to decorate player’s island home. The update included outfits, brick blocks, coins, stars, chomps and shells from the popular franchise. It also included the warp pipes introduced in the very first Super Mario Bros game. These warp pipes are more than just decorative; they double as a method of transporting characters from one pipe to the other, just as they do in Super Mario Bros. As fans of the series started experimenting with how to best make use of the warp pipes, typhanniem on Reddit (via Game Rant) realized that they could be used to avoid troublesome wasps.
Players are now bypassing the dangerous wasps completely thanks to the new warp pipes, letting them escape being stung. Previously, players would need to run to the nearest building and try to get inside before the wasps caught up to them, or to catch them in a net, but this strategy was risky as just one mistake would allow the wasps to string the player. When diving was added to the game, players were able to dive into the ocean to escape, but this involved already having a diving suit equipped.
While being stung may not seem like such a hassle, there are some ramifications to falling victim to a wasp attack. The animal inhabitants of the island will react differently towards the player while their face is swollen, freaking out and sometimes insulting the player’s appearance. If a player is stung a second time, they will pass out and be returned to their home. Players should note that being stung twice in this fashion is a requirement to unlock a Nook Miles stamp.
Some players may find this method effective for checking their island's trees for treasure every day and avoiding trouble. The strategy all depends on where the player places their warp pipes, as only two pipes can be placed on each island. Some players have even placed one pipe inside their home as a quick method of getting back to their home to use the storage or crafting benches. Hopefully, Nintendo won’t patch this exploit and instead allow it to become a new feature of the game for fans to enjoy.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on the Nintendo Switch now.