Nintendo's latest update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons brings swimming and diving to the game. Summer Update - Wave 1's new mechanics are joined by a few other features that change Animal Crossing: New Horizons' gameplay, along with a new character: the scallop-trading sea otter, Pascal.
Both swimming and diving made their Animal Crossing debuts in the 3DS' New Leaf. After obtaining a Wet Suit, players could plunge underwater to collect Deep-Sea Creatures like lobsters and giant isopods. The New Horizons summer update reveal showed the return of the Wet Suit, but it looks like swimming and diving could see a couple changes from how they worked in New Leaf.
A trailer Nintendo released to announce the swimming shows off the other new features headed to New Horizons with the first summer update. Here's everything coming to the game soon, as well as how it could change players' routines.
Everything Coming In Animal Crossing: New Horizons Summer Update - Wave 1
Pascal & The Mermaid Set
When players obtain a scallop via the diving activity (more on that below), they'll have a chance of encountering Pascal the otter. He'll ask players if he can have the creature in exchange for a DIY recipe. These DIYs grant mermaid-themed items, like a dresser, wall clock, and more.
Pirate Gulliver
After downloading the update, the seagull Gulliver's normal visits take on a new form. He'll now occasionally wash up on players' shores wearing a pirate outfit, which promises new dialogue and new rewards after players help him out. It's not clear if players will still be collecting Gulliver's communicator parts or engaging in a new scavenger hunt, though.
Swimming, Diving, And Sea Creatures
The main attraction in the first summer update is the new water-based activities. Whereas diving was limited to Wet Suit-wearing players in New Leaf, the New Horizons trailer shows a player hopping into the water with just a normal bathing suit. Later, a more traditional, Wet Suit-clad diving experience appears, complete with a net blocking players from swimming too far away from the island, so it seems there could be multiple types of diving available. Players can also swim visiting with friends via multiplayer.
While diving, players can discover new animals to donate to Blathers' museum. The trailer shows just a few of these, but the following animals from Animal Crossing: New Leaf (via the Animal Crossing Wiki) will likely also be available:
- Spotted Garden Eel
- Giant Isopod
- Chambered Nautilus
- Lobster
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Acorn Barnacle
- Seaweed
- Sea Grapes
- Turban Shell
- Sea Slug
- Scallop
- Octopus
- Abalone
- Oyster
- Ear Shell
- Clam
- Pearl Oyster
Combined, these activities will likely give New Horizons players much more to do, both alone and with friends. Collecting more museum donations, in particular, could provide significantly more playtime for those dedicated to "catching them all."
Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Summer Update - Wave 1 will come to Nintendo Switch on July 3, 2020.