An Animal Crossing: New Horizons player has recreated the original Nook’s Cranny from the 2001 GameCube version of the game, adding some nostalgia to the 2020 Nintendo Switch release. This is just one of the many possible designs players can create using the tools provided in the recently-released Animal Crossing Happy Home Paradise DLC, and highlights the near-endless creative options offered by the latest installment in the beloved series.
Nook’s Cranny has gone through many changes over the course of the Animal Crossing franchise. The 2001 Nook’s Cranny started off as a very humble store only run by Tom Nook, whereas in New Horizons, the store is in the hands of Timmy and Tommy. In past games, Nook’s Cranny could eventually be upgraded into a department store with multiple floors called Nookington’s. However, this isn’t the case in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as Nook’s Cranny can only be upgraded once. While many were hoping for a multi-story Nook's Cranny on Switch, ACNH has had its last major update, and it doesn’t appear that the store will receive any additional upgrades.
Using Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Happy Home Paradise DLC, Reddit user HugeAccountant has recreated the original Nook’s Cranny for Tom Nook. It features all of the same details as the original 2001 shop, from the pots in the corner to all of the goodies that Tom Nook sells. Aside from tools, furniture, and flower seeds, the shop also has clothing and even umbrellas, and Tom Nook standing in the middle of it all, successfully capturing the ambiance of his humble origins.
See the post on Reddit here.
As one of the most recognizable buildings in Animal Crossing, fans have made many different iterations of Nook’s Cranny over the years, not just within the game but also in real life. One fan turned their son’s playhouse into ACNH's Nook's Cranny, while others have recreated the build with LEGO, and even used it as inspiration for custom Nintendo Switch docks. Whether it’s in-game or real life, fans have found many ways to pay tribute to Tom Nook’s store.
While shop upgrades for Animal Crossing: New Horizons were found in datamines, it seems the idea may have been scrapped by Nintendo. The fully upgraded Nookington’s seen in prior games offered a wide variety of goods, including the GracieGrace store in Animal Crossing: New Leaf that sold expensive clothing and furniture. The Nook’s Cranny in Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn’t as large as Nookington’s, but through designing in ACNH's Happy Home Paradise, it is possible for fans to pay homage with their creative builds. At the very least, such builds could recapture the same atmospheres as the original stores and would be a way for the nostalgic designs to find a way to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now on the Nintendo Switch.
Source: HugeAccountant/Reddit