Today, Animal Crossing fans are coming together to relish the fact that all the snow has melted from their islands – if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, that is, as the Southern Hemisphere will get snow in May.
Unfortunately, it does mean the inevitable death of everyone’s favorite judgmental snow person.
While I’m happy to run around my island without needing a thick coat or winter boots (yes, I know, I wouldn’t need them anyway, I just like to coordinate with the weather), I can’t help but be a little grumpy since the game is telling me that it’s Spring when, in reality, I’m lucky if the temperatures are in double digits in real life.
I just had a snowstorm at home, Isabelle, what do you mean you saw a clump of bamboo while you were outside? What do you mean my villagers aren’t wearing winter hats anymore? What do you mean the groundhog always gives you an early Spring, no matter what?
You mean I’m guaranteed to have this by the end of February? Forever?!
How do I acquire a ticket to “guaranteed spring in February” because…
What do the warmer seasons mean in Animal Crossing?
Honestly, winter is a fun time in Animal Crossing. The DIY recipes that let you make ice furniture, snow walls, and Christmas items are a must, and the snow-covered greenery is pretty to look at. Spring, however, brings a host of great events, like the upcoming Festivale celebration on the 28th and, my favorite, Cherry Blossom Season that runs from April 1st to April 10th. April also means the return of Bunny Day and Zipper, the bunny mascot who I promise isn’t from Silent Hill. (Don’t quote me on that.)
While the seasonal change does, unfortunately, see the return of scorpions (not until May), as the weather gets warmer, we do start to see the arrival of the game’s most valuable critters. Summer, which begins in June, brings a lot of stag bugs that are worth a lot of bells. On the flip side, the ocean becomes full of sharks, which can net a lot of bells for your pockets, too.
Technically, you can still find a winter island…
If you missed out on some winter recipes, there’s still a chance you’ll be able to get them. Thanks to Kapp’n’s Boat Tours, you can end up on any kind of island, including one that’s in a different season than your own. What’s nice about the boat tours is that they generally give you one DIY recipe and one gyroid, so if you show up on an island where it’s snowing, you’ll probably get a snow recipe.
Of course, the tours are random, so you just have to hope that Kapp’n takes you to a winter wonderland. If not, there’s always the next trip (you can only do one a day), but hey, since there’s a Nook Mile Reward for taking a bunch of tours, it’s in your best interest to keep going, anyway – if you care about that sort of thing.
I should also add that the Happy Home Paradise DLC also does, technically, give you the ability to play with the weather. You get to pick what season you want your vacation home to be, so if you want someone to live in a snowy environment—even if it’s off-season—you can go turn an island surrounded by waterfalls into a winter wonderland.
Despite my exhaustion over zero-degree weather days and feeling bad for the pizza guy when I think we shoveled enough, but it’s started to snow again, I do adore Animal Crossing’s winter aesthetics. Fortunately, I have ways to go about enjoying them again … away from my Spring paradise, though. I’m reading for warm teddy bear picnics on the beach.
(Image: Nintendo)
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