AC:HHD Gameplay & Tips

As I play through the game, I’ll post my own tips and tricks below! If you don’t want to be spoiled, steer clear of this page. Here’s a list of the sections below (command or ctrl + F):

• Villager Requests
• Unlock Facilities
• Quick Tips
• Unlocking new items and customization options
• Designing larger homes for villagers
• Happy Home Handbook

If you want to contribute to this page, feel free to contact me using the form on the left!

Special thanks to the following people for contributing: Kris, Quinus, Kurlyswirl

---

Villager Requests

The list of Villager requests has been combined with the Item Unlock page. To quickly find a villager, command/ctrl + F.

Unlock Facilities

[Side note: I do the public facilities as soon as I get them.]

School: After designing three homes (not including Lottie’s tutorial room), Tom Nook will introduce Isabelle to the player character. Take on another request (your fourth design) and advance the day. Isabelle will then stop by and discuss the first official town project.

Becoming project leader: After designing six homes, Tom Nook will approach you at the start of the next business day and ask you to become a project leader. The next business day, you’ll talk to Isabelle again who will inform you that you can build a shop, cafe, or a hospital.

2nd Wave of Facilities: After finishing the three main facilities (shop, cafe, and hospital) and completing at least nine home designs, Isabelle will be back the next business day. You’ll unlock a business office, restaurant, department store, or shop. In the same conversation, she’ll tell you that you can now expand the school as well.

Rebuild Facility:  After finishing the 2nd wave of facilities ending with the school expansion, I was visited by Isabelle who told me that she would be overlooking public facilities, but her brother will be assisting the player in any redesigns. Rebuilding a facility does not destroy the interior as long as you’re upgrading in size. If you downsize, the game tries to keep your original design but some items along the fringe might be deleted.

3rd Wave of Facilities: The 3rd wave of facilities is unlocked after unlocking the “Rebuild Facility” feature above, plus advancing one business day. Isabelle will be back to tell you that you can build a concert hall or a hotel.

Quick TIPs

• While holding the L or R shoulder buttons, tap on an item to replicate it.
• Want to give your music a unique sound? Instead of a regular stereo, use the Music Box item (which is also in the same section; unlocked by designing the Concert Hall). It gives the K.K. songs a nice “chiming” effect!
• When choosing where to place a villager’s new home, tap the same square again to change the weather.
• Need to save in the middle of a renovation? Press the start button!
• Want to change the main photo for a client? You’ll have to go back to that facility or house and take a photo then. At the bottom, click the client book and you’ll have the option to choose which image to use as your main photo.
• Not all villagers who want homes will be directly in front of Nook’s Homes. Once you have more public facilities unlocked, they might be standing on the lower level of the town plaza. Be sure to check everywhere! There are usually around three of them to choose from.

Unlocking new items & Customization options

While the majority of the furniture items will be unlocked when you complete design requests from visitors, don’t neglect the Happy Home Handbook, given to you by Tom Nook. After reading through a “lesson,” players will be able to customize their windows, be able to use ceiling items, and much more. Each lesson costs play coins to unlock and you can only learn one lesson per day.

Designing Larger homes for villagers

When you ask a villager if you can redesign their house, choose “new house” to go through the process of choosing a new layout and choose “a bigger house” when prompted. The first time you redesign their house, you can choose between one room and two rooms. The second time you redesign their house (don’t forget to choose “new house” again), you can choose between two rooms and three room layouts.

The first three-room layout has a second floor, while the second three-room layout has a basement.

Note: Some villagers have different layouts available right from the get-go. For example, when choosing a house layout for Henry (a contemplative train trip), I had layouts with basements and 2nd floors, as well as different 1 floor layouts.

Happy home handbook

[For more information, check out my blog post about the HHH here] There are 14 lessons in total. When you first receive the handbook, Tom Nook will give you the first lesson for free, but the rest can be purchased using play coins. Purchasing lessons will unlock items you can use in your designs, as well as other design options. You can only “learn” one lesson a day, but can re-read them as many times as you want. Here is a list of them. Based on the name alone, you can probably guess what they unlock but I’ll add some notes:

1. Ceiling Decor – this adds the ability to use items that hang from the ceiling.
2. Custom Designs – this allows you to make your own designs that can be used as furniture patterning (where applicable), tiles, etc.
3. Even More Designs – this unlocks the QR Code machine on the second floor of Nook’s Homes (it’s the sewing machine near the door).
4. Windows and More – unlocking this will allow you to choose window, door, and curtain designs.
5. Sound Scenery – unlocks the ability to choose ambient sounds, like waves, general chatter, jungle sounds, etc.
6. Refurbishing – this allows you to edit certain furniture items by changing their colour, fabric, and more.
7. Happy Home Camera – unlocks a camera that can be positioned around the room, giving you better control over the image. Great for taking photos!
8. World Insects – unlocks insects.
9. World Fish – unlocks fish and other aquatic items.
10. Ancient Fossils – unlocks dinosaurs and fossils.
11. Gyroids – unlocks Gyroids.
12. Art Collection – unlocks paintings (item and wall item), as well as statues and other artifacts.
13. Choosing a Layout – allows players to choose different floor designs, such as bigger rooms or two-room layouts.
14. Styling Machine – allows players to use the styling machine on the second floor of Nook’s Homes. The machine can be used to change your character’s look, such as facial features and hair.