Wanting to build some paths around your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Here’s everything you need to know.
Surprisingly, you can build paths very early on in your Animal Crossing: New Horizons career. It’s not something you’ll unlock by talking to Tom Nook. You can do it yourself – you simply need to use the Custom Designs app on your Nook Phone.
This method means it’s not as easy as, say, placing a regular item or putting flooring down in your home. But it does mean you have utmost control over where your paths go and exactly what your paths will look like.
First, you need to click ZL to bring up your Nook Phone menu. Choose ‘Custom Designs’. Here, you can either use a pre-existing design or make your own. If you want to make your own, choose a blank tile, click it, and select “change design”.
Now you have a suite of design tools in front of you in order to make your path however you want. Perhaps you’ll use the circle tool to go for a cobblestone effect (as I did!) or you could simply settle for a solid colour. Once you’re done designing, click the ‘+’ button, give your design a name, then click ‘+’ again to confirm and save.
To place a path, you’ll want to be stood in the approximate location you want the path to appear. In the Custom Designs app, select the design you want, and press A. Choose ‘Display on Ground’. The pattern will appear in the square nearest to where you’re stood. You can keep pressing it, and it’ll fill the 9 squares closest to your Villager. Simply move around your island where you want the path to appear, and repeat this process.
It’s a little laborious, but it’s worth it when your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island is filled with beautiful paths. Experiment with designs and decoration too – maybe edge your paths with trees or plants to inject even more style to your island.
Looking for more Animal Crossing: New Horizons how-tos? Visit our full guides round-up here.
