Animal Crossing New Horizons Co-op - Local, Online Multiplayer

Local co-op and online multiplayer are the ways that you can play Animal Crossing New Horizons with friends. There’s a lot to cover when it comes to co-op in New Horizons. For example, how to play multiplayer co-op in Animal Crossing? How to play online and local wireless, what is the Best Friends list, how to use Party Play, how to voice chat and message friends, etc. Well, we’re gonna answer all your questions in our Animal Crossing New Horizons Co-op – Local, Online Multiplayer guide.

How to Play Co-op Multiplayer in Animal Crossing New Horizons – Party Play?

To play Animal Crossing New Horizons in co-op multiplayer, there are two avenues that you can pursue. The first one is local, couch multiplayer, or Party Play. You can have up to eight players living on the same island, and four of those players can play together at the same time. Since we’re talking couch co-op, all of this takes place on one system, with presumably just one copy of the game.

The other option is to play New Horizons in online multiplayer. Once again, up to eight players can live and play together. It has to be just one player’s island, of course. You can play online either through local wireless, or full-on online multiplayer with people all across the globe. Let’s explain how each of these methods work.

Animal Crossing New Horizons Online Co-op – How to Play Online & Local Wireless – Best Friends List

To play Animal Crossing New Horizons in online multiplayer co-op, either through local wireless or regular online, you have to invite people by heading to Dodo Airlines. Speak with Orville, and they’ll ask you whether you want to use local play or online play, so select the one you want. Mind you, every party you invite has to have their own Switch. You can invite friends freely, or people not on your friend list through the Dodo Code. This code generates automatically, and can be used only once. Once connected, you can also travel to other islands that others have made via Dodo Airlines.

Now, one more important aspect of online play is the Best Friends list. See, in order to have your island stay safe with other people on it, the game disables use of certain tools for people on your island, unless you put them on the list. So, use your NookPhone to access the Best Friends list and add those that you trust won’t mess your island up. Make sure to notify those that you add.

Couch Multiplayer Local Co-op in Animal Crossing New Horizons – How to Party Play?

To use Party Play to play local multiplayer couch co-op in Animal Crossing New Horizons, you have to use the Call Islander app on your NookPhone. However, you can only call the above-mentioned up-to-eight people living on the same island. You can call up to three people to play with. If you’re the one making the call, you’ll be the leader by default, and the others followers. You can swap leaders at any time, though.

We have to mention now that New Horizons does not offer split-screen. Instead, the camera will always focus on the leader. If one of the followers strays too far behind, they’ll pop back into existence next to the leader. Also, only the leader has the privilege of shopping. As for all the stuff that followers find, they’ll go straight into the Recycling Box in Resident Services, where they can later be picked up again.

How to Message & Voice Chat with Other Players in Animal Crossing New Horizons?

To text message and voice chat with other players in Animal Crossing New Horizons, you have to use the Nintendo Switch Online App. That’s the case with every Switch game, for better or worse. In this game, it’s called NookLink. To send texts, go into the app, then to Animal Crossing New Horizons (NookLink). From there, simply select Chat Keyboard. Mind you, you have to use your phone keyboard to text. For the Voice Chat, you have to follow the same steps, just select Voice Chat when you come across it. Again, it all goes through your phone.

You can also use the NookPhone to text. Press R to bring up the option to do so. As for where you can see all the texts you’ve sent or received, use the Chat Log app.

For more information on Animal Crossing New Horizons, you can check out some of our other guides on the matter. For example, we’ve written articles like How to Choose Island and How to Time Travel, with more coming, so stay tuned.