Favourite Animal Crossing Feature Returns, With a Sad Twist

After a long hiatus, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is back and alongside some exciting new content for players to enjoy, it also welcomes back a fan-favourite feature from the early 00s.

Yesterday Nintendo shocked players worldwide by announcing that 2020’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons would receive a brand-new update in January 2026.

This comes after Nintendo announced that the hit social simulation game would be receiving its final update back in November 2021 with its first and only DLC Happy Home Paradise.

However, it seems as though the company has had a chance of heart with Version 3.0 of Animal Crossing: New Horizons launching on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 next year.

Alongside multiplayer for up to 12 players, voice chat, a new hotel facility, a new island and much more, eagle-eyed fans will also notice that a beloved feature from the early Animal Crossing titles is back.

Available to purchase at Nook’s Cranny, players will be able to get their hands on some playable Super NES and Super Famicon games as pointed out by one Twitter user.

The idea of being able to play a game within a game was first introduced in Animal Crossing with players being able to dive into their favourite NES games so it seems as though the same thing will be possible as of January.

Nintendo

There's a catch

However, as with most good things these days, this new feature comes with a catch. You will have to pay. Sigh.

More specifically, you will have to have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to be able to access this new feature despite the fact that you are able to play these old-school games with a membership anyway.

Not only that but according to the information we have so far, it does not look like the full NES library will even feature in ACNH but instead just a small handful.

According to Nintendo, players will only be able to play a “select classic game on each system” and with just the Famicom, NES, and Game Boy spotted, that could mean just three games entirely.

However, there could be more at launch so it remains to be seen but I am sure that fans would have still appreciated being able to dive back into this nostalgic feature at no extra cost.

Nevertheless, Animal Crossing: New Horizons Version 3.0 drops on 15 January 2026 on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

• Animal Crossing officially returns in November, mark your calendars
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• Animal Crossing: New Horizons Free Expansion Adds Requested Feature 5 Years On