Nintendo announces free store credit and surprise Animal Crossing update

Of course, the main incentive to play video games is to have fun and escape from our worldly woes even for a brief moment but it’s always nice to receive a bonus of free store credit that we can spend how we please.

For years, Nintendo has had its own rewards scheme that comes in the form of Gold and Platinum points. Gold points are awarded for buying major titles on the Nintendo Switch that can be redeemed as a discount on future digital purchases via the eShop while Platinum points can be redeemed against various free goodies.

Check out the Animal Crossing: New Horizons trailer below!

To earn Platinum all you have to do is complete easy objectives such as questionnaires on current Nintendo topics or video games that you have recently purchased. Platinum points can also be earned by playing mobile games such as Super Mario Run.

Once you’ve accumulated the required amount of Platinum points you can then spend them on My Nintendo Rewards on items such as a Paper Mario: Thousand-Year Door notebook, Pikmin 4 keyrings, a Mario vs. Donkey Kong mobile phone ring, and much more. Seriously, it’s worth checking out My Nintendo Rewards from time to time because it often includes items that cannot be purchased at retail.

Yet, if you wanted more fun ways to earn Platinum points and if you’re a fan of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, then this upcoming event is for you. Nintendo has announced the ‘Animal Cross: New Horizons - Aquarium Tour’ which will not only allow you to learn more about the characters of the game but you’ll also be able to meet them too.

What’s more, you will have the opportunity to attend a meet-and-greet with Isabelle, K.K. Slider and Tom Nook (hopefully, the latter won’t trick you into accepting an extortionate loan). However, that is not all, because all attendees will be gifted with 100 Platinum points.

The dates for the ‘Animal Cross: New Horizons - Aquarium Tour’ are as follows:

• Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach (South Carolina) - 14 June to 11 August
• Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans (Louisiana) - 21 June to 14 September
• Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta (Georgia) - 1 August to 26 September
• Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport (Oregon) - 26 August to 20 October
• New England Aquarium in Boston (Massachusetts) - 21 September to 14 December
• SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium in Tempe (Arizona) - 4 October to 17 November
• Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga (Tennessee) - 21 December to 28 February 2025

Sadly, as suggested by the dates above, the ‘Animal Cross: New Horizons - Aquarium Tour’ is only happening in the United States and not elsewhere, at the time of writing. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is out now on the Nintendo Switch.