Animal Crossing New Horizons: which platform plays it best?
What changes between Switch 2, Switch: resolution, FPS per mode, what each official store publishes and the FPS we measured on PC.
Quick verdict
On Switch 2, Animal Crossing New Horizons hits 2160p and loads in half the time; on Switch the game itself is the same.
What Switch 2 changes
The gap between the two versions fits in two lines: Switch 2 reaches 2160p upscaled from 1440p and halves loading times. No new display modes or frame rate targets have been published.
Identical content
Content does not separate the two consoles. Version 3.0.0 shipped the same day on Switch and Switch 2, with home storage at 9,000 items, the option to store trees, bushes and flowers, crafting up to 10 items at a time, materials pulled straight from storage, Resetti's Reset Service and up to 50 customisation kits per purchase.
It comes down to price
So this is a decision about price and hardware, not about the game.
Price on each platform
The best live offer for each version, every price with its format.
Final prices with fees
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Animal Crossing New Horizons on Switch and Switch 2: graphics comparison
- The Switch 2 version raises the resolution to 2160p upscaled from 1440p.
- Loading times are cut in half against Switch.
- Version 3.0.0 lands on both consoles the same day: what changes between them is the image and the loading, not the content.
- 3.0.0 raises home storage to 9,000 items and lets you store trees, bushes and flowers without losing them.
- It also allows crafting up to 10 items at a time, pulling materials straight from home storage.
- Resetti's Reset Service clears large areas of the island and sends the items to storage.
- You can buy up to 50 customisation kits at once, and the DIY app now lists requests from the hotel and from Tom Nook.
Full platform comparison
Resolution, modes and FPS come from the video analyses above. The rest is published by each platform's official store and by the game's technical sheet on PC. Where nobody publishes the figure we put a dash, not a guess.
| Feature | Switch 2 | Switch |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 2160p upscaled from 1440p | — |
| Loading times | Half of what they are on Switch | — |
| Version 3.0.0 | Yes | Yes |
| Home storage limit | 9,000 items | 9,000 items |
| Storing trees, bushes and flowers | Yes | Yes |
| Batch crafting | Up to 10 at a time | Up to 10 at a time |
| Materials pulled from home storage | Yes | Yes |
| Resetti's Reset Service | Yes | Yes |
| Customisation kits per purchase | Up to 50 | Up to 50 |
| DIY requests from the hotel and Tom Nook | Yes | Yes |
| New Island Life 101 tips and Nook Miles tasks | Yes | Yes |
Xbox is the Series X column unless Series S is stated. Resolution, modes, FPS, VRR and download size come from the videos; HDR, ray tracing and PC features from the technical sheet and the official Xbox catalogue.
Frequently asked questions about Animal Crossing New Horizons
What changes in Animal Crossing New Horizons on Switch 2?
Two things: resolution rises to 2160p upscaled from 1440p, and loading times are cut in half. The game content is the same as on Switch.
Does version 3.0.0 also reach Switch?
Yes. 3.0.0 shipped on both consoles the same day, with the same additions. What is exclusive to Switch 2 is the image and the loading.
What does version 3.0.0 add?
Home storage goes up to 9,000 items, you can store trees, bushes and flowers, you can craft up to 10 items at a time using materials straight from storage, Resetti's Reset Service arrives to clear large areas of the island, you can buy up to 50 customisation kits at once, and the DIY app lists requests from the hotel and from Tom Nook.
What frame rate does it run at on Switch 2?
No figure has been published. The video analysis only details resolution and loading times, so we are not giving an FPS number nobody measured.
Is the Switch 2 version worth buying?
If you play on Switch 2, yes: same save, more resolution and half the waiting on loads. If you stay on Switch you miss no content, because 3.0.0 is identical on both.
Can I move my island from Switch to Switch 2?
There is an upgrade pack to the Switch 2 edition for players who already own the game, and that is the route Nintendo laid out for the jump. The transfer itself is handled by the console.
Does it look better in Switch 2 handheld mode?
The analysis does not split handheld and docked: it gives one resolution figure, 2160p upscaled from 1440p, plus the loading improvement. Without our own measurement we do not separate the two modes.
Is there a PC, PS5 or Xbox version?
No. Animal Crossing New Horizons only exists on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, so the comparison stays between those two.
Which one is cheapest?
The cheapest key is on Switch. Above it sits Switch 2. Prices move every day: the live ones are on each version’s page. Watch out for account offers, cheaper because they are not a purchase in your name.
Video analysis by El Analista de Bits. The videos play from their own channel. PC data according to PCGamingWiki and our own FPS measurements; Xbox features according to the official Microsoft catalogue.
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