Cozy fans may be feeling a bit disappointed that there is still no announcement for a new game to follow Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) just yet, but that doesn't mean they don't have anything to do in the meantime. Proving, yet again, how creative the gaming community can be, many players have come up with unique challenges to try within ACNH in the meantime. Whether someone wants to start anew with a fresh island getaway package, or simply mix things up on an already established island, there are plenty of ideas to try within the current game.

We know that the choice to start on a new island in ACNH can be a difficult one that not everyone is prepared to do right now. Therefore, this list is designed to make it clear which of these challenges can be easily accomplished on islands that players may have been playing on for years already. However, the most intricate of challenges often require a clean slate with a new island. As always, any of these ideas may also be taken as inspiration for your own unique approach, which can sometimes be the most fun of all.

10 Specialized Seller Challenge

New Island Challenge

The Specialized Seller challenge in ACNH requires quite a lot of patience, and many struggle to finish the challenge due to its grind-like feeling. Completing this challenge requires a player to pay off all mortgages on their house, upgrading it to the max, through bells earned by only selling one type of item. This can be any item in the game, but only that one thing can earn money to go towards debt.

Players can choose for themselves what they want their money-making item to be, with common choices being turnips, local fruit, or a specific fish like Sea Bass. In some cases, people have allowed themselves to rotate the item to be a certain fish for each season, so that they are not locked out of earning money because their specific fish is not found.

9 Themed Island Challenge

Established Island Challenge

The Themed Island challenge is one that doesn't necessarily require an established island, but is much easier to do when the resources are already available. As the name suggests, the basic premise of this challenge is to pick a theme and run with it, covering every aspect of the island, including which villagers live there. It should be a clearly recognizable design when completed, and often these can make for some of the most fun Dream Islands for others to visit.

A few ideas to inspire you:

• Island water park
• Puppy island
• Cottagecore
• Horror film
• Carnival
• Jungle

The variety of items in the game, plus the chance to terraform and customize so many things, can provide the backdrop for imaginations to run wild. Pick something that you love, no matter how difficult it may seem to do, and just start looking for what could help create that feeling.

8 Farm-to-Table Challenge

To Be Done On An Island Starting At Three Stars

There are several variations for Farm-to-Table challenges, with perhaps the most popular one coming from Katie Cozyway on YouTube. Starting with an island at Three Star level, players should get rid of all furniture and bells to start from scratch. From there, players can only earn bells through selling crops and turnips, cooked dishes, and fish, as well as selling weeds to Leif.

In the challenge, the only thing players can gift to villagers are cooked dishes from crops. Obviously, because of these stipulations, farming crops is an important part of the experience, and it causes ACNH to take on a much stronger farming sim gameplay style. To increase the farm experience, villagers should include types who might be found on a farm, such as horse or sheep villagers.

7 100-Day Challenge

New Island Challenge

Starting a new island from scratch and racing against the clock is the focus of the 100-day challenge, as players try to see how much they can accomplish on a new island in 100 in-game days. Time traveling is allowed, although spending 100 real-world days is also good. To create more of a competition, two or more friends could start the challenge at the same time and compare at the end of 100 days to see who has done a better job in the limited time.

There are no rules or limitations beyond the timeframe here, which has led to some players combining this with other challenges for a more structured approach for both. However, simply pushing yourself to see how much can be accomplished by paying off debts, growing and decorating the island, and more can be plenty to keep one's attention.

6 The Nocturnal Challenge

Can Be Done On Established Or New Islands

Whether someone is a night owl themselves or simply likes the peace and quiet of a starry sky, the Nocturnal challenge is all about the island's nightlife. In this challenge, players can only be active in the game from 10pm to 5am. Nooks Cranny and Able Sisters are closed during these hours, adding to the challenge as that means these shopping locales are cut off.

Having the Night Owl Ordinance in effect can help make things a bit easier, as Nooks Cranny is open an hour later, and more of the villagers will be out and about in the night. Playing this way takes a different way of thinking, but there are still plenty of ways to be productive at night in ACNH.

5 Monochrome Island Challenge

Can Be Done On Established Or New Islands

Monochrome may bring to mind images of black and white islands, but actually this challenge is focused more on the literal sense of using only one color on the island. Not only are decorations to be that singular color, but villagers, flowers, and clothing should all reflect the chosen hue. Using custom designs and coloration options on items, players can create a world of pink or yellow or any other color that they wish, but nothing else is allowed.

Not only are decorations to be that singular color, but villagers, flowers, and clothing should all reflect the chosen hue.

In some cases, fans have decided to match their island to the color of their Dodo Airlines airport and seaplane. This can help take some of the decision process out of it, and add an even more monochromatic feel to the island.

4 Scavenger Hunt Dream Island Challenge

Established Island Challenge

Scavenger hunts in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are a good way for players who don't want to disturb their current, established island to be able to still enjoy a fun diversion from the norm. Made popular by ACNH streamer, NintenTalk, and others, this challenge involves traveling to other players' Dream Islands in search of finding certain things.

Players should start with a list of specific items to find within a certain time and set out to visit Dream Islands to try to find them all. Where possible, having multiple friends working together in teams or competing against each other can make this much more engaging of a challenge.

3 Rags To Riches Challenge

New Island Challenge

ACNH streamer, NintenTalk has created three very specific and unique challenges, which come in at numbers eight, nine, and ten on this list. First up is the Rags to Riches challenge. On a new island, players will pick a starting class of either forager, farmer, fashionista, or fugitive, each of which has specific rules to go with them as seen in the images above.

The number of rules and stipulations in the Rags to Riches challenge may seem overwhelming at first, with class rules, villager rules, economy rules, and daily rules. However, having a very specific list of end-game objectives and the focus that comes from each character class's abilities can completely transform the feeling of the game.

2 RPG Challenge

New Island Challenge

Next up is NintenTalk's alternate ACNH universe where Animal Crossing becomes an RPG. In this challenge, players are once again encouraged to restart with a fresh island and, like the Rags to Riches challenge, must pick a character class. Much of the basic premise is the same as the previous challenge, but the rules have changed. Choosing from Mage, Knight, Royal, or Jester, players must follow the specified rules for their class, including their outfit.

This Animal Crossing RPG challenge also features seven Quest Log items that must be completed to consider the challenge a success, although one of these is optional due to requiring multiplayer in order to complete it. This form of RPG-style gameplay essentially takes the backdrop of ACNH and uses it to create a new game within the game.

1 Hard Mode Challenge

New Island Challenge

Finally, we have NintenTalk's Hard Mode version of ACNH, which provides five categories of strict rules that make the game a truly challenging experience. Pat from NintenTalk goes over the rules in detail in the above YouTube video. These include things such as making players wear only custom clothes that must be changed each week, must complete all NPC quests, and more. Oh, and anyone participating must restart their islands with no Bells or materials.

While Hard Mode and many of these other challenges can make the game much more difficult, at its heart Animal Crossing: New Horizons will always remain a cozy experience that allows players to relax and enjoy a calming virtual world. Hopefully, challenges such as these will be helpful for anyone who may be feeling they are in a rut in the game or becoming bored with it while waiting for the next game in the series.

Sources: Katie Cozyway/YouTube, NintenTalk/YouTube (1, 2), NintenTalk/X