The Fishing Tourney events in Animal Crossing: New Horizons allow players to earn prizes for fishing, but new prizes need to be added to keep the event interesting. Fishing in New Horizons can be a great way to the time, with different fish available to catch depending on the time of year. However, the Fishing Tourney event can make the leisurely activity more exciting, adding a short time limit and fish-themed prizes as an incentive to toss out a line.
The Fishing Tourney event happens four times a year in New Horizons. Players can participate in January, April, July, and October, each with different seasonal fish available to reel in. Unfortunately, like many events in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the Fishing Tourney has seen few changes since the game's initial release in 2020. Because of this, longtime players have likely obtained every interesting prize item offered in exchange for Fishing Points.
Currently, there is a fair selection of items that New Horizons players can obtain using Fishing Points. Aquatic decorations like the Anchor Statue, Fish Doorplate, and Fresh Cooler allow players to show their angler skills in homes or around islands. There are also clothing items like the Fish Pochette, Fish-Print Tee, and Fish Umbrella that allow players to incorporate the hobby into personal styles. However, many of these items are very simple, lacking different fish species' colorations or appearances, making the entire selection fairly boring compared to other event-related items in New Horizons.
New Prizes Would Make Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Fishing Tourney Fresh In 2022
To help make Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Fishing Tourney interesting and fun after more than two years of the same event prize list, Animal Crossing: New Horizons could add new "expert" level decorative items. These prizes could unlock after earning a certain number of Fishing Points and could include interesting new furniture, clothing, and accessories for players to collect. A Pochette shaped like a pufferfish would help add variety to the plain fish items currently included, while an octopus sofa could be the perfect accent piece for an aquatic living room design. New Horizons could also add mythical items based on mermaids, Lochness, or selkies, offering a fantasy flair to the more practical prizes already available.
Additionally, Animal Crossing: New Horizons should add new challenges with different prize brackets to Fishing Tourney Events. This could include a competition for the most fish donated to Blathers, the most shellfish dug up on the beach, or the most treasure found while diving in the water around player islands. These tasks could also include a time limit and could introduce new prizes unique to each challenge. These additions would give those wanting to participate in the event a variety of new event tasks to enjoy, and make Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fishing Tourney days more interesting for both new and long-term fans of the game.