Animal Crossing: New Horizons spring update launches March 18, adds Sanrio-themed items and residents, Custom Design enhancements, and seasonal items

Nintendo will release a free update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons on March 18, which adds Sanrio-themed items and residents through the Animal Crossing Sanrio Collaboration Pack amiibo cards, Custom Design enhancements, and new seasonal items, the company announced.

Here are the details, via Nintendo:

For the past year, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game for the Nintendo Switch system has offered the ability to transform a deserted island brimming with possibility into your own personal paradise. You have our appreciation for all the creativity and ingenuity you’ve poured into your islands since the game’s launch.

In fact, in the game’s first year, players around the world have uploaded over 12 million Custom Designs to the Custom Design Portal. We hope you continue to enjoy creating and sharing your designs for many more seasons to come, especially since the update will bring 50 additional custom design slots to both the Normal and Pro Custom Design modes! In addition, the free update on March 18 will add the following features to the game:

• 1st Anniversary Cake – Nook Inc. made a 1st Anniversary Cake to commemorate the occasion. It will be sent to your in-game mailbox after the update is installed.
• Sanrio Sweetness – Add some Sanrio sweetness to your island. Starting March 26, the Animal Crossing Sanrio Collaboration Pack will be available for purchase at Target stores across the U.S. at a suggested retail price of $5.99. You’ll be able use these six vibrantly designed amiibo cards to invite cute and colorful Animal Crossing residents inspired by popular Sanrio characters to your island, including Rita, Chai and Toby. These amiibo cards let you exchange bells for special Sanrio-themed furniture and fashion items in-game, too. You can even invite these characters to Harv’s Island for a fun photo session in Photopia.
• Custom Design Pro Editor + – The Custom Design app on your NookPhone is getting an upgrade! Use your Nook Miles at the Nook Stop in Resident Services to unlock the feature. It’ll provide a more robust set of features, allowing for the customization of umbrellas, small flags, uchiwa and photo stands. And with a new expansion of 50 slots added to both the Normal Custom Design mode and Pro Custom Design mode, you can truly let your imagination run wild!
• Custom Design Portal – You can now add the Custom Design Portal found in the Able Sisters store directly to your in-game NookPhone app. You’ll be able to use it any time inspiration strikes.
• Seasonal Items – Spring is in the air, and with the changing of the seasons comes a range of new seasonal items! Just in time for April Fool’s Day, a variety of colors of whoopee cushions can be ordered between March 26 and April 1 from the in-game Nook Shopping service. For something a little more elegant, you can prep for prom season with themed fashion items at the Able Sisters shop from April 1 to April 30. You can also order prom-themed items from Nook Shopping during this period, such as a prom night wall, prom night flooring and a prom stash. Never miss a chance to dance!

And in addition to the update, don’t forget to check out:

• Island Tour Creator – A new way to share your island with the world is on the way! The new Island Tour Creator launches on March 23 and is a limited-time web service currently planned to be available until the end of this year. It lets you use screenshots and footage captured in Animal Crossing: New Horizons to create a poster and trailer for your island. Share your favorite spots on your island or commemorate sentimental scenes to show off what makes your personal island so special. Find out more info on the official Animal Crossing Twitter account.
• Build-A-Bear Collaboration Coming Soon – Build-A-Bear Workshop will soon launch an Animal Crossing: New Horizons collection, exclusively online at buildabear.com. More details will be forthcoming, and we encourage fans to visit the Build-A-Bear website to be among the first to get more information.
• Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary-Themed Items – You may have noticed new items have been dispatched to Nook Shopping terminals in Animal Crossing: New Horizons this month. You’re now able to order clothing themed after familiar faces such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Wario. The Super Mushroom and the ? Block can also be ordered in-game as furniture items to spruce up your island with some Mario mirth. You can even use the new Warp Pipe items to travel between locations on your island. Why not try re-creating the Mushroom Kingdom?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now for Switch.