It's All Fun and Games!
Animal Crossing is a video game series created by Nintendo back in 2001, with many iterations since for different consoles. The game was first released for Nintendo 64, and became widely popular during the GameCube era. The latest release, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, has been rediscovered by many on the Nintendo Switch, thanks to the adorable graphics and calming gameplay.
The game essentially requires players to develop an island, which starts out looking pretty much the same as all the others, and making it as personalized as desired. There are many ways in which your island can be unique: Each island naturally grows its own flowers and fruits, and to get new ones you must trade with friends, which is another attractive quality of the game. You can also earn different gifts from villagers, who also vary from island to island.
One of the most outstanding things about the latest release is the clean, aesthetic, pastel-colored graphics. It’s such a beautiful game that it’s not surprising that fans have brought the game’s graphics into reality, thanks to 3D printing.
If you want to bring your Animal Crossing world to life but don’t have the setup to print yourself, check out Craftcloud by All3DP. With professional partners around the world shipping straight to your door, you’ll be building a 3D island in no time.
Characters
One of the most adorable things about the game is its characters. As mentioned before, the characters vary from island to island and each island is unique for every Nintendo Switch.
There are many different characters with different personality types. Some are common, others are pretty rare to get, but here we’re presenting the best ones to 3D print!
Timmy & Tommy
Timmy and Tommy are Animal Crossing characters who work in the town’s store. They’re both raccoons and apprentices of Tom Nook (we’ll get to him next). In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Timmy is useful for buying and selling items, while Tommy walks around giving tips.
These models come in two separate files and can be printed along with the Nook’s Cranny, which we’ve included later in the list.
Who made it? 潘海宁
How popular/printable is it? This pair of models has eight likes and four collects on Pinshape. Both will require supports, but be very careful when removing them as the models are quite small.
Where to get it? Pinshape
Tom Nook
Toom Nook is one of the most, if not the most, important characters in Animal Crossing. Originally he managed the town shop, but in New Leaf he opened Nook’s Homes, a real state agency, while Timmy and Tommy took over the shop.
More recently, in New Horizons, Tom Nook became the owner of Nook Inc., which runs many businesses across the island. He’s basically the leader of the island as he is the task giver and island upgrader.
Who made it? TroySlatton3D
How popular/printable is it? This model has 618 downloads on MyMiniFactory. It will require supports and a minimum 10% infill is recommended.
Where to get it? MyMiniFactory, Thingiverse
Isabelle
Isabelle is a special character who debuted in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Special characters are those who work in the stores, museums, and other town buildings. As such, everyone sees the same special characters. Isabelle is a dog who, in New Leaf, worked as the secretary of the town’s mayor (the player).
In New Horizons, she starts by working for Nook Inc., but if the player advances enough, a Town Hall will be built for the player and Isabelle takes on a role similar to that in New Leaf.
Who made it? Jaons
How popular/printable is it? There are two Makes and three Remixes of this model so far. As with the other characters, you’ll probably need supports for a successful print.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Raymond
Raymond, unlike the previous characters, is a villager instead of a special character, which means he lives on the island but doesn’t work in any of the businesses. This well-dressed cat is a new character that was introduced in New Horizons.
Villagers can have many personality types, which offer different advantages. Raymond is smug, which is the least common personality type in the game. He’s very polite and will generally get along with you and most other villagers.
Who made it? skelei
How popular/printable is it? Raymond has been downloaded 382 times. You’ll need to activate supports, and it’s recommended to print with a 0.12-mm layer height.
Where to get it? Cults, Thingiverse
Marina
Marina is an octopus villager with a “normal” personality, which means she’s kind to the player and mostly not opinionated. Her name refers to the fact that she’s a sea creature, and her hobby in New Horizons is music, which means you will usually find her singing in the plaza, near a stereo, or while staring at her reflection in the water.
Who made it? skelei
How popular/printable is it? This cute octopus has 67 downloads, and it’s recommended to use both a brim and supports.
Where to get it? Cults
Player Avatar
In Animal Crossing, the player is the only human avatar to be found on the island, with the exception of other players who might be visiting. A curious fact is that all players have a mom and dad who occasionally send letters, so while they’re never seen, it’s assumed there must be other humans out there.
Players are highly customizable and the one shown here is only a taste of all that’s possible. Some careful painting will make your 3D avatar look just like in the game!
Who made it? Vanguard3000
How popular/printable is it? This model has one Make shared, and it requires supports and a raft. It’s recommended to use a high infill density because the neck is quite slim, so it should help you avoid accidentally decapitating your model!
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Structures
Aside from the villager house, which you get as you advance and make more villagers want to move to your island, there are seven buildings and facilities that you can get in the game. Some you have from the start, and others you’ll unlock as you advance in the game. Some, like Resident Services, you unlock when you get three new villagers to move into your island, and others, like the airport, are available from the start.
We’ve gathered here four of the best structures from the game so that you can print your own IRL Animal Crossing island.
Player Starter House
In Animal Crossing, the house is the player’s main building, which they can expand and personalize as they go. Before getting the Resident Services, the player must live in a tent, but once this building is unlocked, the house can be bought from Tom Nook through a mortgage plan. When the mortgage is paid, the player can then expand their house, even customizing details like the type of roof it has.
Who made it? hellorocio
How popular/printable is it? This model has eight Makes and three Remixes so far. It prints in two parts, with the roof designed to snap to the walls, and you’ll need supports activated.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Advanced Player's House
This is one of the many ways in which you can personalize your house once you’ve advanced in the game. As can be seen in the image, you can expand the size, change the roof, door, and windows. In the game, you must pay Tom Nook through the post office to expand your house.
Who made it? Keegan
How popular/printable is it? This model has 132 downloads and it’s composed of 4 parts, some of which require supports. It’s noted by the creator that if you scale it down, some details might become too fragile.
Where to get it? PrusaPrinters
Outdoor Picnic Set
As you expand your island, you can create many different structures, sculptures, and spaces to hang out in, such as this beautiful picnic set. This design has 15 files to print, including a tablecloth-covered table and many foods and decorations. There’s even an adorable bike with a basket!
Who made it? hellorocio
How popular/printable is it? This model has one Make shared, and some of the parts will need supports.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Nook's Cranny
Nook’s Cranny, which we’ve mentioned a couple of times already, is a very important building in the game. This is where you can get most of your furniture, seeds, DIY recipes, and tools that you need to advance your village. Once you upgrade from a tent to a house, you can talk to Timmy inside the Resident Services and, once you bring him the materials, Nook’s Cranny will be built.
Who made it? 潘海宁
How popular/printable is it? This design has 6 collects and 946 views so far. The walls are printed separate from the roof, as well as the sign and the side shed.
Where to get it? Pinshape
Switch Accessories
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released exclusively for Nintendo Switch, so it would make sense that people who play the game will also have a Switch ripe for customization. Here, we’ve gathered some Animal-Crossing-themed accessories to keep your Nintendo Switch in top shape, and to enhance your gaming experience.
Joy-Con Grip
A Nintendo Switch is an attractive device because it can be used as a portable console for a single player, or it can be plugged into a screen to play with friends. If, however, you want to play by yourself with your Switch connected to a screen, this Joy-Con adapter will come in very handy. It’s available with the Animal Crossing leaf, the gyroid, or the Dodo Airlines logo.
If you have any issues with fit, the creator recommends not forcing your Joy-Cons into the grip, and instead scaling to 103% to allow more room. The file can be printed without supports, but you might prefer to use them to be on the safe side.
Who made it? sunballer
How popular/printable is it? Six people have shared Makes of this model. It was originally printed with Elegoo resin, but other makers have successfully printed with PLA.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Switch Lite Charging Stand
The Nintendo Switch Light is a less expensive version of the Switch that’s available in many colors. With the Lite, you’ll get a portable handheld console with access to games designed for Switch. However, the Joy-Cons aren’t removable and you can’t connect to a screen.
As the Lite is only charged via cable, rather than with a dock like the regular Switch, having a charging stand comes in handy. With this stand, you can leave your Nintendo Switch Lite charging in a safe place. Print it in a fun color to match (or clash with) your Switch Lite!
Who made it? TheFronk
How popular/printable is it? This model has 10 Makes in a huge range of colors. There’s also a Remix that widens the stand to fit a regular Switch.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Joy-Con Grip and Stand
This is a different model of Joy-Con grip, which mimics the original grip designed by Nintendo, but holds the Joy-Cons at a steeper angle so it’s more comfortable. This design includes small supports in the back so it can stand on its own, and it also has the Animal Crossing leaf to show off your favorite game.
Who made it? Bassgamer
How popular/printable is it? This model has three Makes, which all look to be of very good quality. As with the previous Joy-Con model, it’s recommended to scale the model up slightly to avoid the fit being too tight.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Decorations & Accessories
Because you can never have too much Animal Crossing in your life, we’ve gathered here the most interesting Animal-Crossing-inspired accessories so that you can print and sprinkle them into your everyday life. From keychains to planters, these accessories will show off how much of a gamer and a maker you truly are.
Dodo Airlines Keychain
Dodo Airlines is a building in Animal Crossing that’s run by (you guessed it) two dodos called Orville and Wilbur. Providing a service that allows players to visit other islands, this building is in the game from the start. It doesn’t have to be unlocked, and its location is fixed.
This keychain, which has the Dodo Airlines logo in it, comes in two options, one small keychain with only the bird, and one bigger keychain with the full logo.
Who made it? sunballer
How popular/printable is it? This model has one shared Make, and it should be quick and easy to print.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Fossil Box
A feature introduced in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the ability to find and collect fossils and showcase them in a museum. When a fossil is first found, it appears as a blue piece of rock with an ammonite and stars engraved on them, which means the fossil is unidentified. It’ll remain like this until it’s been assessed, which can be done by sending the fossil to the Faraway Museum to be studied.
Who made it? NanoCodeBug
How popular/printable is it? This model has 11 Makes and it’s compatible with dual extrusion, but it can also be printed as separate pieces with a single extruder and then glued together.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Gyroid Planter
Gyroids are furniture items in Animal Crossing, even though they may not seem so. They are peculiar in that they cannot be bought or crafted, they are instead found buried in random places, and each gyroid found is different from the others in sound and shape.
Gyroids are valuable items to sell in the game, but you can also place them in a room, which will pump up your HRA score. HRA stands for Happy Room Academy, a rating of the design displayed in your house.
Who made it? jcohen313
How popular/printable is it? This friendly gyroid planter has six Makes so far. It needs supports for the arms, and it’s recommended to use a minimum infill of 15%.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Leaf Keychain
The leaf bitten by a worm is perhaps the most representative symbol from Animal Crossing, which is curious because it doesn’t appear on the logo. However, as evidenced by previous items on this list, the leaf can be seen in almost every branded item. As such, it makes a subtle but representative keychain, to mark you as a fan of the game, while also displaying your 3D printing capabilities.
Who made it? MrRadio
How popular/printable is it? This model has two Makes, it’s quite simple to print and it doesn’t need any supports.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Pocket Vintage Camper
The vintage camper is a miscellaneous item that was introduced in New Horizons, which can be unlocked if you link the game to Pocket Camp, the free mobile game. You can buy it at Nook’s Cranny for 1,500 bells, and you can choose from 6 options, which you can then also customize.
Who made it? ehdrien
How popular/printable is it? There are three Makes shared on Thingiverse, and it’s more complex than it looks! The model is made up of 11 files, some of which need supports, and which will have to be meticulously assembled after printing and post-processing.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Lead image source: dcdalrymple via Thingiverse
License: The text of "Animal Crossing 3D Print: 15+ Models for Your IRL Island" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.