Nintendo rolled out the latest update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons with version 1.4.0 and in it is a feature that lets players backup their save file, among others.
To tap on the game’s latest feature, players need to be on the latest version while having an active Nintendo Online Subscription.
[Announcement]
🎆 Weekly fireworks shows in August!
🛌 Visit other players’ islands in a dream!
💾 Island Backup & RestorationThe #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons Summer Update – Wave 2 lights up the sky on 7/30. #ACNH pic.twitter.com/aqxeH6utcJ
— Isabelle (@animalcrossing) July 28, 2020
A Simple Method
Choosing to backup a save file is a relatively straightforward process in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. To do so, simply run the game and wait for the main menu to appear. Once faced with a screen which prompts to press the “a” button, choose to press the “-” button instead.
The reason why that is so is not particularly hidden. Just by merely looking into the lower-left corner of the screen, players will inform themselves what the designated button is for. Particularly, to set a backup, especially if it is not already.
From there, players will get to meet a familiar face in the persona of Tom Nook who will facilitate the save file-backing process. But before asking you to enable the backup of your island, Tom will first introduce you to the tiny details of the mechanics.
Simply choose to enable the backup setting from there.
An Automated Process
Having your progress uploaded to Nintendo’s servers is an automated process that happens whenever you boot into the game. More than likely when the player gets back into the game after several minutes of break.
Players need not have to blindly trust that the system had their progress saved, however. The game itself will inform the player when was the last time it made a backup to the cloud. This is indicated by the date and time as seen on the lower-life side of the screen at the main menu.
A Major Setback
Despite the handy nature of the update, however, it does come with a major caveat. Particularly, concerning the retrieval of the backed-up save file as warranted.
Whereas other games will let you do so from the menu at whim, Nintendo employs a certain stricter rule before granting it. You have to do so via the Nintendo Support and with a compelling reason that the console has gone missing or is broken.
Backing a save file of Animal Crossing: New Horizon is indeed a very handy feature. However, retrieving a save file from the cloud appears to be a major pain.
Image used courtesy of GameSpot Trailers/YouTube Screenshot