How to Unlock Shovel Animal Crossing: Your Guide to…

So, you’ve just landed on your very own deserted island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, full of dreams of terraforming, fossil hunting, and, of course, digging up treasure. But there’s one essential tool missing from your inventory: the shovel! It’s frustrating, isn’t it? You’re ready to start planting those beautiful flowers and unearthing ancient secrets, but you can’t dig a single hole.

Don’t worry, fellow islander! Unlocking the shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a core part of your early game progression. It’s not hidden behind some obscure quest or a rare event. In fact, it’s one of the first major tool upgrades you’ll get. We’re here to guide you step-by-step through the process, ensuring you get your trusty shovel in hand as quickly as possible so you can start shaping your island paradise.

Getting Your First Shovel: The Flimsy Shovel

The journey to unlocking your first shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is straightforward and tied directly to your island’s initial development. This isn’t a tool you can buy or find randomly; it’s a reward for progressing through the early stages of Tom Nook’s “Deserted Island Getaway Package.” Your first shovel will be the Flimsy Shovel, a basic but essential tool for many early-game activities.

Step 1: Arrive on Your Island and Meet Tom Nook

Upon arriving on your island, Tom Nook will guide you through the initial setup. You’ll be given a tent, a NookPhone, and a few basic crafting recipes. The key here is to engage with Tom Nook and follow his instructions. He’ll want to see you settle in and start making your island feel like home.

Step 2: Gather Resources for Your First Tools

Tom Nook will soon task you with gathering materials to craft your first set of tools. This is where the foundation for your shovel is laid. He’ll ask you to collect Wood from trees. You’ll need to use your Flimsy Axe (which you’ll craft with his help) to chop down trees and gather different types of wood: Hardwood, Softwood, and Coniferous Wood.

Step 3: Crafting the Flimsy Net and Fishing Rod

Before you get the shovel, Tom Nook will likely have you craft a couple of other essential tools first. These are the Flimsy Net (for catching bugs) and the Fishing Rod (for catching fish). These are often prerequisites to unlocking the DIY recipe for the Flimsy Shovel, as they teach you the basic crafting mechanics via the NookPhone’s DIY Recipes app.

Step 4: Tom Nook’s Request for the Museum

The pivotal moment for obtaining your shovel recipe comes when Tom Nook decides he wants to establish a museum on your island. To do this, he needs Blathers, the museum curator, to move in. Blathers requires a certain number of unique creatures (fish and bugs) to be donated to him before he’ll agree to set up shop.

Step 5: Donating to Tom Nook

You’ll need to catch a variety of bugs and fish. Once you’ve accumulated a few, head back to Tom Nook. He will then instruct you to donate these creatures to him. He’ll take them to his tent and then tell you that he’s going to contact Blathers. This donation is the trigger for Blathers’ arrival.

Step 6: Blathers Arrives and Offers the Shovel Diy Recipe

After you’ve made your donations, Tom Nook will inform you that Blathers is on his way. The next day (or sometimes later the same day, depending on game progression), Blathers will set up his tent. When you speak to him, he will express his gratitude and offer you the DIY recipe for the Flimsy Shovel as a thank you for helping him get started.

Step 7: Crafting Your Flimsy Shovel

Now that you have the recipe, it’s time to craft your Flimsy Shovel! You’ll need 3 pieces of Iron Nugget. If you haven’t found any Iron Nuggets yet, you can usually find them by hitting rocks on your island with a Stone Axe or a regular Axe. Be sure to hit each rock multiple times throughout the day, as they respawn.

Once you have the Iron Nuggets, head to a DIY workbench (you’ll find one in Resident Services). Select the Flimsy Shovel recipe and craft it. Congratulations, you now have your very first shovel! (See Also: how to change a shovel handle)

Upgrading Your Shovel: The Regular Shovel

The Flimsy Shovel is great for starting out, but its durability is quite low. It breaks after a relatively small number of uses. To continue your island development, you’ll want to upgrade to a more robust tool. The next step is obtaining the Regular Shovel.

Step 1: Continue Island Development and Upgrades

The Regular Shovel DIY recipe is unlocked as you continue to progress through the early game. Specifically, it becomes available after you’ve completed the initial setup and started working on expanding your island’s infrastructure. This usually involves upgrading Resident Services from a tent to a building and establishing a more permanent town square.

Step 2: Purchasing the Tool Ring and Tool Durability

As you play, you’ll earn Bells and Nook Miles. Tom Nook will eventually offer you the option to purchase various items and upgrades from him using these currencies. One of the key upgrades that indirectly helps with tool acquisition is the Tool Ring, which allows you to quickly switch between your tools.

Step 3: Unlocking the Diy for the Regular Shovel

The DIY recipe for the Regular Shovel is typically purchased from Nook’s Cranny, the general store on your island, once it has been upgraded from its initial ‘Tome Nook’s Store’ state. After Nook’s Cranny has been upgraded (which happens after you’ve spent a certain amount of Bells there and had it open for a period), new DIY recipes become available for purchase.

Look for a section in Nook’s Cranny that sells DIY recipes. The ‘Pretty Good Tools’ DIY recipe pack, which includes recipes for the Regular Axe, Regular Rod, Regular Net, and crucially, the Regular Shovel, is what you’ll need to buy. This pack costs 2,800 Bells.

Step 4: Crafting the Regular Shovel

Once you’ve purchased the ‘Pretty Good Tools’ DIY recipe pack and learned the recipe for the Regular Shovel, you can craft it. The crafting requirements are:

• 1 piece of Iron Nugget
• 1 piece of Hardwood

Gather these materials and head to a DIY workbench to craft your Regular Shovel. This shovel has significantly better durability than its flimsy counterpart, making it a much more reliable tool for digging up fossils, treasure, and planting trees.

The Golden Shovel: The Ultimate Digging Tool

For the dedicated islander, the ultimate shovel is the Golden Shovel. This tool boasts incredible durability and can even plant a money tree when used on a glowing spot. Unlocking this requires a bit more dedication and patience, as it’s tied to a significant in-game achievement.

Step 1: Achieving the ‘best Island Folf’ Status

The Golden Shovel recipe is awarded after you achieve a certain level of island development and satisfaction. Specifically, you need to get a 3-star “Good” rating for your island from Isabelle at Resident Services. This rating signifies that your island is well-developed, attractive, and has a good balance of buildings, decorations, and satisfied villagers.

Step 2: How to Improve Your Island Rating

To reach a 3-star rating, you need to focus on several aspects of your island: (See Also: how to shovel car out of snow)

• Villagers: Having a good number of villagers (at least 8) is crucial.
• Buildings: Ensure you have upgraded Resident Services to a building and have a variety of shops and facilities.
• Decorations: Place a good amount of furniture and fencing outdoors. Aim for a variety of items.
• Scenery: Plant trees and flowers. Ensure your island isn’t too cluttered with weeds or trash.
• Infrastructure: Build bridges and inclines to improve island navigation.

Talk to Isabelle at Resident Services regularly. She will give you feedback on your island’s rating and offer suggestions on how to improve it. Keep working on these aspects, and you’ll eventually hit the 3-star mark.

Step 3: Receiving the Golden Shovel Diy Recipe

Once your island reaches a 3-star rating, Isabelle will congratulate you and also award you the DIY recipe for the Golden Shovel. This is a significant milestone in your Animal Crossing journey!

Step 4: Crafting the Golden Shovel

The Golden Shovel requires the following materials:

• 1 piece of Iron Nugget
• 1 Shovel (any shovel, including a Flimsy Shovel)

Note that you need to use a regular shovel (not a flimsy one) as the base material for crafting the Golden Shovel. So, you must have already crafted the Regular Shovel. Gather your materials, head to a DIY workbench, and craft your legendary Golden Shovel!

Why You Need a Shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The shovel is more than just a tool; it’s a gateway to many core mechanics and fun activities in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Here’s why you’ll be using it constantly:

1. Fossil Hunting

The most common use for your shovel, especially early on, is digging up fossils. These are buried in the ground, marked by small ‘X’ spots that appear on your island each day. Dig them up, donate them to Blathers to complete the museum’s fossil collection, or sell them to earn Bells.

2. Digging Up Treasures

Besides fossils, you can also find buried treasure. Sometimes, a glowing spot will appear on your island. Digging this spot with your shovel will reveal a bag of 1,000 Bells. If you use a Golden Shovel on this glowing spot, you can plant the bag of 1,000 Bells back into the ground. In a few days, a money tree will grow, yielding three times the amount you planted (3,000 Bells).

3. Planting Star Fragments and Trees

You can use your shovel to plant Star Fragments, which are crucial for crafting special furniture. You can also use it to plant saplings and trees. This is essential for terraforming your island and creating the landscape you desire. Planting trees is also necessary for gathering wood.

4. Moving and Transplanting Flowers and Shrubs

Need to rearrange your garden? Your shovel allows you to dig up flowers and shrubs, and then replant them elsewhere on your island. This is vital for landscaping and creating beautiful floral displays.

5. Unearthing Gyroids

Certain events and weather conditions can cause Gyroids to be buried in the ground. These quirky musical items can be dug up with your shovel and are great for decorating or collecting. (See Also: how to edge with a shovel)

6. Creating Ponds and Water Features

With the terraforming license (obtained after upgrading Resident Services to a building and completing certain goals), your shovel becomes instrumental in creating custom ponds, waterfalls, and other water features. You can dig out areas to create them, and then use the watering can to fill them.

7. Moving Trees and Bushes

While you can dig up and replant trees and bushes, it’s important to note that you can’t dig up mature trees directly. You need to dig up the sapling or a smaller bush. For mature trees, you’ll need to dig around them to loosen the soil, then pick them up to move them. This is a key part of island layout customization.

Tips for Using Your Shovel Effectively

To get the most out of your shovel and make your island life smoother, consider these tips:

• Always Carry a Shovel: Make it a habit to have a shovel in your inventory, especially when exploring or working on your island.
• Upgrade When Possible: Prioritize upgrading from the Flimsy Shovel to the Regular Shovel and eventually aim for the Golden Shovel for its durability and special ability.
• Hit Rocks for Iron Nuggets: Remember that rocks respawn daily and can yield Iron Nuggets, Stone, Clay, and even 10,000 Bells. Use your shovel or axe to hit them multiple times.
• Don’t Waste Flimsy Shovels: Use your Flimsy Shovels for less critical tasks or when you’re just starting out and haven’t unlocked better tools yet.
• Listen for the ‘Chime’: When digging up fossils or treasure, you’ll often hear a distinct ‘chime’ sound. This indicates you’ve found something valuable.
• Mark Your Spots: If you find a glowing spot or a fossil, and don’t have a shovel on hand, you can dig a temporary hole with your own shovel (if you have one) to mark the spot for later.
• Golden Shovel Money Trees: For the money tree trick, planting 10,000 Bells or more increases your potential return significantly, but it’s not guaranteed to yield three times the amount if you plant more than 10,000 Bells. The safest bet for a guaranteed triple return is planting 10,000 Bells.

Troubleshooting: Can’t Find the Shovel Recipe?

If you’re struggling to find the shovel recipe, double-check these common points:

• Are you early in the game? The Flimsy Shovel recipe is given by Blathers after you donate to Tom Nook.
• Has Nook’s Cranny been upgraded? The Regular Shovel recipe is in the ‘Pretty Good Tools’ pack sold at the upgraded Nook’s Cranny.
• Have you reached a 3-star island rating? The Golden Shovel recipe is a reward from Isabelle for achieving this rating.

Patience and consistent progression are key. Keep engaging with Tom Nook and the island’s development, and the shovel recipes will come your way.

Comparison of Shovels

Here’s a quick look at the different shovels and their key features:

As you can see, each upgrade offers significant benefits, making the progression worthwhile.

Conclusion

Unlocking the shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a fundamental step in your island journey, opening up crucial activities like fossil hunting and treasure digging. From the initial Flimsy Shovel gifted by Blathers to the robust Regular Shovel purchased from Nook’s Cranny, and finally the legendary Golden Shovel earned through island renown, each tool enhances your ability to shape and explore your world. Keep playing, keep progressing, and you’ll soon be digging up all the wonders your island has to offer!

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