TL;DR
- Complete Resident Services building to unlock campsite construction on day 8
- First campsite visitor must be invited to progress and unlock housing plot system
- Use Amiibo cards at Nook Stop to invite specific villagers to your campsite
- Manage island population strategically when campsite visitors want to replace existing residents
- Pre-place housing plots to control which villagers can move to your island
Building your Animal Crossing: New Horizons campsite represents a crucial milestone in island development, enabling visitor attraction, Amiibo functionality, and strategic villager recruitment. This facility serves as your primary tool for expanding and customizing your island community.
The campsite stands among the essential structures you can establish in your New Horizons settlement. Periodically, random animal villagers will appear as temporary guests, presenting opportunities to potentially recruit them as permanent residents. This feature also integrates deeply with Nintendo’s Amiibo system, allowing targeted invitations that we’ll explore comprehensively in this guide. Below you’ll discover detailed strategies for campsite construction, visitor mechanics, and advanced population management techniques.
For insights on additional building unlocks and upgrades, consult our Complete Guide hub featuring extensive coverage of visitors, structures, tools, and wildlife in New Horizons, alongside proven bell-earning methods. Don’t miss our detailed game analysis either!
To initiate campsite construction, you must first complete the multi-stage Resident Services building upgrade, a process detailed in our dedicated Resident Services guide. The earliest possible unlock occurs on your eighth day of gameplay (with completion on day nine), so patience is essential during early island development phases.
After finalizing Resident Services, enter the building where Tom Nook will propose establishing a campsite to attract prospective residents. Following standard construction protocols, he’ll provide a placement kit and allow you to select the ideal location without requiring bell contributions or material donations.
Consistent with most infrastructure projects, once you position the campsite blueprint on your island, construction commences immediately and consumes the entire day. The facility becomes operational the following morning, ready to welcome its first visitor.
Expect your first campsite visitor the day following construction completion. Inviting this initial guest becomes mandatory for progression—simply engage in conversation to trigger the relocation process. Tom Nook then provides housing kits and land selection options, unlocking the ability to pre-arrange housing plots strategically to control future villager arrivals. After this compulsory recruitment, subsequent camper invitations become entirely optional.
When villagers choose to camp on your island, you’ll have recruitment opportunities, though they typically request mini-games before committing. Some may decline relocation entirely. Successful invitations require available housing plots and fewer than ten residents… unless you’re prepared to displace current villagers.
Campsite visits continue occurring randomly even at maximum population capacity. However, through persistent dialogue with interested visitors expressing relocation desires, you gain the option to replace existing residents. The displaced villager selection occurs through random determination, introducing strategic considerations for community management.
Pro Tip: Position housing plots near existing neighborhood clusters to maintain community cohesion rather than scattering homes randomly across your island.
Common Mistake: Many players overlook that the first camper’s personality type will always be “smug,” regardless of who appears. Plan your community diversity accordingly.
Advanced Strategy: For players seeking specific personality types, the Class Guide principles of strategic selection apply to villager recruitment as well.
Following your initial camper’s relocation, Amiibo functionality activates at the Nook Stop terminal within Resident Services. This enables invitations for specific villagers using Animal Crossing Amiibo figures or cards. Access the terminal, choose the Amiibo option, then scan your desired figure or card. Note that certain special characters like Tom Nook and Isabelle remain unavailable for campsite visits.
Optimization Technique: When using Amiibo cards, you must invite the same villager for three consecutive days and fulfill their requested crafted items before they’ll consider permanent relocation. This time investment ensures you’re committed to your selection.
Time Management: Plan Amiibo recruitment sessions during evening gameplay when you have uninterrupted time to complete the multi-day process.
Mechanics Insight: Unlike random campsite visitors, Amiibo-invited guests allow you to choose which existing villager they replace when at maximum capacity, providing superior control over your island’s composition. This strategic advantage makes Amiibo cards valuable for players seeking specific community members, similar to how weapon selection works in our Weapons Unlock guide for targeted progression.
Action Checklist
- Complete Resident Services building upgrade (Day 3-7)
- Accept Tom Nook’s campsite project and select optimal location
- Invite first campsite visitor mandatory for progression
- Place housing plots strategically near existing neighborhoods
- Activate Amiibo functionality at Nook Stop after first villager moves in
- Use Amiibo cards for targeted villager recruitment (3-day process)
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