The 10 best Animal Crossing gifts you can buy in 2021

In a lot of ways, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was the game of 2020. As the world became a stranger and more uncertain place, people turned to the gaming equivalent of comfort food – a cuddly, dependable, heartwarming timekiller that asks very little and gives back an awful lot. And that means more of us are looking for the best Animal Crossing gifts!

So, if you’re a devoted islander looking for some nifty new merchandise, or if you want to treat the Animal Crossing fan in your life, we’ve gathered all the best stuff right here – ranging from little stocking fillers to flashy pastel coloured tech. No matter what kind of Animal Crossing: New Horizons merch you’re after, this list should contain something perfect for you.

Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch Limited Edition Bundle

Right at the top of the price range, we have the Animal Crossing: New Horizons edition of the Nintendo Switch. It features a lovely pastel Animal Crossing design on both the console, dock and Joy-Con controllers.

Those in the UK and Europe will also find a digital copy of the game included, but for some inexplicable reason, this has been left out the US version. It’s currently sold out on the Nintendo Store, but you can still snatch them up on Amazon – the perfect gift for a devoted Animal Crossing superfan.

Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch Cases

We’ve already had a look at the best Nintendo Switch Lite cases here at Jelly Deals, but why not add some Animal Crossing flair when taking your console on the move? The official Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Switch Case has a nice tropical theme that’s not too overbearing, and it’ll protect your console while it’s in transit.

For a more fashionable option, check out this leather carrying case. It looks good enough to work as a regular purse, but will snugly fit your Switch plus up to five game cartridges. Very classy.

Animal Crossing Wireless Nintendo Switch Controller

What better way to complete your Animal Crossing gifts lineup than with an Animal Crossing Switch controller? PowerA manufactures these Nintendo Switch wireless controllers featuring the likes of K.K. Slider or Timmy and Tom Nook.

They’re made in partnership with Nintendo, so you can rest assured that the quality is good and fully compatible with your Switch or Switch Lite. If the style’s not quite right for you there are multiple options available featuring other characters. Or, you could always check out our guide to the best Nintendo Switch controller for some other ideas!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Official Companion Guide

One year on and we’ve yet to see an official artbook for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. However, book lovers can still enjoy this Official Companions Guide from Future Press. At 432 pages it’s one hell of a tome, featuring everything you need to make your deserted island a paradise.

Animal Crossing X Puma Collection

Animal Crossing and Puma have teamed up to bring you a variety of apparel and footwear for adults and kids. The crossover takes cues from the game including natural colours and authentic graphics from the beloved Nintendo franchise. The collection includes some of PUMA’s most distinctive shoe silhouettes, Suede, Wild Rider, and Future Rider, plus Animal Crossing-themed street-style apparel. The Animal Crossing X PUMA collection launched 18th September 2021.

Animal Crossing Jigsaw

Do you love the soothing, methodical feeling of watching something big come together piece by piece? Do you like to come back day after day and build it up a little more? Animal Crossing is, pardon the pun, a perfect fit for a jigsaw puzzle, a meditative pastime you can enjoy solo or with friends.

This 1000 piece jigsaw from board game maker Winning Moves features a bucolic scene of an Animal Crossing village and is bound to give any puzzle fan many hours of blissful brain-free fun. There’s also a 500 piece option for those looking for a smaller challenge.

Animal Crossing Cushions

Animal Crossing cushions were a hot product last year, with most of them selling out not long after the game’s launch. Happily, Nintendo has managed to restock and many of the character cushions are now for sale on the official Nintendo Store – with the tragic exception of Isabelle.

The cushions are 40cm x 40cm and feature a whole roster of characters including Tom Nook, K. K. Slider, and Blathers. Or, if you just can’t choose, there’s a checkerboard cushion with the whole cast. Bring it in, guys!

Animal Crossing Switch and Switch Lite Decals

If you don’t fancy forking over for a Nintendo Switch special edition, you can always decorate your console with one of these Animal Crossing decal sets. A vast number are available with different designs, from coral blue to wooden planks. One sticker even replicates the limited edition Switch bundle – like the real thing, only much, much cheaper.

Here’s a cross-section of some of the best on offer as Animal Crossing gifts.

Animal Crossing Backpack

For the islander on the go, this Animal Crossing mini backpack makes for an excellent all-round accessory. Manufactured by Controller Gear with approval from the head honchos at Nintendo, it comes with the iconic teal leaf pattern design and an embossed picture of Tom Nook. How professional! The bag is waterproof and has a custom-made slot for carrying your Switch around.

It’s not terribly big – just 9.5 x 4.5 of storage space – but if you’re looking to take your console out on the town, this is the one to get.

Animal Crossing Enamel Pins

Nintendo has released a version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons bundled with enamel pins for a stiff £50, and you can’t buy them separately except from third-party sellers on eBay. Luckily, Controller Gear also manufactures these very fetching enamel pins, featuring Tom Nook, K.K. Slider, the leaf icon and the series logo.

They’re colourful, durable and not too garish, and like the bag, they come with the Nintendo seal of approval. The only downside is that they’re a little harder to get outside of the US right now: watch this space!

And there's our look at some of the best Animal Crossing gifts you can currently buy for your hard-earned bells. Do check in regularly as we're bound to uncover even cooler merch ideas or trinkets in the future. Also, ensure you've got juice in your console to keep playing for longer with a power bank for Nintendo Switch or enough storage space with one of our best Nintendo Switch SD cards