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Gamers get creative with fantastic, nostalgic, Mario-themed Animal Crossing islands

Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing. (Nintendo Twitter)

It’s not like Animal Crossing: New Horizons players weren’t already hugely creative, but with the release of the Mario-themed items this week we’re already seeing some iconic designs.

Released as part of Mario’s 35th anniversary celebrations which began last year, Nintendo have added various costumes and items to Animal Crossing: New Horizons so you can dress up as Mario and friends and decorate your island with coins, stars, Thwomps and more.

The items are available from the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nook Shop terminal, though a maximum of five can be bought each day. That hasn’t stopped players from time travelling to obtain more items for their imaginative designs.

So what are some of the best uses of the items? Let’s-a go!

Home decoration is the first port of call. One of the first items you’ll receive is the Mario-themed wallpaper that instantly turns any room into level 1-1 from the original NES game. Throw in some other themed furniture – and any other custom designs – and you end up with a Mario room fit for a Koopa king or queen.

 

Outside of the home, many players are recreating Mario levels on their islands, be it individual levels or an explorable world map. Who needs Super Mario Maker now, eh?

And it’s not just traditional Mario games either. How about some Mario Kart? Or a spot of Mario Party?

Perhaps the most intriguing item of all, though, is the warp pipe. Costing 5,000 bells (but oh so worth it), you can buy two and use them to warp around your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island, Mario style!

One Reddit user, u/VictoryRoles, had the genius idea of keeping one pipe at home and the other in their inventory so they can always warp immediately back home for supplies!

 

Absolute genius idea! Put one in your house and carry one in your pocket, no more legging it from one end of your island to the other just to get to storage! from r/AnimalCrossing

Yet beyond practical fast-travel uses, other players have got creative. Perhaps you could make a secret area, only accessible using a warp pipe?

And its use isn’t just for Mario-themed areas. By cleverly disguising the warp pipes, you can integrate them into almost any design.

Here’s Reddit user u/caliacrossing who’s made an Alice in Wonderland meets Narnia crossover that has you falling down the rabbit hole into a wardrobe:

 

I’ve used the Mario warp pipes to recreate the scene from Alice in wonderland where she goes down the rabbit hole… but emerges into the Narnia bedroom through the wardrobe instead! from r/AnimalCrossing

Or there’s Zelda-style teleportation from NaydinfarCrossing.

There are also plenty of train ideas, like a subway line or a cute train station.

I made a subway line with my warp pipes! from r/AnimalCrossing

 

Players are customising further with their own designs too. Whatever you choose to do with these new Animal Crossing: New Horizons items, it’s Super Mario baby!

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