How do I start a new island on the same Switch?

Unfortunately, the tough truth is that you can only have one Animal Crossing: New Horizons island per Nintendo Switch system, even if you use multiple physical game cards or create multiple user profiles. This is because the island save data is uniquely tied to your Switch console itself.

But don‘t despair! While you can‘t natively run two separate islands on the same device, you do have a few solid options to refresh your gameplay while preserving your existing paradise…

Create A New User Profile To Restart On Your Island

The quickest way to experience that exciting "new island" feel again is to simply create a brand new player character on your current save file.

Here‘s how it works:

• Go to your Switch‘s System Settings
• Select "Users" and choose "Add User"
• Create a new account with Nintendo
• Launch Animal Crossing under this new user

You‘ll arrive back on your same existing island layout, but you‘ll build a new customizable house, earn Bells and Nook Miles from scratch, gather DIYs again, and make new friends with your animal neighbors!

It‘s not exactly like starting a fresh file, but it recaptures some of that magic and lets you revisit areas you might not have touched in months. Just be courteous about where you place your new abode!

Completely Reset Your Island Save Data

If you really want to raze everything to the ground and relive those formative early island days, Nintendo does give you the nuclear option: fully erasing your save file.

This will permanently delete your entire island and all progress – no takebacks! But if you‘ve exhausted all your ideas and want to recreate your island from the ground up, here are the steps:

1. Close Animal Crossing software
2. From your Switch‘s main menu, open System Settings
3. Scroll down and select "Data Management"
4. Choose "Delete Save Data"
5. Select your Animal Crossing: New Horizons file
6. Confirm deletion twice to erase the data

Once removed, simply re-opening Animal Crossing will put you right back at the start – naming your island, placing buildings, earning those first DIYs, etc. It‘s a clean slate.

Many folks make backups first via Nintendo Switch Online just in case they want to restore later. But if you‘re ready to reset, it can breathe exciting new life into the experience!

Transfer Your Character To A Friend‘s Island

Want to replay the game from scratch but keep your existing house and possessions available? With the Island Transfer Tool, you can actually move your resident character to a friend‘s island – giving you the best of both worlds!

Here‘s how it works:

• Both Switches must have software updated to latest version
• Download Island Transfer Tool on both devices
• Open tool on each device and follow prompts
• When prompted, choose to overwrite resident on target island
• Your character, home, possessions will transfer over!

By selecting an open slot on a friend‘s island, you can experience their new layout with your familiar items and customizations. It‘s a fresh start on a new piece of land with new neighbors, but your historic self tags along for the ride!

It‘s not quite as clean a slate as fully resetting, but lets you replay while keeping beloved items you‘ve collected. Popular Animal Crossing streamer AbdallahSmash026 calls it the "next best thing to transferring your User save data."

Why Can You Only Have One Island Per Console?

This single-island restriction has been disappointing for some players seeking a totally new experience without erasing their progress. So why is local multiplayer limited like this?

In an interview with The Washington Post, Animal Crossing: New Horizons producer Higashi Nogami said multiple islands would‘ve been "technically difficult" with how homes are handled:

"…as you can build homes and develop the island as you live your life, theoretically you‘d have to be saving that data for all islands, which is technically difficult."

Other developers have pointed to hardware storage and handling online variables as additional challenges. Ultimately for New Horizons, the team prioritized enabling eight players to live on a single, shared natively instead.

It‘s still disappointing if you craved two distinct islands locally. But hopefully understanding the limitation provides context until new models emerge that make it more feasible!

The Pros And Cons Of Resetting Vs. Transferring Islands

If you‘re set on starting fresh by either resetting your save or transferring via the Island Transfer Tool, weighing the core pros and cons can help decide the best route:

Resetting Your Island

Pros

• Totally clean slate for ideas
• Relive full progression curve
• Reshape everything freely

Cons

• Lose all items, progress permanently
• Repeat every achievement

Transferring To A New Island

Pros

• Keep catalog, house, possessions
• Experience friend‘s new layout
• Maintain some progress

Cons

• Not a full reset experience
• Give up being island rep
• Lose your native fruit/airport

Ultimately there‘s no universally "right" option. Analyze your play goals and motivations – do you most want to re-earn everything or preserve beloved creations? Let this guide your island renewal plan!

Step-By-Step Guide To Resetting Your Island

Convinced a completely clean island slate is best for your next chapter? Here‘s a foolproof walkthrough for safely resetting:

What You‘ll Need

• Your Nintendo Switch system
• Stable WiFi connection
• Nintendo account

Step 1 – Backup Your Save (Optional)

Before erasing permanently, you may want to backup your save just in case via Nintendo Switch Online. This lets you retrieve it later if desired.

Here‘s how:

1. Ensure you have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership
2. Go to System Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud > Animal Crossing
3. Choose "Save Data Cloud Backup" to upload your save

Step 2 – Close Software & Locate Save Data

1. Fully close Animal Crossing software if currently open
2. From your Switch‘s main menu, open System Settings
3. Scroll down and select Data Management > Delete Save Data
4. Locate the save data for Animal Crossing – note the file size

Step 3 – Delete The Save Data

Once you‘ve located your Animal Crossing save and backed it up if desired, delete it:

1. Select your Animal Crossing save file
2. Choose "Delete Save Data"
3. Confirm again that you wish to delete
4. Your save will be erased – it‘s now gone forever!

Step 4 – Restart Your Island Adventure

With your former island now wiped from existence, simply re-opening Animal Crossing: New Horizons will put you back on the beginning sequence:

• Link a user profile
• Name your new island
• Confirm hemispheres and layout
• Begin from the start!

Enjoy re-experiencing those early exploration days. The island is yours to shape however you see fit on this fresh start!

Step-By-Step Guide To Transferring Your Island

What if erasing all your progress to date feels too drastic? The Island Transfer Tool lets you migrate to a friend‘s budding paradise instead while preserving your character details and possessions!

Here‘s how to safely transfer:

What You‘ll Need

• Both Switch consoles, updated to latest ACNH version
• Stable internet connection
• Island Transfer Tool downloaded on both devices

Step 1 – Download The Island Transfer Tool

On both your console and your friend‘s:

1. Open the Nintendo eShop
2. Search "Island Transfer Tool"
3. Download the free app – make sure firmware is updated!

Step 2 – Run The Tool & Begin Transfer

Booting it up similarly on both devices:

1. From the home menu, open the Island Transfer Tool
2. Read through the overview and select "Next"
3. When prompted, choose to overwrite resident on target console
4. Select resident(s) to transfer from original island
5. Follow remaining prompts to confirm

Step 3 – Arrive On The New Island!

Once initiation is complete, loading your character on the destination console will place you seamlessly on their island, possessions in tow!

Things that carry over:

• House exterior style
• Home interior furniture / options
• Clothing items, DIYs
• Catalog ordering history

Enjoy this hybrid experience – an old character on a new isle ripe for personalization! Plant your flags and make new memories.

Popular Animal Crossing Gamers Share Their Restart Tips

Resetting or transferring islands for a fresh experience is quite popular in the Animal Crossing community. Many prominent gamers, streamers and YouTubers have tested different renewal strategies over the years.

Here are tips some shared firsthand with their audiences:

AbdallahSmash026

"The Island Transfer Tool is the next best thing to being able to transfer User save data from one Nintendo Switch system to another."

He loves that it brings your items and house along – almost like getting an inheritance! This lets him roleplay family passing down possessions.

Mayor Mori

"I time traveled to experience events again more quickly. It scratch that itch while I slowly redeveloped areas over real time too!"

She likes to use Splatoon to quickly shake up island layouts instead of fully resetting each time. Combined with time skipping holidays and seasons, it keeps things fresh!

CrossingChannel

"I have multiple Switches for different towns! Having my husband or friend remake areas helps it feel totally new."

Collaborating creatively with others breathes new life in for larger streamers. But he admits it‘s costly to buy multiple $299 consoles!

Hopefully these experts shed light on creative strategies beyond the basics. Combining transfer tool inheritance, time travel, collaboration, and console pools can provide that "new island" feel without fully losing all your effort!

Key Takeaways On Restarting Islands

While limited to one island per Switch, breathing new life into your gameplay is very possible by:

• Creating a new profile on current console
• Deleting save data entirely to reset completely
• Transferring your character to a friend‘s new layout

Test different renewal strategies to rediscover your creativity! Maintain backups if you ever want to restore progress.

Here‘s hoping future Nintendo hardware evolves to more easily allow entirely distinct islands locally. But for now, hopefully these tips help you sustain that magic and sense of adventure.

Let me know if you have any other questions on restarting islands in Animal Crossing: New Horizons! I‘m always happy to help fellow fans.