Hemisphere
Hemispheres are a gameplay element in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. When creating an island, the player has the choice of choosing either a northern hemisphere island or a southern hemisphere island. By default, the northern hemisphere option corresponds to North America, Europe, and Asia, while the southern hemisphere option corresponds to Australia and South America. However, the player may choose to live on different hemispheres that do not correspond to their region of choice.
The players choice of hemisphere affects various aspects of gameplay, most notably the seasons. For example, when it is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter in the southern hemisphere. This in turn changes other elements such as the appearance rates of bugs, fish, and sea creatures. Events and holidays may also vary and have unique dialogue specific for that hemisphere, but they are not tied with the season and can appear in both hemispheres. Turkey Day, for instance, may have fall roots, but is also available in spring for the southern hemisphere. Mystery Island tours, Harv's Island, and the May Day tour are also affected by the choice of hemisphere as those islands will correspond to the respective season that the main island is currently in.
Several unique features for both hemispheres are present as well. Camellia Bushes start blooming on January 1 for the northern hemisphere, but they do not bloom on July 1 assuming each bush in both hemispheres have the same time frame for when each bush blooms. Instead, Holly Bushes end blooming on June 15, and Camellia Bushes bloom the next day, making Camellia Bushes last longer in the southern hemisphere than it would in the northern hemisphere. Weather patterns are also affected. Where the weather patterns favor rain for the northern hemisphere from June 16 to July 5, the southern hemisphere's equivalent dates of December 16 to January 5 favor more in clear weather than it does in rainy weather. This is due to the dates correlating with Toy Day and the Countdown. Additionally, southern hemisphere players from December 24 to December 30 have more days with clear skies with possibility of meteor showers while northern hemisphere players on those same days have more snowy weather.
There is also the unique availability of ornaments. While most of the seasonal materials are tied to the seasons respectively, ornaments ignore the hemisphere rules and are available in both hemispheres from December 15 to January 6. Both hemispheres gain cedar trees with bright lights, and if shaken will drop Red, Blue, and Gold Ornaments.
Differences between hemispheres
| Difference |  Northern hemisphere
|
 Southern hemisphere
|
|---|---|---|
| Seasons | ||
| Spring | February 25 - May 31 | August 25 - November 30 |
| Summer | June 1 - August 31 | December 1 - February 28/29 |
| Fall | September 1 - November 25 | March 1 - May 25 |
| Winter | November 26 - February 24 | May 26 - August 24 |
| Weather | ||
| Rain | February 25 - November 15 | August 25 - May 25 |
| Rainbows | February 25 - March 31 April 11 - November 15 |
August 25 - September 30 December 16 - May 25 |
| Snow | November 26 - February 24 | May 26 - August 24 |
| Auroras | December 11 - February 24 | June 11 - August 24 |
| Events | ||
| Bug-Off dates | The fourth Saturday of June, July, August and September 2024: June 22 July 27 August 24 September 28[nb 1] |
The third Saturday of January, February, November and December 2024: January 20 February 17 November 16[nb 2] December 21 |
| Fishing Tourney dates | 2024: Winter: January 13 Spring: April 13 Summer: July 13 Fall: October 12 |
2024: Winter: July 13 Spring: October 12 Summer: January 13 Fall: April 13 |
| May Day | Azalea bushes are in place during the maze. | Holly bushes are in place during the maze. |
| Fireworks Show | Redd wears a Straw Boater during the Fireworks Show raffles. | Redd wears a Dandy Hat during the Fireworks Show raffles. |
| Turkey Day | Turkey Day is a celebration of the fall harvest, with decorations in Resident Services colored in the Fall Harvest variant | Turkey Day is a celebration of spring, with decorations in Resident Services colored in the Spring Blooming variant |
| Toy Day | Weather is all snowing (EventDay02), and the music is calm with jingle bells. | Weather is clear all day (EventDay00), and the music is vibrant with percussion. |
| Toy Day aftermath (December 25th) | Weather is snowing until the afternoon hours (EventDay03). | Weather is clear all day (EventDay00). |
| Shopping seasons | ||
| Spring shopping | March 1 - May 31 | September 1 - November 30 |
| Summer shopping | June 1 - August 31 | December 1 - February 28/29 |
| Fall shopping | September 1 - November 30 | March 1 - May 31 |
| Winter shopping | December 1 - February 28/29 | June 1 - August 31 |
| Seasonal DIY recipes | ||
| Young Spring Bamboo DIYs | February 25 - May 31 | August 25 - November 30 |
| Cherry Blossom DIYs | April 1 - April 10 | October 1 - October 10 |
| Summer Shells DIYs | June 1 - August 31 | December 1 - February 28/29 |
| Acorns/Pine Cones DIYs | September 1 - December 10 | March 1 - June 10 |
| Mushrooms DIYs | November | May |
| Maple Leaves DIYs | November 16 - November 25 | May 16 - May 25 |
| Cozy Turkey Day DIYs | The items are crafted and previewed under the Fall Harvest variant | The items are crafted and previewed under the Spring Blooming variant |
| Snowflakes DIYs | December 11 - February 24[nb 3] | June 11 - August 24[nb 3] |
| Nook Shopping seasonal events | ||
| Summer Solstice | June 15 - June 21 | December 15 - December 22 |
| Winter Solstice | December 15 - December 22 | June 15 - June 21 |
| Flowers | ||
| January | Pansy Windflower Mum |
Rose Cosmos Lily |
| February | Pansy Hyacinth Windflower |
Cosmos Lily Mum |
| March | Tulip Pansy Hyacinth Windflower |
Cosmos Lily Mum |
| April | Tulip Pansy Hyacinth Windflower |
Rose Cosmos Mum |
| May | Rose Tulip Windflower |
Rose Pansy Cosmos Mum |
| June | Rose Tulip Lily |
Rose Pansy Windflower Mum |
| July | Rose Cosmos Lily |
Pansy Windflower Mum |
| August | Cosmos Lily Mum |
Pansy Hyacinth Windflower |
| September | Cosmos Lily Mum |
Tulip Pansy Hyacinth Windflower |
| October | Rose Cosmos Mum |
Tulip Pansy Hyacinth Windflower |
| November | Rose Pansy Cosmos Mum |
Rose Tulip Windflower |
| December | Rose Pansy Windflower Mum |
Rose Tulip Lily |
| Bush season | ||
| Camellia (Pink/Red) | January 1 - March 31 | June 16 - September 30 |
| Azalea (Pink/White) | April 11 - May 31 | October 11 - November 30 |
| Hydrangea (Blue/Pink) | June 1 - July 20 | December 1 - January 20 |
| Plumeria (Pink/White) | June 1 - September 20 | December 1 - March 20 |
| Hibiscus (Red/Yellow) | July 21 - September 20 | January 21 - March 20 |
| Tea-Olive (Orange/Yellow) | September 21 - October 31 | March 21 - April 30 |
| Holly | November 1 - December 31 | May 1 - June 15 |
| Mom items | ||
| Mom's Embroidery | February | August |
| Mom's Candle Set | March | September |
| Mom's Tissue Box | April | October |
| Mom's Knapsack | May | November |
| Mom's Handmade Apron | June | December[nb 4] |
| Mom's Plushie | July | February |
| Mom's Pen Stand | August | July |
| Mom's Cushion | September | March |
| Mom's Tea Cozy | October | April |
| Mom's Cool/Lively/Playful/Reliable Kitchen Mat | November | May |
| Mom's Hand-Knit Sweater | December[nb 4] | June |
| Isabelle, Tom Nook, and Timmy and Tommy seasonal clothes | ||
| Summer clothing | March 20 - October 19 | October 20 - March 19 |
| Winter clothing | October 20 - March 19 | March 20 - October 19 |
Gallery
Timmy telling the player that the Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package has islands in both hemispheres during the game's introduction.
Northern hemisphere
Bunny Day in the northern hemisphere
May Day in the northern hemisphere
Fireworks Show in the northern hemisphere
Redd during the Fireworks Show in the northern hemisphere
Halloween in the northern hemisphere
Turkey Day in the northern hemisphere
Bulletin board announcement of Turkey Day in the northern hemisphere
Toy Day in the northern hemisphere
Countdown in the northern hemisphere
Festivale in the northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Bunny Day in the southern hemisphere
May Day in the southern hemisphere
Fireworks Show in the southern hemisphere
Redd during the Fireworks Show in the southern hemisphere
Halloween in the southern hemisphere
Turkey Day in the southern hemisphere
Bulletin board announcement of Turkey Day in the southern hemisphere
Toy Day in the southern hemisphere
Countdown in the southern hemisphere
Festivale in the southern hemisphere
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Names in other languages
Northern hemisphere
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Southern hemisphere
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Notes
- ↑ Exclusive to the fall season
- ↑ Exclusive to the spring season
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Perfect Snowboys still give large snowflakes if created before winter is over.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mom uses a festive card when delivering this gift: the Festive-Tree Card for the northern hemisphere and the Holiday Card for the southern hemisphere.
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