[Top 10] Animal Crossing New Horizons Best Island Layouts

Updated:

24 Mar 2021

The creativity that goes into Animal Crossing’s players’ island layout is truly astonishing. Between terraforming and the use of all the DIY materials that can be created, there are so many different themes and environments that can be designed and displayed. From video games, movies, and even retail -here are the Top 10 Animal Crossing New Horizons islands to discover and enjoy!

10) IKEA ISLAND TOUR | Animal Crossing New Horizons

You can now adventure to IKEA from your own couch at home~

There are two kinds of people on this planet -those who love IKEA and those who don’t. IsleofSam is a fantastic island that literally transports you to the incredible Swedish shopping destination of IKEA. Each area is just like the real store itself with different housing sections like a bedroom, bathroom, dining room, kitchen, plants, and more.

Truly feels like you’re actually waltzing around in an actually IKEA store.
The furniture and items made and displayed are all the different colors that you can DIY and it's a great way to view the Animal Crossing: New Horizons catalog.
The craving for Swedish meatballs is definitely real.

9) DISNEYLAND TOUR * 5 STAR ISLAND*

In a world before covid, I was an avid Disneyland attendee and it’s truly one of the places I miss most. I may or may not be wearing my Rapunzel-themed Minnie Mouse ears while writing this but when I found this Animal Crossing layout of Disneyland, it truly brought me back to my favorite magical place on Earth. Featured on this Disneyland island, respectfully called Disneyland is Space Mountain, Tomorrowland, Pirates of the Caribbean, and even the Magic Castle. There's even a cute rap about it at the beginning of the tour.

For those who love Dole Whip, there’s an actual Dole Whip cart!
There’s a really cute set up for the ride Autotopia and the Teacup ride.
Snow White’s forest has actual dwarves like in the film. (Okay, well, gnomes.)

8) The BEST Fairycore Inspiration

Flutter away to a magical world of pastel hues, wildflowers, and a dreamy atmosphere!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons may have many, many pastel fairycore islands that have been created but the particular fairycore world called Rosebelle was incredibly dreamy and magical, with a hint of Ghibli inspiration. Surrounded by cherry blossom trees, illuminating mushrooms, star fragments, and flowers everywhere, the vibe in Rosebelle has quite the quaint and cheerful ambiance. With fairy picnics and fairy beaches, each area of the island is very intricate with lovely details. And just like the tour guide mentioned a few times; this island has a very lovely “atmosphere!”

Each of the villager’s outdoor home decorations represents their hobbies and interests.
Howl’s Moving Castle is a theme with lots of detail for a few of the indoor rooms.
There is a sugary sweet section that is Candyland-inspired.

7) A Visit to Jurassic Park?! (Animal Crossing New Horizons Island Tour)

A world of dinosaurs and fossils awaits beyond this prehistoric island!

Diving into the world of the Prehistoric era, Turtle Bay island is designed just like the Jurassic Park movies. The outside environment has a very earthy jungle-like look, lots of dirt paths, and stone arches. There are many dinosaur fossils displayed all over. On the dirt paths and even the dock has dinosaur prints all over. Maybe there will be an actual Dinosaur to be found!

There’s a tiki bar on the island just like in the movies.
Hidden away, there’s a restricted area that has an outdoor laboratory with fossils and computers
Many small sections on the island include a dinosaur cafe and bakery, a library, a small cinema, and even an arts and craft area.

6) ILLUMINATING Pokémon-inspired NEON Island Tour!

An island of neon colors, mushrooms, and vivid lights!

One of my most favorite places in all of the Pokémon games has to be Ballonlea; the Fairy-type Gym hometown. It is such a vivid and bright town filled with the most iridescent decorations and surrounded by illuminating mushrooms all over. Neon Hiss is an island that truly captures the beauty and magic of the vivid forestry town. But besides just Pokémon inspiration, there is also a surprise Horror film rendition to the island of Neon Hiss that I was truly surprised to see. After watching this island tour, I definitely wanted to jump back on Pokémon Shield and playthrough Ballonlea again.

You can find images of the Pokémon Impidip on the ground, a small island terraformed as a Poké Balls and even the Fairy Type Ballonlea Gym can be found.
Mermaid Beach, Musical Mountain, Sci-Fi Arcade, Pirate Land are island gems.
There is an outdoor Cat Lounge Cafe with many decorations and cat items.

5) An Island Perfectly Split Between Future & Past | 5 Star Island Tour ACNH

Divided between dystopian and earthly terraforming is quite the transformation from a typical island!

The futuristic cyberpunk island of Tuonela is a lot different from typical island themes. With two designs on this island; one being the dystopian cityscapes while the other half is a celestial forest, it’s quite a sight to explore. Completely industrial with terraforming, decorations, and buildings, you really feel like you have jumped into a cyberworld of metal, fire, graffiti, and technology while the other half of the island is a surreal vibe of mystic forest beauty.

Smokestacks and city skyscrapers create an incredible dystopian ambiance.
The view of Lag City with “stacks and stacks” of chimney stacks is quite a sight.
The hidden Lost City in the forest is filled with zen and wonder.

4) AMAZING STUDIO GHIBLI Island Tour (Pokyland) Animal Crossing New Horizons

With all the amazing characters and creatures, the gorgeous colors, and of course the delicious food, Pokyland is an incredible magical island based on Studio Ghibli. This particular Animal Crossing layout has the same magnificent vibes that you get from watching an actual Ghibli film. Each section of the island is designed like Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Totoro, and even Arriety. There are tons of elements like Sophie’s hat shop and even Easter eggs hidden like Tombo’s bicycle from Kiki’s Delivery Service.

The bathhouse featured in Spirited Away has an environment that you can jump right into literally.
Just like in Kiki’s Delivery Service, the bakery is such a delight to see with cakes and bread displayed.
One of the rooms is just like the castle from Howl’s Moving Castle and even has Calcifer right in front of the fireplace!

3) Lord of the Rings inspired Island Tour: Animal Crossing New Horizons Island

Come grab your rations and travel items because we are going on an adventure!

Growing up, Lord of the Rings was very prominent in my life. I was truly amazed to see such a detailed and intricate world in Animal Crossing filled with such inspiration to the fantasy classic film. Catland is an island featuring areas from the Lord of the Ring movies such as The Shire and Bag End, Bree and The Prancing Pony, Rivendale, Weathertop Ruins, The Council of Elrond, Grey Havens, Mines of Moria, Elven Forest of Lothlórien, Amon Hen, Dead Marshes, Tower of Sauron, Mount Doom and the Cracks of Doom in chronological order of the film.

An Easter egg of Tom Bombadil can be found in the forest.
Bilbo’s birthday can be celebrated right below Bag End in the Shire.
The area of Barad-dûr and the Eye of Sauron is absolutely incredible.

2) Gothic Winter Wonderland Island Tour (TW: blood/horror) // Animal Crossing New Horizons

A Spooky island that is a wintery wonderland of horror and fright!

Welcome to a land of horror and beauty; “Coffee Island” is designed as a Halloween dream come true. Snow is covering the island giving it a winter wonderland ambiance. The paths are black along with dark stones and blood splatters. The streets are surrounded by pumpkins, skeletons, and illuminating mushroom lamps. There is a cemetery of buried villagers and a creepy lava train quarry that leads to an abandoned pirate ship. The spirit of Halloween is truly remarkable and the ambiance screams trick or treats on Coffee Island.

The island creator made a Halloween-themed map for Coffee Island which is unique.
A theme of The Nightmare Before Christmas is a feature in an area of the island
From the Devil’s Chessboard, Specter Street, The Butchers Farm, and The Devil’s Garden, there are so many places on this spooktacular island to explore.

1) Super Mario Theme Island Tour | Animal Crossing New Horizons

Grab your green shells and hop into the closest warp pipe because down we go to an Animal Crossing island called Starfall that is all about Super Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom. Mario Kart is designed and represented with tracks in Moo Moo Meadows, Toad’s Harbor, Yoshi’s Falls, Daisy Cruiser, Peach Beach, Maple Treeway, Calamari Desert, Dry Dry Desert, Ghost Valley, and Rainbow Road. Another part of the island is created and designed with the Super Mario items and furniture which brings quite a nostalgic feel to the classic game’s Mushroom Kingdom. Princess Peach’s Castle, Daisy’s Castle, Mario’s home, Yoshi’s Island, Toad’s Maze, Luigi’s Mansion, Bowser's Castle are all areas that can be explored.

Mario Circuit is displayed right by the entrance with cars, warp pipes, green shells, and of course banana peels!
Rainbow Road is vivid and bright. There are also Thwomps to avoid.
Toad’s Maze is filled with gold coins, stars, and a ladder and has a mini-game feel to it!

I am definitely going to give my island a complete makeover after all this inspiration! Which of these islands did you enjoy discovering? Does your Animal Crossing: New Horizons currently have a theme? We would love to hear from you!