You get off the sea plane, excited to see what color airport you have, which fruit is native to your island, and who your starter villagers are. The landscape is rustic and fresh and absolutely perfect for a new start. This is where the magic lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Endless possibilities await.
But where do you begin?
Having an island theme in mind is always helpful to keep you on task, focused, and determined to finish. While some people prefer to play “normcore style” – which is basically play however you want without a theme – a lot of us over the years have started to focus on themes to keep the game interesting. Choosing a new fun theme can help with creativity and burnout.
If you are unsure what you’d like to do, maybe this list of 100 Animal Crossing island themes will help! For some of these, I have even created item wish lists and villager guides. I hope that these resources are helpful for you!! I know how overwhelming it can be to start a new island, but there is no time limit. Take your time, have fun, and enjoy.
But okay, now onto the 100 themes to consider.
Looking for more inspiration? Browse my full Animal Crossing guide hub.
100 Animal Crossing Island Themes
- Forestcore – use mostly natural items to decorate with winding paths and lots of trees. See my full guide for this theme here.
- Cottagecore – think slow living, natural landscapes, soft colors and neutrals. This is probably the most popular theme and I have plenty of guides to go with it. I also created a resource with villagers, island name ideas, and must-have items.
- Bookish – tiny libraries, reading spots, cafes galore
- Natural – use mostly natural items and nature to decorate with winding paths and lots of greenery. Here’s my full guide.
- Pirate – if you gather enough items from Gullivarr, you will have a really cool vibe going!
- Rainbow – make it the most colorful and bright island ever. Maybe do a different color for every small section using items and flowers. I have a whole guide.
- Wizard of Oz / Wicked – a fun nod to these popular films.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses – guide here because you know, I am obsessed with this series!!
- Minimalist island – if you love in-game grass and a lot of wide open spaces, a minimalist island can be quite a challenge. Here’s a villager and item guide to get you started.
- Grandmacore / Retirement Community – this is such a cute idea because there are so many villagers who feel like sweet (or cranky) grandmas and grandpas.
- Coastal town – the whole “build up this island” lends itself very well to a sleepy coastal / fishing town. Here’s my coastal island guide for inspo.
- Zen – use all the bamboo / bamboo items and cherry blossom season items for this natural and serene vibe. This is a hugely popular theme! Here’s my ultimate guide for island names, villagers, and items to use.
- Cozycore / Hygge – this is my personal favorite because it feels lovely to have a cozy place to retreat to when I want to disassociate. There are so many cozy items to use in this game! I wrote an entire guide for you.
- Ski town – this could be a really fun winter theme with the challenge of terraforming slopes and hills.
- New England charm – quaint and cute town vibe with lots of natural and historic elements.
- Autumnal – for all my fall lovers! An autumncore town is stunning and the autumn DIYs and items are some of the best in game. Full guide here.
- Rustic winter – think sleepy cabins, chopped wood piles, etc.
- Yellow – think bright and cheery all over! I love a good yellow island!! Makes me so happy. And here’s a guide!
- Green and white – another popular color combination in the game that looks so peaceful and natural
- National Park – challenge yourself to create a walking trail that spans your entire island. You can have a welcome center up front and terraform lots of views along the way!
- Fairycore – this is another widely popular theme and can be so magical! Here’s a guide to get you started.
- Sunflower village – I love sunflowers and I have seen so many patterns and codes that lend itself to this kind of theme.
- Springcore – if you love the flowers in game, turn it into an entire theme with a springcore vibe. So soft and peaceful. I have a whole guide here.
- Dark Academia – this is such a mood and I have the best item guide for it.
- Light Academia – if you prefer light, you could go this route!
- Gardencore – I love building out gardening centers but you could totally turn your entire island into something similar.
- Halloween – for all my spooky friends out there who love all things October and Halloween.
- College Campus – this could be a really fun challenge! Use villager homes as different classrooms.
- Cozy Woodland – I am thinking Winnie-the-Pooh/Little Bear/Brambly Hedge.
- Enchanted Forest – forestcore but make it magical. This is one of my favorite themes. The gyroids really shine for this theme. Here’s a guide for ya.
- Bohemian Vibes – I love a good free-spirited/boho vibe and have an entire guide for it (names, villagers, and items!)
- Witchy – spooky witch or green witch… whatever you prefer. I have a guide here.
- Pink – for all the pink lovers out there who want to celebrate their favorite color – use this guide to get started.
- Christmas – is there anything more magical, honestly?
- Nordic village – another great choice for anyone struggling with a winter island theme. I have a good item guide for this one.
- Zombie apocalypse – think Walking Dead.
- Gothcore – this is another popular choice for anyone who loves that dark and moody aesthetics. Here are villagers to get you inspired.
- Decora – or for friends who love BRIGHT colors and all things adorable and cute!
- Oriental – there are plenty of in-game items that lend itself well to an Oriental theme. The fortune cookie cart alone… *swoon*
- Citycore – for my friends who love the city lights! Sure, this starts as an island but hey, why not?
- European city – take your city a step further and make it feel European.
- Elegantcore – feeling fancy? An elegantcore island can be so lovely. Redd’s statue art can really be used here.
- Kidcore – this is a popular fun and playful theme! I made a whole guide for it!
- Groovy 70’s – the 70’s were such a mood and an island with this theme can be so fun.
- Castlecore – utilize the castle buildings/walls to create grand structures.
- Space / Celestial – there are so many good items for this!! And villagers!
- Tropical Oasis – truly make your island feel like R&R with an entire tropical vibe.
- Swampcore – there are so many codes and pathing that can turn your island into a swamp town really quickly.
- Frog and Toad – I saw this theme from someone before and it was absolutely astonishing. This is my favorite childhood series so it felt very cozy.
- Fairytale – think of your favorite fairytale as a child and see what you can bring to life. Perhaps the 3 little pigs or the 3 bears?
- Romantasy – if you are a reader like me and enjoy this genre, trust me… you can make an entire fantasy world on your island. I’ve seen a Fourth Wing island, okay?!
- Summer Camp – this is such a fun idea. I am a 90’s kid and am thinking like… Camp Anawanna.
- Beach town – really lean into the island theme and make it feel like a summer destination. Here’s a guide.
- Junglecore – you can make an entire lush junglescape to get lost in. The vine DIYs are so good for this.
- Prehistoric / Jurassic Park– fossils everywhere! Dig sites! The museum as a tent! Oh, this is such a fun one.
- Fallen civilization / ruins – the ruin DIYs can be the star of the show.
- Harry Potter – build an entire wizarding world.
- Twilight / Forks – the vibe of Forks is vibing always. This could be a really fun one for bookish girlies.
- Zelda – all the new Zelda items and villagers could make this a really fun theme to complete.
- Alice in Wonderland – if you love this Lewis Carroll story, an island in this theme could be so fun. The villager Ruby comes to mind straight away.
- Disney – whether you focus on a specific movie or the amusement parks, this is a very popular theme! And speaking of…
- Amusement Park – an amusement park in general would be such a fun vibe with the items you can get using NMTs.
- Farmcore – this is a popular theme that can be really relaxing.
- Dystopian – because why not? Some days it feels like we are living in a dystopian novel… yeesh.
- Cat Island – all hail all the cat villagers! Make an island specific to them!
- Desert Oasis – sandy with lots of cacti. Here’s some villagers to get started.
- Star Wars – you can do so much with this theme! Make different sections of the island based on different planets.
- Girly Pop – this could be fun if you love all the girly pop type villagers. I envision a lot of peppies.
- German countryside – I am thinking specifically of Sparkby’s island and it was so beautifully done. I love this theme.
- 80’s Retro – there are enough items in game that could make this a really fun nod to the retro 80s.
- Super Mario – with all the Mario items, you could literally make an obstacle course.
- Wild West – think cowboys, wild horses, plains, and desert vibes. I see a lot of wheat fields in your future.
- Mushroom Village – the mushroom items are some of the best in the game and this could be a super fun theme to utilize them!! An autumn DA for sure.
- Campgrounds – you can really play up the camping vibe with tents and hiking trails.
- Heated Rivalry – hear me out, okay? Canadian vibes all around with a few spots for an ice rink outside… and of course, using my item guide!!
- Lavender Fields – I love the idea of an island dedicated to lavender (with lots of purple accents!)
- Hippie Heaven – think 60’s and 70’s with lots of flowers and those amazing codes for retro campers. I made an entire guide for this one.
- Hobbit Village – if you are a Tolkien fan, this could be a really fun challenge!
- Hello Kitty island – with all the Sanrio items available, this would be really cool to see come to life.
- Candyland – candy crush! Bold colors! Kidcore vibes!
- Futuristic – yhink robots and a lot of the space station items.
- Surf Town – yhe island lends itself very well to this theme. You could make surf shacks and fun tiki bars, etc. Bud and Audie can be your island mascots.
- Tropical Resort – luxury meets tropical vibes!
- Rural Japanese village – I am thinking a lot of natural bamboo items, sugar cane stalks, sprawling fields… so calm and green.
- Beatrix Potter-inspired – an ode to the beloved stories of our childhood! Coming up with the villager list for all the characters would be really fun.
- Medieval Kingdom – Sterling, reporting for duty.
- Magic Academy – dark academia meets enchanted vibes.
- Stars Hollow – for all the Gilmore Girls fans out there!
- Fall Festival – this is a fun theme for anyone who is autumn-obsessed and loves a cottagecore island, as well. Think apple pie eating contest area, pumpkin patches, pumpkin carving station, corn mazes, etc.
- Cherry Blossom Festival – it may be a short season, but if you love it so much, make an entire island dedicated to this beautiful spring event!
- Haunted Woods – this could be a fun spinoff for forestcore.
- Vineyard – the pink hyacinth shrubs are so lovely for this vibe!
- Music Festival – design stage areas, vendor setups, wildflower fields, etc.
- Farmer’s Market – why not make the whole island a market experience? Flea markets, garden areas, pick-your-own tulips, etc. This would be especially fun to give every villager a business/job.
- Yoga Retreat – create a calm haven for this popular choice of movement.
- Windmill Country – who else loves a good wheat field and windmill moment?
- Sci-Fi Research Base – I picture Petri, Cobb, Roz, and Sprocket right off the bat. This is a a really interesting concept!
- Studio Ghibili-Inspired – I’ve seen islands like this using amazing codes!! If you are a fan, this will be really fun.
- Tea Garden – camellia shrubs all over, right? I love how calm this theme could be.
- Artists Colony – pottery studios, painting setups, sculptures… let your creativity run wild.
