Wholesome Sound Design in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Today I'll be demonstrating some details of the sound design in Animal Crossing: New Horizons specifically aimed at the cute, welcoming, nostalgic mood it sets. Special thanks to DavoGato for help with the script and audio assets!
During these strange times, I'm very grateful to retain the means to produce more content for everyone. Thank you for watching my videos and listening to my music, and please stay safe.
You can also follow me on Twitter: / scruffy_tweets
And hear more of my music on SoundCloud. / scruffysounds
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Credits
Sound Director: Kazumi Totaka
Music:
Yasuaki Iwata
Yumi Takahashi
Shinobu Nagata
Sayaka Doi
Masato Ohashi
Sound Design:
Hiromitsu Fujikawa
Takuro Yasuda
Shu Tamura
Isami Yoshida

[@deadlydeathed]

Okay so about a week into the game I was running around with the normal shovel and I noticed that it makes a distinct metal wiggling sound that none of the other tools make. You can hear it really well if you run across the plaza, it's the sound of the metal shovel head jiggling around by a loose bolt. That moment was when I fell in love with the sound design in the game and I'm super glad you made this video

[@Panda-xd5ey]

Could that possibly be an indication that the shovel is about to break? Or did you notice that sound is there for a brand new shovel?

[@tchok]

I noticed this with the watering can. You can hear the water plip plopping inside and it's so satisfying.

[@hyyacinthus]

@@tchok yeah I noticed that as well!

[@shanedevine2419]

Reminds me of BOTW's sound design

[@madeofcastiron]

@@shanedevine2419 i remember switching between different weapons and armours for 10 minutes just to hear what sounds they would make together when i move around. it was amazing like wooden gear had a duller sound while the metal gear would clang against each other. nintendo's foley work is splendid

[@jincyquones]

One of the first sound details I noticed in the game was that when you reel in a fish, the bigger it is, the louder and "deeper" the splashing sounds.

[@Vyz3r]

The rumble also increases in intensity depending on the size of the fish.

[@Phudge]

Fun fact: the rumble doesn't JUST extend to just the sizes of the fish! Each fish has an individual rumble! While oarfish and sea bass are the same size shadow, the oarfish has WAY MORE vibration. You can actually sense sea bass before even reeling it in lol

[@juanaldana2315]

Phudge I’m pretty sure you can sense the sea bass without the rumble. It’s always there...

[@emminet]

Juan Aldana It’S aT lEaSt A c+!!!

[@adrin181]

@@emminet C+ C+ C+ C+

[@chewybits3662]

Man I was having a horrible day until I heard that sweet hello in the beginning...

[@Yolwoocle]

Hope you'll be feeling better :)

[@chewybits3662]

@@Yolwoocle thank you!! ☺☺☺

[@Yolwoocle]

@@chewybits3662 ^-^

[@Aubreyb07]

I hope your day turned out well :)

[@BhavnaM]

It’s so wholesome

[@SharPhoe]

Another detail I love is that your footsteps will sound different on every surface, depending on if you're wearing soft-soled shoes, hard soles, or going barefoot.

[@JuliaGuVO]

They even changed it if you're wearing the wooden kimono sandals too!

[@Blake-qq1hm]

i never knew this i love the games sounds so this is great to hear thank you so much

[@Meg-nc4su]

when it rains too~ my path became mud lol

[@flunke7304]

Soft slippers too! It really sounds like you’re wearing slippers.

[@princessjello]

God i love the sound of the zori clops

[@WyrmTheCurator]

This man made me want to go into recording sound technology in college. he help me notice and appreciate small details in sounds, and music.

[@Plasmxx]

Anon Toast awesome

[@AveragePixel]

Damn man, you've got a great aesthetic here

[@Goldennote]

Wow, coming from a legend like you that’s a compliment to be proud of

[@Bryce4Impact]

The Dodo Airlines jingle is “What I Love” in a different key.

[@citrusblast4372]

By who?

[@Envy_May]

O M G

[@Alinanonymous]

@@citrusblast4372 what?

[@serenen]

Sneezu they were probably asking who was “what I love” made by

[@citrusblast4372]

@@serenen yes

[@annepetty4518]

My favorite bit of sound in New Horizons is when it's raining, you can hear the rain hit the roof of a house if you stand next to it. Even better, it sounds different depending on the type of roof!

[@icecatti]

There is literally no other content on the internet quite like this. Thanks so much!!

[@Nano64]

god i love scruffy’s videos, he’s the reason why im starting music theory y1 next year!

[@deedee_audie7461]

One of my favorite sounds is the walking. I love how different shoes, socks, or lack of footwear altogether makes distinct sounds on different surfaces, and even during the rain. There’s so much detail put into this game it’s insane! Definitely one of the best made games and may even be my all time favorite :)

[@LudwigSchindler]

The sound design of this video is incredible! (but visually too) When I first went into nooks cranny a few minutes before it closed I did not leave and stood there until they kicked me out. It is so calmingly wonderful, I don't know how to describe it!

[@cinnasauria]

this is such a comforting video, the editing and visual effects are as wholesome as the subject matter. it's so nice to hear someone appreciate the loving attention to detail that goes into this kind of thing!!

[@homiebreadpill]

I genuinely can't describe how perfectly crafted this video is. It emulates *perfectly* what Animal Crossing's sound design is.

[@jaimereneewissner7032]

I'm glad you mentioned the Shop Closing theme. I didn't expect a small musical moment that lasts just ten minutes a day to affect me in the way that it did, but it was definitely special to the point of tears.

[@SoratheWonderful]

6:45 ah yes the “closing theme” always a favorite in all animal crossing games

[@SymphonicElectric]

I absolutely LOVE the detail of having instruments in the game harmonize with the music that's playing. My house's upstairs room is a fully dedicated music studio specifically for that purpose haha.

[@James-us4lo]

Thank you Scruffy for shining a light on what is a largely unnoticed yet significant part of this game. Listening to you speak with such enthusiasm inspires me to pay more attention to sound design and appreciate the work and care that went into it.

[@JhoTerra]

Thank you for pointing all of these out! Ive been playing religiously and knew about a few of them already, but having the spotlight on the sound itself really brought out its thoughtfulness. My switch came with busted speakers, so I rarely get to enjoy the audio as I should.

[@jrrlls]

As a longtime love of the Animal Crossing series, this video expertly describes one of my most favourite parts about the series as a whole. The sound design in ACNH (and this incredible video) is masterful, heartwarming, and wholesome; it reminds me how beautiful the simple things really can be. Thank you for creating, educating, entertaining, and making me smile.

[@sophiewooloo]

ahhh im so glad you made this video!! your videos actually taught me to listen very closely to games, as im sure many others have experienced as well. i noticed so many things about the sound design in animal crossing when i started playing it, all thanks to you!! one of my favourite things is that the rustling of the leaves in each different type of tree sounds different when you hit it with an axe. i just love that

[@sadnobunny8648]

i have not touched this game in a year, but the way you talk about it and hearing this wonderous music again has convinced me to pick it up again. I'm excited to finally return to my island today, thank you Scruffy :)

[@Xploshi]

The presentation of your videos is absolutely stellar, thank you so much for blessing my reccomended feed today

[@rjmooose2795]

I will never stop enjoying watching/rewatching these videos.

[@saltykirby2891]

Every of Sruffy's videos is a whole new experience. It is mind blowing how careful each note has been placed and every frame has been animated. It almost seems like his videos are alive. Thanks for making Music/Videos for us ❤️

[@saltykirby2891]

PS: sorry for any typos.. but english isn't my native language 😅

[@froggy0113]

Totaka's Song can also be heard on the camping radio! I randomly heard it played during one night of customizing my house! This game is so full of awesome secrets and nods, thanks for sharing most of them in this video!

[@l.i.a.m.b]

The audio-visual presentation of your videos is so pleasing

[@Kithop]

The home/start menu tiles on the Xbox One UI does the panning thing the AC:NH Pocket does, too - as you scroll up and down on the left, the clicks are panned left, and as you scroll right they smoothly pan through to the right. It's such a small but perfect addition!

[@InnocentDoodles]

I can't be the only one who finds the clock chiming on the hour insanely charming right??

[@lalakuma9]

I love the sound of grasses and leaves rustling when you graze against them in Animal Crossing.

[@tgporter07]

my favorite piece of sound design is with the watering can. If you are only watering empty space, it will just play the normal sound, but if you're actually watering a flower, there will be a very slight sound of water hitting the plant.

[@massvelocity]

this is an amazing video scruffy! i dont know why but at certain points i just started tearing up, i just love how much effort you put into every part of every video

[@samd2431]

The best part about the video is thanking those who watched, but couldnt finish due to spoilers That's very thoughtful of the creator, and much appreciated. Be sure to check out his other content. It's quite astonishing to say the least

[@danteroberts3403]

2 minutes into this video and I started crying??? This video is so fkn wholesome. This is the first video I have seen of yours, and honestly I can't wait to watch more. Well done on such an amazing video. Liked and Subscribed

[@KingDragon6815]

This is actually the best way I've ever seen a video deal with spoilers, thanks so much!

[@Vyz3r]

You can also hear Totaka's Song being played on the radio at some point.

[@cardboardleaf7971]

4:44 I first found this out with the Chaos Gates in "Hades" and now I hear it everywhere in the game and others. It's mesmerising, honestly.

[@DarkspeenShore]

4:44 At the menu. not only the sound pans, but it's also fun that your character also changes the direction its facing depending on where you have the cursor, which I believe wasn't implemented in other Animal Crossing games.

[@zenshadow26055]

I’m so glad to see a video on this. I absolutely love the sound design in this game. Using some open-back headphones, everything just becomes so blissful :) It’s probably the best sound design I’ve heard on any game, I think. (My favorite sound is dropping something on the grass. Such a satisfying *thump*. Well, that or the house doors closing for the same reason but more like a *clunk*)

[@karenlyssa7033]

Scruffy, you are a treasure to this world. thank you so much for the amazing content you put out there!!! the effort you put into your videos is incredible

[@mauwwwww]

The song it plays when the shop is about to close is so good

[@yaseminturkoglu6748]

the amount of effort put into this video makes it so nice to watch. thanks for creating!!

[@shiouhsu4869]

the best sound design youtuber is you and marshall mcgee no one else keep up the amazing work

[@Blake-qq1hm]

i love adding items in my house soley for sound reasons, like a fireplaces crackle and waters soft noise. I love the games sound and visuals everything of it it is very calm.

[@misse4730]

Love your videos, Scruffy! A detail I thought was really amazing: when you upgrade to the normal or gold watering can, when the water pans over flowers, there's the sound of liquid hitting leaves. It's subtle yet exaggerated (I don't use water with that strong a current in real life to elicit this sound) but it adds so much weight to the action!

[@mccxvzneauipu3ipo]

The sound and music from your videos does is wholesome.

[@Ziggyzaggy300]

One day I was browsing youtube and I came across city folk 2am.i went downstairs kinda tired and I brought my blanket then put that song on. And I slept for 2 hours. Bea sleep I've ever had.

[@timelord153]

Scruffy, your videos are fantastic. You deliver your points with such an amazing combination of tone, music and animation that I take in every single word and just want to hear more and more. Brilliant work and I can't wait to see/hear the next video.

[@thomaswright7841]

This video was so well made it blew my mind. You should be so proud.

[@emeraldchan7770]

Thank you so much for adding to my ACNH experience! As always your videos are amazing and you have such a strong ear for sound design. I will be playing all my instruments along to the kk songs now 😂.

[@NintenShibe]

Your voice is so satisfying to listen to! It makes the already extremely enjoyable video even better, keep up the good work!

[@DocGeraud]

Amazing video, as always. Love your work man

[@leahbivens3849]

Such cute animation and editing!! Your sound design videos are always so charming

[@icantthinkofanything798]

Your videos are the most wholesome thing. never change.

[@lama99654]

I actually noticed that while selecting a Favorited tool to use using the wheel, the tools lower in the wheel make a lower click sound than the tools higher on the wheel when scrolling to them. This is very apparent when switching from the top and bottom tool!

[@thfacts]

idk if it's quarantine emotions or what, But when he said thanks for watching at the spoiler warning i just cried because it was too damn sweet.

[@loladgomez]

I was hoping you would make an Animal Crossing video after seeing your Zelda BotW one! I just love how your videos have the same sense of comfort that both acnh and botw have, that I just can't explain. It's like... home! Keep making videos, theyre a wonderful thing to behold!

[@cicadaze]

man, your intro is so _nice_ and _calm_ it makes me feel ':>'

[@lollystep3007]

I myself had found such a tiny and seemingly pointless, but much appreciated, sound effect when i was fooling around Able Sisters. It was a windy day and i heard a strange squeaking, and when i ran away, it was quiet once again, and when i went back to continue my weird task, i noticed it was the sign. The flippin tiny sign had squeaking hinges in the wind. My mind was blown that they added such a small detail

[@oliverdjani8050]

Maaaaaan, Scruffy thank you. This is amazing and is so relaxing. Wonderful

[@bentleythegreatest]

The only video that has a blue background. I love it and it’s not as horrifying as the other videos.

[@ramengg9066]

Welcome home Scruffy! We missed you! ~thank you for such a great video

[@Flowtail]

Listening to your intro is like sinking into a warm bath

[@taoreru1352]

this is literally the kindest, most wholesome and sweetest chanel i've seen :>

[@bbk8168]

I’m so glad you mentioned the closing theme for Nook’s cranny. Sometimes I go in just to listen because it’s so nice. ♥️♥️

[@lordpsi99]

I figured out everything in this video myself except for the instruments being added to the music for each upgrade to your house. The Switch UI also does sound effect stereo panning depending on where the cursor is, too. It also makes noises in different pitches if you tap a non selectable area of the touch screen. A hidden Totaka's Song has not been found. I wouldn't count K.K. Song since it's just a returning song from previous games in the series.

[@supahvaporeon]

One of the radio advertisements plays a snippet of Accumula Town from Pokemon Black/White, and very rarely the radio can also play Totaka's Song. This version of Totaka' is special as far as I know, as not only does the radio not mention the track name, but it also uses a different soundfont than the aircheck or Slider performance.

[@viv6700]

although i have heard all these sounds many many times, the execution of this video made me appreciate the beautiful design of this game in a new way. thank you :-)

[@bigfootnintendorazr]

I love the 9:50PM shop closing song!

[@sosunfreak]

This video was such a gem to watch and hear

[@scottjohnson4452]

Why are you literally the best person on youtube

[@SimulationGamer12]

Fantastic video, simplicity in its finest. Looking forward to watching more. ♥️

[@RichardBoo]

You missed the beautiful weather variations. Each weather type has an accompanying instrument that adds on to that hour's song. Also during rain, the resident services tent has small little trickle sounds when you go inside it. mental roofs also make a soft clink in the rain.

[@IsthisDan]

My God , your voice in headphones is amazing .

[@jakes7953]

you can actually get kk song on the portable radio! i agree its not that well hidden but it came on my radio at the beginning of the game and i was sooo blown away!

[@mala6823]

Yes! I love the Nooks Cranny Music! ❤️

[@marihyun9147]

who needs meditation apps when we have scruffy explaining sound design on games?

[@Steve080501]

I love this game so much, those tiny details make me appreciate this game more and you are very good at editing video too!

[@Jumpluffmusic]

this is so well done I absolutely fell in love the way it's edited and the renditions of the game's music and your voice... wow. compliments to the chef

[@LaskyLabs]

"Hello!" *I melt.*

[@ZrSiO4-ZrSiO4-ZrSiO4-ZrSiO4]

Gosh! You videos are so soft and lovely

[@benwatson7155]

Thank you for making soothing, and yet informative videos that feel like a fleece on a cold day and a cool wind on a hot one that make me want to learn more and get me excited whenever I see a new post from you. Keep up the good work my dude!

[@endershr000m3]

Just, everything about this video, is amazing

[@fafafafafafafa]

Scruffy is the Animal Crossing of KZbin.

[@MADiamond2191]

-In a cute customizable little package. I'm talking about *DOOM ETERNAL*

[@renzoalmelor5815]

Your style of video is so novel and unique

[@madipup]

Your channel is so cute! I love your editing style and you’re very informative! Love it! Subbed ;P

[@MerryMidlight]

this video was so sweet I could cry

[@artificialidiot1654]

This video is just as pleasing as the game

[@minionslayer]

Welcoming, warm, cute. I see what ya did there!

[@kaitejani5167]

Shared before I'd even watched. Your content never fails to amaze! I'll never understand how you're not at 100k yet

[@drpinguino3]

Love this! I was kinda hoping you would also talk about how the mood of the houtly music changes as the day goes on, I'd love a video about that!

[@cinnasauria]

Totaka's Song was properly hidden in previous Animal Crossing games, in addition to its appearance as K.K. Song! You can hear it at the beginning of City Folk if you wait around on the bus for a while. In Wild World and New Leaf, you could pretty much only hear it if your connection was really slow when trying to connect for online play. I'm still wondering if and when it'll show up in New Horizons.

[@kewpi.]

this video is just so pleasant, and i really like that

[@ilovexiaolongbao]

nintendo has always been amazing at sound design!! we've seen that since wii music

[@heebadibibo1200]

another great video! always a treat to watch these

[@kinamiya1]

That small jingle is a thing of japan stores that notices that the store is closing soon

[@bingoccolon]

i actually got k.k. song on my radio and it sounded familiar to me, thanks for pointing it out!

[@oscarcervantes5975]

I’m late to this video but I legit found nobody talking about the music in Nooks Cranny at 9:50pm. Once I listened to it I cried 😔

[@novasnake2532]

On some mobile phones, if the user has sensitive enough hearing, they can actually hear the attenuation from the pocket segment perfectly fine.