Question for people with two islands/two Switches

[azurill]

I'm thinking I'll do the same thing then when I get my second Switch! Thank you for your insights. And if you do happen to try out online trading with your second character, let me know how that goes!

Your welcome , I will definitely let you know if I trade on that character.

 

[WaileaNoRei]

edited : removed because it is way more complicated than I originally remembered and so some of what I said was inaccurate/ confusing

sorry

 

[azurill]

I'm thinking I'll do the same thing then when I get my second Switch! Thank you for your insights. And if you do happen to try out online trading with your second character, let me know how that goes!

I tried out online trading today with my second character. I had two trades and they both went well.

 

[VanitasFan26]

I have two switches, and both are associated with the same Nintendo account which is linked to a Nintendo services online account (it is a family account, not sure that matters if the switches are both tied to one Nintendo account, but my family account includes my husband, mother, and close friends as well, did it just get it for the second switch). Both islands can play online and interact with others - for example I have friends who are on my friend list for both islands.

my two islands cannot friend each other, because they are the same account but the two characters can visit each other through local play and exchange items that way.

with a digital copy of the game, two switches can share the same copy if they are both attached to the same account, the secondary device just has to periodically be able to connect to the internet, to verify it is authorized to play the game.

So let me get this straight. If you have a digital copy of the game on the same Nintendo account you can use a 2nd switch and still make a new island on that said 2nd switch and also can still visit the island on the other Switch as long as they are connected to the Internet? I hope I read that right.

 

[WaileaNoRei]

So let me get this straight. If you have a digital copy of the game on the same Nintendo account you can use a 2nd switch and still make a new island on that said 2nd switch and also can still visit the island on the other Switch as long as they are connected to the Internet? I hope I read that right.

Edited: removed cause I looked it all up and I got some key stuff wrong

 

[VanitasFan26]

yep! That is correct! If you have both characters on the same switch account they can only visit each other by local play, but if you make a second account on the switch and put your new island under that account the characters should be able to add each other as friends and visit each other through normal online play (both accounts can be tied to the same Nintendo account, but the switch them recognizes them as different ‘people’)

for example my husband’s switch has my main account ‘Rei’ but also his own account, and he made his island under his account and tied it to the same Nintendo account as ‘Rei’. We were able to visit each other and others and play at the same time, with no issues.

I have a switch lite and made the main characters under the same account ‘Rei’ and on those two islands I can only visit myself through local play and cannot add myself as a ‘friend’ (so cannot mail myself gifts) but both characters can play with others and trade as normal online.

let me know if this is not enough explanation. I find sometimes the more I explain it the more confused I get. But I can get you a more thorough explanation if you need. (Or a more simplified one)

Well for me since I'm the only one that bought the Switch its just me. I don't really have a Family account. Most of family are not into gaming so its just me. So if I have a personal account is their a way to like change that to a family account or do I have to actually make a new account on the same switch or does that apply to the 2nd Switch?

I am speaking from someone who only has a Switch for myself and I don't really have anyone who plays with me, so the one thing I'm concerned about is having to make a new account and rebuy the same online membership on the 2nd switch if I don't have a family account and I have no choice but to create a new account since my main one is really a "Family account" if that makes any sense.

 

[WaileaNoRei]

Well for me since I'm the only one that bought the Switch its just me. I don't really have a Family account. Most of family are not into gaming so its just me. So if I have a personal account is their a way to like change that to a family account or do I have to actually make a new account on the same switch or does that apply to the 2nd Switch?

I am speaking from someone who only has a Switch for myself and I don't really have anyone who plays with me, so the one thing I'm concerned about is having to make a new account and rebuy the same online membership on the 2nd switch if I don't have a family account and I have no choice but to create a new account since my main one is really a "Family account" if that makes any sense.

there is apparently a useful explanation on Reddit, on the Nintendo switch subreddit.

there are a couple tricks, like making your character on a secondary switch account on the primary switch (apparently that is very important, according the my husband who is now contributing)

I would look it up on Reddit. - apparently there may be an issue involving the ‘main account’ on the primary vs secondary account.

it is very easy once you get it going but the set up was a pain, and we needed to very closely follow the instructions we found. If you can’t find them, let me know and I will see if I can find them again.

edited: cause of misinformation (sorry @SoraFan23 and others I did not remember how complicated it was or how the whole setup worked - I didn’t mean to mislead you . We set it up so long ago I honestly forgot too many details.)

 

[VanitasFan26]

you shouldn’t need a family account, you can create multiple switch accounts which are tied to one Nintendo account so you only need Nintendo services online for one person.

there is apparently a useful explanation on Reddit, on the Nintendo switch subreddit.

there are a couple tricks, like making your character on a secondary switch account on the primary switch (apparently that is very important, according the my husband who is now contributing)

I would look it up on Reddit. - apparently there may be an issue involving the ‘main account’ on the primary vs secondary account.

it is very easy once you get it going but the set up was a pain, and we needed to very closely follow the instructions we found. If you can’t find them, let me know and I will see if I can find them again.

Well thanks for the answer anyways. I mean I was thinking about doing it, but now it seems a lot more of a headache to even setup. I don't know if spending more money on a 2nd Switch just to have a 2nd island is even worth it at this point. I guess I will just stick to one island until maybe just maybe in the future Nintendo will give us the option to make a 2nd island on one Switch.

I was very conflicted on this because its like I was stuck on between deleting my main island or buying a 2nd switch and I come to the conclusion that neither of them works and its just going to be a massive headache just to try to do everything again, but oh well it was nice hearing about it anyways.

 

[WaileaNoRei]

Well thanks for the answer anyways. I mean I was thinking about doing it, but now it seems a lot more of a headache to even setup. I don't know if spending more money on a 2nd Switch just to have a 2nd island is even worth it at this point. I guess I will just stick to one island until maybe just maybe in the future Nintendo will give us the option to make a 2nd island on one Switch.

I was very conflicted on this because its like I was stuck on between deleting my main island or buying a 2nd switch and I come to the conclusion that neither of them works and its just going to be a massive headache just to try to do everything again, but oh well it was nice hearing about it anyways.

To be honest it does seem like so much of a pain that buying a second copy of the game would be potentially worth it

sorry for the headache! I do think Nintendo purposely makes it really complicated

 

[VanitasFan26]

To be honest it does seem like so much of a pain that buying a second copy of the game would be potentially worth it

sorry for the headache! I do think Nintendo purposely makes it really complicated

Its not your fault, you did your best and yeah I agree that Nintendo really made this complicated. If there was thing that still bothers me about this game after one year of playing its the limit of having only one island per switch. At first I didn't understand the rant, but after more time went by I now fully understand why so many people were angry with this last year.

 

[Moritz]

To be honest it does seem like so much of a pain that buying a second copy of the game would be potentially worth it

sorry for the headache! I do think Nintendo purposely makes it really complicated

I dont think they do it on purpose.
I just dont think they care enough to make it easy.

 

[WaileaNoRei]

I dont think they do it on purpose.
I just dont think they care enough to make it easy.

yes, actually based on what I know of Nintendo this is the most likely scenario

 

[Moonbay212]

Question for people who have two island/two switches: I recently got a second switch (i finally found the animal crossing themed one) and wanted to start a new island on the second switch and just bring over the items from my first switch island to the new one. Do i need to buy another copy of the game? I have a digital copy and both switches are currently linked to one account. Will I be able to visit my first island still?

 

[. Rarity .]

To do that you need to have two nintendo accounts. If you plan on visiting your two islands, since you cant do that if you have the same account.

I tried that, didnt work. I ended up making another character with a different account to be able to get items once

You'll still have different islands, but if you want to switch your islands up, and move one then you gotta get this Nook moving thing from the store. Where it let's you switch islands,

 

[Sapphiregem]

Yea my main intent with my second island was villager swapping and swapping nook mile items. It was also nice when I was buying turnips better chances of getting a good price for selling with two islands. If you eventually want to trade between islands and get second copy, you could also make a second character on the second island for trades between islands. I eventually made a second character with my profile from my main switch so I could get a dream address for my second island. This way I didn’t need another Nintendo subscription.

Sorry I know you posted this a while ago but I haven’t found anyone else who’s attempted to do this. Is travel between the two islands still possible using local play with two different profiles on each switch? Also by using the account with the online subscription on both switches are you essentially allowed two dream addresses for each island or do they override each other? Finally how do the island backups work? Can you safely backup both using the one “online” account? Sorry for all the questions I just don’t want to do something silly after spending so long on each of my islands

 

[azurill]

Sorry I know you posted this a while ago but I haven’t found anyone else who’s attempted to do this. Is travel between the two islands still possible using local play with two different profiles on each switch? Also by using the account with the online subscription on both switches are you essentially allowed two dream addresses for each island or do they override each other? Finally how do the island backups work? Can you safely backup both using the one “online” account? Sorry for all the questions I just don’t want to do something silly after spending so long on each of my islands

Yes I use local play all the time. As long as your using two profiles. I do have a dream address for each island. I believe They don’t override each other because they are on different switches I have tested this and both dream addresses work.

Spoiler: Dream addresses

Serenity 2092-0848-5599
Jurai: 6824-2529-8710

I back up my islands on different profiles. Both my profiles have their own Nintendo account linked to them. One just doesn’t have the online subscription. They both back up just fine. I have not tried backing both islands to the same Nintendo account because I was wasn’t sure how that all worked.
Hopefully that helped answer your questions

 

[Sapphiregem]

Yes I use local play all the time. As long as your using two profiles. I do have a dream address for each island. I believe They don’t override each other because they are on different switches I have tested this and both dream addresses work.

Spoiler: Dream addresses

Serenity 2092-0848-5599
Jurai: 6824-2529-8710

I back up my islands on different profiles. Both my profiles have their own Nintendo account linked to them. One just doesn’t have the online subscription. They both back up just fine. I have not tried backing both islands to the same Nintendo account because I was wasn’t sure how that all worked.
Hopefully that helped answer your questions

Thank you so much for the help, I really appreciate it <3 will definitely try this out now!

 

[azurill]

Thank you so much for the help, I really appreciate it <3 will definitely try this out now!

Your welcome. Happy I could help

 

[Moonbay212]

Hi! I had posted on here awhile ago but having some trouble shooting and hoping someone could give some advice on how to fix it!
I have two switches and two copies of the game (one digital and one physical). I recently restarted on my physical copy of the switch and want to transfer some stuff from my island on my digital copy to the new one! I made a second account on the digital one to travel locally but every time I try it gives me and error message. I did this a while back when I got the second switch but now it seems like I can't visit either island. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Serabee]

Hi! I had posted on here awhile ago but having some trouble shooting and hoping someone could give some advice on how to fix it!
I have two switches and two copies of the game (one digital and one physical). I recently restarted on my physical copy of the switch and want to transfer some stuff from my island on my digital copy to the new one! I made a second account on the digital one to travel locally but every time I try it gives me and error message. I did this a while back when I got the second switch but now it seems like I can't visit either island. Anyone have any suggestions?

Do you perhaps have use the same copy of the DLC on both by chance? I've heard that can cause issues.