Achieving a five-star rating for your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is more challenging than it looks. This ultimate goal takes time; it’s not something you can expect to reach in just a day, week, or even month of gameplay. Moreover, the criteria for achieving that coveted five-star status can feel cryptic and elusive. You might dedicate years to your island, only to find yourself stuck at four stars because of some obscure requirement you overlooked.
Fortunately, thanks to dataminers who have analyzed the ins and outs of island evaluations, along with insights from the official game guidebook, we now understand precisely how Isabelle determines your island’s rating on a scale from one to five, as well as the specific conditions needed for a perfect score. If you’re having trouble attaining that five-star rank, here’s all the information on how to achieve an exemplary island evaluation, along with the rewards you can earn after reaching this milestone.
How to Check Your Island Rating and What You Need for a 5-Star Island
Getting an Island Evaluation
To check your island’s rating, simply visit Isabelle at Resident Services and choose the “Island evals” option from the menu. She will provide your rating along with helpful tips on how to enhance it. Keep in mind that this option becomes available only after you’ve set up your town square and convinced your first visitor to make your island their permanent home.
However, what Isabelle doesn’t disclose is that island ratings are based on two hidden point systems: Development Points and Scenery Points. Different items, activities, and achievements contribute to each of these categories. To achieve a five-star rating, you need at least 665 Development Points and 450 Scenery Points. Below, we’ll break down how you can accumulate points in both areas.
How to Increase Development Points
Development Points are earned mainly through the various buildings, structures, and outdoor furniture you place around your island. The table below outlines the tasks that can help you boost your Development score and their point values.
|
Task/Item |
Development Points |
|---|---|
|
Museum constructed |
15 |
|
Nook’s Cranny constructed |
15 |
|
Able Sisters constructed |
15 |
|
Each bridge & incline constructed |
15 |
|
Each furniture item placed outside |
1 |
|
Each fence constructed |
0.2 |
|
9 residents |
15 |
|
10 residents |
15 (plus 9 villager bonus for a total of 30) |
|
Having fewer than 100 weeds |
30 |
|
Having more than 100 weeds |
1000 — number of weeds / 30 |
When it comes to furniture, island evaluations break your island into 8×8 squares and penalize you for using the same type of furniture within those squares. If you place six or more of an item, you’ll lose half a point for each duplicate; if you use 11 or more, the penalty increases to three-quarters of a point for each additional item.
On the flip side, you gain an extra half point for every outdoor furniture piece you use. Additionally, if the total value of your furniture exceeds 20,000 Bells, your points for Development will double.
Scenery Points
While Development Points focus on buildings and furniture, Scenery Points are largely based on your island’s natural features (like trees and flowers). You’ll earn these points from a variety of elements ranging from planted trees to harvested crops. The table below lists the tasks and items that provide Scenery Points in ACNH along with their corresponding values.
|
Item/Task |
Scenery Points |
|---|---|
|
Each fully grown tree (including bamboo and coconut trees) |
1 |
|
Each bush |
0.5 |
|
Each flower sprout or immature produce plant |
0.5 |
|
Each flower bud or bloom |
0.7 |
|
Each fully grown flower or produce plant |
1 |
|
Each piece of DIY furniture smaller than three tiles wide |
0.25 |
|
Each piece of DIY furniture at least three tiles wide |
0.75 |
The same restrictions apply here. If you have ten or more unique DIY furniture types, you’ll gain an additional 0.75 Scenery Points for each type. Also, keep in mind that you can’t earn more than 190 points combined from the trees and bushes on your island; this value has a cap.
Tips and Tricks for Quickly Achieving a 5-Star Island
Speedrunning to a 5-Star Rating
While you could devote weeks, months, or even years to perfecting your island, what if you want to reach a five-star rating as quickly as possible? There are some straightforward strategies you can utilize, and one of the simplest ways is to plant a large number of flowers. A fully grown flower yields the same points as a fully matured tree, yet occupies less space and matures much more swiftly. Moreover, flowers don’t have the same point limitations as trees and bushes, so you can keep adding more.
Flowers will also reproduce quickly, generating more points with minimal effort.
Gyroids are another fantastic option for quickly boosting your rating. Each Gyroid counts as a unique piece of furniture and only requires one square of space, making them a perfect addition to help increase your Development Points.
Lastly, removing weeds can help raise your Development score without too much hassle. Fewer weeds mean more points, so make it a habit to clear them whenever you find them to see your score improve significantly.
Common Pitfalls When Trying to Boost Your Island Rating
Avoiding Clutter and Repetition
However, it is possible to overdo it while building up your island, which can lead to a lower rating. Firstly, let’s address the issue of clutter. Not every item left lying around counts toward your furniture bonus; items such as fruit, seeds, materials, clothing, unplaced furniture, consumables, and gifts are considered clutter.
Having 15 or more pieces of clutter prevents you from reaching a five-star rating. Avoid leaving random items out, even if they’re atop furniture. Ensure that only furniture is out in the open, and be mindful of not repeating the same item within an 8×8 square.
It’s also possible to simply have too many items placed. If, on average, over 45 tiles in the 8×8 sections of your island are covered, Isabelle will inform you that your island is too cluttered for residents to navigate. Make sure to arrange your items with sufficient space in between to avoid this problem.
Avoiding Excessive Trees
Although trees can significantly improve your Scenery score, too many trees can be a problem. If you exceed 220 trees, Isabelle will remark that your island resembles a desolate forest rather than a well-developed area, and you’ll need to remove some to achieve a five-star rating.
Rewards for Attaining a 5-Star Island
Five-Star Island Evaluation Rewards
Once you earn a five-star rating, you’ll instantly receive the crafting recipe for the golden watering can, which has the highest durability in the game with 180 uses. Additionally, for every week you maintain your five-star status, a lily of the valley flower will bloom on your island, which is the exclusive way to acquire these rare and beautiful blooms.
That wraps up everything you need to know about achieving a perfect five-star island evaluation. While there are shortcuts to help you get there faster, nothing can replace the hard work and dedication required. Ultimately, reaching a five-star rating should be a long-term aspiration in Animal Crossing: New Horizons; take your time and enjoy the process instead of hurrying for the rewards.
