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Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a plethora of resources and materials for players to collect and utilize in crafting various items and upgrades. One of the most essential resources in the game is iron nuggets. These nuggets are used in a wide range of recipes, from tools and furniture to bridges and inclines. While iron nuggets can be obtained in several ways, the most efficient method involves using a specific tool and exploiting a particular resource.
To obtain iron nuggets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players will need to equip an axe and strike rocks scattered throughout their island. When struck, rocks will yield a variety of resources, including stone, clay, and iron ore. Iron ore appears as a sparkling, orange-brown material embedded within rocks. Striking a rock multiple times will increase the chances of obtaining iron ore, but it’s important to note that each rock has a limited number of resources it can yield before becoming depleted. Therefore, it’s recommended to explore your island thoroughly and locate multiple rocks to maximize your iron ore collection.
Once you have collected iron ore, you will need to process it into iron nuggets. To do this, you can visit your resident services building and speak to Tom Nook. Tom Nook will provide you with a DIY recipe for a stone axe, which you can use to craft an iron nugget from each piece of iron ore. Alternatively, you can wait until the villager known as Flick visits your island and sell him iron ore in exchange for iron nuggets. Flick will offer a higher price for iron ore than Tom Nook, but he is not always available.
Hitting Rocks with an Axe
This method is the most common and reliable way to get Iron Nuggets. To do this, you’ll need to find a rock on your island and hit it with an axe. Each rock has a chance of dropping Iron Nuggets, and you can get up to 8 Nuggets per rock. You can hit a rock up to 8 times before boulders stop appearing. Reseting the game after the boulders are gone will let them respawn.
Here are some tips for hitting rocks with an axe:
- Make sure you have a sturdy axe. A flimsy axe will break after a few hits, and a stone axe will break after 30 hits.
- Hit the rock in the center. This will give you the best chance of getting Iron Nuggets.
- Dig holes behind you before you start hitting the rock. This will prevent you from getting knocked back and missing the rock.
- Eat a fruit before you start hitting the rock. This will give you a temporary strength boost, increasing your chances of getting Iron Nuggets.
- Use the A button to pick up items. This will prevent you from accidentally picking up the rock instead of the Nuggets.
| Hit | Chance of Iron Nugget |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10% |
| 2 | 20% |
| 3 | 30% |
| 4 | 40% |
| 5 | 50% |
| 6 | 60% |
| 7 | 70% |
| 8 | 80% |
Using a Flimsy/Stone Axe
To obtain Iron Nuggets in Animal Crossing, one effective method utilizes a Flimsy Axe or a Stone Axe. These primitive tools can be crafted using the following resources:
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Branch | 5 |
| Stone | 1 |
Once crafted, follow these steps to acquire Iron Nuggets:
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Locate Rocks on Your Island: Explore your island and identify rocks protruding from the ground. These rocks appear in various sizes and textures.
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Equip Your Axe: Select your Flimsy Axe or Stone Axe from your inventory.
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Hit Rocks Repeatedly: Use your axe to strike the rocks in a rapid succession. With each hit, there’s a chance that Iron Nuggets will pop out and land on the ground.
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Maximize Nugget Yield: To optimize your Iron Nugget collection, consider the following techniques:
- Eat Fruit to Enhance Strength: Consuming fruits, such as apples or coconuts, will provide a temporary boost to your character’s strength. This increased strength allows you to break rocks in fewer hits, increasing the likelihood of obtaining Iron Nuggets.
- Use a Stronger Axe: Upgrading to a Stone Axe or even a Metal Axe will deliver more powerful strikes, resulting in a higher probability of releasing Iron Nuggets from rocks.
- Position Yourself Correctly: Stand directly in front of the rock and swing your axe perpendicularly to its surface. Avoid hitting rocks from the side or at an angle, as it reduces your chances of obtaining Nuggets.
Using a Weak Rock
Weak rocks, which can be found on mystery islands or obtained by hitting regular rocks with a shovel, can also yield iron nuggets. However, the yield rate for iron nuggets from weak rocks is lower than from regular rocks, so it may take more attempts to obtain the desired quantity.
To use a weak rock to obtain iron nuggets, follow these steps:
- Locate a weak rock.
- Equip a shovel.
- Stand facing the weak rock.
- Press the A button to swing the shovel and hit the rock.
- If you are successful, the rock will break apart and may yield iron nuggets. The number of nuggets obtained depends on the luck of the player.
Timing Your Hits
Timing is crucial for breaking rocks effectively. Hitting the rock too early or too late will result in a miss. The best time to strike the rock is right when the hammer makes contact with it. A visual cue to look for is the dust cloud that forms around the rock. When the dust cloud disappears, you have a brief window of time to hit the rock. With practice, you’ll get a better feel for the timing and be able to consistently break rocks.
Breaking Rocks with Bugs
Using bugs to break rocks can be a quicker and more efficient way to obtain iron nuggets. Bugs like the common flicker and the tiger beetle have a chance of dropping iron nuggets when they are shaken from trees. To use this method, simply equip your net and start shaking trees. If a bug falls out, quickly catch it before it flies away. Then, hit the rock with the bug in your net. This increases the chances of getting multiple iron nuggets from a single rock.
### Items that Can Help Break Rocks
| Item | Description |
|—|—|
| Golden Axe | Grants a 10% chance to get an extra iron nugget from a rock |
| Lucky Pickaxe | Grants a 30% chance to break rocks instantly, giving you more chances at iron nuggets |
| Shooting Star Fragment | Grants a temporary buff, increasing the chances of getting multiple iron nuggets from a single rock |
Inspecting the Rock’s Cracks
Before striking the rock, meticulously inspect its surface for any visible cracks or fissures. These cracks indicate the presence of valuable resources, such as iron nuggets or stones. Pay close attention to the edges and protrusions of the rock, as they often harbor hidden cracks.
Once you have identified a rock with potential cracks, align your shovel with the crack and strike the rock squarely with full force. If the crack is genuine, it will widen and emit a distinct sound upon impact. This signifies that you have successfully extracted the hidden resource.
Keep in mind that not all rocks with cracks contain valuable resources. Some rocks may exhibit natural fissures or blemishes that do not necessarily indicate the presence of iron nuggets. If you strike a rock several times without obtaining any resources, it is likely that the rock does not contain hidden treasures.
RNG and Rock Respawns
In Animal Crossing, finding iron nuggets relies heavily on random number generation (RNG). When you hit a rock, it has a chance of dropping random resources, including iron nuggets. The number of resources dropped per rock is 6-9, and iron nuggets can drop in any combination of those values. Unfortunately, the game’s RNG can sometimes be frustrating, with iron nuggets dropping rarely despite repeated rock hitting.
To maximize your chances of obtaining iron nuggets, it’s essential to understand rock respawns. Rocks respawn every day, generally around 5 AM in-game time. This means you can reset the RNG and try hitting rocks again for a fresh chance at iron nuggets. However, there’s a catch: if you break a rock within 4 spaces of another rock, the broken rock will not respawn the next day.
To effectively farm iron nuggets, follow these steps:
- Find a cluster of rocks spaced at least 5 spaces apart.
- Hit each rock with a shovel until it breaks.
- Count the number of iron nuggets obtained.
- Repeat steps 2-3 for each rock in the cluster.
- If you don’t get any iron nuggets, close the game and restart it.
- Repeat the process until you obtain the desired number of iron nuggets.
Visiting Mystery Islands
Mystery islands are a great way to get iron nuggets in Animal Crossing. To visit a mystery island, speak to Orville at the airport and select the “I want to fly!” option. You will then be able to choose to visit a random mystery island. There is a small chance that the mystery island you visit will have iron nuggets on the ground. You can also find iron nuggets by hitting rocks with your shovel.
Here are some tips for finding iron nuggets on mystery islands:
- Bring a shovel with you so you can dig up any iron nuggets that you find.
- Run around the island and hit all of the rocks with your shovel. Iron nuggets will sometimes pop out of the rocks.
- Look for shiny spots on the ground. These spots may contain iron nuggets.
- Talk to any villagers that you find on the island. They may give you iron nuggets as a gift.
- Hit the rocks on the island with a shovel. You will sometimes get iron nuggets as a reward.
- If you visit the same mystery island twice in a row, it is likely that the island will be the same layout. This means that you can remember where the iron nuggets are located and go back to collect them later.
- If you see a yellow glow coming from the water, this means that there is a golden nugget in the water. You can use your shovel to dig up the golden nugget.
- If you see a rainbow glowing in the sky, this means that there is a rainbow shell on the island. You can use your shovel to dig up the rainbow shell.
- If you see a glowing tree, this means that there is a glowing mushroom on the tree. You can use your shovel to knock down the glowing mushroom.
Trading with Villagers
Another method to obtain iron nuggets is by trading with villagers. Certain villagers may occasionally ask you for items in exchange for iron nuggets. The type of item they request will vary depending on the villager, but it’s usually something simple like fruit or flowers. If you have the requested item, you’ll have the opportunity to trade for iron nuggets.
To trade with a villager, simply approach them and engage in conversation. If they have an item they’re willing to trade, they’ll mention it during the conversation. Select the “Trade” option and browse through the available items. If you have the item they’re looking for, you can trade it for iron nuggets.
Trading with villagers can be a good way to acquire iron nuggets, especially if you don’t have access to other methods. However, it’s important to remember that the availability of iron nuggets through trading will depend on the specific villagers in your town and whether they have requested items that you possess.
| Item Requested | Iron Nuggets Awarded |
|---|---|
| Fruit | 1 |
| Flowers | 2 |
| Crafting Materials (e.g., Wood, Stone) | 3 |
| Furniture Items | 4 |
How to Get Iron Nuggets in Animal Crossing
Iron Nuggets are an essential resource in Animal Crossing. They are used to craft a variety of tools, furniture, and other items. Here are three ways to get Iron Nuggets:
- Hit rocks with a shovel or axe. Each rock will yield up to eight Iron Nuggets, but you will need to hit it multiple times with a shovel or axe to get them all.
- Find Iron Nuggets on the ground. Iron Nuggets can occasionally be found on the ground, especially after it has rained.
- Buy Iron Nuggets from Nook’s Cranny. Nook’s Cranny will occasionally sell Iron Nuggets for 800 Bells each.
People Also Ask About Animal Crossing How To Get Iron Nuggets
How do I get more Iron Nuggets fast?
Hit rocks with a shovel or axe as quickly as possible. Each rock will yield up to eight Iron Nuggets, but you will need to hit it multiple times with a shovel or axe to get them all.
Where can I find Iron Nuggets on the ground?
Iron Nuggets can occasionally be found on the ground, especially after it has rained. Check around trees, rocks, and other objects.
How much do Iron Nuggets sell for?
Iron Nuggets sell for 800 Bells each at Nook’s Cranny.
