Unlocking the Magic Wand and Star Fragments in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the magic wand is a fantastic tool that lets you switch between eight preset outfits with just a flick of your wrist. No more rummaging through your wardrobe; just wave your wand and you’re good to go! But how do you get your hands on one?

To craft the magic wand, you’ll need star fragments, which require a bit of effort and some well-timed wishes to gather. The ability to effortlessly change into stylish outfits makes it all worthwhile. Here’s how to collect those essential three star fragments (or more) and how to use them effectively.

First off, gathering star fragments involves a few steps, and they won’t be available right from the start. You’ll need to interact with specific NPCs and complete a few tasks before you can start collecting them.

If you’re new to the series, you might not know about Celeste. She’s Blathers’ sister, the owl who runs the museum, and she usually manages the observatory in earlier games. While it’s unclear if there’s an observatory in New Horizons, Celeste still plays a significant role.

Around day 20 of your adventure (which coincided with a full moon for me), Celeste will show up on your island after sunset. Make sure to chat with her; she’ll share that wishing on falling stars can bring you good luck, hinting at how to find those star fragments.

More importantly, she’ll hand you the recipe for the magic wand. To craft it, you’ll need three star fragments and one large star fragment.

To collect star fragments, keep an eye (and ear) out for shooting stars. They make a soft, tinkling sound as you wander around your island. When you hear it, push up on the right stick and press A to make a wish on the star.

You’ll know you’ve succeeded when your character closes their eyes and clasps their hands together, and the star in the sky shines brightly.

Typically, you’ll see several shooting stars in a row, allowing you to wish on multiple stars by repeatedly pressing A.

So, what’s the point of wishing on stars? You’ll find out the next day. After making your wishes, stroll along the beach to look for large yellow rocks where the water meets the sand. These are the star fragments, and it seems you’ll receive one for each wish you made. As for large star fragments, their exact method of acquisition is still a bit of a mystery, but they appear to be linked to wishing on stars as well.

Hopefully, you’ll have better luck than I did and can craft your magic wand right away.

There are also other wand recipes to discover in the game. I found a bamboo wand hidden in a balloon present earlier on, which only requires three star fragments to make.

To maximize your wishes, listen for announcements about meteor showers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Isabelle will inform you during the morning briefing if shooting stars are expected that evening, and your fellow residents might mention it too.

When you wish on a star, you might also receive large star fragments and zodiac pieces that correspond to the current zodiac sign, so make sure to wish on as many stars as you can!