While you are playing through Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you will notice some presents floating through the air. It’s an odd sight, so it stands out quite well. These floating ballon presents can contain some useful items, so you should always make it a priority to get them. They can be especially helpful in the early game, so it’s best to get the right piece of equipment as soon as you can.
To get your hands on these airborne gifts, you will need a Slingshot. If you head for Resident Services, you can speak to Timmy and get the blueprint for the Slingshot for 300 Bells. Once you get the recipe, you can check the ingredients on your phone, or at the crafting table, but make sure you use the recipe item in your Inventory first, to learn it.
To build the Slingshot, you will need 5 pieces of Hardwood, which can be obtained by using an axe on the trees that are all over the island. Hardwood is the darkest type of wood that will fall from these trees.
Once you have the Slingshot, you can use it to shoot down the floating balloon presents. You want to stand directly under them, so figure out their route and then cut them off at the pass. They are quite slow-moving, so it’s quite easy to do. The Slingshot shoots straight upwards, so wait for the present to pass overhead, then shoot it down.
Also, make sure you are not too close to a river or the sea, as the present will be lost if it drops in the water. Yes, we learned that the hard way.
