Being stranded on an island isn’t really that bad.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released on March 20, 2020 by Nintendo. Hisashi Nogami and Katsuya Eguchi worked together on this game, after Katsuya came up with the idea, because he was feeling lonely living on his own. First intended for the Nintendo Switch, and now also available on the Switch Lite, Animal Crossing is a communication-based game, where players can explore and decorate new islands.
This game franchise as a whole has been around since the first release of Dobutsu no Mori in 2001. Since then, there have been six main games released, including New Horizons.
Animal Crossing is known as a relaxed simulation game that starts off by introducing you to Timmy and Tommy, who act as tour guides. They then take you to your own island, where you meet cute animal villagers and Tom Nook, who helps guide you through the process of island decoration.
The only goal in the game is that there is none. There’s no pressure or time limit to progress, and this is one of the big reasons why I originally started playing it. Although I do admit that this game has a slow beginning, due to the fact that the island is deserted, it really starts to pick up as more progress is made.
Before really getting into the game, I found the idea of it to be a little boring, and I was just running around with no real goal. Yet, after playing for a while now, I can say it’s all worth it in the end.
The amount of decor items available, and the various types of villagers who can move to your island, create an endless amount of things to do, once you progress far enough. Animal Crossing is very well thought-out and everything happens in the span of real time.
One major downside to this game is that it lacks longevity value. Once you’re satisfied with the island, there’s not much left to do, except talking to villagers every now and then.
One option is to completely restart your game, but no one really wants to erase all the time and effort that they’ve originally put into their island. Plus going through the whole process again can get very boring, believe me.
Despite this, I still think that Animal Crossing is a great game, since it is so personal. Almost everything on the island is customizable, from the town song to even the shapes of the rivers.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons may not be the most action-packed or exciting game out there, but it provides an escape for players, a place where things are up to you and your own creativity. This game may not seem like it’s for everyone, but I believe that everyone can find something to enjoy here.
Every now and then, people need a little break from life, and Animal Crossing is the perfect way to spend that time recharging. And if you’ve already played and enjoyed Animal Crossing, I highly recommend Stardew Valley as well.
