Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game that gained a lot of popularity due to its release during the pandemic. Of course, this wasn’t Nintendo’s intention and the release could have just as easily gone poorly for the same reason it was so successful. Back then, there were a lot of trending media that people were watching, listening to, and playing. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has stood the test of time and has a genuine fanbase that is still invested in their islands to this day. Four years after its release, fans are hungry for more.
The Animal Crossing Franchise
Animal Crossing is a social simulation franchise that has you as the player take care of a community/town. The first Animal Crossing game was released in 2001 on the Nintendo 64 in Japan. It came to North America for the first time as a GameCube game in 2002.
There have been five major installments of Animal Crossing, spanning across multiple consoles. Each focused on a different kind of community or landscape. There was Animal Crossing: City Folk which was released for the Wii in 2008, the setting being a rural town. In Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the Nintendo 3DS, we’re in a more modern town. Animal Crossing: New Horizons brings us to a deserted island where it’s our job as the players to build it up, make the islanders happy, and reach a five-star island.
In each game you have to complete tasks like fishing, catching bugs, planting flowers, and harvesting fruits. These things will help you earn money that you can use to help build up your community. You also have neighbors living with you, the animals of Animal Crossing. You can communicate with them, get to know them, visit their homes, give them gifts, and more.
The Success of Animal Crossing
Understanding why Animal Crossing is so beloved isn’t a difficult task. Games like this are typically considered “cozy games.” This title describes games that provide just enough of a challenge to be interesting, but not too much that it takes away from the enjoyment of the game. Hence the “cozy” title, the games allow you to fully relax. Gaming can be stressful, especially when you’re on a hard level and are losing over and over. These proclaimed cozy games don’t have those issues, which is why games like Animal Crossing: New Horizon are usually given that title. The success of the latest installment of the Animal Crossing franchise is due to the rise in appreciation and love for these kinds of games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is also the kind of game that you can always come back to if you want to. While there are goals, they aren’t as rock solid as an RPG or Action game. For example; in ACNH you have a few goals with one really big one. You’re supposed to advance in the game so you can unlock features like the museum, the Able Sisters clothing store, and things like that. The main goal, however, is to get your island a three-star rating so K.K. Slider will come to host a concert there. According to Tom Nook, this will mean that your island has “made it” in terms of notoriety.
After this is completed, the credits will roll in the game and you will have “finished” it, but you can set your personal goals that keep you playing. Everyone’s island is unique to them, making it a common thing for ACNH players to ask each other to visit their islands. The game is undoubtedly a success and will certainly go down as one of the best Animal Crossing installments in the franchise.
Where The Game Can Go From Here
Nintendo has already released a major free 2.0 update that added more new content, bringing players back to the game, and a paid DLC. The Happy Home Paradise DLC gave players a whole new game to play within New Horizons where they were able to decorate vacation homes for different characters. However, Nintendo already confirmed that these expansions would be the only ones provided for New Horizons, meaning that all of the content that already exists is all we get. While it’s unlikely that we will receive a new game before the Switch 2 arrives, there are a few things that Nintendo can do to keep the franchise fresh and fun.
Many fans of Animal Crossing are also fans of other kinds of cozy games, namely Stardew Valley. Now, there’s a discussion to be had about whether the gaming industry is oversaturated with farming sims, most gamers can agree at least a little bit on that. But, most gamers can also agree that a farming sim done right can be generation-defining. Animal Crossing: New Horizons does have farming elements to it. After the 2.0 update, you were able to grow vegetables in the same manner that you grew flowers. However, it’s not the same as an industry-standard “farming sim.” Incorporating more of these elements can be a risk for Nintendo, but one that could pay off.
Nintendo can also add more story elements to Animal Crossing, and more ways to customize the community and home. Some gamers want the villagers to regain autonomy, allowing them to interact more with you and be able to make choices on their own. But really, what most veteran Animal Crossing players want are just better mechanics and ease of life. People have mentioned wanting some kind of built-in gauge so we know when items are about to break, and others want the ability to carry around more items.
Conclusion
There is no official word on a new Animal Crossing installment and it seems that this game is far down on Nintendo’s agenda. Even still, it’s almost certain that they won’t completely forget about the franchise given how much history it has with Nintendo and the success of ACNH. As long as they keep the original intention and spirit of Animal Crossing, it’s hard to imagine many fan complaints.
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