Anytime a new video game is released, players worldwide get excited. But what about the release of Animal Crossing New Horizons makes people so amped-up?
If you’re out of the loop, Animal Crossing is a Nintendo video game series where a player-controlled character moves into a town inhabited by anthropomorphic villagers.
I’ll admit, it sounds a bit weird, but once you see the charming design, game play and adorable characters you’ll start to understand why it is a beloved franchise with five main-title games and various spin-offs.
IS THIS GAME REALLY WORTH THE HYPE?
The Animal Crossing franchise is a game series for everyone. Players can customize as much as they like, play single- or multi-player and play for minutes to hours at a time. There are no right or wrongs, just fun!
In this newest installment, the player’s character is not moving to a town like usual, but rather, they are moving to a deserted island. A completely blank canvas.
While players choose a “town” map at the start, they can later change the layout to whatever they desire.
This level of customization has never been seen in the franchise before and caught many players’ attentions.
Another aspect people love is the game’s ability to be a relaxing, peaceful getaway during a stressful day. Even though players can run through the game as fast or as slow as they like, there is always a peaceful atmosphere and friendly characters to bring players happiness.
WHAT’S NEW ON THE HORIZON?
The overall quality of Animal Crossing has improved since its previous iterations, with New Horizons being released in HD on the Switch. The graphics have increased in quality, as have the game play mechanics and player experience.
While every Animal Crossing game has different amounts of customization, New Horizons takes it to a whole new level.
It allows players to customize almost everything, including the terrain, something that’s never been possible before. The layout possibilities are endless, just to name a few, players can now change rivers, cliffs, land inclines and building placements.
The character clothing has also been given an overhaul and now includes small details such as buttons, collars, belts and textures.
Multiple item variations, new clothing items to customize and the ability to try on a whole outfit before purchasing it are new aspects players are enjoying.
Furniture has also gotten a quality overhaul, looking more detailed than ever. It can even be placed outside the home, something new to the series. Furniture customization was added in New Leaf (the previous iteration), but players now have complex custom options for many items, allowing for personalization.
Crafting was a controversial addition to the series that requires tools, such as fishing rods, nets and shovels, and certain furnishings to be crafted using collected materials.
Players were torn about the addition, but it pushes them to explore their island further.
Placing villagers’ homes, climbing cliffs, pole vaulting over rivers and visiting mystery islands are also new elements in New Horizons.
There are so many more things I could discuss, but you should really try the game for yourself if you want to see them all. I highly recommend it!
Comments