What Makes Animal Crossing: New Horizons One of The Best Games on Nintendo Switch?
Just imagine a situation where you are on an island, living with locals and animals, exploring the island and having a relaxing time. Sounds blissful, doesn’t it? This is the basic concept of the Animal Crossing games. Animal Crossing is a game for the Nintendo series and mobile phones on Android and iOS. The game is created and published by Nintendo. Legendary game developer Katsuya Eguchi is associated with the game creation. The game was first released in 2001, with the first part of the series titled Animal Crossing.
Subsequently, sequels have been released for the game, each of which has proved to be successful. The game sequels include Wild World (2005), City Folk (2008), New Leaf (2012), and New Horizons (2020). The latest edition of the game is Animal Crossings: New Horizons that was released on March 20th of 2020. Apart from the main series, there have been spin-off games too that have become popular. There have even been apps based on the game that has become popular.
The game series is one of the popular series available on Nintendo Switch and other Nintendo platforms. The original game sold 2.32 million copies, with its sequels continuing to do well. More than 30 million copies of the game series have been sold worldwide. The reception to Animal Crossing: New Horizons shows that the fifth edition of this game is likely to be as popular as the others in the series. Within a few weeks of its release, the game has already sold 3.03 million copies. With people locked down and looking for good games, this game is likely to be a big hit.
The game plot, characters, and storyline
The game characters
Animal Crossing: New Horizons features a child as its central character. The child is the main character who stays in a rural area with animals as companions, carrying out various tasks assigned. While the game theme sounds to be suited for children, it is a game that everyone can enjoy. The various activities the game features make it enjoyable. Apart from the main character, each of the games has its own characters. There are some repeating characters in the game:
1) Tom Nook, a raccoon real estate broker, who lends money without interest. His sons Tim and Tom are also seen in the game.
2) Resetti, a mole who appears when you don’t save the game and gives you a verbal lashing. Since autosave was introduced in New Horizons, he now takes the role of a rescue operator.
3) KK Slider is a musician (the character is based on the music composer Kazumi).
What is the game about?
This edition of the game has the main character staying on an island where there are no humans. The island has many animals, and you need to lead your life along with the other animals. The objective of the game is to create your own community and to do it from scratch. While earlier versions of the game featured villages full of people, this one is a lonely island. It is perfect for those who prefer a quiet and relaxed experience. Take your own time to explore the island, pick up resources, and slowly build your community.
The social simulation game involves exploring the island to get objects. You can get it from trees or even find waste objects that can be of use. You can sell these objects to get Bells, which is the currency used in the game. Once you get Bells, you spend them on various things for your home. You can buy paintings, furniture, clothing, and get many other resources for your home. In this game, you can use your resources to build your community. You can also craft various items using the resources you have.
The game can be played in the multiplayer mode, where you play online with others. This allows you to visit others’ islands. You can check out what friends are up to, and they can check out your island. This is a relaxed game and not like the usual games where you work against time and hurry up to complete tasks. There are no combats or fights. It is a peaceful game where you build your community and have an enjoyable time on your island.
The gameplay
The gameplay involves accumulating resources and getting online money. You can then spend the money on various things. There are no tasks or missions; the overall aim of the game is to improve the island and expand on what you have to allow you to explore the whole place. You need to do a lot of things from scratch, including building your fishing rod to catch fish. The game involves an interesting system of progression through Nook miles. The game gives you a smartphone called Nookphone that you can use to track the progress of the game.
Whether you want to craft items or repay a loan, you can do all of it by using the Nook miles you earn. There are DIY apps on your Nookphone. You can use them as guides to craft various things you need for your island. One more change in the game is that the tools you use can break, which means you need to replace them. Get resources, follow instructions, and craft a variety of items. You can customize your home by bringing in items of your choice. This makes the game all the more enjoyable. Multiple customization options make things all the more fun.
The game runs as per a clock. You cannot play throughout the day, and you need to wait for various things. For instance, if you are growing fruit, you need to wait for it to grow. This can be frustrating for those who want to play a hurried game. The main feature of the game is the relaxing experience that you can enjoy. It is like an idyllic real world, where you spend a restful time doing things at your own pace without anyone hurrying you up or pressuring you.
One of the elements of the gameplay is the museum. There is a collection of various items, from T-rex skeletons to butterflies. You can walk around the huge museum and have a quiet time. The game is available in HD, creating a more immersive experience. You can listen to music or mingle with fellow village animals and just relax. There is greater control in the game as compared to previous versions. If you want something exciting, then you can look forward to participating in the various events. Nintendo runs events throughout the year with a range of special tasks to keep you occupied and have more fun.
Game features
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the best games on Nintendo Switch for all these reasons:
- This is a relaxed game set on an island where you need to collect resources to build a community.
- There are no battles or races against time. You can take your own time to play this game and pick up resources and expand the island.
- You play this game as the central character who is a human child. There are many other animal characters in the game that you can interact with.
- You progress in the game by accumulating Nook Miles. These miles can be obtained by doing simple things, like catching fish, weeding plants, and hunting for fossils.
- You can use these Nook Miles as points and redeem them to unlock new things for your community.
- You can play the game online with friends and visit their islands. Apart from seeing what they have on their islands, you can even trade with them to build your resources. You can even give them little gifts to make them happy. These small things make the gameplay a great one.
- Customization options are available in the game. Apart from customizing the things you keep in your home, you can customize the main character by changing the hairstyle or creating new clothes. You can even customize the landscape by creating a pathway or a lake.
- Watch the sunset from the beach or just enjoy a pleasant time with your animal friends – these are the game feature that makes it such a highly relaxing game.
Conclusion
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the fifth edition of the popular game series on Nintendo Switch. Just like other games in the series, this one also features a child having a relaxing time among animals enjoying a peaceful life. It is like taking a vacation after a hectic time. Once you are done playing blistering action games, you can spend some time playing New Horizons to have a relaxing experience. Playing it with friends and visiting their islands make this game more enjoyable.
