The magic of Nintendo’s latest entry into the hit Animal Crossing franchise is undeniable, and how well-timed it is…
OVERVIEW
The franchise started on the N64 in Japan as a somewhat cult darling. It was then ported to the GameCube in the West with more widespread success. But I grew up with Animal Crossing: Wild World on the DS, where I spent many a happy hour… or day. The simplicity of it’s core concept, and the joy I found in joining a virtual community of cutesy animal-human hybrids, kept me endlessly hooked. Then, I moved onto Animal Crossing: Let’s go to the City on the Wii, which never quite captured the same magic that Wild World did. Maybe it was the lack of portability, or more likely it was the very ‘meh’ nature of it’s titular gimmick. Either way, it led Nintendo to stick with it’s portable console for the next entry, Animal Crossing: New Leaf on the 3DS . I never owned the game, but, as far as I am aware, it was a success critically and comercially, similar to that of the DS entry. This left some long-standing fans of the series craving for a home console release akin to the first game.
With Nintendo’s move to a hybrid system in the Switch, fans eagerly anticipated the next entry. Something to bring together the joy of having a virtual home in your pocket, and the splendour of seeing what you have built on a big HD screen with home console-worthy performance. We waited and we waited, and eventually, 3 years after the console’s release, we were rewarded. And what a reward it is…
REVIEW
From the moment I booted up the game, I was beaming ear-to-ear. There is something about the whimsical designs of the creature inhabitants, and the adorable voices they have, that makes my inner child giggle with glee.
Then, there was the island itself, and Animal Crossing has never looked so good. Yes, the previous entries’ visuals had a sort of rough-around-the-edges charm, but now all that remains is charm. Everything from the weeds to the horizon (pretty apt) are beautifully stylised. The soundscape is well balanced, letting me enjoy the soothing music, but still be able to hear when there is a bug or balloon-tied present nearby. And the use of HD rumble is potentially the best of any Switch game that I’ve played. It is a world I want to look at and be in, which is obviously important considering it’s main gameplay focus.
Speaking of the gameplay, it is as slick as it’s ever been. Crafting is a great, seamless addition to the formula, to the extent that I now can’t imagine an Animal Crossing game without it. The landscaping element of the game is endless fun. Before, I used to love placing tiles and planting trees or flowers, but add to that being able to literally make waterfalls… Sublime. The NookPhone is a welcome quality-of-life improvement and, finally, making friends and building a community is as fun as it ever was.
That said, I have some minute qualms. At times I missed some of the UI touch functionality of the DS entry, and feel this could’ve been easily added in here. What’s more, I felt that the first section of the game was slightly rushed or overly easy; I liked the novelty of tent life, and once I’d paid off the meagre 5000 NookMiles needed to get a house, I didn’t quite feel like I had earned it. I would’ve liked the camping period of the game to be slightly longer (maybe time constrained), in order to make the payoff of getting a house feel more special. Finally, I can’t help but feel that there is some space for motion controls… I reckon I’ll be in the minority on that one.
These points are so minor in the grand scheme of the game, that I forgot about them almost as soon as I thought about them. The game is so engrossing and gorgeous, that any negatives are overshadowed to invisibility. It is the best game in a great series, and a must-buy for any Switch owner. And it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Stay safe and play on.
THP x
TL;DR: Buy it, you doughnut.
The Happy Platformer 