Debuting in 2001, theAnimal Crossingfranchise has given fans some of the most cozy, comforting video game experiences of the last two decades, and that’s never been more true than with the last entry. WhileallAnimal Crossinggameshave provided players a safe and relaxing place to express themselves and unwind,Animal Crossing: New Horizonsbecame the pinnacle of this concept upon its release in 2020, right at the start of a global pandemic. Providing a sense of calm and structure when there was none for many,Animal Crossing: New Horizonswas far more than just another Nintendo game, and it’s going to take something big to outdo it.
Updated for over a year after its release,Animal Crossing: New Horizonshas become the ultimateAnimal Crossingexperience for many fans, even if it’s still lacking a few fan-favorite features from previous entries. For both die-hard and casual fans alike,the nextAnimal Crossingis going to need to do something special to earn its existence, and maybe the best way to achieve that is by doing something completely different.
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The Next Animal Crossing Should Explore New Frontiers
For the most part, everyAnimal Crossinggame has been set in essentially the same location.Animal Crossing,Wild World,City Folk, andNew Leafall center around a quaint little village setting, and while players can make upgrades and expansions to their own house and the village’s stores, the setting still remains a small country village, with a few streams passing through and some hills enclosing it.Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as the name suggests, switches things up a little by dropping the player on their very own secluded island. This setting allows for much more player-freedom, giving the player tools that can physically change the island’s layout, though not by too much.
Animal Crossing’s closed-in, tight-knit setting is one of the series' most iconic features, and it goes a long way in giving the game its cozy vibes. By only having a limited space to explore and customize, players are encouraged to make every inch of the village their own. This limited space also paves the way forAnimal Crossing’s villagersto shine, as players are limited to just a few every game. For most players, the villagers that they’re landed with at the start of the game become their villagers for life, and that’s a big part ofAnimal Crossing’s identity.
That being said, the natural next step for the franchise is to give players a bit more room to play around with. Though it’s integral to its identity,Animal Crossing: New Horizons' limited space was a big point of contention for many fans soon after its release, with many players having run out of room on their island only a few weeks in, and being forced to make the tough decision to scrap a lot of their hard work to redesign everything. The nextAnimal Crossingwill probably need to offer an expansive space, and there’s nothing more expansive than space itself.
The nextAnimal Crossinggame should take players to space, or at least a new planet. While it might sound a little far-fetched, setting the nextAnimal Crossingin space actually gives the franchise more freedom than it’s ever had before. Nintendo can design brand-new stores, houses, items, and furniture, all themed around a new space setting. Players would also be given more varied environments to choose from at the start of the game, making each player’s village/colony really feel like their own. ThestandardAnimal Crossingformula is fun, calming, and successful, but the small village or secluded island setting is starting to feel a little same-y now, and anAnimal Crossingset in space would certainly alleviate that feeling.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis available now for Nintendo Switch.
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