Image: Nintendo Life
Remember when Nintendo referred to as Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ 2.0 replace the ultimate main free replace to the sport? It seems, loads can change in 4 years. And right here I’m once more, again on my tropical island paradise, enjoying via one other huge free addition – and a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of one in all my favorite Switch video games.
But wait, what does this imply for Animal Crossing’s future? We’re virtually six years into New Horizons’ life with no signal of a brand new recreation within the sequence to return. The announcement again in October 2025 crammed me with a mixture of pleasure and fear, similar to Jim, as a result of, yay, extra Animal Crossing to lose my life to! But additionally, oh no, when is the subsequent Animal Crossing coming?
Months later, and after every week of adorning resort rooms, placing collectively a LEGO-themed nook in my basement, and considering terraforming a part of my island once more, I’m loads much less conflicted. In truth, I’m blissful to attend for a model new Animal Crossing, as a result of in just a few years’ time, it is likely to be the right recreation to expertise with my daughter.
Image: Nintendo Life
Yes, in 2026, I’m going to turn out to be a guardian. This has added an entire new layer to how I take into consideration video video games. Both my husband and I had mother and father or kin who have been additionally into video games, who inspired us to choose up and play and expertise the magic of the medium. Now the 2 of us are speaking hypotheticals about which Dragon Quest our youngster ought to play first, or how we are able to use video video games to show her about life and love and empathy.
I knew I used to be anticipating a toddler when the three.0 replace and Switch 2 Edition have been introduced, and I used to be hit with this unusual realisation: New Horizons simply appears to be there every time my life is altering.
I don’t have to remind folks of 2020, however I’ve discovered myself slipping again into the acquainted rhythms of island life a number of occasions: when the DLC dropped in 2021, I used to be searching for a brand new job; in 2023, I began a model new island as I used to be packing up my life to maneuver throughout the Atlantic. And now I’m again once more forward of parenthood.
It’s nonetheless the right reprieve from every part occurring within the outdoors world, however with our impending new addition, it’s made me rethink how I play Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I couldn’t assist however recall Roland’s expertise with the beginnings of New Horizon along with his personal youngster, and the prospect of attending to see my daughter’s face as she helps me play via a totally new recreation is great.
Images: Nintendo Life
I’m so used to the mechanics and the way in which Animal Crossing rolls, however New Horizons is definitely probably the most advanced entry to date, even with the handful of QoL updates 3.0 introduced with it. There’s no manner I may think about throwing a younger youngster into the sport, particularly on an island I’ve poured tons of of hours into. Does she actually need me to clarify why the museum is surrounded by Japanese-themed decorations, or why I stay subsequent to the Able Sisters?
The subsequent recreation is unlikely to reduce that a lot, however what it does supply is an opportunity for a recent begin on an expertise that each guardian and youngster can be leaping into, collectively, for the primary time. I can’t actually consider something higher than that.
Usually once I play Animal Crossing, I’m a little bit of a min-maxer. I like earning profits, so I’ll spend hours upon hours fishing, catching bugs, attempting to farm scorpions and tropical bugs on Mystery Islands. I’ve additionally been enjoying this sequence for 23 years, importing the unique from North America as a result of I desperately needed to expertise this cosy little life as a child. I’ve by no means appeared again.
Image: Nintendo Life
As a results of this feverish love of the sequence, the slow-life side has been considerably compounded in recent times, so a brand new recreation is the prospect for me to reset the way in which I play. I’m responsible of time-travelling and scouring the web for turnip costs, however now I’m side-eyeing these selections. I don’t wish to do that with my child. I wish to play the sport the way in which she desires me to, and he or she’ll be the one calling the pictures. She would be the cause I’m enjoying – if that’s what she desires.
I do know this isn’t the most child-friendly sequence given how a lot there’s to do and the way a lot textual content there’s, however my goal could be to behave as a information for my daughter whereas she delights in designing her personal characters or she giggles on the animalese voices. It’ll be a secure haven she will get to design with the assistance of her mother and father, not only a digital world she will be able to watch enviously as I mow my manner via development.
Hypothetical considering is harmful, I do know, and there are a lot of issues I can’t predict: for one, she may not like video video games in any respect. She would possibly get bored or annoyed, or she would possibly merely favor different actions. The world is her oyster. Plus, we’d get a brand new Animal Crossing recreation in a 12 months — you by no means know! — and I don’t suppose a child would perceive what’s occurring.
Image: Nintendo Life
But I’m not clamouring for the long run, or a quicker launch schedule. New Marios, Zeldas, and Animal Crossings are good and all, however you understand what’s higher? Sharing these experiences with somebody you like unconditionally and watching them type their very own loves, ideas, and opinions of these experiences.
Are you excited for the way forward for Animal Crossing? Or are you content to stay with New Horizons for the foreseeable future? Let us know down under.
Alana has been with Nintendo Life since 2022, and whereas RPGs are her past love, Nintendo is a detailed second. She enjoys nothing greater than overthinking battle methods, characters, and tales. She additionally needs she was a Sega air pirate.
