Animal Crossing: New Horizons Missed One Obvious Post…

Summary

Animal Crossing: New Horizons received a big update in November 2021, but it still lacks certain features.
The game only has so many bugs and fish at the moment, and only slightly more than the previous installment.
Nintendo missed an opportunity to add new critters in the update, which could have increased player interest and engagement.

The most recent addition to the Animal Crossing franchise was undoubtedly a triumph for Nintendo when it was released three years ago. Considering that it came out at the same time as a global pandemic, this cozy life simulation became the perfect escape for many of its players. It also didn't hurt that the series has been well-liked for over two decades now.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons received a large update in November 2021, much to the excitement of its close-knit community. Unfortunately, though this came with a lot of content such as 16 new villagers, The Roost, cooking, and more, there are still features that are lacking to this day. While the developer has stated that won't be adding any more big upgrades, it's clear that Nintendo missed out on a very obvious post-launch option.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Should Have Added More Critters

According to Nookipedia, there are currently 80 bugs and 80 fish in New Horizons. This isn't a small number by any means, but it's also only a handful more than the amount of critters that could be observed in 2012's New Leaf. While people don't need to catch all of these creatures, it does impact the overall gameplay. However, when players do come across bugs or fish they can document them in their Critterpedia. Filling out this list can yield unique achievements and Nook Miles, the latter of which is one of two currencies in the game.

Since the last update, fish now have more than one use in-game. They can be used in cooking recipes such as the Sea-bass pie, donated to Blathers for the museum exhibits, or kept for individual display purposes. This includes sea creatures like mussels or moon jellyfish which were added in the Summer Update Wave 1.

If one took the time to count, they would come to the conclusion that New Horizons launched with eight never-before-seen bugs and eight brand-new fish. Unfortunately, while there are multiple uses for these critters, Nintendo chose not to add any new ones in Animal Crossing's Version 2.0 update. This seems like quite a shame since there are so many more options that the Japanese video game company could explore that would also assist in retaining players' interest.

Of course, it isn't too late for the developers to consider a small update. Some have speculated that a surprise update to New Horizons may be on the way, and this is just one feature that could be involved. Pokemon Sword and Shield had several Pokemon added to its Pokedex at later dates, so there isn't really any reason that Nintendo couldn't do the same for the Animal Crossing franchise. Perhaps snakes and frogs could be added to the Critterpedia as well.

Since the events of New Horizons occur in a tropical setting, it would make sense to introduce more island-dwelling sea creatures and insects. This could encompass reef fish, dolphins, and whales. Whales were actually once a part of the early GameCube Animal Crossing titles, though they couldn't be caught. Additionally, there are various pests that could be added to the roster such as black widows and termites. Termite mounds are decorative housewares items in the game, so it makes sense that the bug would also be roaming around a player's island.

Whether New Horizons is actually getting a new update is still to be determined as there hasn't been any official word about it. At the very least, Nintendo can consider diversifying its critter list in the next Animal Crossing game. With any luck, the company will release a statement soon.