Animal Crossing has always been one of Nintendo's more well-known series, but Animal Crossing: New Horizons took the franchise's popularity to the next level. The hit Switch exclusive was released in 2020, right during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges its launch faced due to the outbreak, it became a global phenomenon. Animal Crossing: New Horizons gave players around the world a way to socialize with one another during a pandemic, and its easy-to-understand gameplay made the game more accessible to newcomers. It eventually sold over 44 million copies, far more than any other installment in the Animal Crossing franchise, and it became the second best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch, beating out the likes of Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons's momentum continued in the months after its release. Several free content updates for the game were released throughout 2020 and 2021, and it even received a paid expansion called Happy Home Paradise, which added new island customization options and gave players the ability to design homes for villagers on other islands. These days, though, Animal Crossing: New Horizons' popularity has largely tapered off due to a lack of updates for the game and limited island progression systems. Although Nintendo hasn't given fans much of a reason to return to New Horizons, this may soon change with the release of the upcoming Switch 2 thanks to one save-related reason.
Animal Crossing Players Finds Clever Way to Get Rich Fast
An Animal Crossing: New Horizons player makes the most of a special in-game offer and acquires thousands of Bells within a day.
The Switch 2's Launch Could Give Fans a Reason to Return to Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Only Lets Players Have One Island Per Nintendo Switch
Saves in Animal Crossing: New Horizons operate in an interesting manner. In most games, players are able to record their progress in multiple playthroughs and swap between saves with the click of a few buttons, but New Horizons does not work that way. Instead, the game limits local save functionality. When players create and build their own island in the game, they can only play on that same island unless they delete their progress entirely. To make matters worse, the save file for New Horizons is located not within a cartridge or a digital copy of the game, but rather within the Nintendo Switch's files.
Even if an Animal Crossing fan buys a second copy of New Horizons (digitally or physically), they will not be able to start a fresh save with a new island unless they buy a second Switch. Players who share the same Switch with their family or friends can create their own characters in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but they must all share the same island as well. Some may say that this design choice fosters collaboration among friends, but in many people's eyes, it just restricts player freedom and makes the game less enjoyable.
The Switch 2 May Allow Players to Have a Second Island Without Deleting Their Previous Saves
Being limited to one island/town per console has been a common issue with the Animal Crossing games, but it's particularly disappointing in the case of New Horizons simply because the Switch is more expensive than many of Nintendo's previous consoles. Most fans are probably not going to buy a second Nintendo Switch for $200-300 just to have a second island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. They may, however, buy a Switch 2 at some point.
Nintendo hasn't revealed much information about the successor to the Nintendo Switch so far, but it did announce a few months ago that the console would be backwards compatible with the game library of the current Switch. While the specifics of this backwards compatibility have yet to be unveiled, it seems likely that Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be playable on the Switch 2. Therefore, current Switch owners who buy Nintendo's next system will be able to play on two entirely separate islands in New Horizons without having to delete their original saves. This may not be the perfect solution, but at least fans will have more of a reason to buy a next-gen Nintendo console over a second Switch.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- March 20, 2020
- ESRB
- Everyone / Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Expansions
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Happy Home Paradise
WHERE TO PLAY
Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. You can hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.
Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online** or with others beside you***, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.
- Franchise
- Animal Crossing
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- How Long To Beat
- 100 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
