When Nintendo dreamed up Animal Crossing, it couldn’t have had any idea how massive the cozy life sim would become. Over the years, the franchise has taken player customization to new heights, so it’s strange that Animal Crossing has so few ways for players to incorporate their own designs.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons proved to be almost prophetic in its name, propelling the franchise to new heights and incorporating beloved new mechanics. Many of these mechanics, like crafting, cooking, and designing homes for villagers in its Happy Home Paradise DLC center around letting players express themselves. This has always been something the series focuses on, so it makes sense that each new iteration creates new opportunities for players to make the game their own. One addition to the next game could see players creating even more unique items and decor if implemented correctly. A painting mechanic would be the perfect addition to the next game, letting players express themselves in a whole new way.
Player Creativity is The Heart and Soul of Animal Crossing
If the boom in popularity of New Horizons showed one thing, it’s that players love to push the boundaries of what Animal Crossing can be. Players have created quaint villages, sprawling cities, and even a vineyard in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. As the series grows, it only seems natural to push into that theme as much as possible. Painting has been seen as a form of self-expression throughout history, and bringing it into the Animal Crossing world is a natural fit.
Crafting took a heavy spotlight in New Horizons, especially in the early game. Rather than buying most of their furniture, players were encouraged to craft it from materials found around their island. Some of these craftable furniture items had slight color variations or designs to choose from, but the mechanic of customizing furniture in New Horizons stopped there. Decorating crafted goods is the next logical step in that process, and allowing players to paint their own furniture would let them design one-of-a-kind creations to show off around their home. Fans might even want to hang their own masterpieces on the wall or in a gallery for all to see.
How Painting Fits Into the Next Animal Crossing Title
Rumors are swirling about what might be coming in the next Animal Crossing game. Recent Animal Crossing leaks have suggested that minigames are one thing being added to the mix, and painting would make an excellent one. After crafting furniture items, or purchasing a canvas perhaps, players could unlock a minigame to use the paint at their disposal to customize those items however they want. Beyond selecting a setting from a menu, this is one way that players could feel more involved in the items they place around town or in their home.
Best additions that a painting mechanic could incorporate:
- Enhanced customization options
- A painting minigame for players to enjoy
- Selling custom designs for extra bells
- Collecting new paint colors and patterns
Other activities at the heart of the franchise are collecting items and earning money. Painting could play well into those activities as well. It’s hard to paint something without any actual paint, so players would have to collect different colors of paint, either by purchasing them from the shop, or crafting them from berries. There might be even more shops in the next Animal Crossing game, so a paint shop could be one of them. Including different colors in the shop each day would further incentivize players to return to the game, collecting new colors or patterns. Once they’ve customized a piece of furniture, or created their original painting, it could become an item they can recreate as long as they have the right materials. Selling original designs to other players would go hand in hand with both the monetary and social systems that Animal Crossing has worked so hard to grow throughout the years.
Not everyone in real life is gifted with great artistic talent. But games like Animal Crossing allow players to get a taste of that life. The game has already done this with activities like fishing, interior design, and carpentry, to name a few. One of the great things about Animal Crossing is the simple versions of real life activities that players are allowed to partake in. People play games to escape from their real world problems, and letting players express themselves in ways they might not be able to in real life is at the heart of what the best cozy games have become. Adding painting to the list of activities can allow players one more experience to enjoy.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Released
- March 20, 2020
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.
- ESRB
- Everyone / Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Expansions
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Happy Home Paradise
- Franchise
- Animal Crossing
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- How Long To Beat
- 100 Hours
