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Play Overview
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020) is a role-play collecting game where you live on a small island teeming with life. Insects, fish, trees, vegetation and fossils are represented with cute cartoon visuals. Rather than the scale or grandeur of other game worlds, it’s the interconnected drama of the world and characters that makes it fascinating. This interconnection comprises not only how you impact the world, but how you relate to the other inhabitants and how the island changes with real-world time. Along with special events such as the Christmas and Easter festivals, you need to play in different seasons and times of day to collect particular insects and fish.
This is a controllable fantasy escape, but one that’s still intimately connected to the ticking of the real-world clock. It’s a place to visit for short bursts each day over the course of a full year.
Our examiner, Chris Boers, first checked Animal Crossing: New Horizons 4 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 3 weeks ago.
This is a controllable fantasy escape, but one that’s still intimately connected to the ticking of the real-world clock. It’s a place to visit for short bursts each day over the course of a full year.
Our examiner, Chris Boers, first checked Animal Crossing: New Horizons 4 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 3 weeks ago.
There are lots of games similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Here are some we picked for you:
Play Style
This is a Collecting, Role-Play and Simulation game with Communication and Sequencing elements. You can play with 1 to 4 players in the same room or as a 8-player online game. Animal Crossing New Horizons on a single system lets you have up to 4 people work together on one island but only the main person can build and progress. You can play with 8 people on one island online but again only the main person can progress things. Still, this is a lot of silly fun to run around together, bop people, send letters and suchlike. It's also a chance to trade items with players from their islands. You can specify certain people as Best Friends who can then collaborate more easily with you when you visit and send you things in the mail.
You can play with up to 8 people in the same room via the local wireless mode. You each need a Switch console and a copy of the game.
You can play with up to 8 people in the same room via the local wireless mode. You each need a Switch console and a copy of the game.
You can play this game in the following styles:
This has been enjoyed by families in the following styles:
Duration
Play Time: It takes between half an hour and 45 minutes to play a round of this game. After the initial getting started on your island which may take around 10-15 hours, Animal Crossing is a game you play for around 30 minutes a day.
Benefits
This game is good if you want to:
- Rely on others
- Play games good for autistic diversity
- Write letters to strangers
- Stop for tea
- Play a game then read a book
- Play with cats
This game has helped players develop their Behaviour and Disposition as part of the following pathways:
Age Ratings
Content Rating
User-Generated Content: This game includes content created by other players, such as maps, outfits and items, that are not reflected in the game rating.
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
In the US, ESRB state: Some bugs can sting players, causing them to become dizzy and collapse. Players can bonk characters on the head and/or push them into holes. One character is seen with mucus dripping from his nose; the dialogue also contains comical references (e.g., “Whoever smelt it dealt it.”).
Skill Level
9+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Still, it’s important for parents and guardians to ensure they understand in-game purchases and have spending limits set-up. It's enjoyable for younger children, although many older teenagers enjoy the collecting, designing and landscaping. There is a big element of trading for profit so you can pay of your ever-increasing mortguage.
Our Game Pathways reveal how 7-year-olds play this game:
- 7-year-old: Independent Reading
Account Rating
- You need be 18-years-old to subscribe to Nintendo Online, but can then create accounts for children of any age to play online with Nintendo Switch.
Costs
Animal Crossing: New Horizons usually costs £49.99.
Animal Crossing New Horizons has additional content you ca buy called Happy Home Paradise, which allows you to design vacation homes using a plethora of new tools and items.
In Animal Crossing New Horizons you can only have one island for each copy of the game, meaning that for two people to play in a family you really need two Switches and two copies of the game. One workaround is if you have a digital copy of the game and two Switches you can use them with different users with separate saves and islands. However, you can't visit each other's islands if you are using the same digital game.
As suggested by Washington Post, "If you want to play with a friend and experience the game at its best, you need at least two copies of the game and two systems."
A free update to the game adds new features including having a cup of coffee with Brewster at the Roost shop, boat tours with Kapp’n, helping Harv expand his island and create a new market filled with shops run by some familiar faces. This also lets you cook with homemade Recipes.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp on smartphone and tablet is free-to-start and offers in-game purchases with a chance of getting rare items.
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
There are the following additional costs associated with this game:
- In-Game Purchases: Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience.
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You need a subscription to play online:
- You need to purchase a Nintendo Online subscription to play online with Nintendo Switch.
Animal Crossing New Horizons has additional content you ca buy called Happy Home Paradise, which allows you to design vacation homes using a plethora of new tools and items.
In Animal Crossing New Horizons you can only have one island for each copy of the game, meaning that for two people to play in a family you really need two Switches and two copies of the game. One workaround is if you have a digital copy of the game and two Switches you can use them with different users with separate saves and islands. However, you can't visit each other's islands if you are using the same digital game.
As suggested by Washington Post, "If you want to play with a friend and experience the game at its best, you need at least two copies of the game and two systems."
A free update to the game adds new features including having a cup of coffee with Brewster at the Roost shop, boat tours with Kapp’n, helping Harv expand his island and create a new market filled with shops run by some familiar faces. This also lets you cook with homemade Recipes.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp on smartphone and tablet is free-to-start and offers in-game purchases with a chance of getting rare items.
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
Game Details
Release Date: 20/03/2020
Out Now: Switch
Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds
Players: 1-4 (8 online)
Genres: Collecting, Role-Play, Simulation (Communication and Sequencing)
Accessibility: 29 features
Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon, Day and Night, Open World, Persistant World and Weather
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Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships. |
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