Nintendo has finally revealed their upcoming Animal Crossing game for Nintendo Switch, subtitled New Horizons. While Nintendo didn’t show as much of the game as I had hoped, there’s still a lot to talk about.
This time, instead of moving into a town, you start out on a deserted island. By collecting raw materials, you can craft them into tools and furniture (by using Tom Nook’s workbench). The crafting aspect doesn’t really appeal to me much, but fortunately, you can also buy tools, furniture, and other things from Nook’s shop.
One of the most shocking parts of the trailer was when the player used a stick to pole-vault across the river! That will be a very helpful ability indeed! And it just looks cool.
That scene also reveals the return of cliffs in town! The island map seems to confirm an upper level as well.
Another great sight is the ability to place furniture outdoors! I guess this eliminates the need for public works projects, since you can just place anything outdoors anyway. This includes the placing of campfires, and tree stumps to sit on. Now you can decorate not just your house, but your yard (and more)!
The player is shown using some sort of tool to make a path. It’s not known if (or how) this would work with patterns, but at least there is a proper way to make dirt paths around town. It sure beats running back and forth to wear down the grass!
The end of the trailer showed eight players gathered, with various skin tones. Kotaku has confirmed that these skin tones will be selectable (somehow or another) and aren’t just tans from being on the island. And 8-player online games? Sounds fun, although I imagine it could be hard to keep up conversations with that many people at once! That could certainly be confusing.
The bad news is that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has officially been delayed. The good news is that it has a specific release date (March 20, 2020) and isn’t just a vague “2020” release window. It’s still over nine months away though, and that’s a hard pill to swallow. But hopefully, Nintendo will provide us with periodic updates along the way. I sure hope we don’t have to wait until early 2020 to see more of the game!
If you haven’t seen the trailer for yourself, here it is:
In addition to the trailer, Nintendo also showed about half an hour of gameplay at E3. It shows the character early on into their island life, though not the very beginning. That part remains a mystery, so we still don’t know how we’ll pick our character’s appearance, whether it’s from a menu or if it’s based on how we answer questions, like in earlier games.
I’ll now discuss a few things that were revealed in that Nintendo Treehouse session. For one thing, we can now move furniture items in half-square increments (as in Happy Home Designer), which is a welcome addition to the core series. I always hated not being able to properly center a one-square item in a room.
You can get a Nook-branded smartphone, which has features like a camera, crafting recipe lists, and the new Nook Miles program. It is said to work like airline miles, rewarding you for various tasks…including pulling weeds. Overall, it sounds like the CAT machine that was added to New Leaf in the Welcome Amiibo update.
The “miles” you earn can be exchanged for new items or activities, though they didn’t elaborate on exactly what the rewards would be.
You can also use the phone to call up another local player for some co-operative play. However, one of the players will be designated as the leader, or host, and the action will follow them. The leader can be changed during gameplay, though.
One other thing I want to discuss is the inventory window:
You can apparently hold 20 items in your inventory, and materials seem to stack automatically. It seems likely that fruit and bells will stack the same way. There isn’t a separate tool menu like I was hoping for, but the stacking should help keep our pockets from getting too cluttered (hopefully).
If there’s one small thing to complain about (aside from the delay), it’s the graphics. The game looks a bit plain, and I don’t think it looks any better (or sharper) than Pocket Camp, which is a mobile game! I was hoping to see graphics on par with the Animal Crossing course in Mario Kart 8.
Granted, the game is far from finished, and it could look much better by the time it’s released. And that’s just a minor complaint, from a series that hasn’t been known for its graphics anyway.
But overall, I like what I see of the game so far and I’m really looking forward to it. Very little has been shown though, and I imagine they’re saving most of the new features and juicy details for a future Nintendo Direct. But it’s good to finally get a taste of the game and to know it finally has a release date.
Once the game comes out, I will start a new blog that follows my adventures and provides near-daily updates. In the meantime, please subscribe to my Youtube channel, where I post other Animal Crossing content regularly.
And if you haven’t yet seen the Kotaku article about my Animal Crossing superfandom, please check it out!
Have any thoughts about the Animal Crossing: New Horizons reveal? Leave a comment below! Have a great day and I’ll see you next time. 🙂
The game trailer is pretty good. I like how the animals have sleeves now.
True. There are probably other details like that hiding in plain sight, things that many of us haven’t noticed yet.
I really hope you end up making a Wifi Moments of this game even though, probably it wont be as glitchy as before lol
Even New Leaf was far less glitchy than City Folk (unfortunately). 😛 Glitchy moments were fun! But there will still be funny moments to use for a Wi-Fi Moments series. 🙂
WOO! It’s gonna be great.
im so excited! i was skeptical at first because the teaser trailer made it look a lot like a sort of mini game (especially with the island theme), but after watching the treehouse video i’m getting more confident in the gameplay. we still have a whole nine months though! (enough to have a child haha)
Yes, and they’re only showing the beginning of the game so far. I’m sure there’s MUCH more to the game that they just haven’t revealed yet. They have to save surprises for future Nintendo Directs closer to release.
do you still accept friend requests on switch?
Yes, I do. Send a request to 0442-0992-5516 and I’ll accept it whenever I go on next.
One of the new things that I liked is that now flowers have growth stages like trees.
The new crafting thing didn’t appeal to me as well. The graphics Look a little plain indeed, but it may change like it did with new leaf (The trees where much different in the first trailers), but I don’t really mind if it stay that way, One thing that I really hope to make a return are the rude villagers, I think they make the game more varied, like the cranky villagers in Wild World.
Yeah, the flower growth is a nice touch. I have doubts that rude villagers will return (at least not to the rudeness level of the GameCube game), but some more variety would certainly be nice!
I couldn’t care less that it got delayed. As Miyamoto once said: “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad,” so as long as the game’s good, I’m fine waiting another 9 months. I also can’t help but be slightly bothered by the fact that the game following New Leaf also has the word ‘new’ in its subtitle lol
Haha, the title bothers me a bit too. How many times can it be “New”? 😀
Connor, I thought I was the only one peeved by it being NEW Horizons after NEW Leaf. Haha! Glad I’m not alone! Still, looks like it’ll be fun and I’m excited for the next installment!
There is so much I want to say on this and ig I’m going to say it here.
One that peaked my interest was in the end scene with the 8 ppl, there was a ukulele. I would love if they added a way you can actually play musical instruments. I would have a ball of fun with that since I play like 6 different instruments. Another wicked idea I had was if they made it to where you can make your town tune a ukulele or a guitar, or a piano, etc. A ekulele says paradise Island more than the tradition town tune noise.
Another thing that I noticed was in Fuchisa’s house there was what appeared to be a workbench, it had a hand saw, wrench, pencil, and screwdriver so I’m wondering if you can make work benches to put in your house, or maybe most tables or benches can either be used as a workbench or maybe upgraded into one since the workbench in her house matched the furniture in the back. In her house I also noticed the new angle the room is viewed in, the absolutely flawless lighting on the floor, she’s wearing a dress, and her window has blinds on it all of witch are cool details. Also in the path scene I see another workbench at the bottom of the screen with various tools, I think you can craft a workbench as a place able item now.
I noticed that when the player first arrived there was always coconut trees from the very first scene. So maybe now you don’t have to wait for for one to spawn or hassle to get beach fruit trees, they’re just there from the start.
In the winter I noticed that the house was a log cabin, which makes me think what if the houses change to log cabins in the winter? And wat if you could chose a log cabin instead of a house that would be sooo cool. I like the wreath hanging on the door which suggests more seasonal decoration than new leaf.
They might’ve brought back split level towns. I saw a bunch of flowers and trees up there and one tree had a cicada on it which seems poinless unless there’s a way to catch it
The drink (looks like a coffee) laying on the log bench about 3/8 through the video gives me the idea of drinks actually having and effect on you, like speed, luck, fishing boost, stuff like that. They could make it like the cooking in Startdew Valley is where you have to get a bunch of ingredients that would add some charm to the game.
In the 8 players scene one is wearing a backpack which is cool it could give you more pocket space or might just be a decoration idk.
Wow that was a lot of writing, anyways can’t wait to see what you do on with this game when it comes out.
Wow, those are some great observations and ideas! I missed most of the things you mentioned. I’m sure they’ll pack lots of cool details into the game, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
I am super excited for this game, however, I hope crafting isn’t the main theme because I kinda liked it in pocket camp but that was a mobile game so I was a bit surprised that they continued it for the Nintendo Switch game.
The polt vaulting made me so hyped. I did not expect that overall.
Yeah, I don’t think anyone saw that coming. I could have used that in the early days of City Folk. I remember the walk from the gate, around the river to the museum was soooo long until I got that extra bridge added. 😀
I’m glad I’m not the only one who isn’t super into crafting and relieved we can buy some things 😛 Resource management is just not my forte.
I do think the graphics are a bit upgraded from Pocket Camp, but definitely not by much. It kind of looks like they combined those with the ones used in the Animal Crossing Plaza app on the Wii U. I do like the effect despite the simplistically of it, but in general, I feel like “simple” is kind of the theme this game in a way.
Yeah, crafting seems too much like work to me. I’m sure it’s useful at the beginning if you need a tool that the store doesn’t have, but otherwise, I don’t imagine I’ll be doing too much crafting.
I like the look of the indoors better than the outdoors, particularly Fuchsia’s house. Like Logan pointed out in another comment, the lighting on her floor looks perfect, and her house just looks so appealing.
I’m still trying to track down whether the New Leaf Amiibo Cards will work in New Horizon.
A new game console and a new game are a considerable investment and I don’t want my expansive card collection to be devalued by a title that completely ignores them. So far, all of my research has led to no details at all and I’ve been pretty much suppressed by hyped up spammers in Discord and Youtube discussions before anyone with more information could weigh in.
I don’t think Nintendo has said anything about it yet. While I can imagine the cards being used in some capacity, I’m not sure if they’d let you use them to choose your villagers right from the start. Perhaps after some milestone is reached, like days/hours played? It’s all just speculation though, so hopefully Nintendo will clarify the situation.
Will K.K. Slider & Mr. Resetti be in the game!
I hope K.K. has some new songs for us to listen!
I don’t know if it’s been confirmed, but it’s hard to imagine them not returning.
I can sure wait on this next installment. It seems recent beloved Nintendo games have all been turning into Minecraft. First, we have Harvest Moon. Now, my beloved Animal Crossing? Where’s the homely feeling? Why do we have to pick up sticks and craft our own stuff. Sure, we can buy it, but furniture requires crafting and materials. And bait to fish? No thank you. I’m not excited and I’ll only get this game if a miracle happens to where it makes me feel happy and homely.
I’m not thrilled about bait for fishing either. Hopefully it will be optional.
I hope Bangle returns! Who’s your favorite and least favorite villagers?
My favorites are Lolly, Bob, Rolf, Savannah, and Hank. Hank hasn’t returned since the GameCube game, but I would love to see him come back! My least favorites are Jambette, Tabby, and Yuka.
I’m excited for this too! I’m assuming that they were gonna release it in late 2019 but delayed it to an extra few months, which I’m fine with. I’d prefer a finished game rather that an unfinished one.
True, but it’s been so long, it seems like they had plenty of time to finish it by now. 😛
They were busy fixing Sanic :p
The thing I’m most excited about is that this game seems free from all the limitations of New Leaf. PWPs couldn’t be placed close to anything and you could only build a few of them, makings paths was a chore, you couldn’t choose where villagers build their houses (they confirmed you can now in an interview!), and things like that. I’m also really happy about cliffs even though it’s such a small detail in the grand scheme of things haha.
The art style is certainly different than what I had imagined but I dig it. The lighting and shadows are especially really gorgeous.
I’m so excited for this game. I was also hoping it would look like the Mario Kart course. That look is gorgeous, but despite the simplicity, I still think it looks lovely. There’s something I really like about the lighting. Everything looks soft and relaxing. If that’s the effect of a graphical shortcoming, I don’t know much about graphics so please don’t judge me too harshly.
The delay was rough. I admit it kind of got me down for a good while but I understand why they’re doing it and I’ll do my best to be patient. I’m thinking I might repurchase New Leaf to satiate my Animal Crossing hunger a bit (because Pocket Camp isn’t quite doing that for me).
I’m also excited for this game. I feel like it’ll be a whole new adventure. My sister isn’t too happy though. The only complaints are the delay for the game (plz don’t pull a New Leaf Delay on me) and where the heck is Isabelle?? She was such a cute secretary! I hope she comes to the island from time to time. Too bad I didn’t see the gameplay, I was only there for the direct. Hopefully you can do more WiFi moments to!!
Don’t worry. Isabelle will show up once you’ve moved out of your tent and into a house.
Phew!! Thanks for telling me that. Now I think my sister will be happy.
OMG I’m so dumb
Someone linked me to that Kotaku Article back when it came out but I only kinda skimmed it because I was at work.
I’ve followed you for…..God, what’s it been? 8 years? Anyway, Super hyped to see what you’ll do with your town especially now we have to literally build them from the ground up.
Thanks for sticking around for so long! 🙂 Yeah, it’s going to be so much fun being able to customize our towns to such a degree. It’s really going to make everyone’s towns seem unique, and that’s a really good thing!
I’m happy for the entire AC community to have a new installment to get their hands on, but I kind of don’t like how it doesn’t follow traditional Animal Crossing ways.
I know it starts out different, but I think it’s going to be traditional in most ways…at least once you get past the beginning. We’ve only seen a tiny fraction of the game so far, so don’t count it out just yet. 🙂
I know i’m a sucker for blue things and my straw boater hat but… DUDE, that one lady had a straw boater with a BLUE ribbon. anyway, i’m very excited to see how forest will turn out in this exciting game.
I am super glad for the inventory buff! instead of 16 slots it’s extended to 20! I thought the they way it was presented looked like it had fewer… but i’m very happy for inventory expansions.
how much percentage of the game will you complete
Eventually, I want to get almost all of it. It might not be 100%, since there are always a few things that will require extreme luck or extra Amiibo purchases, etc. But I’ll definitely want to complete the main goals (museum, golden tools, all house upgrades, badges, etc.).