Personal Island Paradise in “Animal Crossing: New Horizons”

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” is the latest title in the Animal Crossing series and is available for the Nintendo Switch. In this Animal Crossing game we are invited by Nook Inc. to create our personal island paradise. We can build, create, and decorate the island in any way we want. As a new player to the series, I have a few thoughts on the game.

The graphics and characters in the game are both charming and visually detailed. The player’s character is customizable and they could name their island. Once the player arrives on the island they are greeted by Tom Nook and his nephews, who are adorable tanukis, and their new island neighbors.

The neighbors are random characters that will be joining the player on the island and we could interact with them. Once the player is settled in with their tent they can start collecting materials. Honestly, I thought the beginning was a tad slow. To start advancing in the game I had to collect sticks and grass to build important items like a shovel or an axe. Once the items are built, I still needed to continue collecting items like rocks and wood to build a fishing rod or a vaulting pole.

Unlike “Stardew Valley,” which is a similar game, it already has those tools ready to use and saves the player the hassle of building them. Another small problem is after using the tools for a while, they end up breaking and I had to rebuild them again or buy them from Tommy Nook. There is no way of knowing when these tools will break and it would be nice if they had a meter to let me know when it’s time to replace the tools.

Besides these small problems, once I had these tools I could go explore the island. By exploring the island, I could go fishing, catch bugs, and plant flowers. Collecting fish and bugs and donating them to Tom Nook starts the process of building a museum, and the more progress made in the game, the more shops are built with the help of the player.

Building the shops provides more access to items and materials. To buy materials the game has currency called “bells” and a special service called “Nook Miles.” With the “bells,” I could buy clothes to customize my character or buy furniture for my tent. An option that “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” provides is updating the tent to a house by getting a loan from Tom Nook.

I could take my time paying off this loan, and once it’s paid off, I have the option of upgrading to a bigger house and getting another loan, which is worth it for more space.

Overall, “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” is a charming and relaxing game. With a calm atmosphere and cute animal neighbors, it’s a game worth checking out and playing. As a new player to the series, I’m still figuring out things and getting used to the controls. My introduction to “Animal Crossing,” has been a positive one and I keep going back to my island and see what else I could upgrade and keep building my little community. I highly recommend this game.