I remember sinking so many hours into this game that it restarted my lifelong sleeping issues. It guaranteed sales far exceeding what most people reasonably expected for the machine, given the strong competition from both PlayStation and Xbox at the time.Īnd even though its sequel has surpassed it, this revolutionary new format for Zelda sent shockwaves throughout the industry and reiterated the ongoing franchise as one of gaming’s most important. Having one of the greatest games of all time as a Nintendo Switch launch title was more than just a bit of flex for the legendary Japanese gaming company. Which, of course, is the height of irony since you are still playing a video game. Not exactly a strategy game, but one that requires a good level of ingenuity and forward planning, hence training your brain to manage time better in real life. It’s much like Seinfeld: a game about “nothing” that ends up being a game about everything. Hell, consider it the top-down RPG version of Yellowstone – just replace a ranch with a farm.Īgain, this is a comfort game based on no particular end goal. You restore buildings, develop relationships, and keep monsters away. You play a character that inherits a large plot of land from their grandfather and the gameplay mechanics are largely based on production. Stardew Valley hits the same vein as Animal Cross: New Horizons in that it’s largely based on everyday life around the farm. Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 Yes, that’s kind of similar to how gambling addiction works, but at least you aren’t losing actual money with this seemingly innocuous title. Rewards are also set on a random interval schedule, adding novelty to the game and keeping those dopamine levels up which keeps people coming back for more. You literally just lose yourself in the simulator as you control an avatar that builds, fishes, crafts, cooks, explores an island paradise and just generally lives a cosy, off-the-grid lifestyle. In other words, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a comfort game. That’s probably why it has sold some 41 million copies since the beginning of the pandemic, reiterating the title as an exemplar of what some people call “cosy gaming.” The utility of Animal Crossing as more than just a game has been discussed widely in the industry. Nintendo really struck gold when they started stretching this concept in different directions and New Horizons is the best expression to date. Much like Minecraft, Animal Crossing has become one of the most iconic social simulation games of all time. Platform: Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS
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