In March 2020, just as the world went into a seemingly unending lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Nintendo released the latest title in the Animal Crossing series, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. New Horizons quickly became one of the Switch’s best-selling titles and had thousands of people buying a brand new Switch solely to play it. But now, it’s been about a year and a half since the game launched, and with the holidays coming up, you might be asking yourself: is it too late to join in on the fun?
When Animal Crossing: New Horizons first launched, players connected from all over the world, doing things like visiting each other’s islands, sharing cool interior designs, and learning about basic economics with the ever-changing Stalk Market. While the initial craze for the game has died down, the community is still alive and active, especially with both the Version 2.0 Update as well as the “Happy Homes Paradise” DLC (which is free to download if you have the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack).
The new update and DLC add tons of new content to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and in-game events, such as the recent “Turkey Day,” keep players coming back to the game. On top of that, so much of the experience of playing Animal Crossing takes place on YOUR island, meaning even without access to online play or the “Happy Home Paradise” DLC, there’s still so much to do!
On the other hand, Nintendo has announced that there will be no more updates or DLCs added to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, meaning what we have now is all there is and all there will be. Once the hype over the recent content dies down, the game will likely fade back into obscurity over time.
Personally, I never got around to buying New Horizons when it first came out and just got the game back at the beginning of November of this year. So far, I’ve been having a blast. I’ve been playing a little bit each day, but I’ve loved being able to go and see my friends’ islands and learn tips and tricks from them. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t even touched the DLC yet, so I don’t think this is a game I’ll be setting down any time soon.
For those of you who have played the game, do you think Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still worth starting for new players? Or do you think the game has run its course? If you haven’t played the game before, is it something you’d still consider trying out? Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on the Boss Rush Discord.
Image Source: Nintendo.com
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