Okay, this is our first ever foray into the world of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing series! New Horizons launched in 2019 as a Switch exclusive.

That was just before the COVID-19 outbreaks, which turned the game into the most perfect title imaginable for lockdown-based escapism.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a huge success. In part thanks to that situation, but also down to this just being an absolutely fantastic life simulator.

Embrace the Life-Affirming Joys of Awesome in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

New Horizons launched in March 2020 as if it was custom made for the COVID-19 pandemic. It meant Nintendo Switch owners in lockdown could just go right ahead and transform a little island into a thriving community.

It’s a life simulation game and one that plays out in real-time.

The Residential Services manager Tom Nook (a sort of racoon dog) invites you to an island. You except, move over, and set your tent up in the district.

You meet some locals (such as Hamlet the hamster) and busy yourself completing the various activities to get the island started. That includes:

• Collecting materials (such as wood, stones, food).
• Crafting stuff to collect more materials (such as axes and spades).
• Upgrading your home.
• Exploring the island.
• Completing tasks set to you by Tom Nook.
• Chatting to locals.

This was our first ever Animal Crossing game. We were surprised by its methodical pace. It’s a game you dip in and out of to gradually work your way towards a grand future.

It’s one of those Nintendo games where some sects of the gaming community will look at, sneer, and say Nintendo is past it and “for kids”.

Meanwhile, ignoring how the game pretty much maxed out near perfect scores across the globe and, you know, maybe they’d actually enjoy it if they gave it a go.

There’s so much going on in the game. Arguably the best thing about it is the level of customisation available with the little details. You really can make the island your own, designing lots of in-game features to express your creativity.

The level of creativity you can go for has few restrictions.

But there’s just so much to do it’s quite unfathomable. The game drops new challenges and surprises as the weeks pass, so you get a gradual introduction to it all. No massively overwhelming time of it, here. It’s got a gentle pace.

It’s got that classic Nintendo charm in spades. Along with extra dollops of COSY.

The COSY Game Debate: A Force of Evil?! 😈

A brief aside here to focus on horror, terror, and much dismay.

Our mortal enemies at Later Levels recently had a feature on rethinking the concept of cosy games. Animal Crossing fits the bill of cosy. In fact, it’s so violently cosy it may be too much for some people.

Its kawaii cuteness rating is off the charts and ready to erupt.

Later Levels maintains a particular blind hatred of the cosy indie game Unpacking (2021). A title where you unpack things and just chillout a bit.

Being serious though, the cosy genre tends to get bracketed in with cute stuff and oddball concepts. Titles like the sticker startup Sticky Business simulator.

The “cosy” thing is just a bit of a lazy marketing gimmick, but it does help people find the type of titles they’re looking for.

But one person’s jam is another person’s Bovril.

Who’s to say what cosy is? If you find playing the most terrifying bloodbath of a horror game imaginable your cup of tea and a relaxing time of it, you go for it! We’re not judging. Put your ruddy slippers on and enjoy.

New Horizons is Your Ticket to Paradise (i.e. escapism)

One of the wonderful things about New Horizons are the many stories of older gamers enjoying the experience.

There was one guy on Twitter recently who reported his mother had logged hundreds of hours on the game and was really proud of the village she’d created.

Again, it’s a reminder of what Nintendo’s games are about.

They offer escapist, fun, creative releases. Once again it landed a humdinger here, a title you can breeze in and out of as you see fit for years. One guy on our Switch friends list has over 4,000 hours logged on it!

It’s also just a funny game.

The characters you meet have snappy dialogue and always drop some sort of fun little statement or other. Humour is a big part of the experience.

As is its accessibility. Really, no matter your age there’s a lot on offer here. It’s a game for non-gamers to pile in and try, with the outcome likely being old smile on your face. That is the nature of escapist joy.