Animal Crossing: New Horizons

 Switch
User Score
5.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 6617 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,370 out of 6617
  2. Mixed: 571 out of 6617
  3. Negative: 2,676 out of 6617
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  1. pohthye
    Apr 29, 2020
    1
    I have no issue when the developer decided to do this to protect their product of being abused but when I look at the price tag of USD60 per copy I seriously think that they are trying to rip us off. I have 3 kids and I have to buy 3 copies of the game and 3 nintendo switches for them to play this game might as well I ask them to stick back to minecraft.
  2. Saunjune
    Apr 29, 2020
    4
    Only 1 island per Switch console, not account, even if the game is purchased multiple times. Only 1 Island ambassador can make major decisions about the island... per Switch console, not account. This leaves all other accounts on the console playing this game unable to progress the story. I hope Nintendo does something to fix this. Worst couch co-OP gameplay ever. It makes me sad that whatOnly 1 island per Switch console, not account, even if the game is purchased multiple times. Only 1 Island ambassador can make major decisions about the island... per Switch console, not account. This leaves all other accounts on the console playing this game unable to progress the story. I hope Nintendo does something to fix this. Worst couch co-OP gameplay ever. It makes me sad that what would be a great game is hobbled by this poor choice in game design.… Expand
  3. Jose01862374948
    Apr 30, 2020
    3
    The game is great except for 1 thing. Yo can’t have multiple islands per switch, me and my sister bought the game thinking we would be able to build our seperate islands individual paradise. but no, you cant even have 2 islands, and the worst part, as the second player you can berely contribute to the progress of the game, you fell like an npc more than a player. All im asking is to haveThe game is great except for 1 thing. Yo can’t have multiple islands per switch, me and my sister bought the game thinking we would be able to build our seperate islands individual paradise. but no, you cant even have 2 islands, and the worst part, as the second player you can berely contribute to the progress of the game, you fell like an npc more than a player. All im asking is to have at least 2 islands per switch, or to be able to have more than 1 town organizer.… Expand
  4. motobean
    Apr 30, 2020
    2
    I spent 10+ hours on the game but didn't even understand I couldn't unlock the museum or other features because my friend started the game first. I can't switch the primary resident, I can't progress in the game, and I'm very close to stop playing this game entirely.

    1 primary resident PER SWITCH makes this game a 2. If you're 1 person playing on your Switch, great this is a good game,    I spent 10+ hours on the game but didn't even understand I couldn't unlock the museum or other features because my friend started the game first. I can't switch the primary resident, I can't progress in the game, and I'm very close to stop playing this game entirely.

    1 primary resident PER SWITCH makes this game a 2. If you're 1 person playing on your Switch, great this is a good game, if anyone else ever cares to try the game and create their own player, this game is A ZERO for multiplayer. Do not even bother, the results are infuriating.    … Expand
  5. FrozenGrimm
    Apr 30, 2020
    2
    I do not know anything about this game. Bought it because everyone seems to love it and I really liked it so far. Told my Mom to try because I knew she'll love it but to my surprised, we share ONE island. What make it worse is that she won't be having the same experience cuz things u can do with her character is limited.. What kind of anti consumer **** is this.. You expect us to buyI do not know anything about this game. Bought it because everyone seems to love it and I really liked it so far. Told my Mom to try because I knew she'll love it but to my surprised, we share ONE island. What make it worse is that she won't be having the same experience cuz things u can do with her character is limited.. What kind of anti consumer **** is this.. You expect us to buy another switch? I would understand if this was because of hardware limitation.. But I doubt that. Its 2020 NINTENDO!!… Expand
  6. KComer
    Apr 30, 2020
    1
    Such a shame that this game only allows one person to create and name an island and any other player that joins in is playing on that same island with the same resources available that have been created by the originator (a bummer when the original creator has already used the items available that day). This is a family-friendly game yet it's basically a one player game per console....soSuch a shame that this game only allows one person to create and name an island and any other player that joins in is playing on that same island with the same resources available that have been created by the originator (a bummer when the original creator has already used the items available that day). This is a family-friendly game yet it's basically a one player game per console....so we'd have to buy another console for someone else to play and create their own island. :-/ Fix this Nintendo!!… Expand
  7. Blackstar602
    Apr 30, 2020
    1
    The fact that only one person can truly experience the game in it's entirety is rediculous. It seems like a money grab from Nintendo to try and sell more consoles and that just isn't right.
  8. frejyasdaeg
    May 1, 2020
    4
    A good game with some critical flaws:
    THE GOOD: Animal Crossings: New Horizons builds on everything from the previous entries in the series, the ability to visit friend's islands is fun, the gameplay almost always has something to do, and the vast array of NPC characters is exciting.
    THE BAD: The online play is extremely clunky, disconnects randomly, pauses for lengthy periods when    A good game with some critical flaws:
    THE GOOD: Animal Crossings: New Horizons builds on everything from the previous entries in the series, the ability to visit friend's islands is fun, the gameplay almost always has something to do, and the vast array of NPC characters is exciting.
    THE BAD: The online play is extremely clunky, disconnects randomly, pauses for lengthy periods when someone else joins an island (like a really long time), and is very difficult to get connected with friends. The local multiplayer is even worse, only the first player on the island can experience the full game, players who join afterward are extremely limited in what they can do.
    THE UGLY: Playing together locally is even worse, with players joining the main player basically being limited to picking up items and being dragged around the island. The game is also limited to only one island per console with no ability to backup or transfer your island to another console. This means if your switch is lost, stolen or broken you have to completely start over, this is completely unacceptable in 2020, not sure how Nintendo launched a flagship title without the ability for cloud saves or console transfers.
    FINAL VERDICT: The game is fun and offers a lot to do, but there are some massive drawbacks that make it hard to recommend currently, do yourself a favor and wait for Nintendo to correct some of these glaring faults.    … Expand
  9. NanoFox
    May 1, 2020
    1
    The game is great. But the fact that you can only have one island per switch is complete nonsense. Very, very poor move and the reason I’m writing this review.
  10. Rockplaya
    May 1, 2020
    1
    SO MUCH POTENTIAL....for 1 person. Do not get this game if you share. Me and my wife got it, she is the island rep and barely plays so I have to account hop to progress the island. Fix your game Nintendo. Either allow multiple people to be island reps, or add separate islands for each profile.
  11. layth
    May 1, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Looks like a lot of fun, looks like even though I own the game I can barley play it because of the dumb player 2 restrictions. If you do not share a switch get it.… Expand
  12. thesharing
    May 5, 2020
    1
    The game itself contains a lot of fun. However, there are plenty of conflicts in this game. First, it encourages players to play with their friends. But the experience of visiting friends is just like UPS: slow, complicated operations, and unstable connections. When you disconnect with your friend, all of you will lose your progress. When you try to reconnect, the long, naggingThe game itself contains a lot of fun. However, there are plenty of conflicts in this game. First, it encourages players to play with their friends. But the experience of visiting friends is just like UPS: slow, complicated operations, and unstable connections. When you disconnect with your friend, all of you will lose your progress. When you try to reconnect, the long, nagging conversation will drive you mad over and over again. Second, the game is set to be one island per console. But if you lost your switch, or broke it by accident, well, congratulations, you would lose all the time you waste on this game. This is hilarious. Also the local multi-player experience is just like sharing the toilet with your partners. It could happen, but we all wish that it should never happen. So be it.… Expand
  13. Shiv12
    May 5, 2020
    1
    I would love this game ... if I was the one who actually got to play it. It was supposed to be a fun and relaxing game during quarantine that instead turned into a domestic dispute because I failed to do the research that only ONE user gets to have an island and every other user gets to be a second class citizen on said island. I bought the game but my roommate played it before I had theI would love this game ... if I was the one who actually got to play it. It was supposed to be a fun and relaxing game during quarantine that instead turned into a domestic dispute because I failed to do the research that only ONE user gets to have an island and every other user gets to be a second class citizen on said island. I bought the game but my roommate played it before I had the chance to and doesn’t understand why I’m upset. I just get to be the jerk who’s bad at sharing, when really there is absolutely no reason why Nintendo can’t allow for separate islands for separate user profiles. Heck, I’d buy a separate copy of the game to have my own island if that would solve it. But my roommate isn’t going to buy her own Switch, so I’m just stuck being the angry jerk who wasted $60. Do better, Nintendo.… Expand
  14. Clarkten
    May 6, 2020
    1
    I got so frustated when I found out about the one island per console thingy, me and my brother were so exited to play that game, scince he's the principal acount I just feel kinda useless being in the game
  15. 010101010100
    May 7, 2020
    1
    Pretty fun game. I would give it a 10/10. However, as much as I'm enjoying this game, not being able to play on the same console with someone else and have their own game is unacceptable. If every profile can't play the game normally, they shouldn't charge a "normal" price for it. Having only one island to me at least lowers the value to like a $35 game tops, not a $60. The other bigPretty fun game. I would give it a 10/10. However, as much as I'm enjoying this game, not being able to play on the same console with someone else and have their own game is unacceptable. If every profile can't play the game normally, they shouldn't charge a "normal" price for it. Having only one island to me at least lowers the value to like a $35 game tops, not a $60. The other big problem I have is how tedious they have made simple things. Why do I have to restart every conversation if I either change my mind or want something different. It would not be a problem if there was a way to make all of the text appear on the screen at once. It takes almost a whole minute of Orville rambling just to type in a dodo code, and if you mess up, that island's full, etc, you have to wait through another 30 seconds of dialogue just to leave, and if you want to use a different code, you must sit through that minute convo again. For a game that almost requires visiting people either locally or online (can't get all fruits otherwise) that is stupid. You want 3 of the color variants of one piece of clothing? well, too bad. You have to go in and out of the dressing room because you can't buy more than one outfit at a time. Also, Home storage should be considered when crafting in your house. I have to open inventory, take what I want out, close inventory, craft, and then put everything back. The UI is not well thought out. I understand it's "realistic," but I don't consider the airports being a pain in the *** and vendors who won't stfu to be something that a game needs. They have either lost their minds and don't realize how tedious this was before even releasing the game (Do you playtest), or they just didn't care. either of the two is ridiculous, especially for a globally-established company.… Expand
  16. Jace_Sky
    May 6, 2020
    1
    It’s decent just don’t plan on having more than one island per switch. Gotta love Nintendo.
  17. CDRMac
    May 8, 2020
    3
    The basic concept is fun and addictive.

    HOWEVER, the co-op and multiplayer is ATROCIOUS! 1. We bought the game mainly so my wife, son, and I could play co-op. We were so excited to travel together and explore other people's Islands. TOO BAD. For some nonsensical reason, that is not allowed. Couch co-op is ONLY allowed on your island. And on top of that, the options for players 2, 3 &    The basic concept is fun and addictive.

    HOWEVER, the co-op and multiplayer is ATROCIOUS!

    1. We bought the game mainly so my wife, son, and I could play co-op. We were so excited to travel together and explore other people's Islands. TOO BAD. For some nonsensical reason, that is not allowed. Couch co-op is ONLY allowed on your island. And on top of that, the options for players 2, 3 & 4 are drastically limited. So much missed potential with this feature.

    2. Only the first character to be created (the Island Representative) can travel to other islands online. I made my character 2nd, and I cannot travel online. It tells me I need to buy an additional Nintendo Online subscription. That means that if I am playing my character, I am pretty much stuck on our island. Why would Nintendo do this? Why should I need two online subscriptions for one game, on one Switch? I can't think of any logical reason to do this. Seems like blatant greed, to me.

    Games released a decade ago have had more robust multiplayer than this. I just don't understand how, in the year 2020, a company as experienced as Nintendo can do such a poor job on such an important feature.

    I see that I am not the only one complaining about these features. I hope Nintendo listens to its fans, and fixes them in the near future.    … Expand
  18. AngryEnough
    May 9, 2020
    1
    One island per console?? Are you joking? This is absolutely absurd. Whoever made that decision is either a senseless idiot or a malicious prick. This is a great game with an even greater, crippling flaw. This is a family console we're playing on, folks, not a Gameboy.
  19. Cronch
    May 14, 2020
    2
    I can definitely say that the game is extremely enjoyable. It’s very nice to sit down to on yet another day at home, and it kept me coming back each day. That is, of course, until I discovered that I couldn’t change the island representative. By then I was already too far into the game. I enjoy playing with the real time aspect of Animal Crossing so when it’s taken more than a month to getI can definitely say that the game is extremely enjoyable. It’s very nice to sit down to on yet another day at home, and it kept me coming back each day. That is, of course, until I discovered that I couldn’t change the island representative. By then I was already too far into the game. I enjoy playing with the real time aspect of Animal Crossing so when it’s taken more than a month to get where I’m at on my own account, along with being forced to also progress another player that my brother no longer uses, it makes me furious to see that every solution I try to turn to says the same thing: if I want to become the island representative I have to delete the entire game’s save data. It’s simply impossible for me to do that after putting all this time into a game that I really truly love. It’s a shame that I can’t enjoy it any further after all my hard work.… Expand
  20. Cas2021
    May 18, 2020
    1
    After looking forward to this game ever since the Switch came out, I am highly disappointed overall. The spawn rate of good bugs and better fish is so low that it really makes the game no fun. As a nurse, working through this time of this virus, I want to come home and relax with my game, but am finding that it’s more frustrating than relaxing. What would be the harm in increasing theAfter looking forward to this game ever since the Switch came out, I am highly disappointed overall. The spawn rate of good bugs and better fish is so low that it really makes the game no fun. As a nurse, working through this time of this virus, I want to come home and relax with my game, but am finding that it’s more frustrating than relaxing. What would be the harm in increasing the rate of the better fish and bugs and making the game more fun and relaxing. I just don’t get why Nintendo wants to take away the fun of the game. I enjoyed fishing and catching bugs in New Leaf. But now the spawn rate is so low of any of the more challenging bugs and fish. I would not recommend this game to friends, and am seriously considering selling my Switch and my game. I am to the point where it’s just not fun for me anymore. Thanks a lot Nintendo.… Expand
  21. just_trev
    May 26, 2020
    1
    Lifelong Nintendo-fan here. Can't even appropriately convey my disappointment with Nintendo for the One Switch, One Island rule. I expect things like this from EA but have never in my life encountered a move like this from Nintendo. My wife and I bought a Switch Lite to share together, and she was lucky enough to play Animal Crossing first. When I hopped on and had the slow realizationLifelong Nintendo-fan here. Can't even appropriately convey my disappointment with Nintendo for the One Switch, One Island rule. I expect things like this from EA but have never in my life encountered a move like this from Nintendo. My wife and I bought a Switch Lite to share together, and she was lucky enough to play Animal Crossing first. When I hopped on and had the slow realization that I would be confined to the Island she lived on unless I was willing to purchase a second console (not a second game cartridge, which I might have considered) my heart just sank. Nintendo really screwed the pooch on this one and from the other reviews I sense that they've already lost a lot of customers. Not that they care, apparently, as there is no news of change on the horizon. Gave it at least a one because it was fun watching my wife enjoy it, but now we both feel cheated.… Expand
  22. TommyValentino
    May 27, 2020
    4
    Terraria is much much more worth it. A very shallow console cashgrabbing Nintendo nonsence
  23. Zedducus
    Jun 17, 2020
    2
    Only one island per switch. Only one island representative(person who advances game), and unable to transfer it. Otherwise gameplay is ok, if you like to design stuff(island, house).
  24. oilForWater
    Jun 20, 2020
    3
    Nintendo has gotten greedy. They dont allow separate islands unless you have another switch, which is a problem because only the island leader gets to do things that are fun. And also, my sister can go through the island getting all the rocks, fruit and weeds so i dont get to do anything other than fish. They should make it like the older games where you can have multiple characters, butNintendo has gotten greedy. They dont allow separate islands unless you have another switch, which is a problem because only the island leader gets to do things that are fun. And also, my sister can go through the island getting all the rocks, fruit and weeds so i dont get to do anything other than fish. They should make it like the older games where you can have multiple characters, but they should do that all in one profile, so that if you want to you can have your own island or share one, or both at once. I only gave it a 3 because of the graphics. But if they fixed the one island thing it would be a 9 or 10… Expand
  25. ScourgedByGod
    Jun 22, 2020
    1
    Poco innovador, gráficos que parecen porteados de la versión de 3ds, copia muchas cosas de juegos como Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley etc historia poco trabajada y practicamente inexistente
  26. Autumleaves13
    Jun 22, 2020
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If i have to be sincere... Only is fun for 1 person because the rest of people who want to live in the island can’t participate in the projects. This means that if the principal player don’t progress in the game, the rest of the players can’t progress too. Does this means that if i want to participate in the decisions of creating the island i have to buy another game? I don’t see very fair and economic doing this.
    I hope Nintendo decides to do an actualization soon deleting all this barriers to the rest of players in the game.    … Expand
  27. xdaimoz
    Jul 18, 2020
    0
    So i just bought a new brand game and then went for my girlfriend to pick her from work and make her happy,but when i was waiting for her i started reading back label and i saw that i can make only ONE ISLAND PER SWITCH, the same """""family""""" sharable portable console that nintendo advertasing to us... just **** off... i went back to store and got my money back and nintendo will neverSo i just bought a new brand game and then went for my girlfriend to pick her from work and make her happy,but when i was waiting for her i started reading back label and i saw that i can make only ONE ISLAND PER SWITCH, the same """""family""""" sharable portable console that nintendo advertasing to us... just **** off... i went back to store and got my money back and nintendo will never see a penny from me for any of their consoles in future..well done.… Expand
  28. GabrielHerazo
    Jun 26, 2020
    2
    The game don't let’s play the others users! Only the principal user can play the complete history.
  29. Hoonetic
    Jun 30, 2020
    2
    Like everyone else, it’s annoyingly that since my son started the game, my wife and I can’t do anything because we’re just bystanders. The 1 island limitation is also a major annoyance! Nintendo please change the limitations or fix it!
  30. Jazz4food
    Jul 13, 2020
    1
    The multi-player experience is really bad. If you are not first player, you can't advance the story. This would probably be a fun game if you played alone, but my my experience as player 2 was very disappointing.
  31. FruitzyCritics
    Jul 14, 2020
    1
    COMPLETE BS NINTENDO
    I got this game on my birthday nintendo about 3 days ago. At the time i got animal crossing new horizons i wasn't really feeling to play the game so i let my six year old brother do it because he was very excited about the game. Now that i try to logg on animal crossing With MY ACOUNT i get sent to his island because for some reason you can only have on island per    COMPLETE BS NINTENDO
    I got this game on my birthday nintendo about 3 days ago. At the time i got animal crossing new horizons i wasn't really feeling to play the game so i let my six year old brother do it because he was very excited about the game. Now that i try to logg on animal crossing With MY ACOUNT i get sent to his island because for some reason you can only have on island per SWITCH yes you HEARD ME ONE SHARED ISLAND S W I T C H now i cant even proggres in the game because ALL accounts share the same island and ONLY the player/account who started up the island is the only one who can proggress. Just great nintendo now i cant even play the game i got on my birthday properly. I think this should be heavily more criticized so people know before they buy. i demand an update to fix this poor design choice.    … Expand
  32. Eimear
    Jul 18, 2020
    0
    Only having one island per console no matter how many copies are purchased is outrageous. It robs players of the full experience of the game as only one player has the full experience. This can cause arguments in families as to who is allowed to be that player. The Nintendo Switch and Animal Crossing: New Horizons are meant to be a family console and game. Animal Crossing: New Horizons isOnly having one island per console no matter how many copies are purchased is outrageous. It robs players of the full experience of the game as only one player has the full experience. This can cause arguments in families as to who is allowed to be that player. The Nintendo Switch and Animal Crossing: New Horizons are meant to be a family console and game. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is meant to allow players to create and design their own islands but this is not possible with only one save file. This just proves how greedy Nintendo is. It would be reasonable if it was an island per copy but it’s a cheap money tactic that Nintendo has included to rob fans of the game. No other game has this problem. If you want to play Super Mario Odyssey then you have your own save file for each account but Nintendo understands that Animal Crossing is a huge nostalgia game so they took advantage of it to try get more money.… Expand
  33. givemeownisland
    Jul 18, 2020
    0
    I have many brothers and sisters, and for me animal crossing was a way out of my dysfunctional family, an escapism. I wanted to relax and spend hours upon hours building a "game life" where I wasn't as stressed out as I am in real life. Turns out I'm stuck on my brother's island. I hate you Nintendo, change that 1 island per switch nonsense. Greedy company. NEVER AGAIN WILL I SUPPORT NINTENDO!!!!!
  34. mario1892
    Aug 4, 2020
    3
    Not a game for me, really boring, I hated the thing you can only have one island, but maybe it´s cool for anyone else...
  35. Guillermothecow
    Jul 22, 2020
    0
  36. Fluffysgsj
    Jul 22, 2020
    0
    One save game per switch is a **** move. **** is actually a complement tbh, I really feel this is not far off from the greediest moves some game companies (lookong ar you EA) make.
  37. Punk_n_Sass
    Jul 22, 2020
    0
    Listen, I love this game and have sunk over 400 hours into it. It's my second most played game ever right behind Minecraft which I've owned for over 8 years. 400 hours in 4 months is a ton of time for me in a game.
    However, I have reached a point where I'd love to have more islands to make more themed towns. I'm too attached to my first island to just kick all my villagers off and go    Listen, I love this game and have sunk over 400 hours into it. It's my second most played game ever right behind Minecraft which I've owned for over 8 years. 400 hours in 4 months is a ton of time for me in a game.
    However, I have reached a point where I'd love to have more islands to make more themed towns. I'm too attached to my first island to just kick all my villagers off and go searching for all penguins to make an ice themed island. But I can't use my creativity on more than just one island because there is only one island per Switch! I sincerely hope Nintendo patches the game so you can have at least up to 8 Islands on the console to match the number of accounts. Other games function in this manner where each account has a separate save file, why can't Animal Crossing?    … Expand
  38. effano
    Jul 23, 2020
    1
    Found out today that there's a one island per switch limit... Didn't think to check for this before purchasing because it seems obvious that the system is capable of having at LEAST one island per account. I can tell by the vast number of reviews that mention this feature that I'm not the only person who made that assumption. Giving this one star because I still have hope that this couldFound out today that there's a one island per switch limit... Didn't think to check for this before purchasing because it seems obvious that the system is capable of having at LEAST one island per account. I can tell by the vast number of reviews that mention this feature that I'm not the only person who made that assumption. Giving this one star because I still have hope that this could be a good game, but for now it's more like something I paid $60 to watch someone else enjoy.… Expand
  39. jdax2
    Jul 24, 2020
    4
    As someone who played New Leaf for the 3DS, the differences between the games are night and day. Where New Horizons took 2 steps forward it also takes 5 steps back when it comes to features and additions.
    200 hours in, the new features (outdoor decor, terraforming, DIY’s) fail to make up for the countless features from previous games that don’t show up. Some missing features are furniture    As someone who played New Leaf for the 3DS, the differences between the games are night and day. Where New Horizons took 2 steps forward it also takes 5 steps back when it comes to features and additions.
    200 hours in, the new features (outdoor decor, terraforming, DIY’s) fail to make up for the countless features from previous games that don’t show up. Some missing features are furniture (1,764 in NL vs 804 in NH, less than half), the HHA Showcase, island mini games, some holidays (April Fools and Earth Day so far), Nintendo themed fortune cookie items, gyroids, the Cafe, fortune telling, and the dream suite are the most notable absences in the game. Features aside, many fan-favorite characters don’t make a return in the game: Kapp’n, the Resetti Brothers, Pete, Pelly, Phyllis, Tortimer, Digby, and Gracie Grace are ALL absent from the game.
    This is not to say these characters and features won’t show up in one of many planned procedural updates, but the absence of all these features and characters becomes evident once the player accomplished many of the goals set by both the game and themselves. There isn’t much to do in the game after you achieve your 5-Star island. No more shop upgrades to look forward to for the time being, no more shops to open up, no more islands to visit, no mini games to play with your friends, no small distractions that were abundantly present in previous games.
    The lack of content in Animal Crossing New Horizons and the presence of procedural updates is a sign of Nintendo’s complacency within the larger game industry. Halo MCC faced a similar lack of content compared to previous games when many of the game modes present in previous entries were unavailable on the release date. An entire year after the release of the game, all of the previous features have been added in. I fear this will be the fate of New Horizons. Whether for their own profit or to stave off time-travelers, Nintendo has chosen to give fans an IV-drip of new content into the game. It took over 2 months for diving to make a return to the game, a feature that was available in New Leaf upon release.
    There has also been a noticeable decline in the quality of the features that do return. Characters like Isabelle have been relegated to repeating the same lines of dialogue every time you boot up the game: the same line about her missing sock or the comedian she watched on TV or one of the five other speech options she cycles through every week. Nook’s Cranny has only one upgrade as of July 2020, whereas NL had 4 upon release.
    New Horizons does give players a much higher level of customizability than any previous game. Although the furniture options are severely limited, players can reshape the majority of the island to whatever they desire, they can place villager homes in any location they wish, and they can decorate areas outside of the player’s home. Creating custom clothing is given more versatility with more clothes types and now player designs are no longer pixelated, but rounded out when placed onto clothing items. Previously immovable objects such as rocks can be broken to be spawned in a more desirable area. The majority of fun from the game will come from the goals the player sets for themselves when playing the game, which is an issue if you struggle creatively. If you weren’t a super creative person, in previous games there were goals that could keep you playing day after day: additional store upgrades, building new stores, and playing off the more expensive debts for your larger house in NL. Even if you do enjoy being creative with your island, once you’ve achieved your 5-Star island, there isn’t anything major for you to work towards: no upgrades, no stores, and no upgrades for the small side rooms in your house.

    Small features you would expect to be in any game are also missing. No options menu to change things like music volume, no ability to donate to other people’s museums, no giving fish or bugs to other players, and most egregiously, no way to have multiple islands on the same console. If you have a spouse or family member who also wants to start their own island, they can’t just hop on another profile, they can’t even just buy bother copy of the game, they have to buy an entirely new switch and another copy of the game. This makes the cost of having two save files in one household go up to at least US$280. In past games, all you had to do was either buy a new memory card on the GameCube or buy another copy of the game to have another village. Many other reviewers talk about this issue with the game and there really is no reason other than greed for Nintendo to make this change from previous games.

    It feels like Animal Crossing New Horizons knew exactly what new features to bring to the game to please fans, but in bringing in the amazing new features, Nintendo failed to bring in so many of the fun, memorable, and important features and characters from the previous games.    … Expand
  40. cooterlooter123
    Jul 25, 2020
    1
    This game looks pretty cool. My wife bought a Switch just for it. I wanted to give it a try and attempted to make my own Island but found that you can only have one Island per account, even with a different profile. I thought to myself, "Wow this really sucks, you have to buy another copy of the game if more than one person in the household wants to play. I'm glad I don't have kids." ThenThis game looks pretty cool. My wife bought a Switch just for it. I wanted to give it a try and attempted to make my own Island but found that you can only have one Island per account, even with a different profile. I thought to myself, "Wow this really sucks, you have to buy another copy of the game if more than one person in the household wants to play. I'm glad I don't have kids." Then i read that even if you buy another copy of the game, you would need to buy a 2nd Switch. That is greedy AF.

    Now i remember why Nintendo 64 was the last Nintendo product I ever purchased, and will likely ever purchase in the future.    … Expand
  41. aegrefdsa
    Jul 28, 2020
    0
    Had to buy a second switch to have my own save file, **** this anti-consumer **** from nintendo
    The game is fun though, this review would be a 10/10 otherwise
  42. partypooper
    Aug 1, 2020
    0
    Buying this game to play together sucks, only one person gets an island. The second player barely get any rights and is not fun at all. very dissapointed in this choice by nintendo
  43. Mavheit
    Aug 1, 2020
    4
    Such a great game, ruined by a GROSSLY OUTDATED game structure. I understand that 1 island only is kind of a series staple, but this do not make it justifiable in this day and age. I bought the game in order to play it with my gf, and right now the game is nearly unplayable in local coop. I bought the game to let my sister create another island of her own, and this is straight up notSuch a great game, ruined by a GROSSLY OUTDATED game structure. I understand that 1 island only is kind of a series staple, but this do not make it justifiable in this day and age. I bought the game in order to play it with my gf, and right now the game is nearly unplayable in local coop. I bought the game to let my sister create another island of her own, and this is straight up not possible. Such a good game ruined either by unjustifiable ignorance or unredeemable greed. Mah… Expand
  44. bookishowl26
    Aug 4, 2020
    0
    Nintendo tricked my family into getting this game. I thought it would be fun but you can only have one island per switch. My sister opened the game first so she gets to be the mayor and I don’t get to make decisions or do anything interesting. The only way to fully enjoy this game as a multi person household is to buy another switch. Of course nobody is going to do that. I was superNintendo tricked my family into getting this game. I thought it would be fun but you can only have one island per switch. My sister opened the game first so she gets to be the mayor and I don’t get to make decisions or do anything interesting. The only way to fully enjoy this game as a multi person household is to buy another switch. Of course nobody is going to do that. I was super disappointed and I thought that the game would be fun. Nintendo please fix this the fans need you to.… Expand
  45. FinalCookie
    Aug 4, 2020
    0
    I bought this game for me and my girlfriend to share, but it became clear right away that it was unplayable for Player 2. No involvement with progression, can't help upgrade the island, doesn't get Diy recipes, and the other villagers don't even interact with her as much as me. With how a 2nd copy of the game won't allow for another island like with previous titles it's obvious thatI bought this game for me and my girlfriend to share, but it became clear right away that it was unplayable for Player 2. No involvement with progression, can't help upgrade the island, doesn't get Diy recipes, and the other villagers don't even interact with her as much as me. With how a 2nd copy of the game won't allow for another island like with previous titles it's obvious that Nintendo just wants us to buy a 2nd switch. The biggest cash grab I've seen from Nintendo since Mario Cart Tour.… Expand
  46. Aspalber
    Aug 9, 2020
    0
    El hecho de que halla limitaciones en la isla con respecto al primer usuario no permite disfrutar a varios usuarios del juego y trata a todos los que no lo hallan iniciado como invitados en el juego que solo tienen disponible una demo del juego aún teniendolo
  47. BoroBoro
    Aug 11, 2020
    0
    My sister bought a switch and the game, we both want to play it and have our own islands. We can’t afford to buy A WHOLE OTHER SWITCH!!! This is a dumb moneygrab it’s obvious, make multiple save files to the game and update it! One person will have fun on the game while the other one is left with nothing to do but collect sticks (no decision making whatsoever). If you have multiple kidsMy sister bought a switch and the game, we both want to play it and have our own islands. We can’t afford to buy A WHOLE OTHER SWITCH!!! This is a dumb moneygrab it’s obvious, make multiple save files to the game and update it! One person will have fun on the game while the other one is left with nothing to do but collect sticks (no decision making whatsoever). If you have multiple kids and don’t want to here them fight and whine over not getting to actually have fun in the game, don’t get it! I am extremely disappointed with Nintendo, the game is great but useless for those who are not the island owner!JUST ADD MULTIPLE SAVE FILES!… Expand
  48. Odey
    Aug 14, 2020
    0
    Bought this game for my kids to play. We have 2 switches and 3 kids. Imagine my disappointment finding out that they each cant start there own islands because of the console limitations. What a terrible terrible limitation to implement. Very disappointed in Nintendo. My own fault for not doing enough research (one I wont make again in the future). If I would have known about this beforeBought this game for my kids to play. We have 2 switches and 3 kids. Imagine my disappointment finding out that they each cant start there own islands because of the console limitations. What a terrible terrible limitation to implement. Very disappointed in Nintendo. My own fault for not doing enough research (one I wont make again in the future). If I would have known about this before making my purchase I would have chosen not to buy this game.… Expand
  49. Moobusman
    Sep 4, 2020
    4
    This game was incredibly hyped up and I was so excited for its release that I pre ordered the game. I’m so dissatisfied with this game. Animal Crossing is a series with so much charm and quirkiness and this game has destroyed that. Also there is a lack of content, I always am doing the same things everyday. When I played/play New Leaf I feel like there’s always SOMETHING I can do to haveThis game was incredibly hyped up and I was so excited for its release that I pre ordered the game. I’m so dissatisfied with this game. Animal Crossing is a series with so much charm and quirkiness and this game has destroyed that. Also there is a lack of content, I always am doing the same things everyday. When I played/play New Leaf I feel like there’s always SOMETHING I can do to have fun. I’m really hoping these updates they’ve promised for 3 years make the game enjoyable, but for now I can’t play this god awful game!… Expand
  50. flatpup
    Sep 10, 2020
    4
    First of all, the user score here is very unreliable as it appears the same person has made a ton of accounts to complain about the way Multiplayer functions and you can tell it's the same person because every account has only one review and it's for Animal Crossing New Horizons.

    With that being said, the game has some serious issues. It is severely dumbed down from New Leaf to a very    First of all, the user score here is very unreliable as it appears the same person has made a ton of accounts to complain about the way Multiplayer functions and you can tell it's the same person because every account has only one review and it's for Animal Crossing New Horizons.

    With that being said, the game has some serious issues. It is severely dumbed down from New Leaf to a very disappointing degree. There are less fish to catch, less bugs, Museum is smaller, less shops, less shop upgrades, less furniture, less clothes and less house upgrades. All of these have been changed in favor of a crafting system that is painfully shallow and does not at all make up for the lost content. Nintendo is adding content over time but it's at a painfully slow rate and what is being added is not even close to what this game needs to be as good as New Leaf. If you are deciding whether to buy this game and haven't played New Leaf then you should just buy New Leaf instead.    … Expand
  51. MrGreen3339
    Jan 26, 2021
    4
    I play solo so I don't care about the 1 island per console thing, and it's been done to death already so let's talk about the game's other glaring flaws.

    - The dialogue is repetitive and uninteresting across the board. It makes me want to skip NPC text and makes villagers feel like decorations rather than actual people. - Early game progression is so linear. Your early villagers are    I play solo so I don't care about the 1 island per console thing, and it's been done to death already so let's talk about the game's other glaring flaws.

    - The dialogue is repetitive and uninteresting across the board. It makes me want to skip NPC text and makes villagers feel like decorations rather than actual people.
    - Early game progression is so linear. Your early villagers are selected from 2 personality pools rather than from all villagers.
    - The music is very forgettable outside of the K.K. Slider songs (which arguably don't count due to all but 4 of them returning from previous games) and the main theme.
    - There's only 1 shop upgrade, despite the older titles having 4 upgrades.
    - Content is drip fed through updates rather than being available from the start, which brick walls you if you finish the new content too fast.
    - So many classic NPCs are gone for no reason.
    - Crafting is cumbersome and feels unneeded after a while.
    - The whole game feels like it's focused on being a sandbox instead of a life sim.

    Seriously, if you have a 3DS, buy New Leaf instead. It's better in basically every way and is significantly cheaper. Or just emulate the older ones    … Expand
  52. redpandaman
    Apr 6, 2021
    0
    this game SUCKS the whole game to me is boring im so bored when i play i try to get far but i cant without being bored I love new leaf and i was dissapointed when i played new horizons and i was glad to see that i can place stuff outside but the stuff is to expensive i cant get bells fast enough i don't see enough rare bugs and fish so i cant get enough then they added swimming but thatthis game SUCKS the whole game to me is boring im so bored when i play i try to get far but i cant without being bored I love new leaf and i was dissapointed when i played new horizons and i was glad to see that i can place stuff outside but the stuff is to expensive i cant get bells fast enough i don't see enough rare bugs and fish so i cant get enough then they added swimming but that boring i want to decorate that is my favorite thing to do but its to expensive as i said also crafting is useless like i never use it its also so annoying how it requires some stuff that is sometimes like 20 gold nuggets and sometimes like 5 stone i just hate the game… Expand
  53. Policcillo
    May 16, 2021
    0
    This game is virtually an alpha version of what i'm sure they planed. Are the bones of a promissing game, but as any alpha, it can barely be considered as a game. Boring after the first hours, all the good critics this game recived are the resoult of Nintendo paying more atention to buy good reviews than to the developement itself. Sad to see how this beloved saga suffered suchThis game is virtually an alpha version of what i'm sure they planed. Are the bones of a promissing game, but as any alpha, it can barely be considered as a game. Boring after the first hours, all the good critics this game recived are the resoult of Nintendo paying more atention to buy good reviews than to the developement itself. Sad to see how this beloved saga suffered such degeneration thanks to the new Nintendo politics, cheap companny, cheap game.… Expand
  54. TonberryKing198
    Jun 15, 2021
    0
    The game lacks over half of features from previous releases and passes infinitesimal updates as actual content update. Lackluster and disappointing. Play New Leaf for a propper Animal Crossing.
  55. arlenn
    Jun 15, 2021
    1
    Well, the director of this entry is the director of Happy Home Designer. That is why game feels more like a HHD sequel than a new Animal Crossing entry.... I loved this franchise but they literally removed everything that made AC charming, for what?? For being able to terra-form and decorate my island? This game is supposed to be a life-simulator, not a decorating game :/ Big let down!Well, the director of this entry is the director of Happy Home Designer. That is why game feels more like a HHD sequel than a new Animal Crossing entry.... I loved this franchise but they literally removed everything that made AC charming, for what?? For being able to terra-form and decorate my island? This game is supposed to be a life-simulator, not a decorating game :/ Big let down! Also they promised us 3 years of updates, the first updates were nice but then the updates turned into adding the festivals and 3 items... wow! If the current director will also be the director of the next game, I am going to say goodbye to this franchise.… Expand
  56. Dave45Dave45Dav
    Jun 16, 2021
    0
    Game abandoned, lack of content missing from previous games like npcs shop upgrades, 100s of iconic furniture items which make up themed sets gone, no mini games to enjoy with friends like Tortimer island, villagers are empty with poor range of dialogue you can't have them visit you absolutely nothing, breakable golden tools, I could go on and on.

    It's basically a seasonal item collection sim
  57. Nomine
    Jun 16, 2021
    2
    I spent close to $400 to be able to play this game and I feel as though I and all other Animal Crossing fans have been scammed . After years of waiting , Animal Crossing fans were excited to hear there was a new mainline Animal Crossing game coming which promised amazing new features for decorating and truly customizing the exterior of your town . It was a bit suspicious that they onlyI spent close to $400 to be able to play this game and I feel as though I and all other Animal Crossing fans have been scammed . After years of waiting , Animal Crossing fans were excited to hear there was a new mainline Animal Crossing game coming which promised amazing new features for decorating and truly customizing the exterior of your town . It was a bit suspicious that they only showed the beginning of the game in the promotional material and didn’t showcase any of the rest of the things that are present in every other Animal Crossing game once you progress past the beginning . But , people figured there was a good explanation for this and , of course , expected that the game would include all the features that all the other mainline Animal Crossing games have because those things are what makes a mainline animal crossing game a mainline animal crossing game and differentiate them from the spin off games which are missing those features . However , once the game launched and people played it for a few weeks it became clear all those things were completely absent from New Horizons and that New Horizons only featured about 1/4 of the content of a normal Animal Crossing main title . When the game released , Nintendo promised to continuously update it for a few years and , in the beginning , they did do some fairly significant updates . This lead people to believe that the missing features in the game would come in the future but it is clear now , after a year of playing and seeing the updates get fewer and further between , that the game is never going to update to the point it can be considered the mainline Animal Crossing game that they claimed it was . The game itself is more like Animal Crossing Happy Island Designer than a mainline Animal Crossing Game . If you think of it as an Animal Crossing spin-off game for decorating an island then it is actually fairly fun , although , a bit unnecessarily tedious . If they had advertised it truthfully like that fans would have been happy with the game . But , the deceit of calling it a main line game , knowing it would mislead their customers into spending money , and then stringing them along for a year before revealing their trickery so there is no hope of fans getting their money back is , frankly , unforgivable . I would not have paid $60 for this game let alone the $400 I had to pay to buy the game , a Switch , and Nintendo Online to be able to play it properly . And that’s another thing , on top of having much fewer items than previous games ( despite essentially being a decorating simulator ) , you are required to pay for Nintendo online and trade with other players to be able to get half of the items . They want you to trade with your friends but no one has enough friends who want to spend hundreds of hours trading on animal crossing to be able to get every item they want ( especially since there is nothing to do for entertainment when you connect online with friends like there was in past games ) which forces them to go online and meet up with sketchy strangers who often try to scam them because there is no mechanic in game to be able to trade online safely . It’s clear this was just another tactic to get people to spend more money on the game without regard to making an enjoyable gaming experience . That seems to be the overarching theme of this game . They wanted to scam millions of fans into buying New Horizons with false promises of a mainline Animal Crossing game when the reality was an unfinished cash-grab , scam people into buying a Nintendo Online subscription to be able to fully play said game , and scam people into buying a Switch so that they will buy more games for it from them in the future . Well , in the future , unless they decide to make it right and actually update the game to being a proper Animal Crossing mainline game , I will never buy a Nintendo game at release again and I will buy all my Switch games used so that I do not support this company .… Expand
  58. nahobino5_
    Jun 22, 2021
    3
    After 500+ hours, I can confidently say that I know almost everything about the game and I have no more motivation to play it. Even without time travelling, it has become too easy to progress. You quickly run out of essential things to achieve. You can decorate outdoors now, which is great, but the variety in items is too limited. The game also very quickly starts dropping below 30 FPS ifAfter 500+ hours, I can confidently say that I know almost everything about the game and I have no more motivation to play it. Even without time travelling, it has become too easy to progress. You quickly run out of essential things to achieve. You can decorate outdoors now, which is great, but the variety in items is too limited. The game also very quickly starts dropping below 30 FPS if you decorate MODERATELY (not even talking about cluttering!) and if you're sensitive to that, it's horrible. Island building is an amazing new feature, but this seems to be at the cost of many other things. Way too little events, no more fun buildings like the coffee shop and not many special villagers as well. It's really missing that depth. You can now go on island trips to 'choose' your own villagers and they don't randomly leave anymore. That's great. Other than that, their personality and quirkiness in dialogue is ultimately gone. They pretty much say the same every two days. In the end, the game is a fun decorating simulator with lots of limits. It desperately needs a 2.0 upgrade with many new features and items.
    Another big minus: Every island has a fixed color palette on all items that come in different colors. Instead of collecting color-changing items, you are now forced to buy Nintendo Switch online and trade. This is a big turnoff for me. Say, if you want a basic item like a white streetlamp, but your island only offers rusty red ones, you won't be able to get it unless you trade with someone else. I think this is a horrible feature and takes away the freedom of decorating. This applies to around 60-70% of all available items.    … Expand
  59. alcremiebeanie
    Jun 24, 2021
    0
    New Horizons killed my love for this franchise. Animal Crossing is supposed to be a cozy life sim but NH really is nothing more than just a soulless decorating game.... save yourself the trouble and get New Leaf instead.
  60. Biyac
    Aug 6, 2021
    0
    This game stinks! I want a refund right now! This game is unfinished and lacking. I haven't even played this game since April 2020. This game is such a disappointment.
  61. Roccovite
    Apr 5, 2020
    0
    Absolutely unforgivable! Bought this game with my sister and She played for first and now i am a little more than an NPC! I want to play the full game! Embarassing in 2020 something like that!
  62. metalliham
    Apr 3, 2020
    0
    Only one island per switch is stupid. I have multiple family members and will not buy an extra Switch. Disgusting money grab.
  63. TimeLapze
    Apr 5, 2020
    0
    it's just so stupid that you can only have one island per console. im the 2nd player which means that i hardly get to do anything no building structures and no story. fix this now Nintendo
  64. Joami3
    Apr 6, 2020
    1
    I am actively writing this review while playing with my husband "primary account holder" . I have time to write, because the "secondary" player on the switch account can never play a large portion of the game. Without having 2 switches, secondary player has no input on tasks to building up the island. It was my first animal crossing and my husband was excited to introduce me to this game.I am actively writing this review while playing with my husband "primary account holder" . I have time to write, because the "secondary" player on the switch account can never play a large portion of the game. Without having 2 switches, secondary player has no input on tasks to building up the island. It was my first animal crossing and my husband was excited to introduce me to this game. But so far this game has left me without any experiences, because they're only for the main account holder to complete.. It's a simple fix that Nintendo has refused to acknowledge.… Expand
  65. Lawman007
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    Bought this for my wife and she loves it, I wanted to play so we could share the experience only to find out I couldn’t have my own island. Looking into second players on this game seems to be pointless as they can’t actually do anything. Would be a stellar review (from what I’ve seen of my wife playing) if not for this ridiculous one island rule.
  66. Tilert88
    Mar 31, 2020
    0
    We are 3 people in this family who wants to play this game with our own Islands, now Nintendo demands us to buy one console each to be able to do so?!?!?! I love Nintendo and have supported them for 25 years, but this was a big blow....
  67. Amaranthh
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    Local multiplayer and one island per console just shows how greedy Nintendo has become.
  68. amanimini
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    I'm an Animal Crossing superfan, and because of that alone I'm enjoying this game a lot. HOWEVER, my score is simply because I don't think this game should be rewarded for how much it fails to deliver. The one island per console thing was bad enough, but then on top of that, your subsequent user accounts have a limited experience in the game too. Only one person gets to have the fullI'm an Animal Crossing superfan, and because of that alone I'm enjoying this game a lot. HOWEVER, my score is simply because I don't think this game should be rewarded for how much it fails to deliver. The one island per console thing was bad enough, but then on top of that, your subsequent user accounts have a limited experience in the game too. Only one person gets to have the full Animal Crossing experience and that's awful for a family game. It goes far beyond that as well, though. So many of the features, items, and even signature characters from previous games have been completely taken away in this. There's some reviews on this page that list most of these things that were taken out, but the point is, this game feels unfinished and rushed. The good news is: Nintendo can definitely fix this with updates, DLC, and general fixes. The bad news is... I'm not so sure they'll actually do it. I can see them adding in *some* of the missing features, but I'll have to wait and see if they'll actually make this feel like a finished game and fix the issue of multiple people wanting their own island. I wouldn't even mind paying for the game again to have another island. For now, though, it feels incomplete and a bit unsatisfying for a huge Animal Crossing fan.… Expand
  69. davrich
    Mar 29, 2020
    1
    My wife and I were soooo looking forward to playing this game, and when she started I thought it was great. But when I went to start my own game and realized I couldn't have my own island, also that my functions were limited on her island, the game was absolutely ruined for me. I cannot justify buying another switch just to play this game
  70. Traveldude189
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    The game literally has no long term objectives local multiplayer is horrible especially since you cant purchase a second switch anywhere. The fact that most of the game is acquiring clothing and furniture for a house i dont ever care to expand and i have to wait months and months in real to get new bugs or fish is just insane. Ive never traded in a game before or sold it but this oneThe game literally has no long term objectives local multiplayer is horrible especially since you cant purchase a second switch anywhere. The fact that most of the game is acquiring clothing and furniture for a house i dont ever care to expand and i have to wait months and months in real to get new bugs or fish is just insane. Ive never traded in a game before or sold it but this one definitely takes the cake.… Expand
  71. jbenavidesv
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    By having one island per console is a bad strategy for users to get more consoles.
  72. Balouh
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    One Island limitation is so **** up.
    Gameplay was ok until I checked my gf can not play her one islad so we decided to get the money back. We dont want to support such a move.
  73. ACNH2player
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    I wanted to like this game. It's sweet, it's beautiful, it's funny, but... I'm a player 2. I have less than half of the resources of the "mayor", I can't advance anything on my own, I can't build anything. It's no less than frustrating and hurtful to see my boyfriend play our game, and have all of the buildings, DIY's, and character options. I hope they change this, because until then,I wanted to like this game. It's sweet, it's beautiful, it's funny, but... I'm a player 2. I have less than half of the resources of the "mayor", I can't advance anything on my own, I can't build anything. It's no less than frustrating and hurtful to see my boyfriend play our game, and have all of the buildings, DIY's, and character options. I hope they change this, because until then, this game is unplayable.… Expand
  74. Xelbby
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    Nul... Seul le tout premier joueur peut faire avancer le jeu.. Le deuxième est bloqué si le premier n'avance pas le jeu.. Je trouve ça dommage pour un jeu qui était temps attendu de l'avoir créer comme ça dans le seul but de faire acheter des consoles ...
  75. Slumber112
    Mar 29, 2020
    1
    Don’t be fooled by the “8 player” tag at the top. This is a single player game, anyone else living on your island can’t do anything but fish and improve their house. If your not player one you literally can’t do anything on the island. What the hell nintendo at least give us the option to change who is the main person. Was loving the game but now I can’t even play it.
  76. Simsalahbim
    Mar 25, 2020
    3
    If you have 2 kids (or more) and they both want to play this game in a peacefull democratc way, then don't buy this game. You can only create 1 island, the first player that creates this island = boss in other words this game is created for 1 player or for households with multiple nintendo switches.
  77. gogglebrains
    Mar 26, 2020
    4
    After a week, I honestly regret playing this game at all. I put up with the slow early pacing, the clumsy core gameplay elements (effectively untouched since the Gamecube days), and the tedious and dull crafting system, because the level of creative potential that New Horizons promised was incredibly tantalizing. But like some sort of Sisyphean hell, true creative freedom is agonizinglyAfter a week, I honestly regret playing this game at all. I put up with the slow early pacing, the clumsy core gameplay elements (effectively untouched since the Gamecube days), and the tedious and dull crafting system, because the level of creative potential that New Horizons promised was incredibly tantalizing. But like some sort of Sisyphean hell, true creative freedom is agonizingly restricted by the poorly thought-out mechanics, leaving me feeling miserable for having wasted my time in the first place.

    New Horizons' most prominent additions are hamstrung by half-baked, outdated, inconvenient, and unintuitive design decisions, making them far too frustrating or shallow to be worthwhile.

    The new terraforming tools, for example, give an unparalleled ability to treat the island as your personal canvas. However, by the time you unlock them, your town will be populated by around 15 buildings such as stores and homes, many of which you'll likely want to move once you gain the ability to freely create rivers and paths. In Stardew Valley (a $15 indie game developed primarily by a single person), the interface for moving farm buildings is incredibly simple and convenient: pick up a building, and pop it down where you want it; boom, done. In New Horizons, moving a building to an altogether new location involves paying a substantial sum of money ($50,000 bells) and waiting overnight. It's even worse If you wish to only move a building slightly, as you have no choice but to first move it somewhere else, then move it back where you want it (requiring $100,000 bells and two days; and you can only move one building a day). I play with time traveling, yet having to wait day after day after day to move multiple buildings around is still incredibly obnoxious even for me; I'm sorry for anyone who's actually trying to play this game in real-time.

    Another botched new feature is the crafting system. Tools break incredibly quickly, and crafting more is an obnoxiously slow process. Resource gathering is shallow and awkward, amounting to little more than brainlessly smacking rocks and trees. For some ungodly reason, a crafting bench placed in your house cannot use resources you've stored in your home's sole Storage menu, meaning you have to pointlessly retrieve and later re-store multiple types of materials every single time you go to craft. In summary, the crafting system is incredibly half-baked, pointlessly time-wasting, and the minor benefit of being able to craft some simple furniture is capsized by the disastrously tedious tool replacement loop.

    New Horizons allows you to switch between a front-view camera angle (as seen in New Leaf) and a more top-down angle (similar to the Gamecube version). This is a huge improvement over previous entries in this series.... and yet still comically half-baked by the standards of the broader industry. Why can't Animal Crossing just have the same camera controls that have been standard in third-person 3D games for 20 years?    … Expand
  78. thierfeu
    Mar 28, 2020
    1
    The game is nice, smooth, fun, everything I love into a video game. so my mark is 10/10

    but... there is a terrible point that is the fact that only one island can be created per CONSOLE !
    unacceptable, and regarding this decision the game desserves a -9 points markdown.

    so it's 1/10
  79. CallMeFreak
    Mar 28, 2020
    2
    I felt the need to give my husband his half of the money back when we realized that he would be a glorified visitor. I started the game first because he drove and I started playing it on the way home after getting it.
    Even if we wanted to get another Switch and another copy of the game, we can't. (Plus that's another $360 down the drain, or $260 if we want drifting issues we can't get    I felt the need to give my husband his half of the money back when we realized that he would be a glorified visitor. I started the game first because he drove and I started playing it on the way home after getting it.
    Even if we wanted to get another Switch and another copy of the game, we can't. (Plus that's another $360 down the drain, or $260 if we want drifting issues we can't get fixed out the box.) By the time we can we'll both have moved on to something else.
    I enjoy the game a lot more than he does, that's for sure. I'm glad that there's BL3 DLC that he can enjoy instead.

    I'm sorry I want to spend my $60 the way I want to.    … Expand
  80. 000anon2759
    Apr 1, 2020
    0
    one island per console. greedy and unfair, an anti-consumer practice and is disappointing to say the least
  81. mattogodoy
    Apr 1, 2020
    0
    One island per console?
    That is plain stupid. It is a move my nintendo for you to buy more consoles. The saddest thing of all is that it is working...
  82. jdsharbs
    Apr 5, 2020
    0
    This game has caused lots of heartache for my kids. The fact that you can only do one island per console is a terrible thing to do to children. Each wanted to make their own island and visit each other's island. But greedy stupid Nintendo really screwed this game up.
  83. jessxsp
    Apr 7, 2020
    0
    Is such a shame not being able to create your own islands. Yo can’t even have your own experience trough the game
  84. MattGough
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    The worst game for families due to the priority of one player. The player who names the island is the main player and the others are so limited in their gameplay. Trying to force people to buy another switch. Limitations of second player include:

    - Not being able to complete a lot of the quests. - Not being able to buy or craft tools unless the first player has unlocked them before    The worst game for families due to the priority of one player. The player who names the island is the main player and the others are so limited in their gameplay. Trying to force people to buy another switch. Limitations of second player include:

    - Not being able to complete a lot of the quests.

    - Not being able to buy or craft tools unless the first player has unlocked them before hand.

    - Not being able to move buildings.

    - The First player getting all DIY recipes collected by the second player or themselves. Whereas the second player only gets the ones they have collected. - Limited creatures available to catch. In my experience the second player is a lot less likely to get wasps from trees etc. These are probably not all of the limitations for the second player but they are the ones that I have stumbled upon.

    It is a great game for the first player but I wouldn’t buy if you are wanting to play with others. This just seems like an excuse to make people go out and buy another switch which I believe to be outrageous.    … Expand
  85. joshyleon
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    One of the biggest oversights, imho, is that you cant go to Nook Miles islands together. Instead when I visit my wife's island I just mill about occasionally helping gather wood and water her plants, which just diminishes her ability to play her island. I dont even give gifts in person anymore since unlocking the postcards to friends feature so theres really no reason to visit.
    Meanwhile    One of the biggest oversights, imho, is that you cant go to Nook Miles islands together. Instead when I visit my wife's island I just mill about occasionally helping gather wood and water her plants, which just diminishes her ability to play her island. I dont even give gifts in person anymore since unlocking the postcards to friends feature so theres really no reason to visit.
    Meanwhile if we could all visit an island together, we could at least have fun in a little gathering instance; running around trying to find the best / cool stuff and meeting new villagers together.    … Expand
  86. MOleszek
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    This game is cute and family friendly at the first glance. However if you have more than one person who wants to play this game it immedately goes from cute little farming game to frustrating hellscape.
  87. Asser82
    Mar 29, 2020
    1
    I really do not like the single island decission. It does not let me play the game I like. My child does not have the chance, to have the full gaming experience.
  88. Deorka
    Mar 29, 2020
    4
    It is sad to realize that a lot is done for money, to sell switch again and again.

    Even if the game present some new features (in 2020 wow...) you can't enjoy the full experience; In one hand because the "story-line" or the building progression can evolve only with the "island's owner" (the first player) and so all the others need to wait... In the second hand because when you    It is sad to realize that a lot is done for money, to sell switch again and again.

    Even if the game present some new features (in 2020 wow...) you can't enjoy the full experience;

    In one hand because the "story-line" or the building progression can evolve only with the "island's owner" (the first player) and so all the others need to wait...

    In the second hand because when you play as a couch coop player (i don't know for the online multiplayer) you are restricted, you cannot open your inventory and cannot use crafting, well, you can "switch" to be leader and recover these things but this is boring...

    And I don't talk about the lack of more interactions with object

    So in the end, even if you accept the fact that there will be just one island in the console you have to face 2 major problems that constantly remind you that Nintendo WANT money

    It really affect the multiplayer experience so for me the new features are cool but the restriction sucks too much
    And it is sad to see that a lot of "critic reviews" are willfully blind    … Expand
  89. Avasond
    Mar 29, 2020
    4
    Really a great game but I can't give ita positive rating until multiplayer is fixed. My boyfriend would ruin my island!
  90. tiuku
    Apr 1, 2020
    0
    Very sad to find out the second player is like a slave for the first player. I have to stop playing until this gets fixed.
  91. bruhbruhbruh2
    Apr 3, 2020
    0
    Multiplayer system is **** Literally no clue who thought this design choice was something players would enjoy. It literally strips all fun for anybody but the first one who logged in. So **** dumb.
  92. Mmry
    Apr 4, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One machine only can build one island.
    How desperately theses guys want to earn money?    … Expand
  93. Saint962
    Apr 4, 2020
    0
    PEOPLE, CALL/REPORT/SUBMIT FEEDBACK TO NINTENDO IF YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGES, NOT JUST HERE.
    My addition to reviews regarding one island limitations.
  94. Apisto415
    Apr 4, 2020
    0
    Nintendo decided to force my fiancée and I to SHARE an island. We don’t need a second switch since we are adults with full time jobs and don’t play enough to warrant a second switch. Sharing an island is not the worst thing but waiting years to find this out was quite a disappointment. We have a PS4 and have separate accounts with separate save files. Why can’t Nintendo do the same!?!?
  95. Amiller7777
    Apr 5, 2020
    0
    My wife was super excited to play this game although it's not necessarily my style of game. She prompted me to start a character first because she was busy the day we got it. And then when she went to start a character later we discovered that only one island may be played per console and that she would have to play based off my sloppy seconds. This just feels so wrong and a gross attemptMy wife was super excited to play this game although it's not necessarily my style of game. She prompted me to start a character first because she was busy the day we got it. And then when she went to start a character later we discovered that only one island may be played per console and that she would have to play based off my sloppy seconds. This just feels so wrong and a gross attempt to get the players to spend more money. My wife barely plays games and we were so turned off by this that we're going to return the game. Awful representation by nintendo and a stain on their brand in my mind… Expand
  96. Nitch
    Apr 5, 2020
    0
    my sister and I didn't knew about the one island, I started the game first. and now shes angry at me. we don't want to play together, and the fact that Nintendo is so greedy to try and use this method to make us by a second switch is unforgivable. "having fun? want another person in your house to have fun to? buy another expansive product." they should change it asap.
  97. polluxmaster
    Apr 5, 2020
    1
    the secondary account simply cannot progress in the game, the second account cannot build anything, all that we can do is build small items and walk around
  98. confusedlin
    Apr 6, 2020
    0
    I got the game as a birthday gift but let my sister play too as she had long wanted to play this game. I made the mistake of letting her play first, consequently I became the Player 2 and only then realized I couldn't create my own island. There really isn't that much fun to do as a Player 2, I am really disappointed. I really hope Nintendo fixes this issue.
  99. Listairhardaker
    Apr 7, 2020
    0
    DO NOT BUY if there is more than one person in your house. This game does not work like every other. One full player PER CONSOLE. Avoid until fixed.
  100. Mrefficiency87
    Apr 7, 2020
    0
    The whole one island per switch is **** **** completely ruins the game for people in couples or anybody trying have multiple players in the same household, terrible design choice
Page:

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best Switch Game of 2020
1
#1 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 111 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 110 out of 111
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 111
  3. Negative: 0 out of 111
  1. Universo Nintendo
    Dec 19, 2020
    95
    Animal Crossing New Horizons is basically perfect. Full of wholesome content that helped us cope with the COVID-19 pandemics, the game keeps the heart of its predecessors while innovating enough to make it unique. It may not have won Game of the Year but it'll be the game we all remember from 2020, for sure.
    Read full review
  2. The Digital Fix
    Jun 22, 2020
    80
    Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a stunning new instalment in the Animal Crossing franchise, hindered only by its lack of immediate content, quality of life issues and missing returning characters and features While future updates will give the game long-term playability, for those already sipping vacation juice on their five-star islands, island life feels pretty mundane right now.
    Read full review
  3. CD-Action
    May 12, 2020
    95
    It’s full of detail, pretty small things, and surprisingly well working simulations and systems – everything polished in such a way that the player really does care about everything that’s going on. [06/2020, p.40]
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