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. Hikotsu
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    One island per console... i dont know why nintendo would do that its dumb and doesnt let a familly share the game, if they fix this ill fix my review but for now they deserve 0
  2. griffy14
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    Was going to he a fun game for me and my partner to play. Gated progress for just his account, no progress rewards for second profile, can't have our own islands on the same console. Not even interested anymore. Too bad he already bought it. I guess only he can enjoy it.
  3. bungsten
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    The decent but short story and many of the game's new features are locked behind Nintendo's absurd one safe file per switch rule. If you want to play this game with your family, friends, or anybody who plays on the same console as you, do NOT buy this game. If you are not the first person to play the game on a console, you become a glorified NPC that can't do anything to progress theThe decent but short story and many of the game's new features are locked behind Nintendo's absurd one safe file per switch rule. If you want to play this game with your family, friends, or anybody who plays on the same console as you, do NOT buy this game. If you are not the first person to play the game on a console, you become a glorified NPC that can't do anything to progress the story. Nintendo is being aggressively greedy at the expense of their players, it is absolutely ridiculous that Nintendo, a company with some of the most skilled, talented, and smart people in the video game industry made such a horrible design decision for no reason other than corporate greed.

    Though if you plan to play this game alone, it is a very good animal crossing game reminiscent of the original gamecube game with many new features and an amazing story centered around building a deserted island with nothing but a few tents into a thriving, developed community. My only complaint about the story is that I think it should be (and can be) longer. The postgame, like all animal crossing games, has tons to offer as I expected, but there are a few omissions from the other games that make the postgame feel like it's missing something. There is no coffee shop, no fortune teller, no theater no barbershop, and only two shops. While the new island customization options and some other smaller features do provide some new postgame content, I don't think they add quite enough to make up for the omissions and I can't see myself playing this game for years like I did in city folk and new leaf.

    Even with the decent gameplay and story, I can't justify giving this game any points at all because of its glaring design flaw in the one save per switch rule.    … Expand
  4. THChris
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    Fantastic game, really fun, HUGE PROBLEM THOUGH, at first sharing an island didn’t seem so bad but the person who didn’t create the island is so restricted to do anything ! You both get seperate DIY recipes the other can’t use, co-op is a mess, so disappointed because I was really enjoying this game until finding this out.
  5. lushzash
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    This game is extremely frustrating for two players. I would’ve bought another game but not another switch. It needs to be patched or else there is no enjoyment to be had.
  6. Juliaaaaaah
    Mar 28, 2020
    10
    It's perfect to put my mind at ease during these tough times. Besides, I bought it for my boyfriend as well (he has never seen the appeal to it) and he loves it now
  7. kielbasaell
    Mar 28, 2020
    1
    there needs to be multiple islands available per player. most of the game experience is completely ruined for a second player as fundamental gameplay is only available to the starting player.
  8. I-Who-I
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    How did anyone think it was a good idea to limit, what is essentially a kid's game, to one player per console!! This is besides the annoying terrible controls for placing items in the world. The camera angle is also really terrible for a game where you need to position structures in the world and is especially annoying when trees and structures don't go translucent when the player isHow did anyone think it was a good idea to limit, what is essentially a kid's game, to one player per console!! This is besides the annoying terrible controls for placing items in the world. The camera angle is also really terrible for a game where you need to position structures in the world and is especially annoying when trees and structures don't go translucent when the player is behind. They use same generic leaf icon to represent multiple different items in the inventory so you have to select each one to read the text for it. Its' shocking that a game like this was released by Nintendo in 2020 when a significantly better game like Stardew Valley exists and was developed by 1 person.… Expand
  9. djmreezy
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    Absolutely livid with this game. I'm a more serious gamer that is focused on goals and development while my partner is more of a casual gamer that likes to collect bugs and go fishing. Unfortunately they are the primary resident and I am the secondary so I am just **** out of luck. We have both put in days of work on this game so it's too late to restart and make me the primary. Just haveAbsolutely livid with this game. I'm a more serious gamer that is focused on goals and development while my partner is more of a casual gamer that likes to collect bugs and go fishing. Unfortunately they are the primary resident and I am the secondary so I am just **** out of luck. We have both put in days of work on this game so it's too late to restart and make me the primary. Just have to wait until they are completely done with the game before I can play, loved how nintendo demands I buy a second switch at hundreds of dollars if both people in my house want to play this game during the same month. If I could I would send a bag of flaming **** to every developer that helped this happen. Desperately hoping for a patch to this issue but I would bet 100 bucks nothing will happen because why would they fix a problem that means consumers have to buy more products?… Expand
  10. jumbo1205
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    The multiplayer design decisions are completely insane. How do you put such little thought into the fact that the Switch is a home console with multiple users. This would be such a nice game to enjoy with family / significant others, but the gameplay is utterly broken for local multiplayer.

    Allow multiple islands per switch. Allow secondary players to make progress on their own. Figure    The multiplayer design decisions are completely insane. How do you put such little thought into the fact that the Switch is a home console with multiple users. This would be such a nice game to enjoy with family / significant others, but the gameplay is utterly broken for local multiplayer.

    Allow multiple islands per switch. Allow secondary players to make progress on their own. Figure out a way to re-balance island resources for multiple players. This is absolutely infuriating.

    Nintendo literally brands the Switch as a family home console. All of their ads show multiple users on one console. HOW DO YOU MISS THIS!    … Expand
  11. Gnue
    Mar 28, 2020
    5
    The game is mostly fun, although it runs into the standard animal crossing hurdle of having to wait days for everything. This would all be forgivable and even acceptable if you were able to have more than one island per game. With more than one active user the game grinds to an annoying halt. With the constant need to switch between accounts to share quest details. Yes, for some reason aThe game is mostly fun, although it runs into the standard animal crossing hurdle of having to wait days for everything. This would all be forgivable and even acceptable if you were able to have more than one island per game. With more than one active user the game grinds to an annoying halt. With the constant need to switch between accounts to share quest details. Yes, for some reason a second user has no ability to see details of the latest mission set by Tom Nook. More than that, some quests follow an all or nothing approach. So if you collect 15 iron and your wife, sibling or roommate has 15, you can't share in the glory. One of you has to drop them to the other to proceed. It's a silly limiting system and unexpected from a game that has allowed for multiple towns in the past.… Expand
  12. WesWack
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    I was going to buy this game until I realized it is only one island per console, literally the most greedy atrocious thing I’ve seen since the stuff EA has pulled in the past few years, I will not be purchasing this thing until they fix multiplayer and fix this piece of crap 1 island per switch rule.
  13. Syddie
    Mar 28, 2020
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I looked forward for almost a year to this game and I’m honestly disappointed. There are a couple reasons beside the awful switch-share deal:
    1) the museum. I can’t get information about the animals/bugs/Dino’s, unless I talk to blathers with one in my hand. It ruins it because I want to know about dinosaurs and how am I supposed to just get another fossil from the exact one?
    2) the music. I lived the music up until the new center was built up from a tent to the building.the music is loud and I not calm, like I want it to be while I play, and there’s no way to turn it off of even down. 3) villagers requests/missions. They barely give me any, if at all. I miss them
    Overall, this game let me down. I feel like I wasted my money buying it. Please, if anything fix the music.    … Expand
  14. Bandwidthbandit
    Mar 28, 2020
    1
    The most soothing, relaxing game ever turns to garbage as soon as you try to cooperatively play with friends and family
  15. Warwolt
    Mar 28, 2020
    1
    There's absolutely no excuse to not allowing for more than one island per console! It's a lovely game, but Nintendo's monkey paw strikes again.
  16. SFJohnnyG
    Mar 28, 2020
    5
    Don't believe the hype and don't drink the Kool-aid. While this game is graphicallly beautiful and the Animal Crossing style of gameplay has been taken to new (and better) levels. Nintendo made decisions around multi-player and family sharing that make this game broken.
    For me personally, the multiplayer shortcomings aren't too significant. I like walking around with my son and    Don't believe the hype and don't drink the Kool-aid. While this game is graphicallly beautiful and the Animal Crossing style of gameplay has been taken to new (and better) levels. Nintendo made decisions around multi-player and family sharing that make this game broken.
    For me personally, the multiplayer shortcomings aren't too significant. I like walking around with my son and discovering new things and showing off our accomplishments. I am not a big online person so I have not tried that part of the game, but I do understand people's frustration at not being able to combine online and local multi-player to enhance the experience.
    I am more bothered by the way families (or Switch co-owners) are required to experience this game. The concept of needing a unique game and unique Switch to have separate islands is a blatant cash grab by Nintendo. This would not be an issue were the single island shared equally. There is, however, as system where the first person to create a character in the game becomes the "island representative", which means they are responsible for decisions such as where new houses will be built. The location of buildings is not a huge problem as you can spend five minutes sitting together and agreeing on these things. What is a big deal is that secondary players are EXTREMELY limited in how they can contribute to these endeavors. Basically, you can send or give materials to the primary player, but this means that when a secondary player is enjoying the game, progress is halted unless they take out two controllers. My son wants to enjoy the game in a way that is characteristic of secondary player play style, but he is the primary player. This has led to a few arguments already as I ask him to focus on an island progression task but he just wants to collect bugs. This would be tolerable if you could switch the primary player or there was some alert that this might happen, but there is absolutely no in-game indication of the significance of being the primary player.
    Bottom line, we are four days in and have made lots of progress, but we are thinking of starting over to save our family relationship. This game could have been amazing and allowed me to relax and have fun with my kid, but Nintendo broke it.
    Also, no online backup. Seriously, Nintendo, I am losing my faith in you as a company.    … Expand
  17. Parag0N
    Mar 28, 2020
    10
    Don’t listen to the whining pu-c’s who didn’t read up on the multiplayer before buying the game. It’s not Nintendo’s fault they are dumb. The core experience of this game is fun as can be. If you don’t cheat it this game can last years and there is no “end” to it. If you never played any animal crossing games this is the best one to start with. Very easy to learn and tons to do if youDon’t listen to the whining pu-c’s who didn’t read up on the multiplayer before buying the game. It’s not Nintendo’s fault they are dumb. The core experience of this game is fun as can be. If you don’t cheat it this game can last years and there is no “end” to it. If you never played any animal crossing games this is the best one to start with. Very easy to learn and tons to do if you enjoy it.… Expand
  18. Dexile
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    My brother played the game first so now the game is essentially unplayable for me.
  19. LeeBa
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    The game had such hype behind it only to be quite possibly the most disappointing of the franchise it feels so unfinished its unreal Only 2 shops

    No island to meet new people and friends Tools break what is extremely irritating Slowest paced game we have ever had House prices are absolute insanity the last room costing 2.5 million! Also cant expand rooms for literally no reason Amiibo    The game had such hype behind it only to be quite possibly the most disappointing of the franchise it feels so unfinished its unreal Only 2 shops

    No island to meet new people and friends Tools break what is extremely irritating Slowest paced game we have ever had House prices are absolute insanity the last room costing 2.5 million!
    Also cant expand rooms for literally no reason

    Amiibo are way to much of a grind taking 5 days each total to have them move in and walk around and even then the spot can get taken meaning you could be putting in the work for nothing

    Diving is completely missing on the animal crossing game based on a island Furniture has been completely cut what shouldn't really be a thing keeping in mind how delayed this game was from new leaf and even had its date pushed back    … Expand
  20. oreganoCure
    Mar 28, 2020
    10
    As someone who joined into the series well after new leaf initially released, I can say that this game has far exceeded my expectations. The amount of people giving it zeroes is frankly ridiculous. Sure, it has some flaws- local multiplayer is limited, and one island per switch isn't ideal. Still, as someone who's been sharing the game with three younger siblings since day one, it hasn'tAs someone who joined into the series well after new leaf initially released, I can say that this game has far exceeded my expectations. The amount of people giving it zeroes is frankly ridiculous. Sure, it has some flaws- local multiplayer is limited, and one island per switch isn't ideal. Still, as someone who's been sharing the game with three younger siblings since day one, it hasn't actually been an issue for me. It's what we did in New Leaf, and it's working well here too. If this kind of game is one you enjoy- something slow paced and peaceful- you wouldn't find a better experience anywhere else.… Expand
  21. Gonefishin81
    Mar 28, 2020
    9
    I love this game, I've had a blast playing since I got it on release. Every minute is enjoyable, from running around collecting fruit to helping your neighbors when they're sick. The game looks excellent, having cute characters while the water effects, shadows, etc. look incredible. The only thing that keeps it away from being a 10/10 is the fact that froggy chair isn't in the game, butI love this game, I've had a blast playing since I got it on release. Every minute is enjoyable, from running around collecting fruit to helping your neighbors when they're sick. The game looks excellent, having cute characters while the water effects, shadows, etc. look incredible. The only thing that keeps it away from being a 10/10 is the fact that froggy chair isn't in the game, but other than that, it's fantastic.… Expand
  22. Renmir
    Mar 28, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pros:
    -Great early/mid game
    -It's exciting to keep catch new creatures
    -Gardening is fun early game
    -Conversations with animals are fun early/mid game
    -Crafting system is amazing
    -Multi-player is fun early game

    Cons:
    -Conversations are repetitious after a while
    -Getting a villager to leave is almost impossible without cheating. Please add a feature of some sort where you can choose an option in "Red Text" three days in a row to get a villager to leave. People are going to time travel anyways.
    -Playing multiplayer with friends should not take so long each time to have someone come into your island. It's disrupting. The individual player should see the traveling screen, and then just pop a notification when it's been loaded into their friend's island.
    -You can only play one profile per Switch. Same console multiplayer isn't fun. Split-screen or individual menus would have been better, as well as not having only one person who can make decisions. It's a family console - Resident Representative should be a shared title, so they can all move things the way they want, or even have their own islands and use Call Resident to play them on the same island but keep menu functions.
    -No way to rotate camera for pictures, except to angle up. You can do it inside, why not outside?
    -Shopping gets boring after a while. Could the furniture selection change maybe twice daily? 7am and 7pm would be good I think. Or make a multiplayer selling option, bring back Reese and Cyrus to sell things to other players for you for a price you set (no more than a certain percentage over their regular price)
    -More visitors to campsite, more frequently. Let them teach players new patterns specific to that character. If each character had more specialty items it would be great.
    -Pocket camp lets you invite people to hang out, so why can't you here? Maybe be able to ask a villager to come hang out, they leave after 3 hours and are unavailable for x number of hours/days. This way people could rotate and see the characters more, and get unique things for them    … Expand
  23. jdog_fixit
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    Multiplayer is not functional. Can't get any recipes unless first player to start game. Can't do any plot points. Fix it Nintendo.
  24. Raggedy
    Mar 28, 2020
    9
    This game has been great so far. I think the multiplayer and all the island hopping is super fun. I’ve spent so many hours already looking for rare fish and bugs. Honestly once you start playing you can’t really stop. I can’t wait to see my museum all filled.
  25. Hickmanseth
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    You cannot do anything together story wise if your friends are with you. Also one island tether is not fun for party play. If stardew can do it so can you.
  26. k0yot
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    One Island per console thats ridiculous. If I knew I wouldn't buy it. I won't support this dev in future, thats for sure.
  27. seraphilic
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    **** greedy game design ruined my opinion of Nintendo and Animal Crossing. Needs more than one island per switch or AT LEAST an option to move characters and change primary. They patched a hack but left in game ruining bugs. A very fun game overall but not reccommended for families.
  28. DavidHurt
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    Once Nintendo solves the huge one-island-per-console disaster, we’ll come back to get update the scores, for sure. Huge mistake.
  29. ouschmitz
    Mar 28, 2020
    7
    Updating my review - sharing a single island stinks, and I wish both of us in our house could have an island to place things where we wished, however my previous low review was a bit too harsh. The additional islands make resource sharing easy, so at least both of us can play the game. I really wish Nintendo would push out an update to allow saving 1 island per user account though ...
  30. SgtBrett
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    One island per Switch rather than one per game purchase.

    Unacceptable really.
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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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