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. Kbarlow96
    Apr 6, 2020
    0
    Disappointed. My partner and I bought this game for our Nintendo Switch and while she's player 1 and enjoying the game very much, I have no enjoyment or desire to progress with the game due to the ridiculous and downright appaling decision to limit one island per switch rather than one island per user. That is all.
  2. PinMel
    May 2, 2020
    2
    My children were very interested in this game. My husband and I had never played any of the old versions of Animal Crossing. When I bought the game I was happy to see it was multiplayer m, up to 4 players. Seemed like a great family game. My 7 year old, jumped right in, made his island, gave it a silly name, made his avatar, started playing. He loves it. Then my 9 year old tried it. And weMy children were very interested in this game. My husband and I had never played any of the old versions of Animal Crossing. When I bought the game I was happy to see it was multiplayer m, up to 4 players. Seemed like a great family game. My 7 year old, jumped right in, made his island, gave it a silly name, made his avatar, started playing. He loves it. Then my 9 year old tried it. And we quickly learned that he could not make an island. He was devastated, as he’d really wanted the game, too. He has no interest in playing as a minor character in what’s now his brothers game. Multiplayer is useless too. It’s not even split screen. I really hope Nintendo fixes this.… Expand
  3. ratsncatsftw
    May 4, 2020
    0
    So done with Nintendo, will never buy their overpriced, anti consumer garbage products ever again. Locked to only one island per console, a shameful and greedy attempt to sell more switches by Nintendo.
  4. dlwatso15
    Mar 21, 2020
    0
    I want to preface this by saying I do enjoy this game when playing single player. The only problem is I play with my wife and anyone who wants to play this game with one or more people will have a horrible time. Couch co op in New Horizons might be the worst co op I have every played in any video game. Anyone who is not player 1 is unable to access their inventory, interact with villagersI want to preface this by saying I do enjoy this game when playing single player. The only problem is I play with my wife and anyone who wants to play this game with one or more people will have a horrible time. Couch co op in New Horizons might be the worst co op I have every played in any video game. Anyone who is not player 1 is unable to access their inventory, interact with villagers or even go into buildings. How can a game have local multiplayer without split screen in 2020? It’s pathetic and it shows how low Nintendo will go to sell more consoles. If it wasn’t for this the game would be rated much higher but this is a definite deal breaker. You dun goofed, Nintendo.… Expand
  5. uxzehjwiwxtruei
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    Two players sharing a Switch is a nightmare. Only one island per switch is allowed, and on top of that, the second person to create their character has basically no autonomy in the game's quests and storyline.

    Some folks can't afford a Switch for everyone in the house. If the console has multiplayer capabilities, so should the game. Nintendo knows how to do this, it's plain ol greed thats    Two players sharing a Switch is a nightmare. Only one island per switch is allowed, and on top of that, the second person to create their character has basically no autonomy in the game's quests and storyline.

    Some folks can't afford a Switch for everyone in the house. If the console has multiplayer capabilities, so should the game. Nintendo knows how to do this, it's plain ol greed thats stopping them.    … Expand
  6. riverkev95
    Mar 23, 2020
    10
    El juego perfecto para la cuarentena.
    La cantidad de horas que se le pueden dedicar es infinita.
    Excelente juego con muchas opciones para ir evolucionando tu isla.

    ¡Magnífico!
  7. Bl4ckSh33p
    Mar 25, 2020
    6
    Overall a great game so far but every player should be able to create unlimited islands! At least one for every local player.
  8. DudeLove
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    I'd like to get into the meat of the game, but I can't get past the extremely stupid decision to limit one island per Switch. PER SWITCH. I haven't gotten into an Animal Crossing game since the GameCube version, which didn't have this limitation. It's typical Nintendo; for anything they do right, they have to do something wrong to balance it out.

    If you plan on only playing one-player,    I'd like to get into the meat of the game, but I can't get past the extremely stupid decision to limit one island per Switch. PER SWITCH. I haven't gotten into an Animal Crossing game since the GameCube version, which didn't have this limitation. It's typical Nintendo; for anything they do right, they have to do something wrong to balance it out.

    If you plan on only playing one-player, you're probably fine. But for anyone in a household with one Switch and multiple players, you're in for a bad time.    … Expand
  9. jakeheez
    Mar 26, 2020
    2
    The game is okay for me, except for some frustrating mechanics and painfully slow menu screens and loading times. However, this game just shafts my gf, who I'm playing couch co-op with. She has no access to island advancements, and is missing all storyline diy recipes - which is a lot. It's a shame Nintendo came out with such an unfinished multiplayer - it seems like it was an afterthought.
  10. ElPsyCongroo
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    I was really looking forward to this game.

    However, there is one terrible and well documented caveat: ONE ISLAND PER SWITCH. The year is 2020 AD, and Nintendo who claims to be the most family-friendly console in existence has made a terrible decision fueled by their corporate greed. I wanted my wife to play this game too--but she can't because she'll be a glorified second class    I was really looking forward to this game.

    However, there is one terrible and well documented caveat: ONE ISLAND PER SWITCH.

    The year is 2020 AD, and Nintendo who claims to be the most family-friendly console in existence has made a terrible decision fueled by their corporate greed. I wanted my wife to play this game too--but she can't because she'll be a glorified second class citizen of my personally created island and will be unable to make her own full progress and island creations unless we purchase another switch exclusively for her to play, plus another copy of the game.

    I continue to question how people are not as bothered by this as they should be. The level of greed in this company has officially reached EA levels. Imagine, being a parent and having 3 kids who share one switch--guess what? They're screwed because kids aren't known for being agreeable; messing with another kid's landscape, or building in places where another kid may not want structures, the list goes on and on.

    Nintendo fanboys will defend this decision (that was made in the interests of their corporate overlords; not for them, or you, or me) as "normal" in the animal crossing universe or as an overreaction by those affected by it. Guys, these are legitimate concerns and perfectly good reasons to be angry! I cannot think of another game that requires me to purchase another console if I want to share it with my household; because that's the reason console profiles are a thing since last gen consoles.

    It is highly unlikely Nintendo will remedy this ridiculous situation. However, it is 100% fair for people to express their disdain by using this platform to voice their reasons for giving the game a 0. Our complaints are just as legitimate as the "critic reviews" who gave this game a 10 (despite the obvious limitation at hand which seems suspect, maybe those reviews are paid, who knows?), as well as voting with their wallets--for some however, it is impossible to vote with their wallets if they've already purchased the game and have no recourse for a refund (which is pretty much everyone).

    That's okay, Nintendo is crying/laughing about this on their way to the bank and they know they can get away with this because you will gladly take Nintendo's virtual spit in the face and thank them for it.    … Expand
  11. efejoao
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    I want to play this game very much but won't pay 80 CAD / 60 USD for a limited game that I can not fully play with my husband unless I buy another console and another copy of the game. It is just too much.
  12. Revengeoutlaw
    Mar 25, 2020
    1
    It would be a 9/10 IF nintendo did not choose that i need a own switch if i want to play on my own island when 2 players want to play this game. Wtf nintendo. Right, no animal crossing had this before but no DS had more than 2 accounts aviable either!!
  13. Kael_Ebbs
    Mar 25, 2020
    1
    Game was great, until I realized you could only have 1 save. With progress locked to one character, so if you share your Switch with other users, you're unable to make any kind of progress unless the original character has done so. Nintendo expecting people to go out and buy another $300 console just for another Switch is completely unacceptable.
  14. TalkNoJutsu
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    This game is as wonderfully entertaining as it is broken in forcing people to buy multiple switches and copies of the game to play it to it's fullest. Nintendo are being completely trash with the way save games are being handled with this game and forcing only one Island per console.
  15. ygthomas
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    I have nothing to say...
    I expected better...
    The game itself - GREAT.
    BUT... the GIANT DOWNFALL is....

    1 ISLAND PER CONSOLE???? :(

    I thought the nintendo switch was a shared console....plz fix this with an update...only if this was fixed I would need nothing else and would give the score straight up a 10...
  16. Bsmith3142
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    The game has potential but thanks to one island per consol. This game is absolutely terrible. My boyfriend happened to start the game first, and he never has time to play. Therefore I am extremely limited on progressing through the game. This limitation was given to fuel more switch sales. Unfortunately, even with that in mind, if we did decide to break down and buy more, WE CAN'T; THEYThe game has potential but thanks to one island per consol. This game is absolutely terrible. My boyfriend happened to start the game first, and he never has time to play. Therefore I am extremely limited on progressing through the game. This limitation was given to fuel more switch sales. Unfortunately, even with that in mind, if we did decide to break down and buy more, WE CAN'T; THEY ARE SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE!!!! I officially lost all respect for nintendo, I have been a fan for many years and still play my super nintendo from time to time. I will never again spend money to profit this company.… Expand
  17. Rhyno_
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    I’ve been looking forward to this game for quite sometime. I bought my Switch at launch for BOTW and hopes of a new Animal Crossing game in the future. I preordered 2 copies, one for each of my kids to play on their Switch Lites, and the wife and I were going to just share on our main console. The fact that player 2 is no more than a background character to, what I have no doubt, will be aI’ve been looking forward to this game for quite sometime. I bought my Switch at launch for BOTW and hopes of a new Animal Crossing game in the future. I preordered 2 copies, one for each of my kids to play on their Switch Lites, and the wife and I were going to just share on our main console. The fact that player 2 is no more than a background character to, what I have no doubt, will be a super fun experience, is complete garbage. There’s no progression through the game unless player 1 (the first resident on the island) gets multiple tasks done first, in order to progress the story. I get they’re just trying to sell more consoles, but this is a crap way to do it. I’m not buying a 4th console just so everyone in my household can have a complete gaming experience. If you have children/roommates/spouses, and plan to share the game, rethink your purchase.… Expand
  18. Jokerstotherigh
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    I never leave a review but I had to say something. I was third person to start a character on our family switch so didnt understand why I could create a museum. After three days our island should have had a museum so I wanted to get started on that but soon realized that wasn't an option being the 3rd player to start the game. The 1st player is the only person able to progress the game andI never leave a review but I had to say something. I was third person to start a character on our family switch so didnt understand why I could create a museum. After three days our island should have had a museum so I wanted to get started on that but soon realized that wasn't an option being the 3rd player to start the game. The 1st player is the only person able to progress the game and my daughter would rather draw pictures on the bulletin. There needs to be an update to allow the whole family to play this game and enjoy the experience.… Expand
  19. UnearthIy
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you share a switch player 2 is completely removed from the whole game experience. Obviously a ploy to make you buy another switch. They have no say on where buildings go, miss out on all the cool diy recipes that you get when setting up new houses, and cannot progress them game on their own. This game shows that Nintendo is just as greedy as EA… Expand
  20. Obbtadia
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Having the first player that creates the island completely drive the story and gate all other players is just ridiculous. Fix this!
  21. Blatherssimp
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    I hope improving your bottom line was worth it because it was done at the expense, of the relationships, of families who can only afford one switch.
  22. slabrockfist
    Mar 24, 2020
    1
    I've been excited for this game since the first Nintendo Direct that announced it, but I started up Doom Eternal first and handed the Switch off to my wife so she could play AC. She has maybe a dozen or more hours on it now, and I'm done with Doom Eternal, only to find out I can't have my own island and my progress is limited by her. I'm disappointed enough that I might use the termI've been excited for this game since the first Nintendo Direct that announced it, but I started up Doom Eternal first and handed the Switch off to my wife so she could play AC. She has maybe a dozen or more hours on it now, and I'm done with Doom Eternal, only to find out I can't have my own island and my progress is limited by her. I'm disappointed enough that I might use the term heartbroken to describe how I feel. The decision Nintendo made to do this is almost infuriating and there's no way I'm buying a separate console to play one game. I'm giving this 1 star because my wife seems to be enjoying it. I guess I'll have to wait another few years till she's bored of it and doesn't mind me wiping her savesave to finally get to play it. What a tremendous waste of money.… Expand
  23. Aj742254
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Will not be playing, or coerced into bending over and taking $360 in the gyroid. Fix the "one island" bs. Selfish nintendo. We buy you for our kids. You're like the nanny that beats your children and steals from you while you're at work. UPDATES REQUIRED!
  24. Plonk
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Really disappointed that I can’t have my own island. What’s worse is that the role of player 2 is so constrained that I essentially am not able to experience the game at all. This design choice will certainly make me more skeptical of future Nintendo products.
  25. nonfps
    Mar 29, 2020
    0
    Good game being held back by how greedy or incompetent Nintendo is being. The game is supposed to be shared with all of your family, yet, only one person is able to see most of the content, that person being the one who set up the island in the console. Nintendo wants you to buy another console if you want an additional save file. We are in 2020, back in the Gamecube days we had 3 saveGood game being held back by how greedy or incompetent Nintendo is being. The game is supposed to be shared with all of your family, yet, only one person is able to see most of the content, that person being the one who set up the island in the console. Nintendo wants you to buy another console if you want an additional save file. We are in 2020, back in the Gamecube days we had 3 save files for almost every game, there is no excuse to only have one. I am seriously disappointed in Nintendo doing this, it is disgusting.… Expand
  26. Jordanrmcdaniel
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Do not buy this if you're planning on playing couch co op. I ended up returning it due to the lack of involvement my partner was allowed.
  27. Pptphile
    Mar 25, 2020
    4
    Echoing what others are saying. It's a good game but families will be in for a disappointed. I thought Nintendo is a pro-family company. Artificially restricting others users on the same Switch from creating their own world and enjoy the game to the fullest is a deal breaker. I hope they fix this soon. What a shame!
  28. Louie69420
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    Wtf one island? My fiance can't even play the game as it is supposed to be and I have to deal with her stealing all my furniture!
  29. Dvsmoi6
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    Disgusting practice by Nintendo. I've lost all Respect for this Company. What a disgrace.
  30. TheAFKLegend
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    11 days after release. Still cannot play the game because all Switches are sold out everywhere. This one island per console joke has cost me $60 and my switch. Good luck.
  31. Shachousama
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    I created an account just to leave this review because of how stupid this game is. What kind of idiot thought that only one user per console should be able to play or enjoy most aspects of the game?!?! A second user not only cannot progress the game, does not get access to many of the recipes the first user does, and cannot make any significant impact on the island. Why doesn't everyoneI created an account just to leave this review because of how stupid this game is. What kind of idiot thought that only one user per console should be able to play or enjoy most aspects of the game?!?! A second user not only cannot progress the game, does not get access to many of the recipes the first user does, and cannot make any significant impact on the island. Why doesn't everyone get their own island?!?!?!?!?! No one wants to get their own console just to enjoy a game. This decision was asinine. If there's a way to refund a digital download I would love to do so. Can't believe I paid $60 for this.… Expand
  32. KnightowlSC
    Mar 25, 2020
    3
    The limitation of 1 island per console makes this a cash grab that EA would be proud of and ruins a perfectly great experience. Nintendo needs to fix this!
  33. amanda1to2
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    The 1 island per console concept ruined the game for me. I can't fully enjoy the game now or progress at my own pace since it will all be controlled by the first player and on the reverse side, if I was the first player, I would be forced to progress for the next player.
    I know Nintendo doesn't care but I had hope they wouldn't do this again like with every other Animal Crossing game.    The 1 island per console concept ruined the game for me. I can't fully enjoy the game now or progress at my own pace since it will all be controlled by the first player and on the reverse side, if I was the first player, I would be forced to progress for the next player.
    I know Nintendo doesn't care but I had hope they wouldn't do this again like with every other Animal Crossing game. Welp, there's always the next one.    … Expand
  34. Crimsonfangss
    Mar 26, 2020
    3
    Would easily be a 9 or 10... if I wasnt completely unable to progress for letting my little sister play first, meaning she is resident rep. She swears she is never asked to complete the tasks needed, or else it's unclear. All I can do is spend nook miles to farm resources before handing the console back to her. Worse still, only the resident rep is given crafting recipes, so no ladder forWould easily be a 9 or 10... if I wasnt completely unable to progress for letting my little sister play first, meaning she is resident rep. She swears she is never asked to complete the tasks needed, or else it's unclear. All I can do is spend nook miles to farm resources before handing the console back to her. Worse still, only the resident rep is given crafting recipes, so no ladder for me..... would like to know went diving is gone to, as we were looking forward to it.… Expand
  35. noname000
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    Experience from the whole game was ruined by the fact that second player is just a barely more than a visitor. They can't do anything that is going to make an impact on the game moving forward. If this whole cash grab strategy with one island is fixed, then the game is 10/10
  36. Aquameche
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    A fun game that I really wanted to play but what a **** multiplayer mode. Having only one island wouldn't be that much of a problem if all players could contribute to quests. But here, the game is just for one person. There is absolutely no interest for the other players.
  37. hectorp86
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    FIX THE ONLY ONE ISLAND PER CONSOLE. I honestly wouldn’t even care if I had to buy another game, but really you’ve got to be kidding me. Ridiculous. There is no player 2 in this game, you don’t get to play. You’re living off someone else’s game, totally missing your mark. Losing fans, losing customers, losing the people that made this 3x larger in sales than your other games. Honestly,FIX THE ONLY ONE ISLAND PER CONSOLE. I honestly wouldn’t even care if I had to buy another game, but really you’ve got to be kidding me. Ridiculous. There is no player 2 in this game, you don’t get to play. You’re living off someone else’s game, totally missing your mark. Losing fans, losing customers, losing the people that made this 3x larger in sales than your other games. Honestly, where do you get off I doubt people will come back next time for Animal Crossing if this isn’t fixed.… Expand
  38. hrrrnnng
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    Pretty good game, having a lot of fun personally, but I can't in good faith give a good review considering the hard limitations in this game, and some of the tediousness.

    It's extremely annoying that there's only One island per switch. And to top it all off, only the first player can actually even do anything on said island. I love this game, so much I wish I could make a second island    Pretty good game, having a lot of fun personally, but I can't in good faith give a good review considering the hard limitations in this game, and some of the tediousness.

    It's extremely annoying that there's only One island per switch. And to top it all off, only the first player can actually even do anything on said island. I love this game, so much I wish I could make a second island to make it completely different from my own! And besides my issues, there's a Ton of people out there who's switches are in households. Households with more than one person. Imagine a family with twins, or siblings, who get this game. Only one of them can play. And yeah, sorry but not everyone can **** afford two or more consoles.

    And to my second point: the tediousness. I don't generally mind games being grind-y. I playing monster hunter for god's sake. But having to craft each fish bait individually **** SUCKS ASS. I appreciate them at least giving a fast forward on the crafting cut-scene, but having to go through it + all 5 menus just to craft one item at a time is FLAT GARBAGE. Not to mention it's just time consuming in all the wrong ways. Want to make a good fishing rod? Well guess what bud, you don't have a recipe for 5 sticks and 1 iron, YOU HAVE to go through the cut-scene twice because for some dumb **** reason nothing is streamlined.

    It'd be such a better experience if you could A: Bulk Craft items like fish bait, and B: Have not just 'upgrade' recipes but also streamlined recipes where I could just make a fishing rod straight up with 5 sticks and 1 iron, the same amount it costs already, without the hassle.

    Anyways yeah don't buy this game if you have more than one AC fan in your house, or get prepared to buy new islands for $200 minimum LOL    … Expand
  39. Dannya60
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    Nintendo has ruined this game with their greed. If you share a console with anyone do not buy this game as only one player is allowed to enjoy the game PER CONSOLE. Even if you buy a second copy it will still only let you play one save per switch. Not only that but the second player only counts as a visitor and can’t contribute anything to the island besides gathering supplies. RidiculousNintendo has ruined this game with their greed. If you share a console with anyone do not buy this game as only one player is allowed to enjoy the game PER CONSOLE. Even if you buy a second copy it will still only let you play one save per switch. Not only that but the second player only counts as a visitor and can’t contribute anything to the island besides gathering supplies. Ridiculous decision by Nintendo.… Expand
  40. Grumpelstilzkin
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    My Daughters and I enjoyed playing the game until we discovered that there can be only one island saved per console and one person controlling it. That's deal buster as 3 of us share one console and it's a ridiculous limitation. If Nintendo patches this I'll change the scoring to 8.
  41. GavinBrialy
    Mar 27, 2020
    1
    The game isn't playable if you have more than one family member who wants to play, so I guess choose your favorite family member? Only 1 island allowed, unless developers update that restriction.
  42. Vozm
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    The second player options are needlessly limited, avoid this game if you want to do family co op.
  43. Isaure
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    Animal Crossing is a nice game if you're the only one using the switch...Like many others here I can't enjoy the game to the fullest since I'm sharing the Island and I wasn't the first to start the story. I already have problems and I just started: can't give donations, can't get an axe, can't help with the progress of the Island, etc. It just feels like I have no purpose at all other thenAnimal Crossing is a nice game if you're the only one using the switch...Like many others here I can't enjoy the game to the fullest since I'm sharing the Island and I wasn't the first to start the story. I already have problems and I just started: can't give donations, can't get an axe, can't help with the progress of the Island, etc. It just feels like I have no purpose at all other then helping the first user :( Really hope Nintendo will be able to change this issue… Expand
  44. Lunalata
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    If you have your own personal switch that you play without the need to share, this game could easily be a 10 for you. However, as someone who shares a switch with their family, this game is extremely disappointing and limiting considering the fact that only one person can play the game to its full potential. I am appalled at the idea of forcing all owners of the switch onto one islandIf you have your own personal switch that you play without the need to share, this game could easily be a 10 for you. However, as someone who shares a switch with their family, this game is extremely disappointing and limiting considering the fact that only one person can play the game to its full potential. I am appalled at the idea of forcing all owners of the switch onto one island where only one player has full control over progression while others fight over the limited daily resources. How unbelievably stupid was that decision? I know many will argue that this is how Animal Crossing games have always been. So? That doesn't make the decision good. For instance, Breath of the Wild was an instant hit in my household. This could not be the case if everyone was locked into the same save. Instead, everyone had their own save and could make their own decisions. Scratch that with Animal Crossing. My younger sister was eager the play after me, but couldn't find anything to do after 5 minutes. For a second player, this game deserves a 0/10. This stands true until every individual profile has the option to tend to their own individual island. It just ruins the experience. I hope these negative user reviews open Nintendo's eyes to this frustrating issue. Especially since the Nintendo Switch is advertised as a console to be shared...… Expand
  45. sameerhameedy
    Mar 27, 2020
    0
    This game is ALMOST perfect. If you love games that relax you then this is the game for you. If you have multiple people using your switch however, look at other games. The inability to create multiple islands on one switch makes it so that there has to be a "primary user" is the first person who plays. Which doesn't sound like an issue but the game does not accommodate for the person whoThis game is ALMOST perfect. If you love games that relax you then this is the game for you. If you have multiple people using your switch however, look at other games. The inability to create multiple islands on one switch makes it so that there has to be a "primary user" is the first person who plays. Which doesn't sound like an issue but the game does not accommodate for the person who plays as player 2+. If player one gathers all the resources of the day there is nothing left for player two to collect and hence nothing for them to do. Player one can upgrade their house, upgrade and create all the shops, and customize the landscape and transform the deserted island into a city, what can player 2 do? Nothing except upgrade your house. An obvious attempt from nintendo to get people to buy more switches. In the past you could switch out you save card, you cannot mess with your saves in this game. You cant even send your data to the cloud to switch off saves because nintendo doesn't allow cloud saves. Which also means if u lose/break your switch the hundreds of hours you put into the game will be lost and you have to start all over. If nintendo wants to make everyone live on the same island then there HAS to be equal accommodation for EVERYONE on the island, but there isn't.… Expand
  46. sanctuary
    Apr 4, 2020
    1
    Only _one_ save file (island) per switch.
    Only the *first* player gets any real control over the island. Selecting where buildings go, terraforming, etc.
    Any other players basically get to watch player one play the game. Feels like it was pushed out early and more will be added in "updates." Nintendo has ruined what would have been an amazing experience for people to enjoy together.    Only _one_ save file (island) per switch.
    Only the *first* player gets any real control over the island. Selecting where buildings go, terraforming, etc.
    Any other players basically get to watch player one play the game.
    Feels like it was pushed out early and more will be added in "updates."
    Nintendo has ruined what would have been an amazing experience for people to enjoy together. Unless you intend to play this game alone, I suggest avoiding it.
    The saddest part is, a ton of negativity would go away if they removed the one island restriction.    … Expand
  47. Chucklenut
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Nintendo has a knack for releasing one-of-a-kind, otherwise fantastic games that are dragged into the mud by one or two miserable 'features.' New Horizons delivers almost everything that was promised but pulls its hand back on one feature- multiplayer. While the limitation of "one island per Switch" was announced prior to launch the limitations forced on players not the "islandNintendo has a knack for releasing one-of-a-kind, otherwise fantastic games that are dragged into the mud by one or two miserable 'features.' New Horizons delivers almost everything that was promised but pulls its hand back on one feature- multiplayer. While the limitation of "one island per Switch" was announced prior to launch the limitations forced on players not the "island representative." All progress on the island, such as crafting recipes, buildings, and public works are locked behind the first person to play the game on a system. Secondary players likewise do not receive anything from progressing the game's 'story' such as awarded crafting recipes, items, money, or any unique character dialogue or cutscenes tied to them, such as when completing the museum or town hall. Local multiplayer is likewise gutted, with the camera, inventory, and NPC interaction being tied exclusively to the session's "leader." Online multiplayer is not much better, being essentially the same as New Leaf's without its mini-game island or any equivalent, which was a good portion of the online content for that game. These make for an extremely underwhelming and downright frustrating multiplayer experience that is difficult for even the most easily entertained to enjoy, which is particularly upsetting as the game, at its core, is extremely fun and almost everything you could hope for from an Animal Crossing game.

    I have my doubts Nintendo will address this issue. They have ignored other key product issues, such as Joy-Cons drifting and poor online services, to burying their head in the sand and hoping it'll blow over. I sincerely hope that they are not successful in skirting responsibility on this one- this is a decision made out of pure greed to sell more Switch systems, that thankfully, could not have been made at a worse time. I do hope Nintendo patches the game to allow multiple islands per system, or at the very least, improve the gameplay of secondary residents.    … Expand
  48. Nhojsselesu
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    The fact that the second player is so limited is complete bs. Come on who approved this dumb system.
  49. DasEker
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    It is ridiculous that Nintendo does not allow each user to have a separate island. Not even buying a second cartridge works, you have to buy a second switch system for another island and that is just bs. This is even worse than EA!
  50. Podytoo
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    One island per Switch is such a greedy money grab. 0/10 you can do better than this.
  51. Silverthorn
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    One island per Switch? Horrible horrible decision. By the time my kids are finished playing and its my turn, all the fruit is picked, trees chopped down and rocks cracked. I could go on and on. Zero points.
  52. Degion
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    One island per switch makes it unplayable for me. Wish I could return the game since we know Nintendo won't change it
  53. no1interesting
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    I want to give this game a good review. I really do. However, the one island per console thing just kills the game for me. I was totally ok with sharing an island with my spouse, but we don't share the island. Everyone who starts the game after the first person is a glorified visitor. I realize this was a thing in older animal crossing games, but as far as I know, you could at least buy aI want to give this game a good review. I really do. However, the one island per console thing just kills the game for me. I was totally ok with sharing an island with my spouse, but we don't share the island. Everyone who starts the game after the first person is a glorified visitor. I realize this was a thing in older animal crossing games, but as far as I know, you could at least buy a second copy of new leaf if you wanted to have your own experience. Tying the island to the console instead of the cartridge is just ridiculous. If Nintendo decides to fix this then I will be happy to write a new glowing review. As far as I can tell if you are the only person in your household interested in playing then it's a great game. As for my score: I know a lot of people are arguing that it's unfair to review bomb because "we're not complaining about the actual gameplay" but i watched every official trailer and Nintendo Direct about the game. Nowhere does it say your experience may be limited if you share a console. I understand that it was like this in older games. But not all of us played the older games. To for some people, this is their first animal crossing and something this knuckleheaded can actually ruin the franchise for them. My 0 score is my plea for Nintendo to at least patch it so each unique cartridge can generate an island.… Expand
  54. jamesarc
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    You can only create one island per Switch!

    Do not buy this if you have multiple players in your house planning to play the game. Was excited to share this game with spouse, so disappointed to learn that we need to buy another Switch and another copy of the game to play together. Greedy-ass decision, Nintendo.
  55. kmn483
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Only allowed 1 file per switch. An absolute slap in the face for a family system. Want to clear the trees of fruit in the morning? Anyone who plays in the evening can't pick fruit. Want to plant flowers around your house? Your little brother can remove em any time. Gonna play for several months but your sibling only wants to try it out? Their tent is there perm. Absolutely garbage.
  56. RevenantFallout
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    News flash! You'll have no fun if anyone else in your household wants to play this besides you. They seriously pulled the dumbest, greediest looking move ever. They made it so you can only have 1 island per SWITCH CONSOLE! doesn't matter if you have different profiles or not, doesn't matter that you bought a game you own. No one island per smitch. THATS Such BS. Theyve lost many sales fromNews flash! You'll have no fun if anyone else in your household wants to play this besides you. They seriously pulled the dumbest, greediest looking move ever. They made it so you can only have 1 island per SWITCH CONSOLE! doesn't matter if you have different profiles or not, doesn't matter that you bought a game you own. No one island per smitch. THATS Such BS. Theyve lost many sales from myself and family because this a poor decision, worse than loot boxes in star wars.

    Nothing else matters, Becca's this restriction exist.    … Expand
  57. ShoujoWitch
    Mar 25, 2020
    4
    Hi, I'm a lifelong Animal Crossing fan who made a metacritic account just to leave this review. I've faithfully bought every nintendo console, and every Animal Crossing game, and New Horizons was no exception. Leading up to the launch I was hesitant and skeptical, but still full of hype and excitement. As the game started nearing towards launch I started getting worried about the lack ofHi, I'm a lifelong Animal Crossing fan who made a metacritic account just to leave this review. I've faithfully bought every nintendo console, and every Animal Crossing game, and New Horizons was no exception. Leading up to the launch I was hesitant and skeptical, but still full of hype and excitement. As the game started nearing towards launch I started getting worried about the lack of content shown, and the rumors of removing gender-related content.

    Indeed it seems both worries ended up being genuine and it turns out that New Horizons has received *massive* cuts compared to older games. I'll start with my chief complaint which is that the ability to play as a girl has been removed entirely, at least to my knowledge. There is a "gender" option at the beginning of the game which does nothing, and characters misgender you regardless of what you pick. Feminine walk/run animations were removed entirely. Likewise all gendered comments (including compliments) were removed. The game makes no reference to gender at all to the point of misgendering people. The option is basically there to lull you into a false sense of security.

    Most of the game's content is locked behind weeks worth of waiting, which is particularly bad for an AC game but not unprecedented. The game shipped without *any* holidays, and requires online connectivity to access such content. More or less every major Animal Crossing character has been cut from the game (including Redd, Katrina, Brewster, Harriet, Rover, Kapp'n, etc.). Despite AC usually being about freedom of choice, the game pretty much railroads you for the first several days (as opposed to the usual quick tutorial sequence). It's already been almost a week and despite going at full pace, able sisters are nowhere to be seen (they come after about 2 weeks, instead of the usual which is being there immediately)..

    Patterns are "back", but not the way you'd like. To get full use out of it you also need a 3DS and copy of New Leaf, so that you can make certain patterns inside of that game, make a QR, then get your phone, scan the QR, making sure you pay the monthly fee for Nintendo's online service. Only *then* can you get every type of clothing in the pattern maker. NH lacks certain pattern options so you have to scan them in. There *is* a few more options which is nice, but it's not as much as I'd hoped.

    Art is removed entirely as redd is gone. Gyroids are gone entirely.

    The positives of the game are the nook miles system, which I wasn't very excited for despite it being a solid addition, and the crafting. Crafting is fun, but is just the usual furniture system albeit with an extra step (collecting resources) which means the process to collect furniture is now even *slower* than before. The game is lacking in content and to make up for it they drip-feed the existing content at a snails pace (much slower than previous entries).

    I really like that you can send letters to IRL friends without having to visit their town, which makes the letter sending feature actually useful. Terraforming seems cool but is end game so I don't have that yet. My complaint about AC: New Horizons is the exact same complaint I had about Zelda: Breath of the Wild: it's a great engine, but there's no game there.

    All in all what i usually come to Animal Crossing for is an affirming creative space where I can be myself and talk with the virtual npcs who can act as affirming and supportive friends. You won't find that here. The villagers in game have repetitive stale dialogue, misgender you and your IRL friends, and are very lacking for the first week (you only start with 2 and get a third after almost a week in). On the plus side the animations and actions they can perform are much more detailed and involved which is great.

    All in all this feels more like an animal crossing engine with injected transphobia, sexism, and hate. If you're looking at animal crossing because it seems like a cute welcoming game where you can get creative and relax.... you're better off with New Leaf, as New Horizons is just kinda a let down. I know looking back I'll probably revisit NL rather than NH. Perhaps I missed something? This may be the last AC game I buy if things continue like this.    … Expand
  58. zockoL
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    this game is totally good, except for that one island feature. i can't play AC: New Horizons without waiting for my girlfriend comming from work and continue playing, cause she is the major. **** system
  59. jimmyjimjim
    Mar 25, 2020
    4
    Honestly the one island per switch feature doesn't affect me since I'm the only user of my switch. However as a matter of principle I'm giving this a bad review. This is such a baffling decision by Nintendo. I mean seriously, what were they thinking?? This just shows how absolutely greedy they are and how little they care about their fans. With this move they basically gave a middle fingerHonestly the one island per switch feature doesn't affect me since I'm the only user of my switch. However as a matter of principle I'm giving this a bad review. This is such a baffling decision by Nintendo. I mean seriously, what were they thinking?? This just shows how absolutely greedy they are and how little they care about their fans. With this move they basically gave a middle finger to all of us and told us that they only care about making money. I always thought they were one of the good ones, but after this I'm reconsidering that position. Shame on you Nintendo!… Expand
  60. URKarayan
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    "You can only create one island per Nintendo Switch system, even if you use multiple games. A different system is required to create a different island."

    IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY THAT PLAYS NINTENDO SWITCH THEN DON'T BUY ANIMAL CROSSING! We reserved the game hoping for a good experience but no, people should have a choice! One of us won't be able to play the game and for obvious reasons    "You can only create one island per Nintendo Switch system, even if you use multiple games. A different system is required to create a different island."

    IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY THAT PLAYS NINTENDO SWITCH THEN DON'T BUY ANIMAL CROSSING!

    We reserved the game hoping for a good experience but no, people should have a choice!
    One of us won't be able to play the game and for obvious reasons none of us would feel well deleting our save in order for the other to play!
    The game is cool, though not being able to live in your individual world ( and that's not the last of it, ) makes it impossible for others to play.
    So one of us will not be able to play the game, and NO! WE WONT BUY ANOTHER SWITCH!

    It's also of worth to mention that for me its a 0/10 cause i can't simply play it...    … Expand
  61. Pinsol
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    If you have more than one person in your house that wants to play this game, don't bother. You are not only locked to one island per game console, but player 2 is progression locked behind player 1 and cannot do any story activities at all, and they also can't get any tools unless player one has them already. They also can't get any tools the first player didn't already get.If you have more than one person in your house that wants to play this game, don't bother. You are not only locked to one island per game console, but player 2 is progression locked behind player 1 and cannot do any story activities at all, and they also can't get any tools unless player one has them already. They also can't get any tools the first player didn't already get.

    Essentially, if you are player two you can't even really play the game. There is absolutely no reason for it to work this way, as evidenced by the ability to have multiple profiles in the latest pokemon games.    … Expand
  62. SmokeIndigo
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    Me and my GF Sharing one Island..the fact that only one player is a full Citizen ruin the whole experience!
  63. ATaylor06
    Mar 25, 2020
    1
    This game is meant to be a household game where multiple people can play on the same island/town without hindered progress and etc. The current state of the game makes the second person on the island unable to progress through the game as well as limitations on what you can place/do. This is the last thing any of us wanted and has ruined the experience for me. This is a HUGE issue that IThis game is meant to be a household game where multiple people can play on the same island/town without hindered progress and etc. The current state of the game makes the second person on the island unable to progress through the game as well as limitations on what you can place/do. This is the last thing any of us wanted and has ruined the experience for me. This is a HUGE issue that I have no idea why it even got through the testing phase. Change this Nintendo or else I won’t be purchasing DLC nor continue playing this game.… Expand
  64. Darun
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    Im sorry but its total bs to just have one island, otherwise the game is perfect
  65. Alex5jan
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    The fact only one person gets to play per switch is insulting. What about if I have two kids? Returning this money grab of a game. Shame on you!
  66. lostinmarbles
    Mar 26, 2020
    1
    I bought this game expecting that my girlfriend and I could play together and enjoy our island together. Since we spend a lot of time apart at work or taking care of different chores, this felt like it could be a nice way to have a shared activity, if asynchronous, and chat about it later on. I was wrong.

    Not only do you get limited to a single island per switch (which is a bummer,    I bought this game expecting that my girlfriend and I could play together and enjoy our island together. Since we spend a lot of time apart at work or taking care of different chores, this felt like it could be a nice way to have a shared activity, if asynchronous, and chat about it later on. I was wrong.

    Not only do you get limited to a single island per switch (which is a bummer, absolutely unacceptable in 2020, but I knew that going in), but the game is only for the first person to create the island. That's right: if you're the second person to jump in, you can't do anything. You essentially walk around aimlessly. What an absolutely garbage system.

    So I bought a game that only one of us can enjoy. If you thought this could be a fun time for more than one person, this game is not for you. It certainly was not for me.    … Expand
  67. Crackocroc
    Mar 26, 2020
    0
    My family can’t even play the game to it’s fullest because they only give you one island for the entire switch and only one person can play the game to it’s fullest DO NOT BUY THIS GAME
  68. xgeorgiiax
    Mar 27, 2020
    2
    This game feels so incomplete, it doesn’t even match the content new leaf had several years ago?? Why :( There’s barely anything new? You’re just adding from new leaf at a slow process.

    It becomes boring repeating the same routine every day and it drags.. I miss the mini games we could do in new leaf being on that island and collecting medals. I also miss doing favours for villagers. I’m    This game feels so incomplete, it doesn’t even match the content new leaf had several years ago?? Why :( There’s barely anything new? You’re just adding from new leaf at a slow process.

    It becomes boring repeating the same routine every day and it drags.. I miss the mini games we could do in new leaf being on that island and collecting medals. I also miss doing favours for villagers. I’m quite disappointed as I’ve waited years for this game, it’s too slow.

    The crafting system is just dull, smashing rocks and cutting trees over and over spoils the fun and becomes more like unwanted chores. You have to carry the gatherings in your pocket to craft them which takes up too much room and it doesn’t link with your storage which is silly.

    There’s not enough content for adventure. Moving buildings is also expensive and a long process, also upgrading them takes a day. Where is the fun?    … Expand
  69. gabrielthorn
    Mar 21, 2020
    9
    This is a personal experience. Relaxing game, although the pace is a little too slow sometimes.
  70. glitchboi
    Jul 6, 2021
    7
    EDIT 7/6/21: Yeah... that didn't age quite well.
    The only issue with this game in my opinion, is the fact that the updates are...
    You know, I would have been happy if they delayed the game in order to get the entire game packed into the base game. All we got is a game that is fun at the start, but gets boring because it's early-access. That's about it. Pick it up if you love Animal    EDIT 7/6/21: Yeah... that didn't age quite well.
    The only issue with this game in my opinion, is the fact that the updates are...
    You know, I would have been happy if they delayed the game in order to get the entire game packed into the base game. All we got is a game that is fun at the start, but gets boring because it's early-access.
    That's about it. Pick it up if you love Animal Crossing, but New Leaf is superior in every way (excluding graphics).
    Old review: This game is a masterpiece. It's a game you should ALWAYS buy for your switch no matter what. You can never get bored of it, and you can get so much hours off of it easily. There is so much to do in the game, and there is always something to do in it. You can customize the look of your character, your island, your house, and you can get villagers! This is, without a doubt, one of the best Nintendo Switch games.
    So, you may be asking, why does this game have a 7.0 user review, and why so much hate? Simple, immature review bombers putting 0 on the damn game because of one **** con about it. Don't be surprised, they're just mad because they didn't do research, wait, didn't Nintendo tell us about it, and wasn't it like this for the past AC games? I respect disliking that dumb feature, but don't give this game a 0 just because of that, actually try playing it for a while first.    … Expand
  71. JonesCanada
    Mar 21, 2020
    9
    Early play review: the first 8 hours are great. We have 2 players on our system and in my opinion as long as you have the primary player set up the island it works great. My wife has about 8 hours in the game, I have about 6.

    Sharing an Island thoughts: So far we both find it excellent and have had no issues with sharing an Island. I should qualify the review by stating that I    Early play review: the first 8 hours are great. We have 2 players on our system and in my opinion as long as you have the primary player set up the island it works great. My wife has about 8 hours in the game, I have about 6.

    Sharing an Island thoughts:
    So far we both find it excellent and have had no issues with sharing an Island. I should qualify the review by stating that I played the GameCube version extensively and put some 80 hours into the 3DS version so I haven't played all iterations of the game. Still, I have no issues with two people sharing an island as long as the primary player initiates it so player 2, 3 and 4 aren't held back.
    I always enjoyed the shared experiences of animal crossing. How one player would teach the computer characters specific words. You and your siblings arguing over who ran over all the flowers. Competing to get rare fossils first. To me that was the fun of the game. Personally, I think so long as you aren't a control freak this is more fun forcing multiple players into a shared space.

    Actual Game Review:
    I love it. To anyone who has played the game before this is a natural progression. If you feel you are ready for a new instalment it appears to have everything you would want. If you haven't played before you need to be prepared for what the actual game is. Professional reviews would describe it more articulately but it is a basic communication game. This may sound like one of those mobile games where you have to play every few hours to harvest stuff and trade things but the design predates that genre by several years. Animal Crossing is a game where you basically hang out on an island with NPC's who you chat with and just hang out. They are like virtual friends. They learn your speech and are happy to see you. You gradually develop the island by changing the landscape and adding little customizations all around. These are all small almost mindless tasks but it gives you a felling of touching up your home. You can also visit friends islands which is much easier in the modern age of the internet than it use to be. It is all fun in a passive sort of way. The game is ideally played for around 15 to 30 min a day every day for years. You do a few tasks and watch how the world changes with the seasons and holidays. Slowly collecting things and changing the world. I imagine some of the negative reviews are people trying to marathon the game because they are stuck inside due to the virus outbreak. You can play for hours a day but that probably isn't the best way to enjoy things as the game clock is part of what drives progress. If these things sound pleasant and fun you might like it. Animal Crossing really is an acquired taste but I am happy to say that the format still has life left in it after all these years.    … Expand
  72. giacomoch
    Mar 21, 2020
    8
    It’s a great game, short of giving it a 10 because the save file stuff is crap.
  73. Crespalvaro
    Mar 24, 2020
    4
    The game is amazing, beutifull and totally remmebers me my childhood. But this limitation that only main account can trigger main events. Im fine with having only one island, specially i bought the game to play with my girlfrind and i think its pretty good being able to be in the same island.

    But in the other hand, not being able to experience full game with a secondary account... thats    The game is amazing, beutifull and totally remmebers me my childhood. But this limitation that only main account can trigger main events. Im fine with having only one island, specially i bought the game to play with my girlfrind and i think its pretty good being able to be in the same island.

    But in the other hand, not being able to experience full game with a secondary account... thats so bad, finally feel like farming materials for the main account, like, if the owner of this main account is not playing, you have to connec to his account to trigger new events and follow with the story. So bad and i complay because i cannot understand the reason behind    … Expand
  74. mangamike
    Mar 24, 2020
    4
    Really need to fix multiple people on one console, i have 3 grils and each one wants to play this game, i cannot afford to buy them each their own switch, there is no option to create a new island and being the 2nd player or 3rd player to start on a console SUCKS!!!! You miss out on so much that only the 1st player gets in terms of activities, resources, etc. It's absolutely terrible. YouReally need to fix multiple people on one console, i have 3 grils and each one wants to play this game, i cannot afford to buy them each their own switch, there is no option to create a new island and being the 2nd player or 3rd player to start on a console SUCKS!!!! You miss out on so much that only the 1st player gets in terms of activities, resources, etc. It's absolutely terrible. You have to buy a 2nd console (or 3rd in my case) if more than one person in your household wants to get the full game experience. That's unacceptable.… Expand
  75. branbran
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    The arbitrary limitation to allow only one island, and essentially, only one save file, is an incredibly anti-consumer move that limits the potential of this game. It incentivises and requires those who want to have a complete experience of the game to buy a new Switch system, or become side-lined while the first account (player) to start the game gains the special privilege as the islandThe arbitrary limitation to allow only one island, and essentially, only one save file, is an incredibly anti-consumer move that limits the potential of this game. It incentivises and requires those who want to have a complete experience of the game to buy a new Switch system, or become side-lined while the first account (player) to start the game gains the special privilege as the island leader, and all the benefits that come with that. Of course, this only poses a problem if you are sharing the Switch system, or want to play with your loved ones while having an equal experience. An ironic punishment considering the nature of family-orientated Nintendo gaming systems. This does not even include cloud saving restrictions, of which New Horizons is not supported.… Expand
  76. JiveTurkey
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    One island per switch is dumb. WTF Nintendo? I will no longer purchase games with pointless restrictions like this.
  77. javierc
    Mar 25, 2020
    0
    the inability for users of the same switch to have different islands sucks. i can't even review the game properly because i can't progress properly
  78. Yeray101
    Mar 26, 2020
    3
    Game is relaxing and quite fun sometimes, but that "one island restriction" is just killing the fun of the game for me. I share my Switch with my 9-year-old sister and we both want to have different islands, different progression, different furniture but we simply can't because of Nintendo. We even had to restart the game completely because I let her start the game first (I am 24 yearsGame is relaxing and quite fun sometimes, but that "one island restriction" is just killing the fun of the game for me. I share my Switch with my 9-year-old sister and we both want to have different islands, different progression, different furniture but we simply can't because of Nintendo. We even had to restart the game completely because I let her start the game first (I am 24 years old, I could play some other thing in the meanwhile) but then we realized that only she could really make the game advance and complete missions while I just could watch, so she agreed to restart the game so I could be the major with her help, but this shouldn't be the way.

    She wanted to have her island so she could play whenever she wanted and I wanted to have mine too for the same reason. Now both have to share resources and we have to agree where and when to build important buildings such as the museum when what we wanted really was to have one island each other then visit the other one's island when we wanted to see what we were doing. I think that allowing to have different saves on a single console is not that difficult in 2020 so... c'mon Nintendo, don't be as always and let the players choose how they want to play instead of you enforcing things like this because I paid 60 freaking euros for the game and I want to play the way I want.    … Expand
  79. Gorand
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    The local multiplayer is terrible. For an idea of the target audience, the settings only have 2 options, and has a raccoon tell you to get your parents before using them. I tried to get my money back, but Nintendo's return policy isn't as good as Steams.
  80. TantheTaxman
    Mar 26, 2020
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I got this for my Brother and i. He played just long enough to save before handing it to me. I was unable to progress past where he had got in the story. SPOILER: i couldn't get a flimsy shovel because player 2 can't donate to tom nook. i now have to either play his account or progress both in order to play...I was even able to look past having to share an island before realizing we weren't sharing. player two is just a guest in player ones world. Once the hype train slows this game with show it's true colors. Don't hate it just very disappointed.… Expand
  81. Pikkewyn
    Mar 22, 2020
    10
    I mean, I kind of understand why most of the negative reviews are just against the one island per console thing that also happened with the rest of the entire franchise and that was clearly said in the AC Direct and in the back of the game box, cause it's still a bad thing. I get why people are punishing the limitations of multiplayer cause it was one of the main things in everyI mean, I kind of understand why most of the negative reviews are just against the one island per console thing that also happened with the rest of the entire franchise and that was clearly said in the AC Direct and in the back of the game box, cause it's still a bad thing. I get why people are punishing the limitations of multiplayer cause it was one of the main things in every trailer/announcement and in some aspects it can be really poor. But I just can't understand all the 0/10, especially the ones saying it's like a HD New Leaf.

    Are we playing the same game? I've spend my last three days around my island in a 4K monitor and I think it's one of the prettiest games I've ever played. Every franchise has its style, you can't make this game with the details of Red Dead Redemption 2 because you could destroy what AC means: simple but cool relaxing folky ambients to spend your life on. New Horizons maintains the style of the saga with new and more detailed than ever graphics, amazing lightning and weather effects and the perfect acoustic soundtrack for a walk in the woods (plus a lot of new and reinvented features that combine very well with that "deserted island in modern days" feel of everything).

    It came out a few days ago and I don't get why some people are asking for big things at the very beginning of a game that's supposed to be played day by day for a very long time. In the third day around the island I had sooooo many things to do I really didn't know where to start. The way you can decorate everything step by step, and the way you feel when you finally unlock every little feature... I think it's the best AC ever made, or at least one of the great ones. And for all the missing characters and features for the fans like Brewster or the gyroids it's all coming soon with free updates.

    Maybe you're new and you were looking for a different experience, maybe you really didn't know it was limited to one island (which is a very bad point but it's not something Nintendo has tried to hide with this and any other past Animal Crossing game), or idk, maybe you want a Grand Theft Animal... What I'm just trying to say is that I believe this is a pretty good game that doesn't deserve all the hate it's receiving here. Just calm down. Times are getting very weird and this is the perfect game to stress out :)    … Expand
  82. rihards
    Mar 28, 2020
    0
    1 save! rly? I hate this nintendou game. animal crossing is forcing me to buy additional switch to play with my FAMILY!!!!!!!!
  83. Supernatastic
    Mar 21, 2020
    0
    Very upset about this game. Loading times too long, I don't like waiting 10 seconds everytime I leave a tent. I hate the noises the characters make when they speak. But the worst part of all. MY SHARED CONSOLE MEANS ONLY 1 PERSON CAN PLAY THIS GAME. I share a switch with my boyfriend and because of the "one island per console" bull crap we basically can't both play it without one personVery upset about this game. Loading times too long, I don't like waiting 10 seconds everytime I leave a tent. I hate the noises the characters make when they speak. But the worst part of all. MY SHARED CONSOLE MEANS ONLY 1 PERSON CAN PLAY THIS GAME. I share a switch with my boyfriend and because of the "one island per console" bull crap we basically can't both play it without one person having severely lacking boring and depressing game play. So I've let him have it. I'm very upset that a 60 dollar game only allows one save and not allowing separate games for separate profiles. Will NEVER buy another animal crossing. This was my first animal crossing ever and I'm glad I never bought any of the previous. They don't deserve my money.… Expand
  84. RichardAkimbo
    Apr 28, 2020
    0
    Honestly, the game itself is hidden behind problems like micromanaging and nerfs, the idea that a game like this needs to be controlled to such an extent is really silly imo. nerfing various spawns in the game by 90% forcing absolutely terrible events that actually impede a person's ability to play. (Substituting pretty much every findable item for eggs that spawn at a ridiculous rateHonestly, the game itself is hidden behind problems like micromanaging and nerfs, the idea that a game like this needs to be controlled to such an extent is really silly imo. nerfing various spawns in the game by 90% forcing absolutely terrible events that actually impede a person's ability to play. (Substituting pretty much every findable item for eggs that spawn at a ridiculous rate (Think higher than 50% frequently)

    Honestly I could go on, the base game is alright, everything that they've attached to it is a cancerous growth that has ruined the host game.

    plus

    The fact that I would have to buy a completely new switch and game to be able to share the game the people I live with is completely unacceptable.    … Expand
  85. DaddyDayCare
    Mar 24, 2020
    1
    Unreal that I’m stuck without a shovel because my wife was the first user on our switch. Had no idea the first player on the island needed to progress first, should give some warning. Love the game but this is a big eff up.
  86. Fernao
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Extremely limited game if you are sharing the island. As the seccond account, there is not much tou can do to interact with the game world.
  87. realtalkjr
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    I don’t like to give unreasonable ratings to games but I hope Nintendo realizes that they made a mistake forcing people to buy multiple switches in order to play this game with their friends. I spent $60 on this game to escape the resource-sharing nightmare of being quarantined with 4 people in my household indefinitely. I expected the peace and tranquility of my own island, and the funI don’t like to give unreasonable ratings to games but I hope Nintendo realizes that they made a mistake forcing people to buy multiple switches in order to play this game with their friends. I spent $60 on this game to escape the resource-sharing nightmare of being quarantined with 4 people in my household indefinitely. I expected the peace and tranquility of my own island, and the fun of sharing that island with *visitors*, hoping my housemates would start their own islands on our shared switch. The second day with this game I learned that is not an option. Not only are my housemates forced to share the same island with me, the resources on my island are shared between all of us. Anybody can move anything outside of their houses anywhere on the island. Playing local coop is completely brain dead for the second player, like bad enough that an intelligent child would get bored of it instantly. My experience with this game went from a peaceful private getaway to a mirror of the frustrating situation of being trapped in a too-small space with too many people indefinitely. If there was ever a game that can reproduce the annoyance and fatigue of sharing an apartment with 4 other people in viral quarantine, it’s this game. If you have one switch and multiple people who want to play this game, don’t bother. I really want to play it, I really want to like it, there are so many things about it that seem great for a single person to enjoy, but the multiplayer mechanics have made it impossible for me to appreciate these things. I would have paid $60 to avoid the disappointment and frustration this game has made me feel. Anyways... bad move Nintendo, I really don’t understand the thought here unless it was a financial one. Please learn from this mistake.… Expand
  88. Policcio
    Mar 22, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Boring, repetitive. In the live-services era, Nintendo decided to launch a game UNFINISHED, just to ignore it two months after the release. No regular updates, the same boring activities over and over again. At this point, i feel more entretained playing the mobile free to play Pocket Camp than playing this 60 dollar game. I'm almost sure i will sell it by the end of the month.… Expand
  89. Fumiko
    Mar 22, 2020
    0
    One island per console is unacceptable. If you share your Switch with anyone else, don't buy this.
  90. ThornBattleborn
    Mar 20, 2020
    8
    Would be a perfect 10 if it weren't for the unnecessarily clunky couch co-op (especially considering how well the first animal crossing implemented it) you have a primary player who can play the game as normal and a secondary player who can... Sit there and look pretty? They can pick up items, albeit slowly with an annoying animation playing each time and items are sent to the recycle binWould be a perfect 10 if it weren't for the unnecessarily clunky couch co-op (especially considering how well the first animal crossing implemented it) you have a primary player who can play the game as normal and a secondary player who can... Sit there and look pretty? They can pick up items, albeit slowly with an annoying animation playing each time and items are sent to the recycle bin instead of your inventory. You can fish and catch bugs, but only as long as they're on the same screen as the primary player (they are often much more spread out so there is only one at a time on the screen)The only saving grace is the fact that you can switch who the primary is by simply shaking the controllers. Otherwise this installment of animal crossing is vastly improved from the previous games, with better visuals, customisation and more quality of life improvements than i can count. In older animal crossing games i only found a couple hours of things to do per day, in New horizons there seems to be a plethora of activities to take part in with new activities opening up the more i play. The new ability to Terraform the landscape and really shape the island to my liking is a more than welcome addition and makes me feel like I'm really starting a little town of my very own! If you are playing on your own, you won't be able to find a better animal crossing experience! If you are buying this to play with a friend, however, just keep the limitations of couch co-op in mind before you buy. Nintendo should have been more transparent about this clunky co-op pre-launch but i know exactly why they weren't (and Tom Nook would have done the same thing)… Expand
  91. CowboyBeepboop
    Mar 21, 2020
    10
    I will surely sink lots of time in this game. Do not see any problem with the restriction (one console - one island), just buy your wife/kid a Switch.
  92. Skideye
    Mar 20, 2020
    8
    It's a very slow start (a few real-time days), but once you get past that barrier.....the world opens up massively. It's a peaceful game to hop into whenever you feel like it, and rewards those that play long hours, or even 1 or 2 at a time. Highly recommended to those looking for an escape (and if you truly want to customize your character, get the pro editor in the nook miles store
  93. Frexter
    Mar 24, 2020
    1
    I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHAPPY WITH THIS SYSTEM TO TWEET THE DEVS AND NINTENDO.

    I bought this game for my SO. She's currently stuck abroad, so I started playing first. Only to realise that when she comes back I'll have to delete my save in order for her to have the same new player experience I've had. Thus making all my time wasted. Not only that, but if we then proceeded to play    I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHAPPY WITH THIS SYSTEM TO TWEET THE DEVS AND NINTENDO.

    I bought this game for my SO. She's currently stuck abroad, so I started playing first. Only to realise that when she comes back I'll have to delete my save in order for her to have the same new player experience I've had. Thus making all my time wasted. Not only that, but if we then proceeded to play together I would be severely limited as player 2.
    To ask for $60 and an additional Switch to be allowed to have a second island is a disgusting practice and one I cannot support.
    It is a shame because the single player experience is great. But until this is fixed, it does not deserve a higher rating than this.    … Expand
  94. Terminalreality
    Mar 24, 2020
    1
    I would love to give this a better score but sadly I can not do that with the current state of the game. I paid $60 for a game that only allows one person to play it. Whomever plays first, in my case my 6 year old daughter, is the only character able to progress farther into the game. Every account that plays after that has zero control over the game and is limited by the first players progress.
  95. gamerdad83
    Mar 24, 2020
    2
    1 island per console is a fabricated limitation that destroys the experience.

    Even IF you wanted to buy multiple copies of the game (think OG Pokemon Games with a single save file per cart) you could have a copy of Red and a copy of Blue for each person in the family to have their own adventure. Which, while that model was worse than traditional game up to that time with 3 save slots    1 island per console is a fabricated limitation that destroys the experience.

    Even IF you wanted to buy multiple copies of the game (think OG Pokemon Games with a single save file per cart) you could have a copy of Red and a copy of Blue for each person in the family to have their own adventure.

    Which, while that model was worse than traditional game up to that time with 3 save slots per cartridge, it still allowed each person their own experience.

    Imagine if in Pokemon Sword/Shield, another user could start a game but couldn't get to the wild area because Play 1 stopped playing at the first Pokemon center. It would be ludicrous and unacceptable.

    Alas, this was an eShop purchase and I cannot return it.

    I would have liked this a lot more if all of the 8 accounts on a console had their own island and you could zoom out to see the whole area, think like the Hawaiian islands, so each switch could have its own archipelago.    … Expand
  96. Feels64
    Mar 22, 2020
    9
    EDITED: After 3 days it's gotten a lot better. Everyday there is more stuff to do. Boosting my rating from 7 to a 9. Love this game and am going to play it every day.
  97. ntmera
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    One island per Switch. Game is great otherwise, but deserving of a 0 for this one reason.
  98. adanmoran
    Mar 23, 2020
    0
    The single-save system ruins the game. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME if you are sharing a switch with others.

    Only the first player to the game can make the most decisions/progress - the rest of the players are left with the remains. In the old games you could buy a new cartridge or use a different memory card, but you can't do that here - the data is saved directly onto the switch and can't be    The single-save system ruins the game. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME if you are sharing a switch with others.

    Only the first player to the game can make the most decisions/progress - the rest of the players are left with the remains. In the old games you could buy a new cartridge or use a different memory card, but you can't do that here - the data is saved directly onto the switch and can't be moved to an SD card. The game is only worth it if you are the sole player, otherwise you should not buy this game until the horrible save system is removed.    … Expand
  99. Nimron13
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Absolutely ridiculous how much limitations I have to deal with as a second player. If I buy a single player game for 60 bucks I expect to get the full content for every person that starts the game. Instead I can't progress the story in any way as the second player and I get way less items. The decision to limit it to one island per switch was greedy enough, but restricting the game forAbsolutely ridiculous how much limitations I have to deal with as a second player. If I buy a single player game for 60 bucks I expect to get the full content for every person that starts the game. Instead I can't progress the story in any way as the second player and I get way less items. The decision to limit it to one island per switch was greedy enough, but restricting the game for player 2 this much without mentioning it in any way is just terrible… Expand
  100. MasterRodent
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    Only 1 island per switch is awful. This absolutely needs to be fixed. Otherwise I like the game but this is a fatal flaw.
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.
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  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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