Animal Crossing: New Horizons was featured on Nintendo Direct today, February 20, showcasing nearly 30 minutes of footage. While many features were already confirmed for the game, Nintendo Direct officially confirmed features which many fans expected, naturally, as well as surprised fans with many new features and gameplay elements which showcased what is easily shaping up to be the most customizable and interactive Animal Crossing title yet.
In traveling to a recently uninhabited island, titled the "Deserted Island Getaway Package," players are free to make the choices they want in interacting with the island in order to make the home and environmental paradise that suits their needs and tastes individually in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Basic Objects
Nintendo Direct unveiled a close look at houses in Animal Crossing: New Horizon's island world, demonstrating the living conditions that evolve beyond tent-living campgrounds. Also, furniture will be available for purchase or construction, and it also appears there will be quite a variation in choices for what type of housing facilities are available. For example, a house decorated with fish tanks, aquarium setups, and a variety of fish was shown.
Additionally, such facilities as the shop, aquarium, tailor, airport and museums were also included, many of which will be run by mainstay Animal Crossing characters from previous games who are returning. The key facilities appear to start-off the game as limited make-shift versions inside tents, and eventually evolve into building structures.
Also, constructing bridges were demonstrated, as well as slopes and stairs to more conveniently navigate the island and make it resemble a comfortable living environment. However, threats within the environment were also presented, such as scorpions, ghosts and snakes, which the player will need to be careful of or figure out viable solutions in order to deal with them.
Deeper Interactivity
Players will also have a digital in-game mobile phone at their disposal, entitled the Nook Phone, to help them with their journey on Animal Crossing: New Horizon's island getaway. It will include a variety of apps to utilize, including a camera and GPS. Developers have confirmed that new apps will be added in future game updates as well to support all "deserted island needs." One of the apps will enable players to call in a rescue if they are lost, as well as fast travel.
Animal Crossing's mainstay character and island resident, Tom Nook, will also be making in-game radio broadcasts daily to provide players with the latest news on island events, life advice, and much more. Tom Nook's news updates will also be conveniently posted on the Animal Crossing Twitter account, so players can stay updated and immersed in the game world, even if they are not logged into their Nintendo Switch.
Another likable character from previous games, Isabelle, was also shown, making her return as the island's Resident Services office secretary or agent. She will enable players to take advantage of an array of features, from customizing the island's flag to making drastic changes to one's house. The detail in customization will clearly add lots of replay value, not that such a game is lacking to begin with, given the thousands of hours of gameplay available in Animal Crossing in previous games already.
For players looking to fulfill an itch similar to Minecraft, the ability to transform the geography in Animal Crossing: New Horizons by adding cliffs, or adding slopes to climb up cliffs offers a lot in the way of making drastic changes to the geography and overall design. It goes well beyond simple additions to the environment, such as building bridges to cross rivers. Even rivers themselves can be modified, such as the ability to replace and fill-in areas of water with land mass.
Overall, Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers more customization than any previous game, as players can choose the location of Animal Crossing: New Horizon's facilities on the island and where they can be placed. In previous games, the randomly generated worlds sometimes placed shops in an frustratingly inconvenient location, and this level of customization should alleviate these possibilities.
Features One of the most welcoming additions is Animal Crossing: New Horizons' family members system, which will allow for couch co-op on a single Switch console. Up to eight players can play together on a single island on the same Nintendo Switch console, which is a fairly impressive and expansive number for co-op. It is also convenient for those who do not want to pay for two separate Nintendo Switch Online plans.
However, if only watching the Nintendo Direct video, some players could become confused and assume it means they can play with up to eight players on couch co-op simultaneously. To be clear, up to eight players can register as resident players on the same island and on the same console, but couch co-op alone is limited to four players. If playing wireless or over the internet, eight players can partake in the fun simultaneously.
If playing over the internet, eight players can also play together on the same island from separate game consoles, and this is definitely confirmed. Obviously, additional copies of the game would be needed in this case.
The in-game airport facility will allow for inviting other players to one's Animal Crossing: New Horizon's island world, meaning that it does not necessarily need to be the same 8 players associated with a particular island permanently. The airport will also allow players to depart their island and travel to another player's island world. The airport is also responsible for an in-game postal service.
Players also have the ability of choosing between the northern or southern hemisphere of Earth in which their island exists. While the seasonal weather patterns will still persist in both cases, the types of plants and geographical features demonstrates some key differences between the two hemispheres. For example, in one part of today's Nintendo Direct video, an island with lots of bamboo plants was shown, likely demonstrating what to expect from an island in the southern hemisphere. Expect the same cute Animal Crossing villagers no matter which hemisphere a player chooses.
Also confirmed is house customization from all 360 degrees, meaning players can rotate their house in order to view all angles and walls. Seasonal events will also arrive in-game, such as fishing tournaments and bug-hunting events. The first event will be a special Bunny Day event in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which will transpire on the date of release on March 20.
Another optional feature includes Nook Miles awards, which can be exchanged for various in-game rewards such as Nook Miles Tickets. These tickets will allow players to travel to other distant islands, where players can purchase tours which can be drastically different depending on the island, as well as the pilot tour guide's overall mood. Many of these islands will present unique items within their habitat which players can obtain and take back to their home island for use.
Outside of the game itself, and outside the Switch console, players also have the ability to utilize a special web service within the Nintendo Switch Online App on their physical smartphones. It is entitled Nook Link and will allow players to use their phone's camera to scan QR codes to import custom designs into their game from previous Animal Crossing games, such as the Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp mobile phone game. It will also allow players to chat with other Animal Crossing: New Horizon's players while simultaneously playing co-op with them. It will even include voice chat. It is unclear why this method is an extra option, or if the same communication features would also be included in-game.
However, typing on a smartphone would certainly be easier than using a controller to input letters, and may also make it easier for parents to limit communications with younger players, which could present some concern for in-game communication features.
Extras
Animal Crossing: New Horizons will also utilize support for physical Amiibo figures and their physical cards. These characters can be invited to the player's island campsite or be setup conveniently for in-game photo shoots. Unfortunately, cloud backup saving will not be supported, but a recovery feature for obtaining lost saved data will be available soon after launch. This will be useful in the unfortunate event that a player's console breaks or becomes lost and saved data is compromised.
A week before launch, a Nintendo Switch console designed and inspired by Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as well as a case, will also be available. Nintendo has clearly listened to the fans in responding to much of the feedback expressed by players in regards to previous game editions and demanded features for this life simulation. Island paradise awaits players as Animal Crossing: New Horizon's digital escape reaches players' television screens and handheld Switches this March.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases on Nintendo Switch on March 20, 2020.