An Animal Crossing Story Mode Mode Would Have an Obvious Direction to Go In

An Animal Crossing Story Mode Mode Would Have an Obvious Direction to Go In

• A story mode in Animal Crossing could be a fresh addition, building off familiar tasks for a unique experience.
• Tom Nook could lead a narrative-driven challenge, adding competition and urgency while maintaining the series’ spirit.
• A 30-day renovation competition could introduce a competitive element, offering exclusive rewards for players.

Although Animal Crossing is known for being a cozy life simulation series, Nintendo could benefit from changing the format just a bit. For example, over the years, the franchise’s growing popularity has accompanied a rising desire for a story mode within Animal Crossing. While there hasn’t been any indication that this is a concept Nintendo is looking into, there’s already a clear direction it could go in.

If the developers were to implement a dedicated story mode in a future Animal Crossing title, they should take care to build off the foundations of previous games. Introducing a story mode blended with familiar tasks and activities of the series’ previous installments could be quite interesting. Additionally, such an approach promises a unique experience that diverges from anything Animal Crossing has attempted so far.

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Tom Nook Could Play an Integral Part in an Animal Crossing Story Mode

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Animal Crossing Could Introduce Narrative-Driven Challenges

Tom Nook’s role in Animal Crossing is the perfect starting place for such a narrative challenge. As a business-oriented figure, he’s established a history of assigning tasks to players, like unlocking campgrounds and crafting DIY workshops. A new quest with Tom Nook at the helm could be a way to offer players a unique challenge while maintaining the spirit of previous Animal Crossing titles.

Of course, while Animal Crossing thrives on being a cozy life sim experience, this doesn’t mean its players don’t enjoy challenges. As such, a seemingly unconventional addition like an open renovation competition could be that missing spark the franchise needs. Given Tom Nook’s constant drive to improve the town, a story mode centered around a friendly competition between villagers could be quite successful.

Animal Crossing Could Introduce a Competitive Element to Its Village Creation

In the spirit of competition, Tom Nook could introduce a 30-day renovation challenge in the next Animal Crossing game. During this period, players are tasked with creating the best village they can, facing off against either an NPC villager or an online player. This competitive element could provide a delightful opportunity for players to test their design skills against other players, including those on their friends list.

However, unlike the open-ended nature of building towns in the past, a competition with a ticking timer looming overhead is certain to add a sense of urgency. Confined to a 30-day window, it would be fascinating to see what creative feats players could accomplish under such pressure. Nintendo could even take this a step further by introducing lighthearted sabotage mechanics, like finding graffiti or scattered trash left by a competitor.

“Confined to a 30-day window, it would be fascinating to see what creative feats players could accomplish under such pressure.”

Naturally, no competition in Animal Crossing would be complete without exclusive rewards that celebrate the creativity displayed during the village creation challenge. The winner could collect monetary compensation on top of a few special rewards, such as unique items that could help further enhance their blossoming town. For example:

• Furniture
• Clothing items
• Materials
• DIY recipes
• Reactions

Since it seems unfair for runner-ups to walk away empty-handed, a variety of lesser-value items could also be made available. After all, investing weeks in a challenging competition deserves recognition, even if the player doesn’t win. This approach would ensure a well-rounded reward system in the next Animal Crossing, fostering a healthy sense of competition and accomplishment for everyone involved.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the fifth major game in the Animal Crossing series. This slice-of-life simulation game tasks the player with developing an abandoned island into a small town for its resident villagers. The game was released at the start of worldwide lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which catapulted it into massive success. It’s currently the best selling game of all time in Japan.

FranchiseAnimal CrossingPlatform(s)SwitchReleasedMarch 20, 2020Developer(s)Nintendo EPDPublisher(s)NintendoGenre(s)SimulationMultiplayerLocal Multiplayer, Online MultiplayerESRBE for Everyone: Comic MischiefExpansionsAnimal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home ParadiseHow Long To Beat61 Hours See at Official SiteSee at Nintendo eShopSee at Amazon