Is Animal Crossing: New Horizons Worth Playing in 2024?

Is Animal Crossing: New Horizons Worth Playing in 2024?

It might be a long, long while before the successor to Animal Crossing: New Horizons is released, as recent rumors suggest the next Animal Crossing game won’t release until 2026. It’s possible that the next Animal Crossing title won’t be made available until after the Nintendo Switch 2 is released. This is disheartening news for fans that have done all there is to do on their island and have been craving new content.

A return to the tried and true content of Animal Crossing: New Horizons might be enough to satisfy these cravings. In the four years since the release of the game, players have discovered all its secrets and cataloged them online, but it’s always a great time to indulge in some nostalgia and create a customized island of dreams.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons is Always Great for a Fresh Start

The fact that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has not received new content since November 2021 is something of a double-edged sword. It’s disappointing to come to the conclusion that it is a complete game and that there are no more surprises in store for players. That said, this means that all Animal Crossing: New Horizons content is out there and available for players to discover. Rather than being surprised by new events, items, or characters, players know exactly what’s in store for them in the game, so they can plan out their ideal island without worrying about unknown updates.

This might sound like a small consolation to players that have been wondering if the game is worth a second (or third or fourth) playthrough, but some of the most amazing Animal Crossing: New Horizons islands showcased online are the result of careful planning by knowledgeable players. By knowing exactly what items are available in the game and what customizations options are possible, they have been able to build intricate islands that anyone would be lucky to visit in the real world.

Certain items like purchasable furniture were not made available for customization until the 2.0 update. Players could then take their items to Reese and Cyrus on Harv’s Island and choose from various color schemes or Custom Designs uploaded by players.

It’s arguable that with the possibility of the 2026 release window, 2024 is a good year to revisit Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Players would have enough time to enjoy the seasonal events and views, build their ideal island, and befriend their favorite Animal Crossing characters before the release of the next game. Starting now would give players room to get into, and then get back out of, Animal Crossing: New Horizons before another game comes around.

The 2.0 update also added 16 new villagers that players could invite to stay on their island.

A Nostalgic Return To Old Animal Crossing Islands

Starting fresh is predicated on players making the bold move of deleting their old island and starting over entirely. For those who have had the same island they started with back in 2020, this option may seem extreme. One of the biggest complaints fans have had over this otherwise well-received game is the fact that players are limited to one Animal Crossing: New Horizons save file per Switch console. Many fans may balk at the idea of erasing all the hard work they have put into a single save file.

For those players, returning to Animal Crossing: New Horizons is akin to visiting a museum dedicated to the time they spent on the game years ago. It’s nice to visit, but they have likely found all the fossils, captured all the critters, and collected all the genuine art offered by Redd. There isn’t new content for them to explore and therefore not much incentive to stick around for more than a half hour or so.

It will depend on how attached a player is to the island sitting inside their save file right now to say whether Animal Crossing: New Horizons is worth playing in 2024. As it was in 2020, it is a fantastic game that can make time spent inside on the couch fly by. The graphics are stylized to the point that it will be a long, long time before they appear dated. The gameplay is just as engaging as it was upon release, but wandering around a completed island is not nearly as enjoyable as building one from scratch. A 2024 playthrough of the now classic, cozy game Animal Crossing: New Horizons is worth it if players are willing to become beginners once more; otherwise, it may be best left to someone’s memories.

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 Amazon