Animal Crossing: New Horizons first launched in 2020, and was the first new mainline game in Nintendo’s long-running life simulation since 2012’s New Leaf. It was released just as the COVD-19 pandemic was sweeping the world, which meant that people suddenly had a lot of time to themselves.
In that time, it’s become one of the Switch’s premiere titles. If you don’t own Animal Crossing: New Horizons by now, then as former Nintendo president Reggie Fills-Aime would say, what’s wrong with you?
The Game That Helped Millions Feel Less Alone
Back in 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was an invaluable outlet for millions of players.
It has been a dominant force on the console for years, but after the last major content update in 2021, it seemed like the game was in Nintendo’s rearview mirror. And while this latest update feels a bit less impactful content wise compared to 2021’s Happy Home Paradise, the technical improvements are sharp.
Ultimately, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of New Horizons isn’t going to make upgrading absolutely necessary, but if you’re keen to see how the updated hardware can improve one of the console’s most entertaining games, it may be worth it to return to the island. But if you’re a bit tired of the deserted island and tropical theme, it’s not likely to sway you anytime soon.
New Hardware, Old Horizons
If you somehow managed to miss the boat on Animal Crossing as you lived under a rock for the past twenty-plus years, this oddball life simulation game has had a vice-like grip on its fans that simply cannot be broken. New Horizons continued that trend, and got a lot of people through some very tough times. That comes with a caveat, however.
Six years on, it’s hard not to feel like the desert island theme is wearing rather thin. I grew up playing New Leaf on the 3DS, and even though I love New Horizons, the franchise always felt more at home in its folksy, sort of surreal small-town vibe. Going from entries like City Folk and New Leaf to the latest iterations has been sort of like leaving Twin Peaks to go to Sesame Street.
The old vibes of Animal Crossing have been gone for years, and while I didn’t hold that against New Horizons at the time, we’re in the sixth year of this game. It’s not inherently bad, and if you’ve never played this game before, the Switch 2 version of New Horizons is going to be one heck of an experience for you. If you’re someone who has poured an alarming amount of hours into New Horizons already, there’s still a lot to like, but I don’t know if I’d consider this upgrade essential.
Six years on, it’s hard not to feel like the desert island theme is wearing rather thin.
For one thing, Nintendo has bumped the resolution up to 1080p in handheld mode from the OG Switch’s locked 720p, as well as up to 4K docked. Speaking of handheld mode, it looks absolutely sparkling in this new upgrade. The colors are simply beautiful, and the overall presentation in handheld mode is remarkable. It still runs at 30fps in both handheld and docked mode, however, which isn’t entirely horrible, but it’s worth pointing out.
It’s not necessarily a revelation, as the original game looked fabulous even on the old hardware, but it’s still fairly noticeable. If you have a Switch 2 and still want to put some time on your island, you’ll take note of the new bells and whistles in this new updated version, but it also still plays just fine on the original Switch. If you’re expecting a locked fps, it’s best to temper your expectations.
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Unleash Your Inner Interior Designer
One of the most enjoyable things about New Horizons getting a Switch 2 update has been the new ways to control and customize your island. Specifically, the game makes use of the Switch 2’s new mouse controls. It may not seem like much, but having this much freedom of movement with the mouse controls to decorate is so satisfying.
Using the controller always felt serviceable, but once you use the mouse controls in the Switch 2 version, you won’t be able to go back. It helps that Nintendo’s engineering here is outstanding, as the movement from mouse to traditional controller is so smooth and seamless. If you’ve got a lot of decor items unlocked, you’ll really be able to just zip around at such a fantastic pace, that customizing houses feels like a whole new experience again.
Which is great when you consider that one of the major parts of this new updated version is customizing Kapp’n’s resort hotel, but while it’s all quite enjoyable, it doesn’t really add much that wasn’t already in Happy Home Paradise. In fact, it feels more like a stripped down version of that, as the DLC is still sold separately. It’s a great demonstration of the mouse controls, but if you’ve played Happy Home Paradise, there’s not much here that’s going to thrill you.
It may not seem like much, but having this much freedom of movement with the mouse controls to decorate is so satisfying.
There are a lot of fun little new touches that, while not game changing, are quite cool. The megaphone, a staple from New Leaf, returns and functions largely the same way, as you hold down the A button and speak a villager’s name. It works fairly well most of the time, and seeing them react to your shouting at them is incredibly cute.
Other new features include a strafe, which makes digging and altering the geography of your island way easier, as well as some increases in storage limits. Some services that were a bit expensive in the original game are also a bit more affordable now, which makes progressing through the game a bit breezier.
To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade
The Switch 2 Edition of New Horizons may potentially end up being someone’s first experience with the game. In that regard, they have an enormous amount of content and joy ahead of them. There’s so much to do, and it’s possible to see hundreds upon hundreds of hours of your life get lost.
If you’re someone who has already played the game on the original Switch, there’s less to be excited about. It’s ultimately more of the same, and the new features are cool, but there’s nothing absolutely groundbreaking here. In reality, it’s only a five dollar upgrade if you own the game already, so it’s not going to break your bank.
That being said, the desert island theme is fairly played out at this point, which can only be solved with a brand-new mainline Animal Crossing game. Unfortunately, there’s no chance of that happening anytime soon, so this is as good as it gets.
Closing Comments:
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition isn’t going to break any new ground or change the world, but if you’re looking to get a spiffy upgrade for your new machine, it’s potentially worth diving into. If you’re tired of the desert island theme, though, there’s absolutely nothing here that will remedy that.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
