Summary
Animal Crossing: New Horizonshas, in many ways, set the standard for what a modern community sim title should be. The sixth mainline entry in Nintendo’s most relaxing franchise, the title allows players to build and shape an island community to their liking; building homes, businesses, and environmental structures that attract more and more inhabitants to the island. WhileNew Horizonsmodernized much of what fans loved from previous entries, its true potential, and that of the series' future, was revealed with the release ofthe Happy Home Paradise DLC. However, one feature stood high above the rest, and the nextAnimal Crossinggame shouldn’t make fans wait to take full advantage of its creative possibilities.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis the series’ most popular entry to date, due in part to the time of its release. Launching during the global COVID-19 pandemic, fans and newcomers alike flocked to the title and its online community building. In November 2021, the Happy Home Paradise DLC launched, taking fans and their villagers on vacation. Most significantly, fans were given the task of designing vacation homes for their villagers, a highly rewarding and much-requested feature.
Happy Home Paradise’s Vacation Homes Offered a Wealth of Creative Possibilities
The premise behindAnimal Crossing: New Horizons’ Happy Home Paradise DLC is pretty simple. Players are presented with an opportunity to work asa vacation planner for an off-island company called Paradise Planning. There they are tasked with designing dream vacation homes, in the form of continental islands, for some of their favorite villagers. To do so, players first consult with each villager, before being given full rein over designing their “home” from the inside out.
Happy Home Paradise delivered much-requested customization options, further cementingNew Horizons’status as the most expansive title in the series. Specifically, the DLC added a wealth of new design options, including partitions, soundscapes, polishing, pillars, and more. Beyond the vacation homes themselves, players can alsochange the weather, time of day, and villagers' outfits. Happy Home Paradise truly took players’ creative possibilities to the next level, leaving fans to wonder which features would be made standard in the series’ future releases.
The Next Animal Crossing Should Launch with Villager Home Customization
The nextAnimal Crossinggameshouldn’t make fans wait for another special occasion, just to regain access toNew Horizons' full breadth of features. While the base game did a great job modernizing the series' formula, its DLC took things to a whole new level, allowing the game to essentially transcend the blueprint of those that came before.
After three years so far with Happy Home Paradise, asking fans to give up their ability to customize villagers' homes, wardrobes, and environments would be a major setback. While it is unlikely that the nextAnimal Crossingtitle will launch with vacation homes themselves, the feature could easily be implemented in players' initial tasks of building a community, no matter what form those communities take.
It is not yet known when the nextAnimal Crossinggame could be announced, or exactly what the title may entail. However, that has not stopped fans from speculating about how it may build onAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' best ideas. Some fans believe the next title may even bea direct sequel toNew Horizons. Whether it is a sequel or not, the nextAnimal Crossingtitle would do well to implement Happy Home Paradise’s best features on day one, as it grants fans greater creative control over their community, and allows them to partner and grow with their villagers in a much deeper and more expressive way.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
WHERE TO PLAY
Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. You can hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online** or with others beside you***, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.
