The latest Animal Crossing game is finally here! Earlier today, Nintendo revealed during its E3 Direct that Animal Crossing: New Horizons would be releasing for the Nintendo Switch on March 20, 2020. New Horizons is the series' first appearance on the Switch and is sure to be another magical experience.
Start a new life with the Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package and enjoy a peaceful existence full of creativity, fun, freedom and charm when #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons for #NintendoSwitch arrives March 20, 2020. pic.twitter.com/4retW0LrSZ
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 11, 2019
The game takes place in a coastal environment this time, probably an island. The player is able to craft and gather materials in their new home, similar to other games. Players can also invite friends to their island, similar to past games, and frolic in the tropical wonderland. Of course, no Animal Crossing game would be complete without a crippling debt to Tom Nook, who in addition to owning all the real estate in the Animal Crossing universe, now owns communication as well. Nook mentions that his company, Nook Inc., provides a "Nook Phone" to debtors, who will have to repay their debt to the seedy overlord. This is truly a horrifying dystopian twist on the Animal Crossing games - but hey it looks pretty, right? This is the first Animal Crossing game in HD, after all.
The Nook Phone and the island setting will no doubt be this game's "gimmicks" like New Leaf's 3DS features and City Folk's metro focus. It's unclear how a cell phone works on an island, but we're sure it'll factor pretty heavily in to the player's day-to-day life in New Horizons. Will there be an accompanying mobile app for New Horizons? It's too early to tell, but we'd bank on some sort of smart device crossover at some point with the Animal Crossing series.
Animal Crossing joins The Legend of Zelda, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, and Luigi's Mansion as cornerstone Nintendo titles to receive new titles in 2019 and 2020. For more Nintendo news you may have missed, check out the latest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC character, the Dragon Quest protagonist Erdrick!
