With the success ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizonson the original Nintendo Switch, there’s no question a sequel is coming at some point in the near future for the Switch 2. While Nintendo hasn’t yet announced another entry in the series, it’s already becomeone of the most anticipated games of the next-generation console. Excitement for anotherAnimal Crossingwill always be high, and the capabilities of the Switch 2 means that the next sequel can be better than ever.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is not only more powerful than the original Switch, butthe addition of GameChat and other social featurescould also give the next entry in theAnimal Crossingseries a serious edge over all previous games. Rather than continuing to follow past series traditions, like adding more villagers every game, the nextAnimal Crossingshould focus on developing existing elements and utilizing multiplayer elements provided by the console.
Animal Crossing On Nintendo Switch 2 Needs To Be Deeper, Not Bigger
Improving Current Mechanics Should Come First
As a series,Animal Crossingis in a solid state.New Horizonswas a massive success, and any sequel, while still unannounced, is inherently one of the most anticipated games of the Switch 2. It would make sense for the next game to go bigger than ever before, with larger spaces and more additions to the NPC cast. However, at this point,Animal Crossingshould pull back and refinewhat’s made the series great, rather than expanding further.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is far more powerful than the original Switch. WhileAnimal Crossinggames have never been hardware-intensive, better performance from a console does open up some new possibilities, like larger towns, more indoor spaces, and more detail. Rather than focusing on graphics and style,the next game should focus on improving existing gameplayand perhaps even bringing back past elements,like mini-games such as Quiz Show, Fruit Path, and Desert Island Escape, but with better multiplayer.
Themost common criticism ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, for good reason,is that villagers lack substance. In past titles, villagers were always full of personality. Whether that be friendly, weird, cranky, or outright rude to the player, it made for a varied experience that became rewarding when a villager finally warmed up and turned into a full-fledged friend.New Horizonslacked this aspect, as every villager repeats similar lines, with some alterations based on their personality subgroup, and each and every one is overwhelmingly friendly from the very first conversation.
Some Franchise Staples Should Be Left Behind
Animal Crossing Doesn’t Need More Characters
With Villagers sorely lacking the personality of pastAnimal Crossinggames, the next title on the Nintendo Switch 2 should focus onenhancing and deepening its characters rather than adding even more. EveryAnimal Crossinggame has added a few new Villagers to the roster.New Horizonsadded fan-favorites Sherb, Dom, Audie, and,most of all, Raymond. With these additions, the overall Villager pool is at 413, which is more than enough. Rather than adding even more characters to a large cast,Animal Crossingshould enrich each personality type and fix the issuesNew Horizonsbrought to the series.
On top of limiting the number of Villagers in the game, the next sequel shoulddrop the long-running limitation in the series: one island per game, or, in the case of the Switch, one island per console. While the original idea behind only allowing players to have one town or island to spend time in may have been to encourage players to deeply engage with one community, now the limit just serves to limit families that only own a single console. Allowing the Switch 2Animal Crossinggame to have multiple saves per console
Switch 2 Is Built For More Shared Experiences
Utilizing GameChat Would Upgrade Animal Crossing
The Nintendo Switch 2 is naturally better equipped than the original Switch for multiplayer with friends.First revealed in a trailershortly before the console’s release, the Switch 2 has GameChat, a new feature that uses a microphone and camera and allows players to join a chat while in-game. Up to twelve players at a time can join a voice call, but only four can stream their gameplay at once. This function might seem to have limited uses at first, butGameChat is practically tailor-made forAnimal Crossing, if used in the right way.
If the nextAnimal Crossingentry wants to live up to its maximum potential, then it should keep GameChat and the Switch 2’s emphasis on shared experiences in mind.Mini-games are the easiest way to make good use of GameChat, especially ones that require cooperation. While mini-games have fallen to the wayside in the modern era ofAnimal Crossing, the next entry in the series could easily bring them back better than ever while leaning into the Switch 2’s strengths.
On top of games, the nextACshould be creative with how friends interact with each other in the game. Sending letters and gifts through the mail is fine, but with the Switch 2’s capabilities, the nextAnimal Crossingcan surely find a way to elevate this social aspect of the series.
