Summary
Nintendo’sAnimal Crossinggames have become well-loved for their laid back interpretation of the Life Sim genre, but with the genre in a boom, it might be time for a change.Animal Crossingcan remain an experience for those who want a simple cozy game, but one mechanic might do better with a more in-depth gameplay system.
Animal Crossingis one of the most popular games in the Life Sim genre, and with good reason. Starting with the earliest entries on the N64 and Gamecube,Animal Crossinghas become known for its slow-burn gameplay style, which at the time was a big departure from what players were used to. But as the genre has grown, players have come to expect more from each new game in the series. Rumors suggest that the nextAnimal Crossinggame will add plenty of new content, but those additions shouldn’t come at the cost of existing game mechanics. One activity that many players focus on is planting just the right kinds of plants and flowers in their garden, town, or island. While the current gardening system in the game works fine, an overhaul of the mechanic could lead to a better overall experience for players focused on their plants.
Animal Crossing’s Gardening Doesn’t Make Sense
Over time, farming and gardening have become arguably the most popular activity in the Life Sim genre. Games likeStardew Valley,Harvest Moon, and the upcomingTales of the Shirehave placed more of an emphasis on the work that players do while enjoying their cozy life. WhileAnimal Crossinghas avoided the work element, a wise choice given its emphasis on relaxation, it has slowly made its gardening mechanic better. But the current system simply doesn’t work as well as it should. ThoughAnimal Crossingis a game parents and children can enjoy together, the gardening system is at times too simple, and at times too hard.
Currently, to find the perfect kind of flowers, players need to cross-pollinate them by planting certain colors of the same species near different ones. After planting, they are left to water them daily and wait for them to grow in order to find out if they’ve succeeded in creating a new variety. With all the combinations,a guide to cross-pollination inAnimal Crossingis almost required to achieve the desired result. And yet, once the flowers have grown, the job is done. The contrast between the difficulty of breeding new plants and the simplicity of their upkeep leads to the mechanic not quite feeling complete. If players want to reap the reward of excellent plants, they should be required to put in a bit more work for them.
What Animal Crossing’s Gardening Can Learn From Other Games
Even the smallest of Life Sim games now seem to feature gardening or farming mechanics. Sometimes they are a key part of the gameplay loop, like inStardew Valley, and other times, like inAnimal Crossing, they are mostly there to create decoration, but even games with less emphasis on growing things have a cohesive system for doing so. SinceAnimal Crossingis one of the first games to pioneer the Farming Sim genre, it might be difficult for Nintendo to admit that it needs help from its predecessors, but newer games offer plenty of inspiration for a new gardening system. Of course, new mechanics are always in development, butAnimal Crossingcan’t forget about improving its existing systems to keep the game fresh.
For an example of a new Life Sim mechanic done right, players need look no further thanTales of the Shire, which has embraced cooking in a way other Life Sims have neglected. It also seems to feature quite an extensive gardening system, as crops are needed in order to cook. PerhapsAnimal Crossingcan learn fromTales of the Shire’s cookingand gardening systems and use that game’s advancements to further its own mechanics. In this way, by looking to the future,Animal Crossingcan improve upon its past.
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 may 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.
