Talk point: one year later, what is still missing from animal crossing: new horizons?

Animal Crossing New Horizons BrewsterNintendo Life

After a long, tiring old year, Animal crossing: new horizons need a chance. No, not the shot in the arm that is currently being rolled across the planet with varying degrees of mischief – we’m talking about a caffeine shot from the series that produces the best roasted bean juice, Brewster.

The damn fine coffee of everyone’s favorite barista is perhaps the most obvious, most ‘significant’ element from previous games that fans are desperately seeing return. After 365 days of big and small updates, we honestly thought everything would be in play now, but the huge success of the game caught Nintendo off guard and there are indications that the company may want to keep the ball rolling . further updates and refinements from recurring annual events (Bunny Day, for example, already has new items this year) and could potentially add more facilities and mechanics to the game during its second year.

We looked at things we’d like to see on an update near the launch, and we brainstormed on some more in-depth features that we wouldn’t see in May either. Indeed, a whole year since its launch, a number of requested additions have arrived – Crazy Redd, for example, bought its wares to your deserted islands in April, and extra Custom Design recordings are now available in the first anniversary update – though others are still AWOL is.

So take a brew and let’s look at the things we most want to see come across the horizon as the second year on Switch begins. There’s a poll below, so let us know what you’re looking for …

Brewster’s Roost

One of the most in-demand elements still missing at New Horizons, the ability to roll up to The Roost and grab a cup of Joe from Brewster, has been greatly missed by the AC faithful. Maybe we just need the willing ear of a barrier to throw in our appalling misery, or maybe we just want to relax in some relaxing ‘coos’ while sneaking our Arabica from the Colombian foothills.

Either way, we’re desperately hoping Nintendo has a dove up its sleeve for update 2.0. We would love to deliver coffee on the island, given the opportunity – and of course some rewards.

Resetti, Gracie, Dr. Shrunk, Wendell and other special characters

Animal Crossing New Horizons Mr Resetti© Nintendo Life

The list of special characters who have not yet arrived on our deserted islands is long. Mr. Resetti may be lingering (as an employee of the Nook Inc. rescue service, no less), but he actually has someone saw him in non-image form?

Wendell, the wandering Walrus, is one of our favorites, but we are delighted to catch the fashionista Gracie in our plaza; also the insurance salesman Lyle, Katrina the fortune teller or psychiatrist / stand-up comedian dr. Shrunk. After the past year, we could all be laughing, if not for a while on his couch, no?

Gyroids

Thyroid© Nintendo

The NL team is divided on whether Gyroids is a fun little collectible or unnecessary, dead-eyed figures that we are happy about. Some time ago, our Nintendo Life readers asked if they would like to see Gyroids return, and the answer was a resounding yes!

So yes! Why not? Let’s fill our islands with more kak fantastic items!

Tortimer’s Island and more multiplayer activities

At the moment, Ol 'Torts has a better representation in Smash.
At the moment, Ol ‘Torts has a better representation in Smash. (Image: Nintendo)

Improvements to the online component of the game – specifically regarding the rings you have to jump through to leave your island and the island teasing time-intensive process to visit more than one person on your island – maybe ask a little. Nintendo has made it clear that a fast and smooth online experience is low on the priority list; what is there may be clumsy compared to other online experiences, but it’s just about features. Good enough is good enough, it seems. It’s not like clumsy online functionality is hurting sales.

In the absence of a more thorough online update, we would like to see Tortimer return – possibly in his role as Animal cross: new leaf island tour leader, who can launch a myriad of mini-games, multiplayer-focused or otherwise in New Horizons. The Maze Maze event with the return of Rover has been one of our favorite events so far (although you much prefer Halloween and Toy Day), so any expansion on the theme would be very welcome.

Batch Crafting

RIP our right thumb.
RIP our right thumb. (Image: Nintendo Life)

Shown. That’s right, we just want to make visas faster! If we’re trying to hunt the Golden Forel or the Stringfish, it’s saving to produce visas in groups rather than getting an RSI to hit the ‘A’ button. Or at least a handsaver.

The ability to produce in groups. That’s it, Nintendo. Come, throw us a leg here! Even multiples of ten would pass our precious figures of an awful blow. You want us to keep buying games in our image, right? Our gamers need to take care of ourselves, and not help you.

Catch More Critters

After catching fish beetles and eventually sea creatures for a whole year, many players will now have completed their Critterpedia and caught absolutely every cricket in the game. For many people, the hunt for everything is an end to the game, so adding a new group of insect or sea life can be a way to attract players again.

Of course, you do not want to overwhelm beginners. If we were responsible for expanding the catchable insects in an update, we would probably need to add a special NPC as soon as you use Critterpedia 100% to provide news of new animals to catch. Maybe a new kind of tree or flower will attract new insects to your island. Perhaps a special sonar device helps to identify previously ‘hidden’ fish. Or how about receiving a gold ticket to a new tropical island filled with its own wildlife ready for cataloging? How about bird watching?

We are not sold on the idea of ​​different sizes, nor do we want Animal Crossing to turn into Pokémon (we do not really want male and female fish to be caught, or shiny versions of standard insects – can you imagine yourself ?!), but we would like a reason to cut out the bugs and the fishing rod again.

The ability to change the resident representative

Resident RepresentativeNintendo Life

It may have taken a while, but Nintendo has finally updated the game to make it possible to transfer your island to a new switch with the special Island Transfer Tool. You can also move individual players to other islands if they are not the island representative, but at present it is still not possible to switch an island’s Resident Rep.

Why do you want to do this? Suppose you bought New Horizons for one of your children and made them the ‘main player’. A month fast ahead and they lost interest – it seems you or someone else is playing more these days. Unfortunately, the progress on the island (the ability to build new structures, pay off the mortgage, etc.) is linked to the resident representative, so you have to play if they want to if you want to do things.

For some people, this addition would not make much difference – for others it would be transformative.

Old Nintendo Consoles, or an Arcade!

NES & Super Mario Bros.© Nintendo Life

Okay, let’s hear about this. Everyone wants the NES games from the original Animal transition back – but someone who pays for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription already has access to it, right? So, why not combine the two in a way that makes sense for Nintendo in 2021? If you buy the NES and SNES at Nook’s store and fuel it at home, you get a special ‘Animal Crossing’ cover in which you can play the NSO. NES / SNES games are already available. Easy!

If Nintendo wanted to go to the city and install an arcade building on our islands, we would want to be for that too. But since we can already buy the regular Switch, the Animal Crossing brand Switch and now Switch Lites (exclusively for NSO subscribers, no less), in the game, why not the NES, SNES and any other retro consoles that can appear as part of Nintendo Switch Online in the future? It will look good in our house with all the 25 year old Mario items.

Are you still playing Animal Crossing on Switch? Would any of the above additions bring you back into the fold? One-off, non-annual events, perhaps? What will New Horizons keep you fresh as the game begins its second year on the verge of Update 2.0? Let us know with a comment below.


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