Despite being eight years older, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The landmark Nintendo Switch title has received high praise from critics and players alike since its launch in 2020. Nevertheless, New Leaf feels as if it has more to offer players even if on the smaller system of the Nintendo 3DS.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons does technically have more to offer, of course. The Nintendo Switch title launched with more characters and furniture items than any of its predecessors. The difference between it and Animal Crossing: New Leaf has only increased over time with the Happy Home Paradise DLC and the updates that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has received over the last two years.
However, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons updates and DLC are precisely what make it a lesser game than Animal Crossing: New Leaf. When the Nintendo 3DS title came out in 2012, it was designed to be a finished product. Conversely, ACNH suffered from a period after launch in which it felt empty and unfinished and has only now begun to feel complete two years after launch and extra paid content.
The Emptiness of Animal Crossing: New Horizons At Launch
Animal Crossing: New Horizons had the benefit of coming out during the pandemic. So much hype was built around the game for its ability to transport players into a world much easier and sweeter than the one they lived in. But after a few weeks of play, the luster wore off. Villager dialogue was shallower than in the past, collecting museum artifacts was made simple with the ease of time traveling in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and progression through the game was simplistic to the point that it always felt there was only one to two tasks players could complete a day. The game thus began to feel empty, and the only event immediately available to mitigate this problem was seasonal events like Animal Crossing: New Horizons' dreaded Bunny Day. It was only until the version 2.0 update and Happy Home Paradise came around that ACNH truly came into its own, but this was at the cost of $25 on top of the main game.
In contrast, Animal Crossing: New Leaf was released as a complete package. Between the process of gaining villagers, unlocking and upgrading parts of Main Street, and visiting friends, the base game of New Leaf alone allowed the Nintendo 3DS title to keep fans satiated for a whole eight whole years between main series entries. Meanwhile, ACNH already has fans awaiting the next Animal Crossing sequel. Nintendo has generally gone the route of publishing incomplete titles and then pushing much needed DLC after the fact as of late - it is the reason why even games like Nintendo Switch Sports will have DLC. But the longevity of New Leaf when compared to New Horizons' goes to show that having polished product at launch means the world to fans
Even though Animal Crossing: New Horizons has had its problems, it is still a successful and much beloved game. The additions it brought to the series, like remote islands for villager hunting and outdoor decorations, will likely be staples from now on. Nevertheless, the next installment should emulate Animal Crossing: New Leaf more than Animal Crossing: New Horizons to ensure fans can have a fulfilling experience at launch rather than two years after release.
