Nintendo has never rushed to imitate its competitors. Instead, it has consistently prioritized uniqueness in its consoles and games instead of comparing itself to companies like Microsoft or Sony. The company’s inclinations towards its family-friendly entertainment have often led it to success. However, taking notes every so often from competitors like PlayStation could actually benefit it—especially when it comes to one of the most anticipated titles that has yet to be announced.
The successor to Animal Crossing: New Horizons has Nintendo fans waiting on the edge of their seats, alongside a wishlist of features that improve the player experience. When it comes to the game that will take on the torch from Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Nintendo might benefit from taking a page out of the PlayStation playbook -- specifically, PlayStation titles’ effective use of New Game Plus (NG+) modes.
Over the past few years, NG+ modes have become a staple of PlayStation exclusives. Games like God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, and Ghost of Tsushima have introduced NG+ features post-launch, allowing fans to replay the game with retained items, upgraded stats, and new challenges. It’s a system that adds long-term value to single-player experiences without demanding multiple save files or forcing players to lose their progress. For a game like Animal Crossing, which is famously a one-save-per-console experience, a similar approach could be exactly the kind of innovation needed for its next big installment.
Animal Crossing is Long Overdue the Mario Treatment
Though the Mario franchise has a 20-year head start on Animal Crossing, it's time for Nintendo to seize the same opportunities with the latter.
A Persistent Problem in Animal Crossing
One of the biggest criticisms Animal Crossing: New Horizons received from players was its rigid save structure. Players were allowed only one island per Switch console, and there was no official support or venue for multiple save files stemming from a single system. While this encouraged a sense of permanence, it also discouraged experimentation. Once an island was established and decorated, players had little reason to start over—unless New Horizons players were willing to bite the bullet and wipe away hundreds of hours of work and hard-earned items.
For a game that thrives on creativity, this limitation felt counterintuitive. Many players longed for a way to experience the early days of island life again, to feel the excitement of a tent-dwelling morning destined for gathering resources with stone tools. But starting from scratch meant losing all furniture, DIY recipes, and progress, a price most weren’t willing to pay. Creative solutions to Animal Crossing’s save file problem could guarantee that the fandom bounces back from its slumber stronger than ever.
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What an Animal Crossing NG+ Could Look Like
Nintendo doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel to fix this. A New Game Plus-style mode, introduced weeks or months after launch, could solve Animal Crossing’ s island-reset problem elegantly. Players could choose to begin a new island while carrying over specific elements, like cataloged furniture, collected DIY recipes, or Bells stored in the bank. Players could start fresh, but with the ability to decorate freely from day one, or quickly populate their growing town or island.
This wouldn’t just appeal to longtime fans. An NG+ mode would encourage replayability for casual players, allow for themed Animal Crossing islands and seasonal redesigns, and prevent burnout by offering new beginnings without hard losses. It would also align with how many modern games reward returning players: with options, not obstacles.
New Game Plus Isn't Unknown to Nintendo
Animal Crossing: New Horizons let players “flatten” their islands with the terraforming tools, effectively offering a blank slate without deleting the save. But it was far from ideal. Trees had to be chopped, paths manually removed, and buildings moved one by one at great cost. This system was tedious and time-consuming, hardly the breezy, cozy gameplay Animal Crossing is known for. So, it’s about time Animal Crossing got the treatment other games have received in the past—even Nintendo games.
Nintendo has dabbled in second chances before. NG+ allowed folks to play as Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy once they beat the final boss for the first time. If Nintendo did this over a decade ago for a beloved game, they can replicate that same magic with a franchise that is begging for the change. A built-in NG+ mode for Animal Crossing could replace this awkward workaround with something streamlined and satisfying. Considering the life-sim genre is only getting more competitive with titles like InZOI and the upcoming Paralives on the rise, it’s in Nintendo’s best interest to make Animal Crossing’s systems more flexible and future-proof.
The Timing Has Never Been Better for Animal Crossing
With the Switch 2 on the horizon and Animal Crossing: New Horizons reaching its content ceiling, Nintendo has the perfect opportunity to evolve its next entry in the franchise. The pandemic-fueled success of New Horizons showed just how vast and diverse the player base has become. This next generation of fans wants depth, variety, and most importantly, options.
Borrowing a NG+ system from its PlayStation rivals doesn’t mean Animal Crossing has to sacrifice its identity. On the contrary, it’s a chance to expand its creative possibilities while respecting the time and investment players put into their islands. The unexpected muse in PlayStation's design could mark a true debut for the Animal Crossing series in next-gen gaming. A second life shouldn’t require sacrificing the first one. If PlayStation can make NG+ feel like a reward, there’s no reason Animal Crossing can’t do the same—adorably, of course.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- March 20, 2020
- ESRB
- Everyone / Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Expansions
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Happy Home Paradise
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
