It's not controversial to say that Animal Crossing is one of the most influential life-simulation franchises of all time, inspiring a number of competitors, including wildly successful games like Stardew Valley and Disney Dreamlight Valley. But despite myriad copycats and spiritual successors, Animal Crossing remains firmly planted in a league of its own, and it doesn't look like its crown is going to be nabbed any time soon.
A big part of this is the franchise's distinct design choices, one of the more significant being its isometric perspective, which has remained unchanged even as the industry trends away from the presentation style. The aforementioned Disney Dreamlight Valley is a strong example of what the Animal Crossing formula can achieve through a more contemporary third-person POV, which allows for more immersive gameplay. At the same time, Animal Crossing's isometric style is an increasingly important part of its identity; it simply wouldn't be Animal Crossing without it. Still, perhaps the franchise could benefit from some greater experimentation in this regard, and it's worth exploring just what such experimentation could look like.
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As it stands, Animal Crossing's unmistakable visual flavor is evocative of a set of miniatures: players look down on a simple, dense landscape with numerous models and doll-like creatures, all of which can be manipulated in various ways. But this design philosophy comes at the cost of both immersion and visual flexibility, the latter of which being a particularly significant issue given Animal Crossing's focus on customization and home-building.
Consider a game like Minecraft, whose third-and first-person perspective options allow players to fully explore their creations in an intuitive manner. Once a structure is built, Minecraft players can navigate it like a 3D space in any other game, which can feel immensely rewarding, especially after hours of hard, meticulous work; the option to explore these custom creations in such a way adds, quite literally, a new dimension to the player's relationship with their in-game work. For many, the choice to have a behind-the-shoulder or first-person camera can go a long way toward making a game world feel more tangible and immersive, so injecting future Animal Crossing games with this design choice could be beneficial across these vectors.
Recent Bethesda games, namely Fallout 4 and Starfield, also exemplify the benefits of more traditional, non-isometric perspectives in relation to base-building and personalization.
A Third-Person Perspective Could Dilute Animal Crossing's Identity
Animal Crossing's "miniatures" style might not be to everyone's liking, but it's an undeniably important part of the franchise's legacy and aesthetic. The feeling of playing with dolls from a birds-eye view is a big part of what makes Animal Crossing so enduring, endearing, and lovable. Undermining this stylistic approach with a more modern third-person camera might make for greater immersion, but maybe immersion—as most gamers conceptualize it, at least—isn't what Animal Crossing needs to remain great. Maybe the sense of quaintness evoked by the isometric perspective isn't a problem to be fixed, but an inextricable element of the Animal Crossing experience.
Animal Crossing would certainly be more like other so-called "cozy" games were it to adopt a third-person perspective, but that might not be a good thing. Players come to Animal Crossing because they are confident that it will provide an experience that other cozy life sims, of which there are countless, simply can't match; while Animal Crossing's top-down perspective is hardly its most important long-running feature, it is still a critical one, and a lynchpin that holds the series' unique aesthetic together. Removing it could cause its broader identity to fall apart in the long run.
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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
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 can 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.
- Franchise
- Animal Crossing
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- How Long To Beat
- 100 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
