The Animal Crossing franchise has a lot to live up to moving forward, as the series' last installment, New Horizons, is one of the most beloved simulation games. Nintendo may be tempted to recreate popular aspects of New Horizons’ gameplay for the next Animal Crossing title, but one new simulation game from a major IP proves that the developer should mimic New Horizons’ approach rather than its central gameplay.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure only had its PC and console debut back in January. The game was first released for Apple Arcade, and some major aspects of Hello Kitty Island Adventure remain exclusive to that platform to this day. Nevertheless, Hello Kitty Island Adventure has solidified itself as a popular challenger to many games in the simulation genre, and its rivalry with the Animal Crossing franchise could loom large.
One Hello Kitty Feature Would Be a Nightmare for Blathers, But a Dream Come True For Animal Crossing Fans
Hello Kitty Island Adventure may be the new kid on the block, but Animal Crossing should keep its eye on the game's creepy crawlies.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure is Stiff Competition
Despite the unique aspects of Hello Kitty Island Adventure, comparisons between the Sanrio-themed simulation game and the Animal Crossing franchise are unavoidable. Like many of the simulation games that have followed in Animal Crossing’s wake, Hello Kitty Island Adventure has gameplay that is similar to Animal Crossing titles, and it features an island setting, item crafting, fishing, catching critters that can be donated to a Nature Preserve, villagers, and much more. It's clear that Hello Kitty Island Adventure takes inspiration from Animal Crossing.
But Hello Kitty Island Adventure puts its own spin on these pre-established tropes. Rather than having players create a human avatar, Hello Kitty Island Adventure’s avatars are animals, just like the island’s iconic Sanrio villagers. Additionally, the critters that players can catch aren't restricted to bugs, fish and sea creatures, as there are also birds and mythical beasts. Hello Kitty Island Adventure also has quality of life differences from New Horizons, such as allowing players to craft multiple items at a time.
Simply put, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is proof that New Horizons can be improved upon. As more competitors, especially those tied to large IPs like Sanrio, expand into simulation gaming, it’s clear that Nintendo needs to step up its game with the next Animal Crossing title.
Animal Crossing Needs to Keep the Spirit of New Horizons Alive by Innovating Rather than Remaining Static
Improving upon Animal Crossing: New Horizons is obviously easier said than done. Players have a laundry list of improvements that they would like to see made for the next entry, but many of those imporvements are quality-of-life fixes rather than new gameplay features that could make a new Animal Crossing title distinct from its predecessors. While the next Animal Crossing could allow players to craft multiple items at the same time, improve multiplayer interactions, add more tasks, and fix other issues that New Horizons currently faces, the game also has to have a unique hook. Simply being Animal Crossing might not be enough for the franchise any longer as it faces so much competition.
New Horizons changed the location that players renovate from a village to an island, a move that proved New Horizons wanted to set itself apart from previous entries in the series. The next title could also feature a similar change of location, but expanding upon the gameplay features that players love from New Horizons, and the Animal Crossing franchise in general, would probably be a safer option.
The next title also shouldn’t blatantly copy its competitors, like Hello Kitty Island Adventure or Disney Dreamlight Valley. For example, expanding New Horizons' diving mechanic would make the next Animal Crossing title stand out, but it would need to be distinct from Hello Kitty Island Adventure’s take on that system. Nevertheless, Hello Kitty Island Adventure has proven itself to be a worthy competitor to the Animal Crossing franchise. Time will only tell if the next Animal Crossing title can stand up to Hello Kitty Island Adventure and the current state of the simulation genre.
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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
