For this assignment, I decided to revisit a game that I, (like many others,) played a ton during quarantine: Animal Crossing: New Horizons (on the Nintendo Switch.)

I have a cyclical relationship with Animal Crossing, where I go through phases of addiction, playing it every day, followed by long periods of disinterest where I don’t touch it. It had been about a year since I last played, so I was eager to revisit and see where I had left off.

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you play as a character who resides on your own customizable island. You can complete tasks, customize your character, fish, catch bugs and build a community of animal friends. My favorite activities in the game include dressing up my character, fishing, and visiting other players’ islands using Celeste the owl. My main complaint with Animal Crossing was stated in the second paragraph where the game can become repetitive once you’ve completed all the tasks, leaving you with little to do besides customizing your island and engaging in daily activities.

While Animal Crossing visually appears to be geared toward children, Producers of the game have confirmed that the majority of players are actually in their 20s and 30s. It’s considered a “cozy,” relaxing game that provides an escape from stress, which explains its broad appeal across different age groups.