Since its 2001 debut, the Animal Crossing series has wiggled its way into the hearts of gamers. The series is praised for its relaxing atmosphere that targeted to casual gamers. After all, it's unique to find a game that focuses on the simple things in life. Gardening, fishing and chatting with neighbors remain at the forefront of gameplay. Unlike most titles, there is no defined end goal. This feature puts the creative control in players' hands, making the series a welcome form of escapism.
Animal Crossing's success is undeniable. It contains some of the best-selling games on Nintendo consoles. Despite spin-off flops, the majority of the franchise is well-received. City Folk and New Horizons mark the ends of the reception spectrum. Critics saw City Folk as a "lazy" sequel, whereas New Horizons was deemed "brilliant." Using critic scores from Metacritic, let's breakdown City Folk, New Horizons and everything in between.
Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival: 46/100
This Animal Crossing spin-off is notoriously known as a commercial failure. Billed as a party video game, it wasn't very interesting. Although its presentation was decent, critics couldn't look past the repetitive gameplay, poor amiibo integration and lack of innovation. For those reasons, this "party" is a real dud.
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer: 66/100
Happy Home Designer is another spin-off of the Animal Crossing series. With sandbox gameplay, it was praised for creative freedom but lacked any real depth or challenge. As a standalone installment, Happy Home Designer was too shallow to hold Animal Crossing fans' attention.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp: 72/100
This spin-off is a free-to-play mobile game similar to Pokémon GO. The social simulator lets players interact with a small campsite where they can meet other campers, perform small tasks, engage in commerce and decorate living spaces. Although Pocket Camp is the most well-received spin-off, it's average reviews do little to compete with the main series.
Animal Crossing: City Folk: 73/100
Although it was praised for its "Nintendo Charm," City Folk received low scores from critics. The game offers nothing new from previous installments, making it monotonous for veterans players. Despite IGN's nomination for Best Family Game and Best Online Multiplayer Game, City Folk walked away with the Least Improved Sequel award.
City Folk managed to become a best-selling title, but some argue its success is primarily due to new gamers and not the existing fan base. As IGN's Craig Harris says, "Animal Crossing: City Folk wasn't made for Animal Crossing fans. It was made for those that missed out the first two times." The game is often criticized as being "lazy" and perhaps a compilation of Nintendo's unused ideas rather than fresh content. For its lack of novelty, Animal Crossing: City Folk earns the lowest score among the main series.
Animal Crossing: Wild World: 86/100
Wild World is the series' second installment and the first to incorporate online play, a feature desperately desired by fans. The game was praised for its intuitiveness, but some believed the changes were incremental. Although Wild World is nothing remarkable, it remains a relaxing, enjoyable experience that is sure to offer countless hours of playability.
Animal Crossing: 87/100
Breaking onto the scene in 2001, Animal Crossing received critical acclaim from reviewers, making it one of the best-selling Nintendo GameCube games of all time. It was a commercial success that went on to inspire multiple installments and a Japanese animated film. The simulator snagged awards for Innovation in Console Gaming, Outstanding Achievement in Game Design and Console Role-Playing Game of the Year.
Taking a page from titles like Harvest Moon, Nintendo managed to make chores fun. From the real-time clock, dynamic seasons and social focus, Animal Crossing set a precedent for future installments. And with the help of cute animal villagers, it was a recipe for success. By targeting more casual gamers, Animal Crossing became known as "the game for everybody," helping it to develop into the addicting franchise it is today.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: 88/100
New Leaf marked a change in the series. Although gameplay remained relatively consistent, players could now become the mayor of the town. With the aid of a secretary and villagers, the goal is to make the city a better place to live. The additions of swimming and diving allowed players to interact with the world in a new way. In combination with furniture customization options, New Leaf achieved the delicate balance of novelty and familiarity.
As a result, the reception was positive, with reviewers saying the game's visuals and attention to detail gave the virtual world a "real, tangible depth." Often described as "magical," New Leaf isn't just another tiresome installment -- it is a new world based on exploration and surprise.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 90/100
New Horizons took the gaming community by storm during the pandemic. Even non-gamers scooped up the Nintendo Switch Exclusive to see what all the rage was about. The success made it the second best-selling Switch game of all time.
New Horizons received universal acclaim. Reviewers praised the game's "chilled out" and relaxing atmosphere. As with previous installments, New Horizons offers player control and creativity but with better graphics. It cannot be denied that the pandemic played a significant role in the game's success. New Horizons became a form of escapism for those dealing with extra stress. Due to social distancing regulations, it was utilized for weddings and graduations. Joe Biden even got in on the action, releasing digital yard signs for players to decorate their island with. While the globe was grappling with scary unknowns, New Horizons acted as a whimsical constant.