I’m a fan of Nintendo and their games. I had the Gameboys, the Nintendo 3DS, and more recently, I picked up a Switch Lite. Animal Crossing is one of Nintendo’s most popular properties, and in this time of strife, it’s ever more apparent.

Now of course, as you all may of heard about the Movement Control Orders in Malaysia, you’re essentially stuck at home for two weeks. Maybe even more, depending on the amount cases after this period.

With that, you’re probably twiddling you thumbs at home, wondering what you should actually be doing. Of course, some of us are still working from home, like the LiveatPC.com team, some have online classes, and some just don’t have anything to do. But between working, and being at home, you probably have enough downtime. What better way than to escape to your very own private island paradise, with Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

That being said, let’s get into some reasons why Animal Crossing is the quarantine companion to have:

Escapism

Now, for me personally, I tend to get a bit too involved in the media I consume. Be it a movie, a Netflix series, and especially, gaming. Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes you to a deserted island, where you are tasked with building up the place to your liking. It looks to be the perfect place to get lost in, and indulge in some healthy, evergreen escapism.

And considering the current state of affairs in Malaysia and the World, I’m sure we all could use some. Like I said, it’s about getting lost in another world. Akin to Stardew Valley, you’re disconnecting from the real world, and moving into a place you can farm, speak to your friends who are for some reason animals, fish, and all manner of calming activities.

The Most Gorgeous Animal Crossing Game To Date

Undoubtedly, New Horizons is the most gorgeous Animal Crossing game to date. Not to mention this is the first iteration to be on a console, the Nintendo Switch, meaning you can play the game on your TV. Something which has been missing with past iterations on the 3DS, and other handheld game systems. And because of that, (and because the Switch is Nintendo’s most powerful console to date) everything is beautifully designed. I mean, check out the detail in the grass, in the leaves, the crystal blue water.

Best part? Everything looks better in game, as the leaves sway with the wind, flowers bloom, and the crisp looking characters. Granted, not everyone is into the cutesy design of Animal Crossing, even I wasn’t. But the more I read about the franchise, what it’s about, and New Horizons in particular, I couldn’t help but overlook the game’s design.

Now, I’m into it.

Real Time Adventure

One of the things that really got me into the concept of Animal Crossing was the fact that the game uses real-time in game. This means that if it’s morning in real life, it’ll be morning in game. Is it the evening where you’re at? It’s evening in game. They also have events for various celebrations in real life such as Halloween, New Years, Christmas, almost everything you can think of.

You could essentially celebrate New Years in game with your animal friends, instead of going out.

This system also means that things that you do also is timed. You can’t go sell something when it’s midnight because well, people are sleeping. You can’t find certain rare bugs, fruits, and other collectibles around in the morning because it’s only available at night.

There’s just something about a game that I have to do certain things at certain timings in real life, that makes me super into it. I don’t know what it is, but I like it.

EVERYTHING IS CUTE

Literally everything about the game is inherently cute. It’s a nice change of pace from the serious, dark undertones in The Witcher 3, or Doom, or any number of games. People might be less into the game considering the style, and thinking the games just for kids. But don’t be fooled, Animal Crossing has a huge adult fan base, and I’d argue more so than children fans.

It’s something to get used to, but it’s a welcome change from other styles of games. I’m not the hugest fan of it, but it really works for the type of game that it is.

You Can Play It How YOU Want

And now, to one of the most important aspects of the game that I truly enjoy, is you can play it however you see fit. There’s no set end goal, you’re just literally living on the island, exploring, and chatting with friends you’ve made along the way. There are side goals like, pick up a certain number of flowers, or maybe get a certain amount of bells (in-game currency), so there are things to build up to. There’s also a bunch of furniture, clothes, hairstyles, and more to collect, so I don’t see you running out of things to do anytime soon. But overall, it’s meant to be a stress reliever.

There’s a number of new additions to the game too, like the Nook phone, Nook Miles, and terraforming. So there is something new in comparison to older iterations. The game is slower paced considering that it’s moving in real-time, so keep that in mind. The game is meant to be played for maybe 1-2 hours at a time, so you’re not going to be fatigued (if you play it right).

And that’s it! 5 reasons I think Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a perfect fit for the current situation we’re in. The game is scheduled is already available, so if you’ve got a Nintendo Switch, consider picking it up!