Animal Crossing: New Horizons

[killthenet]

Just 10% so I've got it for £44.99 instead of £50. 

[Happenstance]

The Game Collection have it for £39.95 if anyone is interested then. That's where I've preordered mine from.

[Ronnie]

I’ll be using one of those digital vouchers Nintendo offered. Two for £90 or whatever it was. If ever there was a game made for digital this is it I think

[Ike]

Waiting for the digital preload to go up. When does the catalogue discount expire, should be able to use it on a digital preorder.

[Julius]

English box art:

 

Quick aside: I've never actually played an Animal Crossing game before, and have only briefly seen gameplay of the DS game when I was growing up. With not many confirmed big release dates this side of 2020 for any console, let alone the Switch, I have half an eye on this.

For those who have enjoyed the series, what's the draw for you? Is there anything central to the series which might actually be off-putting for a newcomer?

Edited January 2, 2020 by Julius

[BowserBasher]

5 hours ago, Happenstance said:

How much was the discount?

10% so only £5 but it’s better than nothing. 

[BowserBasher]

22 minutes ago, Julius said:

English box art:

 

Quick aside: I've never actually played an Animal Crossing game before, and have only briefly seen gameplay of the DS game when I was growing up. With not many confirmed big release dates this side of 2020 for any console, let alone the Switch, I have half an eye on this.

For those who have enjoyed the series, what's the draw for you? Is there anything central to the series which might actually be off-putting for a newcomer?

For me it was always the relaxed nature and complete openness of the game. The only goal is the ones you set. Want to just focus on your house, do it. Want to make the whole town look nice, do it. Want to run around hitting your villagers with a net, damn right I’m doing it. The game is just go at your own pace, do what you want. With the addition on the multiplayer stuff from the DS games onwards it just added more fun. Many times me and my friends would just spend hours playing the island games in the last one. 

[bob]

I honestly couldn't tell you why the AC games are worth playing. Describing the gameplay to someone else makes it sound so dull....but it isn't.

Its basically a charming mortgage simulator.

[Grazza]

4 hours ago, Julius said:

Quick aside: I've never actually played an Animal Crossing game before, and have only briefly seen gameplay of the DS game when I was growing up. With not many confirmed big release dates this side of 2020 for any console, let alone the Switch, I have half an eye on this.

For those who have enjoyed the series, what's the draw for you? Is there anything central to the series which might actually be off-putting for a newcomer?

 

To me, the draw is that it feels like a living world that goes on whether you're playing or not.  Different shops will be open depending on what time you play.  Different wildlife will be present depending on the month.  You can also really put your personality into it, as you expand your house and fill it with your favourite furniture.

 

Those things could also be drawbacks.  If you can't play at a certain time, you may simply not be able to buy what you want, or meet with a visiting salesperson.  You might never be able to get tapes off the musician K.K. Slider if you're not in on Saturday night to hear him play.  Personally, I spent ages in New Leaf trying to collect all the modern furniture (eg. Sleek).  There has always been an element of luck and randomness to Animal Crossing.

 

We don't know exactly how the Switch version will work, and whether it'll rebalance any of these things, but those are my general impressions of the series so far.  Animal Crossing isn't for everyone, but in my opinion it's pretty much as magical as gaming can be.

[Julius]

Sounds like a warm and cosy game.

I'm going to give it a shot! Gone ahead and pre-ordered a copy  thanks for sharing your thoughts guys 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Julius

[Helmsly]

1 hour ago, Julius said:

Sounds like a warm and cosy game.

That’s a good way to describe it.

Its worth mentioning this new one looks like it’s going to start off differently to the previous games in the series.  in the older games, you moved into a established town with residents, shops, a museum etc and your contributions the town was stuff like donating things to the museum, planting trees or flowers around the place and helping your neighbours out with random tasks 

But judging by what Nintendo were showing at E3, this time it seems you will start on an empty stretch of land and will be crafting items rather then buying them. I assume we’ll be actually building everything from scratch to create the town, which will be interesting and quite a change from the previous games.

[Glen-i]

16 hours ago, Julius said:

For those who have enjoyed the series, what's the draw for you? Is there anything central to the series which might actually be off-putting for a newcomer?

Others have already mentioned most of what I was going to say, but I should mention this.

A lot of people get burned out on the game because they try to do stuff as fast as possible. Animal Crossing just isn't built like that. The best advice I can give anyone is to limit your single-player sessions each day. Try not to play more than an hour a day and you'll find the game more enjoyable once you build a daily routine.

Of course, there are exceptions. Holidays and the like are a good opportunity to get rare stuff and if someone starts a multiplayer session in their town and you want in, go ahead. But most of the time, keep it under an hour.

[Happenstance]

It would be great if this was the sneaky launch of Gamecube games on the Switch and have them available in game like we had with NES games in the original 😆

[Julius]

5 hours ago, Glen-i said:

Others have already mentioned most of what I was going to say, but I should mention this.

A lot of people get burned out on the game because they try to do stuff as fast as possible. Animal Crossing just isn't built like that. The best advice I can give anyone is to limit your single-player sessions each day. Try not to play more than an hour a day and you'll find the game more enjoyable once you build a daily routine.

Of course, there are exceptions. Holidays and the like are a good opportunity to get rare stuff and if someone starts a multiplayer session in their town and you want in, go ahead. But most of the time, keep it under an hour.

Thanks for the heads-up @Glen-i!

I've watched a few videos about what people like about Animal Crossing, and what you mentioned seemed to crop up a few times. In some discussions I even read about people burning out on the game after playing it excessively, trading it in, and then picking it back up again, as they'd have a hankering for it.

Haven't played a game where I've checked in daily before, and it sounds like a good time to look forward to each day to just let yourself slow down and relax, so I'm hoping to give this game thirty minutes to an hour of my time each day once it's out. 

Thanks again!

[Ronnie]

As expected with a Switch exclusive, beautiful box art.

I've only played one AC game, New Leaf on 3DS and put 20-30 minutes in it every day for a year. Think I might have missed about two days. Can't wait for this.

[Dcubed]

6 hours ago, Glen-i said:

Others have already mentioned most of what I was going to say, but I should mention this.

A lot of people get burned out on the game because they try to do stuff as fast as possible. Animal Crossing just isn't built like that. The best advice I can give anyone is to limit your single-player sessions each day. Try not to play more than an hour a day and you'll find the game more enjoyable once you build a daily routine.

Of course, there are exceptions. Holidays and the like are a good opportunity to get rare stuff and if someone starts a multiplayer session in their town and you want in, go ahead. But most of the time, keep it under an hour.

Very good advice.  Animal Crossing is meant to be played all year round (it has a 365 day cycle; with each day of the year having its own little events and things happening).  It's meant to be played in short bursts, little at a time over a long period of time.

[Happenstance]

I'm gonna have to fit Animal Crossing back into my morning routine.

[Julius]

Short- and long-sleeved shirts confirmed.

Why does this make me more excited..? 

[Hero-of-Time]

 

[Hero-of-Time]

I imagine a lot of people are wanting a digital version of the game. That being the case, CDKeys are selling it for £39 which is a tenner cheaper than the eShop.

HERE

 

[Ike]

Seems to be cheaper than physical as well.

[Dog-amoto]

I’m wondering if there’ll be a Switch Lite bundle with this game. Be a good gift for the missus and means she won’t be hogging my Switch for the new few months. 

I’m certain that there’ll be a Direct devoted to this game in February, hopefully they’ll announce something then. 

Edited January 27, 2020 by Dog-amoto

[Sheikah]

So you can currently pre-order this digitally at CDKeys for £38.99 at the moment (link). I'm not one to pre-order, but Nintendo have a good track record with AC and I played the hell out of the 3DS one. It's the kind of game that really suits digital. Don't forget 5% off with topcashback (new customer). Not sure, but there's often a 5% off code for CDKeys knocking about somewhere too.

 

Edit: just seen that Hero posted this ages ago.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Sheikah

[Ike]

7 hours ago, Sheikah said:

So you can currently pre-order this digitally at CDKeys for £38.99 at the moment (link). I'm not one to pre-order, but Nintendo have a good track record with AC and I played the hell out of the 3DS one. It's the kind of game that really suits digital. Don't forget 5% off with topcashback (new customer). Not sure, but there's often a 5% off code for CDKeys knocking about somewhere too.

 

Edit: just seen that Hero posted this ages ago.

There was an option on the checkout to get 2% off if you like them on Facebook. They stopped that code thing a while ago.

Shopto also has it for a similar price, but it doesn't apply to the membership discount.

[Ike]

On 27/01/2020 at 6:43 PM, Dog-amoto said:

I’m wondering if there’ll be a Switch Lite bundle with this game. Be a good gift for the missus and means she won’t be hogging my Switch for the new few months. 

I’m certain that there’ll be a Direct devoted to this game in February, hopefully they’ll announce something then. 

Dunno if it includes the game but

Not confirmed for Europe yet.

Edit: Japanese version includes the digital version.