With the Nintendo Switch 2 on the way, fans are speculating about what titles will be released alongside the console.Animal Crossinghas been a top contender in discussion, especially considering the massive success ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizons. However, new installments in a franchise always need to separate themselves from their predecessors in some way. The nextAnimal Crossinggame could achieve this by taking inspiration fromStardew Valley.
Many have suggested thatAnimal Crossing’s next installment will separate itself byadding more villagers and villager types. This is the most plausible way that this new game will distinguish itself. However, adding new farm mechanics toAnimal Crossingcould add to its cozy atmosphere while also adding new game play for players to enjoy.
Current Animal Crossing Farming
Of course,Animal Crossinghas toyed with farm mechanicsover the course of the franchise’s history. The most obvious example is produce inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons. Crops include carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, sugarcane, tomatoes, and wheat. These crops are used primarily for cooking ingredients, though they are also used to craft some items.
However, the growingmechanics for crops inAnimal Crossingare a tad lackluster. Crops planted from seed take up to three days to fully grow and will produce one to three vegetables depending on how much a player waters the plants. For example, two days of watering results in three crops, one day results in two, and no days results in one. Once a plant is harvested, it will regrow starting at the second stage of growth.
How Animal Crossing Could Become a Farming Simulator
While the watering mechanic for produce is interesting, it can certainly be improved.Animal Crossinghas the benefit of functioning in real world time, whileStardew Valleyruns on in-game time.Animal Crossing’s real world clockwould be an incredible and unique feature to apply to farming by varying growth times based on crop type, maintenance, and more.
Additionally, watering is the only way to develop crops asfarm game play is very simple inNew Horizons. A newAnimal Crossinggame that marketed itself as a farm that villagers could visit, rather than a town or an island, could cement itself as a farming simulator to rivalStardew Valley,especially considering how well established the franchise is. Therefore, farm mechanics inNew Horizonsshould be expanded upon to include fertilizer, plowing, and so forth.
Certain crops could also be available depending upon the seasons.Pumpkins inAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsalready have a festive reputation, with the vegetable used to craft Halloween items. If a farm-themedAnimal Crossinginstallment used the game’s real-world clock to affect crop growth, seasons should also affect which crops can be harvested and grown, once again, in the same vein asStardew Valley. This change could also inspire which crops Nintendo chooses to add toAnimal Crossing,as the current number of plants is far too low for this mechanic to work.
New Additions to Animal Crossing’s Farming
Even farm-like elements ofAnimal Crossingoutside ofNew Horizons’ crops could be expanded upon or improved in afarm-themedAnimal Crossinginstallment. Fruit trees could benefit from explicitly being a part of gardening or farming mechanics in a hypothetical future installment. Rather than picking fruit from trees indiscriminately, players could grow fruit in more realistic ways. This change may be controversial as it would be directly changing a game mechanic that’s existed inAnimal Crossingfor quite some time. However, Nintendo could justify this with the help of the hypothetical game’s explicit farming theme and a greater variety of fruit crops.
Ultimately,details of the nextAnimal Crossinggamelikely won’t be revealed until Nintendo has unveiled its next console, and possibly even later. Until then, fans can get their farming fix inStardew Valleyand try their hand at produce inAnimal Crossing.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
WHERE TO PLAY
Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. You can hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online** or with others beside you***, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.
