Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been dubbed as the most wholesome game to be released on the Switch this year, and with good reason. It’s a fun, relaxing social simulation game where players can fish, collect bugs, and customize their homes and outfits—all while paying off their debts to the infamous raccoon landlord Tom Nook.
With everything that’s going on in the world right now, it’s no surprise that many players are delving into the world of New Horizons as an escape from reality, creating wholesome moments of their own along the way. We’ve gathered a few of our favourites to share with all of you!
Customization Galore
Let’s start with New Horizon’s customization feature, which allows players to apply custom patterns to clothing, furniture, and even themselves. While many of us are just using it to dress up as our favourite anime characters, others are overjoyed that they finally have the option to add birthmarks and other features to their in-game avatars.
Items in New Horizons have also helped players with disabilities feel more at home while playing the game. Kotaku senior reporter Mike Fahey expressed his joy in being able to equip his character with a customized wheelchair, saying “The New Horizons wheelchair means a lot to me. I imagine it means a lot to many people.”
#AniMerlCrossing
The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) found a unique way to introduce gamers to English history by challenging players to recreate dresses and smocks from the museum’s collection. We’re not sure what’s more wholesome–the lovingly detailed fan submissions, or MERL’s enthusiastic responses to them.
You can join in the fun by recreating a historical outfit and posting a screenshot under the #AniMerlCrossing hashtag.
Meet-ups and Gatherings
Spending time with your friends and family has never been easier, especially for players who live far apart from one another. For example, the museum seems to be a popular choice with couples going on a long-distance date night.
Players are also hosting all kinds of social gatherings on their islands. From birthday parties to a recreation of the Pokémon World Championships, the sky is definitely the limit when it comes to hanging out in the world of Animal Crossing.
Tying the Knot
A couple named Sharmin Asha and Nazmul Ahmed took dating in New Horizons one step further by holding a virtual wedding ceremony.
As the story goes, Nazmul invited his fiancee Sharmin over to his island after their wedding was cancelled due to unforeseen events, where he and a number of the couple’s friends surprised her with a wedding gown and a decorated aisle.
As Sharmin describes it, “I’m graduating from med school and not getting a graduation and our wedding was cancelled. I was feeling pretty down about missing out on my milestones. This made me so happy. I don’t even have the words to describe how much it meant to me.“
Grandma Audie
If you’ve been a long-time fan of Animal Crossing, you might have heard of Audrey “Audie” Buchanan, an 87-year-old grandmother who spent more than 3,500 hours playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf. As a retiree, Audie used the game as a form of social connection, occasionally linking her 3DS to her grandson’s so the two could play together.
Her grandson, game designer Paul Hubans, made a series of viral tweets and videos where he showed off her dedication to the game, inspiring fans to crowdfund an Animal Crossing edition of the Switch for the family. It seems that Nintendo caught wind of this senior super-fan as well, as New Horizons features a villager named after her.
Paul took to Twitter to thank fans for showing the character to him, and gave a few updates on his cross-country trip to deliver the Switch to his beloved grandma. While Audie has yet to meet her in-game counterpart, we’re sure that her reaction will be nothing short of heartwarming.
There you have it: our top five favourite Animal Crossing: New Horizons stories!
Have a wholesome videogame encounter to share with us? Share your story in the comments below or on our Facebook page!
