Review: Animal Crossing – New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons returns with a Switch 2 upgrade that is careful and deliberate rather than revolutionary.

Nintendo has taken a well-loved core and layered clearer visuals and convenience features on top, rather than reinventing the wheel. The result is familiar comfort with a few stingy but sensible refinements, and those changes matter most where they affect day to day play.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Gameplay

Gameplay remains the same gentle loop that made New Horizons a global phenomenon in 2020. You still fish, craft, curate and coax villagers into living their best lives. The update adds a few tangible systems that change how you interact with the island.

The resort hotel opens new short-form activities and visiting characters, island storage has been expanded dramatically to reduce the grind of inventory management among other little updates. These additions tidy up friction points without altering the slow, ritualistic rhythm of play.

Switch 2 Edition

Where the Switch 2 edition matters is interface and polish. The game supports enhanced resolution plus mouse support that speeds up decorating and layout work.

Nintendo also introduced a microphone megaphone mechanic for calling villagers and webcam functionality for simple in-game photography. These quality-of-life improvements make extended design sessions less fiddly and more precise. For players who spent hours obsessing over layouts in the original, the new input options are a clear usability win.

Graphics

Graphics are the cleanest iteration yet for New Horizons. Textures and lighting look more defined on Switch 2 hardware, though the game keeps the soft, storybook aesthetic rather than chasing hyperrealism. The update highlights subtle visual upgrades without losing the game’s calming palette and charm. If you expected a graphical overhaul to match next generation blockbusters you will be disappointed. If you wanted the same island, clearer and smoother, you will be satisfied.

Value for Money

Value for money depends on your relationship with the original. Nintendo priced the full Switch 2 edition at a premium, at R1 299, while offering a modest paid upgrade for existing owners at R105. For newcomers, the package is easy to recommend if you have a young gamer.

I recommended it to a colleague who got her 8-year-old a Switch 2 for Christmas but not to another colleague who recently got a Switch 2 for themselves. It might have been an archetype for cozy gaming six years ago but there are so many other cheaper options out there these days that satisfy similar itches.

For existing owners the question is whether improved visuals, better controls and the resort content justify paying the premium. The gameplay additions are meaningful but not essential, making the upgrade a sensible buy for completionists and Switch 2 early adopters, less compelling for casual players who are content with the 2020 experience.

I’m happy the upgrade itself is relatively cheap but I wish they added more to the game as there wasn’t enough to keep me hooked like the first time. Maybe I have more responsibilities today or have a 7-year-old in the house instead of a 1-year-old that needed less attention or maybe I simply sucked all the flavour out of it, like a raspberry slush puppy and there isn’t too much else to enjoy.

The pandemic-era magic that turned New Horizons into a cultural salve is still present in the core loop. The social, creative and escapist qualities that made the game a phenomenon remain intact. What has changed are expectations. Players now look for ongoing live-service content and visible value in updates. This edition answers those requests with practical improvements but not with the sweeping novelty some hoped for.

Final Verdict

A tidy, well executed polish that preserves what worked. Don’t expect enough hooks to draw you back in for a substantial amount of time.

Review: Nintendo Switch 2