Animal Crossing: New Horizons Reviews

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is ranked in the 99th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8.5 / 10.0
Mar 28, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a beautiful game that is a charming distraction from the real world (despite me still owing over 100,000 bells to an entrepreneurial Tanuki). I don’t even think I have begun to scrape the surface but I am so excited for my island to flourish.

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95 / 100
Mar 29, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is easily the best Animal Crossing game to date. This life simulator is the most immersive, feature-filled, and customizable to date, having exponentially amplified all the charm and addicting qualities of New Leaf. A must have for any fan of the series, or anyone who simply needs a distraction from the current state of the real world.

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Mar 29, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the perfect getaway from daily life, putting players in a serene world where the only thing that matters is catching fish and arranging furniture. Its crafting system creates a sense of ownership over the island while also doubling as a creative outlet. It's an absolutely delightful and refreshing experience.

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KeenGamer
Dakota Gordon
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2020

You've been invited to a new horizon: will you take it? The first console Animal Crossing game since New Leaf, New Horizons allows the player to civilize a deserted island, review its structure, and build themselves from scratch. Though the title implies otherwise, not everything here is as fresh as advertised.

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9.4 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2020

Animal Crossing New Horizons perfectly combines what was seen in the saga, adding details that make it unique. The best way to evolve one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 30, 2020

Lots small details and progress, that build up over time into something greater. If you’re looking for a challenge or an epic quest, you won’t find it here. If you want a way to chill out, and build something you can take pride in (albeit, once), then Tom Nook has the perfect package for you.

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Twinfinite
Rebecca Stone
Top Critic
4.5 / 5.0
Mar 30, 2020

New Horizons is the definitive Animal Crossing experience—that much is clear after a relatively short amount of time spent with it. And with the promise of future holiday updates, it’s guaranteed that fans both new and old will return to their islands again and again for many years to come.

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9.5 / 10.0
Mar 30, 2020

It's the best Animal Crossing yet, with the best visuals, unparalleled customization, wonderful villagers, and so much content that it isn't even funny. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is Nintendo at its best.

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 30, 2020

That head might naturally drift towards the hellishly contorted world we live in, and not the delightfully cartoonish one of Animal Crossing, but escapism is overrated anyway. I'd rather worry about every aspect of modern living while quietly reflecting on the rhythmic roar of a videogame ocean than while sitting slackjawed in a living room I won't ever be able to leave again. Give me these New Horizons—rigid, commercial, and staid—over the chaos of the last decade.

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9 / 10
Mar 30, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is yet another title that you can clearly see Nintendo's mark on it. It aims only to entertain, and it succeeds. If you are looking to distant yourself from all the violence and adrenaline that most games on the market are offering right now, then this is a perfect match for you.

Review in Persian | Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Mar 30, 2020

EXCELLENT - I absolutely adore Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Fans of the series will appreciate numerous quality of life improvements, especially when it comes to interior decorating. The new crafting mechanic and Nook Miles Rewards system are welcome additions to an already addictive experience. With beautiful graphics, charming characters, memorable soundtrack, and an unbelievable lasting value, this one will be on my Switch HOME screen for years to come.

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9 / 10
Apr 1, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons marks the return of the much appreciated series to a Nintendo home console and this new episode is an achievement in every way. With its familiar formula but adding some new mechanics, New Horizons features a fantastic sense of progression, a lot of generosity in its rewards and puts the player in a wonderful environment, all these being major pillars of creating a marvelous experience where we most expect it.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Apr 2, 2020

This island is full of adventures. You can spend a lot of time here. Becouse there is so much fun... well and it is slow.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

10 / 10
Apr 2, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a masterpiece. I have no doubt that it would be a smash hit no matter when it released, but coming just as the world went into a lockdown has played to it’s advantage also. It is giving people a routine when they otherwise wouldn’t have one and honestly being ill myself over the last week, it has been a life saver. The greatest compliment I can give it is that earlier tonight the sequel to my favourite game of all time (Last of Us) was delayed and my first thought was; “More time for Animal Crossing”.

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Apr 2, 2020

"Time to craft some hardwood."

Review in Finnish | Read full review

Will Greenwald
Top Critic
Apr 2, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is fun, relaxing and simply very chill. You won’t feel pressure while playing, and you probably won’t get much of a sense of competition. If you’re looking for structured goals and a distinct progression towards a specific end, you won’t find it in this game. What you will find is a big island you can customize and develop and trim to your heart’s content, with plenty of things to build, buy, and place wherever you’d like. Like a bonsai tree, rather than a board game.

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Unscored
Apr 2, 2020

The newest Animal Crossing is a relaxing game, specially for quarantine times. Although the tools mechanic definitely can be a chore and makes feel the game a little grindy, is a game you'll play every day in short bursts. Unless you wanna piss off Tom Nook.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

A
Apr 3, 2020

If you’ve never played Animal Crossing before, New Horizons will suck you into it’s ostensibly calm island world like nothing else. For series veterans, you will eagerly surrender to this whirlpool, only to emerge in time for the next entry in the series.

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9 / 10.0
Apr 3, 2020

By bringing players into their own island, Animal Crossing: New Horizons works the series' charming, wholesome magic like never before.

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Nintendo Enthusiast
Daniel Thompson
Top Critic
9.5 / 10.0
Apr 3, 2020

Animal Crossing: New Horizons ultimately helped me better appreciate the importance of being able to spend time with others. With or without a pandemic, this is one of the best games to have graced Nintendo Switch yet. It's the purest and most engaging form of Eguchi's vision, and there's an unparalleled belonging and meaning that'll draw me back in for a long time to come.

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