Summary
One of the best parts of 2020’sAnimal Crossing: New Horizonswas the sheer level of unprecedented freedom that it gave players. For the first time, players had practically full control over what they wanted their island to look like. From the villagers to the most minute of details, it offered something truly special. However, even with all of that freedom, there was one feature missing fromAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsthat definitely needs to make a comeback.
WhileNew Horizonsdid have a lot of franchise firsts, it also took away a popular, albeit a bit limited,mechanic fromNew Leaf. In that game, players were also given the ability to customize their town hall to match whatever type of village they were building. That type of feature sounds like the perfect fit for this series, yet Nintendo chose not to include it in its biggest entry to date. But hopefully, whenever the next game comes around, it brings the feature back while taking it to the next level.
Animal Crossing’s Town Halls Need to Be Injected With Some Life
New Leaf Gave Players Control Over Their Town Hall
SinceAnimal Crossing: Wild World, players have been given a village to call their own, and at the center of the village a town hall usually stands. This town hall has operated as the central hub for many of the village’s core services. Players can use it to inquire about different aspects of their town, change the town tune, collect donations, send letters, pay their bills, or access their bank. Outside of that, they really did not have much control over its actual appearance. ButNew Leafchanged all of that.
InAnimal Crossing: New Leaf, players assume the role of mayor, so the town hall becomes their base of operations. Because of this new role, they are also given the ability to actually customize this building to their liking. Once players get a perfect town, they can raise funds to expand the town hall with brand-new looks. It can look like a Zen Castle, like it was ripped straight from a fairy tale, or like a modern building. While these projects can be expensive, they gave players far more freedom in designing their town, which made for a fantastic addition to the formula.
New Horizons' Sequel Should Really Take the Town Hall to New Heights
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsgave players a deserted island and let them run wild by designing it however they wanted. Despite all of its massive changes and the increased freedom,Nintendo did not bring the customizable town hall back. The Resident Services building can be upgraded into a massive town hall, but that hall cannot be further customized no matter how perfect the town is. Instead, players are stuck with the same exact building.
For a game that has given players unprecedented freedom, removing that customization option seems like a strange choice.New Horizonshad the chance to improve upon the conceptdrastically by giving players far more exterior options, letting them have control over the plaza, and maybe even giving them the ability to mess around with the interior a bit. Sadly, that is not the case, butNew Horizons’eventual sequel could rectify that.
The nextAnimal Crossingwill likely remove even more barriers, and hopefully, that includes giving players free rein to build their perfect Town Hall. Letting them fully design it not only gives them even more control over their island, but could also mean that no two villages are truly alike. Additionally, anyone that is trying to design a specific themed island will no longer have to deal with a Town Hall that stands out among everything else. As long as it is actually fun to customize, giving players that option feels like a must.
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.
