Many, myself included, were hoping for someAnimal Crossingnews with the reveal and subsequent launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, but that didn’t come to pass.Pocket Campre-launched as a premium gamelate last year on mobile devices, andNew Horizonshas gotten a couple housekeeping updates to support the Switch 2, but other than that,the series appears to be dormant until another mainline title arrives. But Nintendo, I implore you to take the easy way out.
Among the Switch 2’s innovations is a major addition to Nintendo Switch Online: GameCube emulation. Just like the NES, Super Nintendo, and N64 before it, the GameCube now has a selection of games playable from a dedicated app on the Switch 2. The main problem is there are only a fewGameCube games currently available and coming soon, but it’s also disappointing that the emulator is locked behind the Expansion Pack tier and exclusive to the Switch 2.Not included in the short list of current and upcoming games is the originalAnimal Crossing, which would ease the wait for a new installment.
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Needs Animal Crossing
The Biggest Oversight
The originalAnimal Crossingis perhaps the most glaring omissionfrom Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s Classics lineup. This is actually the second time it’s been passed over.Animal Crossingcame to the GameCube in North America in 2002, butit’s actually a localization of an enhanced version ofDōbutsu no Mori(which translates toAnimal Forest) for the Nintendo 64, which was first released in Japan in 2001.Dōbutsu no Moriisn’t even available on the Japanese version of NSO.
It’s a little more understandable that it hasn’t made it to the North American NSO, since a localization ofDōbutsu no Morididn’t previously exist.Animal Crossingis the English version ofDōbutsu no Mori+, an upgraded version of the originalthat took advantage of the GameCube hardware to include new features. ButAnimal Crossingis still exceptionally different from its Japanese source; the localization team put in tremendous effort for the translation and the addition of new items and events that would align with American culture.
Animal Crossingwas then re-localized to Japan asDōbutsu no More e+to include all the new content.
Despite not technically being the series' original game,Animal Crossingon the GameCube is an immensely important game historically for Nintendo and the franchise.Dōbutsu no Moriwas originally conceived as a dungeon-crawler RPG for the ill-fated 64DD, and a severely constrained scope in early production just happened to launch the now-beloved social simulation series.
Newer Fans Have Not Experienced The GameCube Version
A Golden Opportunity
Animal Crossinghas reached new heights withNew Horizons, by far the most popular entry in the series. Despite Nintendo’s apparent commitment to making its classic titles more readily available,it remains difficult for newer fans to experienceAnimal Crossing’s heritage. To play the original, you need a GameCube, and purchasing retro hardware is beyond many fans' interest.
The coreAnimal Crossingexperience has remained largely intact, but there are easily noticeable differences. The most striking involves the villagers and their personalities. Many familiar faces fromNew Horizonscan be found in the originalAnimal Crossing, butmany of them will be outright rude to the player. Villagers having more snark is something many longtime fans miss from the older titles, and the GameCube’s addition to NSO would let them relive those memories and give newcomers a chance to see the originalAnimal Crossingexperience.
Animal Crossing On NSO Would Make The Wait For A New Game Less Painful
We’ve Already Exceeded 5 Years
I won’t pretend to know the ins and outs of emulating a GameCube game on the Switch 2, butI have to imagine it’s far easier than developing a brand-newAnimal Crossinggame. It seems like such an obvious opportunity that I’m surprised Nintendo hasn’t already announced it.Animal Crossingfans new and old have been clamoring for more content ever sinceNew Horizons’Happy Home ParadiseDLC started to grow stale, and taking a trip down memory lane is a great way to satiate them.
It’s been more than five years sinceNew Horizonscame out, and with no news yet, it seems like the wait for a new game is going to be a long one. The Switch 2 reveal would have been the place to announce it if Nintendo had anything at all to show, so even if a newAnimal Crossingis in development – which I assume it is – it may still be at a fairly early stage. Bringing the originalAnimal Crossingto NSO would ease the wait, but that also seems to, unfortunately, be a long shot.
