The Time Animal Crossing Took Over The World 

Bed-bound from a traumatic birth, my wife could do little during the first months of lockdown. I would plan and prepare online learning for my pupils next to her, our newborn son nestled between us. She would play ACNH and I would join her when I wasn't needed by my class. My first few months of parenthood are forever linked to ACNH. I remember my boy bopping to KK, having distant friends closer than neighbours, going out on virtual dates with a wife who couldn't even stand irl, and making friends. ACNH is more than a game to me, it is a chapter of my life - maybe the most important one.

I can't believe it's been long enough for us to reminisce about New Horizons.

How is this game 3 years old already?! This game saved me through lockdown and got me hooked on gaming again for the first time since I was a kid. To say it changed my life is an understatement

this game and Pokemon GO are IMO the only games that could truly be described as a worldwide phenomenon, and it’s kind of insane how socially and circumstantially opposite they were from each other. the game that kept the world outside, and the game that kept the world inside.

Will never forget it. Such a strange time in the world

I've been playing this game for 2 years every day and it's a perfect anti-stress. That's why no matter how much technology PS5 and Xbox have, they will never give me a game like this. 😊

This game literally saved my mental health during COVID

This is the game that made me get a Switch, and it did not disappoint. Coming from Wild World and Let's Go to the City, New Horizons was and, especially now with the DLC, is absolutely amazing to me. Of course there's a few improvements I could think of, and I didn't like the whole 'gradual updates' thing (especially for bigger gameplay features), but I still had a freaking great time 💜

This game saved me, while working onsite, peak pandemic. Removes stress for quite a bit. Living in my own bubble.

I don’t think New Horizons will have the same lasting effect as New Leaf but it will definitely be remembered as the game that got people through the first half of the pandemic.

Remember when Alex, Zion, and Jon toured each other's islands?🥺

I think it’s funny how we will all look at the lock down as just another nostalgic memory. Despite the tragic events that went on, we still came together and enjoyed one of the best games to have come out of our generation. And like they said .. it was an escape for everyone that played it

For me, its the music of the game that'll forever hold a special place in my heart. hearing it today, I stared tearing up. I am sure that it will do the same for me 20 years from now too! Thank You ACNH for being a happy memory for me.

It's so weird for me to hear about this apparent phenomenon that happened with this game, as a huge AC fan I was avoiding anything about the game so I could go in as fresh as possible. And I didn't get to play it until early May that year, so I didn't know it had "taken over the world" until the dust had already kinda settled.

I was one of those people who got it during lockdown. I spent a month trying to get my hands on a switch and when I finally did AC was one of the first games I got. I knew about the game already because I had friends who played the older games but I didn’t actually play until this one. I’ve been addicted ever since!

This game was sold out everywhere, it was at the height of lock downs. It was the right game for that time, being home with no where to go. My first casual farm sim game, it was a great timesink.

I remember how exciting it was to wake up everyday and wonder what new things was happening on my island. I remember the excitement of getting the vaulting pole and ladder to explore the rest of the island after starting the game. Seeing my island in it's early stage with nothing but trees, weeds, and grass, with me wondering how it would look like someday in the future. Now, I think back to those times and just remember how good it felt to be playing the game at the time. Hearing so many songs from the game like the prologue music and some of the hourly songs like the 6pm theme just brings me back to those early months of the game's life. After experiencing this game's release, I am very excited for next Animal Crossing game so I can have a similar experience all over again.

Loved your stories! I have played every single day since release 🤣 1500+ hours. It still keeps me sane...

New Horizons was there for me at one of the weirdest times in my life (beyond just the pandemic), and I’m so, so thankful it happened when it did. I haven’t played consistently in months, mostly because of time and attention span, but it will always have a place in my heart

It was like an event opposite the crazy beginning of Pokémon Go. Remember when everyone left their house for walks and stuff to catch pokemon? This time we all stayed inside and played a game together on our own/online because going outside was potentially dangerous... Crazy times.

New Horizons was such a great game to play during quarantine. It may have its flaws, but it still holds such a special place in my heart.

I'm still angered, yes, angered, that Nintendo dropped all support for this game after 1 year. It's a disservice to the fans. As someone who started with New Leaf, the amount of content lacking in New Horizons was frustrating then, and even after the update, there's still much to be desired. No DLC support past 1 year is contrary to how other mainline Switch games were handled by Nintendo; look at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, look at Splatoon 3, look at Smash Bros...all had support. Animal Crossing? Nothing. Did Nintendo tell the dev team to focus solely on Splatoon 3 instead of ACNH? After all, aren't the two games made by the same team? Did the pandemic cause Nintendo to reevaluate ACNH's road map? Whatever the case is, Animal Crossing: New Horizons had the potential to go far. Instead, Nintendo squandered it.

I can't believe it's already been three years! I related a lot to Felix, since I'd never played Animal Crossing before but was extremely excited for this one. And boy did it live up to the hype. Happy third anniversary!

Like many people, this game seriously helped me through Lockdown. I was one of the people who could do my job from home so I was never furloughed, but I definitely felt the isolation of being shut in all day every day with nobody else around. Escaping into my little island paradise was a massive relief during that time. I really should go back in and see my island again.

Lockdown hit me the same day this game came out. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm glad it came when it did.

This game helped me through depression, seclusion, and anxiety from a world that was shutting down. I was living with my grandparents, working two jobs, part time student, and the shut down was making me worry that I was going to lose one of my jobs (which was IT work for the college I was attending). This game helped me reconnect with my cousin who was like a sister to me when we were kids, but she moved south years ago so we only got to see each other during holidays and played catch up with each other's lives. This game gave us a way to stay connected on a daily basis. It kept my head out of the dark clouds.

Even people at work who have nothing to do with gaming got Animal Crossing and it was so fun talking about it.

I still play It every day I'm always Improving my Island and 3 years later still finding new Items In the shop I found several cars and that gave me the idea to tear down part of my forest and build a road Then I moved the villagers Into a small... village type area and then there's my house I actually have a weird animal crossing morning routine, wake up, open the curtains, change my outfit, have breakfast, go outside and check the stores, clean weeds then I get friends over to see the changes It's also a good cure for homesickness, bring your switch with you and you see this place you created, like bringing your home with you while going out

Ok unpopular opinion: I kinda miss those days 😅 Even before covid I've always just been in my house living the introvert life, covid just made everyone else live like me. Like how dare the public show itself in public 😂 But of course I don't miss how everyone is in a panic and a deadly virus is spreading

I remember the weddings, graduations, parties and meetings made on the game.

This game deserves more support. I remember buying the switch 2 days before lockdown here in the Philippines and buying sd memory card 1 day before lockdown. I couldn't buy the new horizons special edition switch and physical copy of the game But I bought it digital and the rest was history. I truly cherish and love this game! Thanks Nintendo for making the Covid time have a good side despite the lockdown!

I have so many fond memories of this game, I remember seeing a short 30 second ad on TV , and falling in love with the game! I preordered it and received it on launch day, and played it every day for about 7 months. I didn't play the game much that winter, but the next after the 2.0 update I fell in love with the game all over again!

Just lovely to hear of all these experiences with the game you three have had. Just such a beautiful time. Weird, but beautiful. Makes me want to look back at things I'd written about it across the first year and all those experiences I'd had beyond.

I remember freaking out for watching the animal crossing direct. My friend came over and we watched it together and I was freaking out over every single detail like this game was like my second life essentially and I’ve played it every day in 2020 basically, eat, play animal crossing, sleep, repeat 🔂 basically my life in 2020 after school on zoom ended. I don’t play it nearly as much because my work hours after graduation are crazy but I always have a blast with it. I can’t believe it’s been three years. I did get an OLED switch, so I’m working on my second island with a theme so I think that helps with like motivation and stuff. But I love it just recently hit 5 stars on LazyIsle, still got ways to go, but I’m slowly but surely getting there! 😻

I enjoyed this video! It was great to reminisce about ACNH. I think I played it solidly for the first 6 months, and then still a big part for the next 6 months before slowly tapering off. I made some great NH online friends during this time, and we’re still friends to this day.

I think that was the best youtube video intro i've ever seen

"Animal Crossing New Horizons saved my sanity" a sentence that strangely, has been uttered by everyone that played it.

I was a huge fan of the series prior to the release of this game. However to me personally, this is the best game in the series. Not only did the game manage to improve upon all the existing systems in the franchise, but also expanded with fantastic new ideas. And yes, with the timely release it also saved me from the pandemic in ways that I cannot describe!

I'm still playing my copy today. I didn't get it when it released and had to wait until next year I recall to finally get my physical preorder. But it really was THE game for me to cope with the pandemic by allowing me to (virtually) go outside and socialize with others. Hunger, health, occupation and money are not long term concerns like in other sim games like The Sims - just enjoy your island life.

This is my most place game on the switch (over 400 hours). It was such a nice relaxing time for me, to be home w family with my grandfather and all 3 of our pets before they passed away in a 2-year span after. This game will be s treasured memory forvehat reason❤❤

The day New Horizons came out was the day me and my parents moved out of the house that I was born and raised in. We had never moved. I was 22 and it was incredibly difficult for me, also because they wanted to move to the other side of the country and that meant my boyfriend and I were a long way apart. We didn’t have a new house yet so we would long stay at a holiday park in a cottage, which usually would have been fun- there was a swimming pool, and bowling and a restaurant- but because of the virus everything was closed and it meant 3 months of being cooped up in this small house. I had been looking forward to New Horizons so much, also watched the Direct many times and once with a friend too. Animal Crossing definitely helped me come through that time. Everything in the end went well, my parents a beautiful new home and me finding something close to my boyfriend and now living together, but the future seemed pretty bleak when you lose your home and everywhere is the virus….

It was the perfect social game to play when the world wasn't allowed to socialise irl! I made friends with NPCs, strangers on the internet, and played with my irl friends ❤

I will never forget about how i have felt about this game , like when i first started this game constantly. But from this point on I’m not ever gonna be restarting this game all over. Cuz back then when i was restarting ever so constantly i was jus trying to find the perfect island , but I’m already on that island now. Cuz this game did brought back really good memories of me , like when i was playing in the older games of AC. But it was good jus to see those times from back then , but now I’m looking forward to making more newer memories like playing in the newer games of AC. So to the people in Nintendo Life , I truly thank you all for making this game. Cuz this game will always get me to see how I really was from back then , and so this game is an eye opener for me. Cuz I never truly saw myself in a way like how I never saw myself before. So truly thank you for getting me to see something of myself , that I’ve never truly seen before. Ps. I jus can’t believe that this game really is 3 years old , so I truly thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

The initial release of Pokémon Go had a similar magical feeling. Ah the good old days.

Im still playing ACNH 3 years later. I love this game. Sad no more major updates but i still find it enjoyable

I always wondered when "Lockdown Nostalgia" would finally hit. Back in that first month or two when we had literally no idea if the virus was the next black plague or not, and all we could do was escape to this little peaceful island paradise... This game needs to be remembered and cherished by those who record the final history of COVID-19

My first Switch game! Was contemplating on getting Pokemon game back then but AC was all the hype and I didn't know what this was about. I got addicted playing until I reached 1,000+ hours within 9 months! Hands down one of the best games.

I didn't get the game until June and didn't even have a Switch. I actually went back and fired up my DS to play New Leaf while desperately and jealously avoiding anything online about ACNH. Was gifted a Switch Lite and the game for my birthday. Still play to this day to have a stroll and fish some fish. A true lifeline.

New Horizons was when a lot of other people came to Animal Crossing dealing with at least some similar reasons for playing it. AC is truly that total mental mild therapy that really helps when times are down or you're feeling too sick to play typical games. Wild World was when the series got its hooks into me, and also just happened to be the first of the games where Villagers would actually flag for your attention to strike up a conversation. A notable addition to the series. Not to mention, the increase in dialogue and soap-opera like background building of conversations between villagers when you decide to pry into what they're talking about. A feature that remained in the series, starting then, to this day.

New horizion was the game that really got me into the series,the way the game makes you customise your island is incredible

I still do my chores every day.

I remember i waited to buy a switch for the animal crossing switch. Literally the day it launched, all the shops went into lockdown and I couldn’t pick the console and game up until the lockdown was lifted 🙈🙈

I have over 900 hours into this game all on the same island. Finished the museum, working on a full catalog, playing the DLC, still play it about once a week these days! It still feels great to do projects on the island.

This game came out when I most needed it. I lived alone and worked full-time through every lockdown, often very long hours. It was lovely to have an hour or two every day to just unwind and focus on something relaxing and somewhat social.

I work in healthcare, so that time was absolutely awful. The game got me through. But, then about 5 days after it came out my switch died. I was unable to find a new switch- they were sold out everywhere!! I was stalking all the stores until I found one in stock about 45 min from my house. I left work and drove to go get it. The guy in front of me turned around and said "sorry" and then turned back and said "can I buy 5 switches?" and my heart sank- the guy at the register looked at me and then looked back at him and said no. I am not sure if he said no because of me or if it was because he truly couldn't. But, I was so happy! Still using that switch today.

I remember GameStop releasing them the day before. I found out when they were about to close 😭 I was so upset that I was going to have to wait lol but the next day I got there 20min before they opened. Stood in a small line, all of us keeping our distance, and we went in like 4 people at a time. Got my game and poster and got home to play. The next day lockdown began for my area and honestly NH got me through it as it did with many others ❤ I rarely play now but it’ll always hold a very special place in my heart.

I’ve tried resetting my ACNH island a couple times over the last few years. Just searching for a little bit of that magic from March 2020. With soo much more content in the game than back then, you would think it would feel even better to play now. But… I just can’t get those feelings back from those days when I’d play Animal Crossing all day and night during lockdown. It was like a special wrinkle in time we’ll never truly get back 🥹 really got me through those days.

Like Zion, I picked up my copy of New Horizons the night before it was supposed to be released. At the time I was stressing that GameStop locations would be shutdown before I was able to get my copy. And in fact the mall location I was supposed to get it at HAD closed. The Mall had shut due to covid. But I got a call that Thursday that I was able to pick it up that night at another nearby GameStop. It was a weird feeling that I had my physical copy before many people got to play digitally. But with the stress of the time, I'm glad I had the game to play.

I first discovered this channel when I was looking for video content about the upcoming New Horizons, so it's been about three years since I've been subscribed too! Loved every year of it.

It was phenomenal on how this game came at the right place at the right time, keeping people occupied during lockdown (and how it helped them) and I am thankful for that myself. Hard to believe that it's three years and I still have fond memories taking part in events with friends, crafting my island and trading items with people. Good to hear your exepriences throughout. It's totally GOTY material.

25:03 nice editing!!

I got nervous when I had to build my campsite because I needed so many iron nuggets and I barely had one!

This game really did save me. I would work to the best of my ability from home and then, as soon as I was done, I would jump onto Animal Crossing and put something calming on the tv to have on in the background. My partner and I would play together…it was so calming and sweet. It also got me to continue collecting the amiibo cards again after abandoning it years earlier.

that title sounds so threatening, jesus christ just imagine Isabelle rampaging the streets of new york like godzilla or something

I still play Animal Crossing religiously. ❤ Nintendo really did a great job. I bought a switch in 2018 back when the game was first announced. And I am really glad I did because switches were so difficult to come by in 2020. 😂

I remember when I first played the game. I live in the UK so lockdown occurred on the 23rd. I was living in my student house for uni at the time, living in my cold basement room, had preloaded the game ready to play on the day and granted I still had no clue as to how university was going to proceed or how the rest of the country was going to live and work with the pandemic. Granted I was a biomedical student and knew about the proceedings of the pandemic beforehand so was prepared for it. Before then though, I got started with the game and spent most of the day getting through the basics, asking villagers to move in and all that jazz. By the following day, 21st March, me and my brother organised to move back home to be safe from being trapped in our homes. On the 22nd, that's when I really buckled down with the game and spend every morning there after, waking up and immediately checking to see what's new on my island and before sleeping, getting another hour or two to finish off some things. I definitely believe the game came out the perfect time, despite the flaws of the game and the lack of smaller updates and additions to the game. ACNH is by far one of the best games Nintendo has had to offer and to me, is one of the most personal games I have ever played on any console!

When people cry for more power and graphics from Nintendo it's videos like this that remind me that their strength is creativity.

Man, I could watch that intro over and over again

I have never anticipated a game like this one. It was the best time of my life at the worst time of my life (at everyone's life, basically). The music takes me to the safe place I felt when I played it nonstop with my best friends. We threw a birthday party for my best friend in AC when we weren't supposed to throw parties. I miss those bittersweet days.

Elijah Wood visiting someone's island to sell turnips will always be top tier iconic to me

This game was so awesome to play at home. I have over 300 hours in game total. I just wish I had more stuff to do nowadays. I hardly play it anymore

I still check-in on a daily basis, mostly because I'm about 3 or 4 pieces of art away from completing the museum! And of course there are still a few animals I want like Beau and Raymond, already checked Sasha, Audie and Ankha off the list! Was trying to get every color of gyroid and flower, I already have all the songs!

I got this game in August of last year. I have 300 hours in and I am still discovering new things all the time. The gift that keeps on giving!

You guys discussing the rumours of playing the Ocarina for rare fish instantly took me back to my school days. I remember when people were saying if you went to the van in Vermillion city you’d find Mew. I spent hours messing around trying to find this Mew before giving up. So few games capture that sense of wonder and curiosity now.

I also got my copy a day early from GameStop. Driving through the city where my store is was wild. It was totally empty when it’s normally so busy. I’ve been a fan since Wild World days, and getting this as the world started to crumble was life saving

Going to GAME to collect my preorder was the last non food related shop I went to before everything shut down a week later. The game was a way to be together without being together. Also I don’t think I’ll every go over a 1000 hours on any other game every.

As a contractor I can relate to your renovation story, when we come in and wreck up the place it's garrunteed to pluck peoples strings. Either yours or your neighbors lives get semi disrupted and it's up to us to make it *as quick as we can* to make hell turn to heaven

My roommate at the time was able to pick up the game early from Gamestop. I pre-ordered the game digitally so I was jealous because he got to start his island before me lol

Another thing about this game is that it was actually supposed to come out in 2019, but Nintendo decided to delay it to polish it even more and this decision actually payed off big time.

Cant believe its been 3 years already since release, New Horizons saved me during the first year of the pandemic, it was the best escape from stress and helped a lot in times of major anxiety. I remember when the announcement trailer hit and how excited i was to play a new Animal Crossing after Wild World ❤ I really hope Nintendo doesnt let this franchise die off anytime soon.

I watched all your videos and remember everything going on with Alex and his new house during rhat time. It seems like it was just last year.

AC got me through lockdown. I would play so much after work (and during work - don’t tell my boss. LOL). This video is making me want to start it up again. I even made a cross stitch pattern for Animal Crossing recently. Like Felix-I have so many hours in Animal Crossing. 😅

I love this game. I was playing it while watching but unfortunately the video wasn't long enough so I'm still playing for today xD This game makes me exercise and stretch now and its also the relaxing time away from stress. My first AC game was Wild World and I loved it so much. Its awesome to play this new era of AC, even if its a little different from GC and WW.

i love your island

Can’t believe it’s been 10 years

I do not regret any of the 500 hours I've spent playing this game since launch

I remember when the game was still relatively new and it was my best friend's birthday. The two of us and our little group of friends virtually got together to celebrate on my island with a little party I had set up for her. When we had finished and had all "gone home", as it were, the song that played at 6pm (which plays at 13:00 in the video) had just started playing and it made me feel a tad more optimistic despite the awful time going on outside. It's the little things, y'know?

Oh i miss playing this game with my siblings

What a sweet video, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy 🥰

Never play AC before but in lockdown I play it on my switch lite for the first time and I loved it but now haven't touch it

It's been a long time since i played that game, can't believe it's been three years already.

I remember I was never really big on Animal Crossing. And I was an essential worker, so I never got to stop working throughout the whole pandemic. So in a strange, reverse way I felt kind of isolated from most of the world because I had to keep doing what I was doing while everyone I knew was fawning over this game I didn't have an interest in. Sadly the story doesn't end with me coming around on the game, I'm still not interested, but it is fascinating what a perfect storm it all was.

Me… lol. I remember going out and buying this game from GameStop a week or so before the Pandemic. We then drove to a retro gaming store to pick up a game for our old PS2. I just laid on the couch playing Animal Crossing, while my Brother was playing a PS2 Compilation of Street Fighter.

I still play it almost daily.

I can't believe it's been three years

This came out at the best, worst time in human history. Certainly made it tolerable. But now I feel like it ran it's course and I don't feel very compelled to play it anymore. It'll take another HUGE update to rope me back in. I miss playing it though...

Lockdown was the dumbest and most destructive thing ever, but at least it pushed the Animal Crossing sales to the moon! I loved that game, the weather was pretty great in the spring of '20 here in Germany and I enjoyed playing it on the terrace, really cozy.

I remember my fave Ruby said she was thinking about leaving 😢 and I thought this was out of my control for a minute. 😂

ACNH was the epitome of chill and it helped get the whole world through the covid stuff

I haven't visited my island for almost a year now. 😢 I miss my ACNH days.