A Fun Way To Get Through Quarantine

Those who are active in the video gaming realm are well aware of a new game from Nintendo called “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”

I wasn’t very familiar with it after it had come out in March of 2020. Nintendo released this right as the Covid-19 quarantine was starting to spread, and I think that move was brilliant. As the name of this post suggests, this game is a great way to get through these quarantine times.

What I love most about this game, is the pace. It’s extremely chill.

There are no “bad guys” to run away from, or risk getting shot. It’s not a first-person-shooter type game (a la “Call of Duty”), it’s just a relaxed game, which one can play at their own pace. The point of the game, simply, is to just “make an island.”

The island is supposed to be a “vacation getaway” of sorts, and it’s the player’s job to configure the island with amenities and decorations to entice “villagers” (the animals) to want to move in and stay there.

I’d been playing this game for about a month and change, and have built up my island to look pretty decent as a vacation getaway. I’ve got some room to grow still, but I’ve had a number of villagers move in so it’s certainly gaining popularity.

Just to keep things interesting, the game will have a villager randomly ask to move out. Thankfully, villagers can’t leave unless you give them the permission to do so. One particular villager asked to leave, I said “sure no problem”, and thus the idea for the video I’m going to share was born.

I decided to find a villager to replace the one I’d lost, and I decided to go hunting for a new villager using one of the available mechanics provided in the game. Without going into all the details, one can get villagers by visiting mystery islands and seeing which random villager may be there, or one can invite specific villagers with hardware collectibles called “Amiibos.”

I made a video for my YouTube channel showing my experience searching for a new villager, and I wound up meeting one of the more sought-after popular villagers. So, that was a fun discovery. I also got to experience the birthday festivities, since the game does celebrate the player’s birthday (and mine is coming up!).

If you’re not into video games, this video may not be all that interesting for you, but if you’ve never seen this game but have heard about it, this could be a fun little glimpse into the fun that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You never know; if you have a Nintendo Switch available and like how this game looks, you may find yourself wanting to start your very own island paradise and getting some fun villagers of your own. Go for it!