Animal Crossing: New Horizons
News, coverage and analysis tracking Animal Crossing: New Horizons across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Tokyu Resort Town Tateshina Will Hold an Animal Crossing Event
Tokyu Resorts & Stays will host a physical event based on Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons at its Tateshina resort from April 18 to July 20, 2026. Participants can engage in nature-themed challenges like fishing and fire-making, along with a DIY workshop. Exclusive merchandise will also be available for purchase.
UK Charts: Pokémon Pokopia Continues To Slip, As A Newcomer Grabs The Gold
Crimson Desert debuted at number one on the UK physical charts, pushing Pokémon Pokopia down to sixth place due to stock issues. EA SPORTS FC 26 and Mario Kart World secured second and third respectively, while Resident Evil Requiem fell to fourth.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream preview: our last look at the Nintendo Switch game before launch
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream for Nintendo Switch doubles down on creativity and player-driven storytelling, building on the series' focus on social interaction using player-created Miis. The sequel introduces enhanced customization options for Miis, including pronoun and dating preference selection, and allows players to customize the island town and incorporate custom drawings. The game aims to provide a relaxing, silly, and fun experience with low-stakes interactions and mini-games.
Pokemon Pokopia once again overtakes Resident Evil Requiem on Metacritic as the best game of 2026, with a score of 90…
Pokemon Pokopia has reclaimed the top spot on Metacritic's best games of 2026 ranking with an average critic score of 90, surpassing Resident Evil Requiem. This score matches Animal Crossing: New Horizons and solidifies Pokopia as the highest-rated Pokemon game ever.
Pokémon Pokopia is the Best Reason to Pick Up a Switch 2 Right Now, So Here's Your Best Options Available - IGN
Pokémon Pokopia is presented as the primary reason to purchase the Nintendo Switch 2, driving significant console sales and online discussion. The article highlights its appeal through personal anecdotes and historical Pokémon game successes, comparing its impact to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (21st March)
Several Nintendo Life staff members share their weekend gaming plans, with Pokopia being a dominant choice on the Nintendo Switch. Other titles mentioned include Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Resident Evil Requiem, Yakuza Kiwami 3, and new PC releases like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II.
Nintendo Remains Tight-Lipped About Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Future
Nintendo remains tight-lipped about future updates for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with vice president Reiko Ninomiya stating there is "nothing to announce" beyond the recent 3.0 update. This update includes features like the Resort Hotel and the return of Resetti. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa mentioned that such content drops aim to keep the existing Nintendo Switch install base engaged.
How Pokopia finally made me a Pokémon fan on Switch 2 - Reader's Feature
A reader's feature discusses how Pokémon Pokopia has converted a long-time skeptic into a fan, praising its blend of Animal Crossing and Minecraft mechanics with intuitive building. Despite some pacing issues and a real-time clock that can feel slow, the game offers a deeply engaging experience that justifies the purchase of the Nintendo Switch 2.
Famitsu software sales (3/9/26 – 3/15/26) – Top 30
Famitsu has released its weekly Japanese software sales data for the period of March 9th to March 15th. Pokemon Pokopia for the Nintendo Switch 2 leads the charts with over 117,000 units sold. Monster Hunter Stories 3 also saw strong debut sales on both Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5.
Japanese Charts: Ditto Copies Another Win For Pokémon Pokopia
Pokémon Pokopia continues to lead the Japanese physical sales charts for the week of March 9th-15th, selling an additional 117,029 units. New entries include Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection and Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake, which debuted in the top ten across Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5. The Nintendo Switch 2 remains the dominant hardware platform in Japan, with PlayStation 5 models also showing strong sales.
Hoppip Is to Pokémon Pokopia What Zipper T. Bunny Is to Animal Crossing, and Fans Want It Gone - IGN
Players of Pokémon Pokopia are expressing frustration with the "More Spores for Hoppip" event, comparing it unfavorably to Animal Crossing's Zipper T. Bunny. The event's central character, Hoppip, occupies valuable space in all Pokémon Centers, preventing other merchants from operating and hindering players' ability to assign Hoppip a habitat until the event concludes on March 24.
Nintendo Download: From the Diamond to Deadzone
Nintendo's latest download update for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 includes new releases like MLB The Show 26, Deadzone: Rogue, and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members. The update also highlights seasonal in-game events for titles such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley, alongside details on the final week of the My Nintendo Mario Kart World Open Series and new music additions to the Nintendo Music app.
Pokémon Pokopia Review - GameHaunt
Pokémon Pokopia offers a unique take on the franchise by setting players in a post-collapse Kanto where Pokémon must fend for themselves, with the player acting as a Ditto disguised as a trainer. This cozy sandbox game blends survival, discovery, and community building, creating an emotionally resonant experience focused on caretaking rather than capturing. The game runs cleanly on Nintendo Switch, featuring expressive Pokémon animations and a satisfying core loop of habitat creation and resource gathering.
US: Nintendo Download for 19th March, 2026
Nintendo has announced its latest download lineup for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. New releases include MLB The Show 26, Deadzone: Rogue, and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members. The update also highlights various farming and life simulation titles, along with ongoing events for Mario Kart World and new music additions.
Animula Nook Alpha Playtest Preview—Bigger On The Inside
Animula Nook, a "Lilliput Fantasy Life Simulator," offers a unique take on the life simulation genre by centering gameplay around tiny characters interacting with oversized everyday objects. The alpha playtest showcases a creative approach to world-building and resource management, drawing comparisons to Animal Crossing and Grounded. While still rough, the game shows promise with its imaginative concept and laid-back vibe.
Starfield PS5 vs Starfield OLED: Which Gaming Experienc... | TAG
Starfield is now available for preorder on PlayStation 5, with Standard and Premium editions launching April 7. Death Stranding 2 is set to release on PC and PlayStation 5 with new features, despite a Steam build leak. An unofficial PC port of the original Animal Crossing has been released, and Invincible season 4 draws parallels to James Gunn's Superman.
Capitalism Is Dead In Pokemon Pokopia, And We Know Tom Nook Isn't Happy About It
Pokemon Pokopia offers a stark contrast to the Animal Crossing series by eschewing capitalism in its gameplay loop. While Animal Crossing relies on debt collection and market manipulation through characters like Tom Nook, Pokopia emphasizes mutual benefit and community progression with limited currency. This analysis explores how Pokopia's design choices create a utopian society free from financial incentives, unlike the capitalist systems present in Animal Crossing.
The Animal Crossing Where Villagers Bully You Is Now (Unofficially) Available On PC
An unofficial PC port of the GameCube version of Animal Crossing has been released, requiring players to own a copy of the original game to access its assets. While the port suffers from some sound and memory bugs, the developer is actively working on improvements. This fan-made project has garnered interest due to the original game's more challenging villager interactions compared to modern entries.
"Welcome back ACNH treasure islands": Pokemon Pokopia fan creates Cloud Island you can use to get some of the cozy game's rarest goodies, and it's reminding us all of our Animal Crossing days
Players of Pokemon Pokopia are creating "Cloud Islands" that function similarly to "treasure islands" in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, allowing visitors to obtain rare in-game items. These islands, accessible with Mysterious Goggles, are being compared to the popular island customization features of the Nintendo game.
Unofficial Animal Crossing PC port is here, offering the widescreen 4K experience the 24-year-old GameCube classic…
An unofficial PC port of the original GameCube game Animal Crossing has been released as a playtest, offering features like widescreen support and 4K resolution. This port was made possible through the decompilation of the game's source code, a process that has also enabled similar projects for other classic titles. While some features are missing, the port is considered by early testers to be a significant improvement for playing the 24-year-old game.
