Remember when "social distancing" wasn't a phrase? I sure do.
I have my good and bad days throughout this Coronavirus pandemic, but there's one thing that's been a comfort through it all: "Animal Crossing."
On the Nintendo Switch, "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" is the latest installment of Nintendo's social simulation game that's been around since 2001. To summarize this game, the player controls the only human on an island village occupied by colorful animal neighbors. There isn't an objective to a game or an ending. Players can choose how to conquer the day by building tools and items, doing chores like watering plants, talking to neighbors, fishing and catching bugs among a ton of other things. It might not sound like, but the game is extremely fun.
"Animal Crossing" has a huge fan base filled with people who play the game to relax, collect items, upgrade their town's feature and more. And during this crazy time, it feels like the game is flourishing.
I've been playing the game a lot with my boyfriend and our friends who all got the game. Thanks to online features, "Animal Crossing" lets my friends and me trade fruit native to our islands or shop for exclusive merchandise in our stores. It reconnects me to people I haven't caught up with in years, lets me meet people through a Twitch community I follow and it allows me to "see" my friends without compromising anyone's health. But even when I play it by myself, it melts my stress away from the new normal outside of my Switch.
In my favorite moment yet with "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" one of my friends created an entire game on his island for another friend's birthday. He buried countless sticks, pieces of clay and other knick-knacks around his island, but he also created mazes with fences and hid 99,000 bells (money in the game) somewhere on the island. Whoever found the money first won the game, and believe it or not yours truly won.
On the Internet, I see other players' creativity in the customized island features and clothing designs. It's truly given an island getaway for all involved.
I'll stop before I take up too much time. So in the end, I recommend that everyone tries this game, whether they love video games or not. Mark my words, this game defines a moment when everyone was avoiding responsibilities in real life in exchange for responsibilities in "Animal Crossing."
Follow Samantha Incorvaia on Twitter at @_SamI520.
